< Good morning, love.
Bella smiles as she reads the message she received from Alexander the second she woke up. The smile she went with to sleep immediately comes back as she types the reply and sends it.
Good morning Alexander. >
She still finds it a bit weird to call him by his name now but she's sure that she'll get used to it. Even his name is sexy. She thinks as she pictures him in her mind.
She was right when she thought she won't get much sleep. The said man that just sent another text was running in her head last night and her brain kept replaying their first kiss over and over again.
She shakes her head to get out of her daze, feeling her slip in it again and she takes her phone to see the new message from him.
< Are you maybe free today? I thought we could go grab lunch together or something.
Bella's smile flatters at his question. She would love to have lunch with him but she already agreed to have lunch with Caroline and Nate after classes.
I'm sorry, but I can't...I already made plans with my friends...>
She bites her lip nervously as she waits for his answer. She hopes he's not mad or upset, but she can't cancel on Caroline and Nate. It wouldn't be fair and they have a rule to never cancel their time together if it's for someone else, unless it's something serious.
< Oh, okay. We can have lunch some other day then.
Bella feels awful and she wants to say yes to today's lunch but she can't. She thinks for a couple of seconds what to reply and comes up with a solution, hoping that he will accept and they could see each other at the end.
I'm really sorry...maybe we could see each other later today? Somewhen in the evening? >
< It's okay love, really. I know how much your friends mean to you and I would never mind you spending time with them nor would I ask you to not do it just so I could spend time with you.
< And I'll take you up on that offer. See you tonight, love ;)
Bella smiles widely burying her face into her pillow to squeal out of happiness before she sends him her last message.
See you, Alexander. >
With her cheeks hurting from how much she's smiling, she gets up from her bed and leaves her bedroom so she can take a shower and get ready for the day.
...
Alexander smiles as he reads her last text. She called him by his first name and even though it's just a text, he could still hear how it sounded coming out of her mouth from last night.
He can't lie and say that he wasn't disappointed when she told him that she can't go to lunch with him but he was more than happy when she offered to see him later today. He also can't lie about the fact that he's already addicted to her and can't stand being away from her.
She's like a drug.
My drug, that will be the end of me.
The sound of a doorbell brings him out of his thoughts that are only filled with Bella and he groans as he stands up to answer his door.
Both of his friends stand on his doorstep. One grins like an idiot while the other glares at him. "Why are you two here?" Alexander leaves them at the entrance and goes back to his living room.
"Hey! Is that the way how you should greet your best friend?" Jake acts offended as he walks into his apartment, an annoyed Scarlett following behind. She can't stop glaring at Jake. He ruined her plans of spending some alone time with Alexander. Both of them arrived at the same time but Jake is oblivious to her scowl, or just doesn't want to acknowledge it.
Alexander only ignores him as he goes into his kitchen to make some food since he won't be going out with Bella so soon. "Why are you so grumpy? Couldn't manage to get your girl since that night? To be fair, I did help you a lot so it's your own fault." Jake sits on the kitchen bar stool, leaning his head on his hand while Scarlett looks confused and wonders what he's talking about.
Alexander bites his lip, trying too hard to hide the smile that threatens to cover his face. Even just a mention of her makes him smile and feel like a teenager. And Jake doesn't miss it, he smirks, getting ready to tease his best friend.
Alexander didn't tell him anything yet, but Jake can tell that something did happen.
"Oh...I see."
Alexander glares at Jake who wiggles his eyebrows. Scarlett still can't figure out what they're talking about but she knows she doesn't like it. Just the idea of Alexander with another woman infuriates her and makes jealousy flood her veins.
"What are you two talking about?" Scarlett can't help but ask, feeling like she'll burst if they don't tell her what's going on.
And only then does Alexander notice her. He isn't so fond of her, but when he met Jake, he couldn't really avoid her since she's his step-sister. She was always clingy when it came to him and she thinks that he doesn't notice how she tries to get closer to him.
Being his model was the start, but he declined her offer because she's Jake's sister. The only time he accepted was when he held that class at Bella's college and he paid her to do it. Not with the payment she hoped she would get.
Then the second time he noticed that she wants to get closer to him, for the wrong reason that is, was when she stayed at his apartment. He was only doing her a favor since she doesn't live in New York and Jake wasn't in the city so Jake asked him if she could stay with him.
He said yes and regretted it the second she made herself feel at home. She took his clothes, walked around like she owned the place and owned him, and the thing he hated the most was the way she talked to Bella and how she wanted to portray it as if something was going on between them.
He was scared that Bella could get the wrong picture even though nothing was going on between them at the time. But he knew he liked her already and he didn't need Scarlett ruining his chances with Bella in any way.
But now he knows that won't happen since they are together now. He smiles at the thought. And even if Scarlett tries something, he will make sure to stop it immediately. She was like that since they met years ago.
In the beginning, he misunderstood her clinginess but when he realized what she's trying to do, he made sure she understands that nothing will happen between them. But that obviously didn't stop her.
"Oh, nothing, just this guy over here left me alone one night when we went out clubbing so he can have his little adventure with little someone," Jake smirks. "Real best friend move...guess who's not getting a friend of the year award." Jake jokes as he remembers how Alexander wasn't in the mood at all before someone special arrived, and left him alone to manage by himself with women.
Alexander scoffs as he makes himself a sandwich, and while Jake steals a strip of cheese, Scarlett sits down next to Jake, feeling her heart speed up at the new information.
"And who is that little someone?" she asks and Alexander spares her a quick glance before he looks over at Jake, hoping that he won't say anything.
For some reason, he doesn't want her to know. They are not that close to know about each other's personal lives, especially when he witnessed how she was with Bella. He won't allow her to even go near her.
Every time there was a mention of him with a woman, even though there was nothing actually happening, Scarlett would go berserk and that made Alexander think that she's crazy. She was always acting as if she owned him. Even Jake noticed and told her to stop because he could tell that it makes Alexander uncomfortable. But of course, she only pretended like she isn't doing anything and that they are making stuff up.
"It's that cute girl that models for him." Jake lets out as he munches on his cheese, not noticing when Alexander glares at him once again. He just couldn't keep his mouth shut. But the glare wasn't only for that, it was also for the way he described her. She is cute, but only he can say that.
"You mean the little girl from the class? Alexander, she's ten years younger than you, if not even more."
"So what?" Both Alexander and Jake ask at the same time.
"So what? Are you serious?" Scarlett doesn't like this one bit. She hates the fact that he isn't bothered by it. She is much closer to him by age and she hates that he doesn't see her that way.
"Age is just a number." Jake waves his hand as he tries to steal Alexander's sandwich but Alexanders slaps his hand away. Then Jake gives him his famous puppy eyes and Alexander gives up, making him a sandwich too.
"And jail is just a room." Scarlett scoffs as she shakes her head.
Both men give her a look, but Alexander had enough. He drops the knife and stares at her coldly. "First of all...don't you dare talk about her in any way, especially not like the last time." His voice is harsh as he speaks to her, making Scarlett shudder and look down at her hands.
"Second of all...what are you even talking about? What jail? She is of age and you are the last person to call her a little girl. She's much more mature than any woman I met my age, including you."
Alexander spits his words, having enough of her. He doesn't feel bad about anything he said and he doesn't care that Jake is sitting next to him, hearing all of this. But Jake doesn't seem to mind his words when he snorts. He can't be upset with Alexander since he agrees with him, even though Scarlett is his step-sister.
Scarlett glares at Jake for practically laughing while she gets scolded by Alexander and she angrily stands up to leave. Both men ignore her and just enjoy their sandwiches, making Scarlett huff in anger and slam the door shut.
"I'm sorry man. She just pisses me off." Alexander still apologizes, not wanting his best friend to be mad at him for talking to his sister that way. But he couldn't help it. He was taking all her bullshit all those years and he had enough. The thing that pissed him of the most was her talk about Bella, and he won't let her do that.
"Hey, don't worry. I know how much she can get on your nerves, sometimes I can't even stand her, no matter if it comes to me or you."
Alexander nods and they continue eating in silence. He can't wait for tonight, he knows that if he could see Bella now or even talk to her, he would calm down immediately. But he won't reach out to her, he doesn't want to interrupt her time with her friends, so he'll just wait for tonight.
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