Alexander wraps his arms around Bella's waist, bringing her into a hug as she puts everything on the dining table. He makes her giggle with the ticklish kisses he's leaving on the back of her neck, distracting her from her work.
He's acting super cuddly since the night they spent together but she won't complain because she surely needs affection and care at this time of year. The holiday season didn't get any easier to handle since her mom left her, but now she has people that she cares about that make it a little easier to go through.
When she puts the last napkin in its place, she turns around in his arms to face him and wraps her arms around his neck.
"Hi." She whispers but makes him smile.
"Hi." He leans down and nuzzles his nose with hers before he brushes his lips against her soft ones, barely touching them. He is teasing her, not giving her what she wants and every time she thinks he's going to capture her lips with his, he moves his head and kisses the corner of her lips or her jaw.
But she had enough so she takes the initiative and traps his bottom lip between hers. She can feel him smile against her lips before he starts kissing her deeply and passionately, tilting his head to the side so he can deepen the kiss and fully taste her.
She pulls away to tell him something but he keeps pecking her lips while she talks, not wanting to get away from her or stop what they're doing. "I gotta...*kiss*...check...*kiss*...our dinner...*kiss*...before the guests...*kiss*...come...*kiss*"
Bella giggles as she finally manages to push him away. "No, I'm not letting you go." He tightens his hold on her and buries his face in the crook of her neck. "But what about our dinner? You want our meal to be burnt?" She chuckles as he keeps kissing her neck.
"I got my meal right here."
He looks up to see if his dirty remark had any effect on her, and when he sees that her cheeks are a deep shade of red, he is satisfied to know that she took his words in a way he maybe wanted her to.
"Well, you can't have it now." She dared to say but regrets it when he looks at her knowingly with a sly smile on his face that she finds extremely sexy.
"So...that means I can have it later?" He bites his lip to contain his smile as he watches her think of a way to get out of this situation she got herself into.
"Shut up." She lets out quietly and punches him lightly in the shoulder before she speed walks towards the kitchen to get away from him. Her cheeks are still red and her state worsens when she hears him chuckle lightly behind her.
He finds her super adorable and can't wait to tease her more if it means he will get this type of reaction.
They both don't know, but they did think about how and when will it happen between them. Bella is feeling sure and ready, she wants it to happen with him and she is grateful that she didn't do it already because she is sure that she would regret it.
She didn't have this kind of feeling when she was with Noah in a relationship, but she now knows that she wants it to happen with Alexander.
The said man, however, has his doubts and insecure thoughts running through his mind. He wants it to happen with her, of course, he knows he doesn't want to wait for anybody else because he's sure that Bella is the one for him.
But his mind doesn't let him go easily about this because it would be his first time as well, and he doesn't want to disappoint or ruin her first time. That's also the reason why he isn't rushing it or bringing that conversation to the table.
But with the way things are going between them and how much they grew closer to each other in all this time they have known each other, they both feel that they're ready, and both know that it would be something meaningful. But they will let it run its course and when it happens, happens.
Now they have to focus on the dinner they planned for their friends and for everything to go in the right way, drama-free if possible. But it might not be like they wanted it to be.
...
"There's my little man!" Jake exclaims loudly when he enters Alexander's apartment and sees Jaxon standing beside Alexander by the door.
The older man grabs him and lifts him in the air, spinning him until the little boy complains. "Did you miss me?" Jake squats down to be on Jaxon's level. He would sometimes go to the orphanage with Alexander so that's how he got to know Jaxon and since then they're like best buddies.
"Not really." Jaxon shrugs but gets an exasperated gasp from Jake.
"Since when did you become so mean." Jake frowns and Jaxon heaves a sigh. "I'm just kidding." He hugs the pouting man who can't help but hug him back while shaking his head. Then his eyes fall on the little girl that watches everything in silence behind them.
"I see you brought your girl to dinner." Jake jokes but groans in pain when Jaxon kicks him in the shin.
"Shut up. Don't make her feel uncomfortable." Jaxon turns to look at Stella, hoping that she didn't hear that, but when he sees her cheeks are red he quickly turns around so she doesn't see him blush as well.
"Alright, alright, but I don't hear you denying it little man." Jake chuckles but watches as Jaxon looks down while fiddling with his little fingers.
"Maybe in the future..."
Jake's heart melts at Jaxon's words and he ruffles his hair as he stands up so he can go introduce himself to Jaxon's future girl.
The five adults that still stand by the door watch the scene with smiles on their faces until they start introducing themselves to each other.
Alexander shakes hands with Nate and his girlfriend Cara, the girl that works at that club. He invited them as well as Caroline so both friend groups would celebrate together and not separate just because of their romantic relationships.
Meanwhile, Bella pulls Caroline to the side and asks the question she is dying to ask since the moment Caroline sent her a message, telling Bella that she'll come with Jake.
"So, you and Jake, huh? When did you plan to tell me about that?" Bella crosses her arms over her chest, interrogating her friend but with a smile on her face. She's happy for her.
"Um...today?" Caroline shyly scratches the back of her head. "I didn't want to tell you earlier because I wasn't sure about it, but we got a lot closer these past few weeks, especially these days when you were staying with Alexander." She explains quickly and Bella nods a couple of times.
"So while I was feeling bad for leaving you alone for a few days, you actually had company and didn't think of me at all." Bella jokes but Caroline still wants to try and fix the situation.
"Babe, you know I would kick his ass out if you wanted to come back. Remember, sisters before misters." Caroline says and makes them laugh.
"I'm happy for you C." Bela makes Caroline pout and hug her tightly. " And I'm happy for us both. We're not single as pringles anymore." Caroline makes them laugh again, taking them both towards the couch so they can catch up.
"Make yourself feel at home." Alexander motions for Nate and Cara to come in and then he closes the door to join everyone in the living room. He also wanted to invite Toby and Geroge for dinner but both of them declined politely, wanting to spend Christmas Eve with their families.
There's only one more person he wishes to be here with him, but the thought that that can't happen makes him heave a deep sigh before he takes a tray filled with drinks and offers them to everyone. "Shall we move to the dining table?"
"We shall." Jake raises his glass and makes everyone laugh.
Soon enough they are all seated at the big dining table, filling their plates with all kinds of different dishes that are served in front of them. As Alexander was about to sit as well, the doorbell rings, and with furrowed eyebrows, he goes to open it.
His face falls when he sees the person standing in front of him. "What are you doing here?" He watches as Scarlett smiles politely at him but his mood is immediately ruined by her and all he wants to do is close the door in her face.
"Jake invited me." She simply answers and Alexander turns to see the said man nervously walking towards them. Alexander only raises a questioning eyebrow and Jake scratches the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Sorry man, but she overheard me when we talked about tonight and I didn't know how to get out of it," Jake explains, ignoring the offended look on Scarlett's face.
Alexander takes a deep breath before he turns to face Scarlett again and reluctantly lets her in. He is not happy with this but he can't be mad at his best friend.
"What is she doing here?" Nate whispers to Bella who only shrugs but wonders the same. She can't help but feel like this evening just got ruined by her presence. She doesn't want to think that way but the way Scarlett has been towards her, she just can't help it.
"Oh my God! Is this my little Jaxon?" She knows him as well. She met him once when she went with Jake and Alexander to the orphanage. She did anything Alexander was doing or what he liked when she was trying to get close to him, even though she hated every second of it. But of course, she faked it.
"Don't touch me. I don't like you." Jaxon pushes her hand away from his face. She was pinching his cheek. He was never fond of her, he could tell that she isn't a good person the second he met her. And for the little boy he is, he was smart enough to know what she was trying to do. He would never let Alexander be with her.
Scarlett gasps surprisingly, feeling embarrassment creeping up on her, and the loud laugh that Jake lets out doesn't help her much.
"I love this little kid," Caroline whispers but makes Bella laugh, but her attention goes towards her man as he sits down next to her with a scowl on his face. Wanting to make him feel better she slides her hand under the table and rubs his knee.
His eyes immediately meet hers and he feels better in a second as he puts his hand on top of hers and brushes his fingers over her knuckles.
After Scarlett awkwardly introduces herself to some new faces, they start eating again, small chattering feeling the room.
"Mmm, this is so delicious," Cara mumbles as she takes another bite but makes Bella smile.
"I know right! My girl is an amazing cook." Alexander lifts their hands and kisses the back of Bella's hand.
"It's nothing special if you ask me. It could be better." Scarlett lets out as she pushes the food on her plate with her fork, her face showing disgust.
"I had enough." Alexander throws his napkin on the table and has everyone's attention as he glares at Scarlett across the table. Everyone just went silent, hoping that things won't escalate but at the same time they want Scarlett to be put in her place.
"You have no right showing your face here uninvited only to insult my woman's cooking and to stir up some unnecessary banter. If you want to act like a child just to gain some attention and to ruin everyone's night then I suggest you leave before you regret ever coming here in the first place."
Alexander leaves everyone in shock as he calmly but sternly tells Scarlett off. Everyone would be fooled if they thought he wasn't angry because of the way he kept his voice at bay, but if you were one of the people sitting at that table you would know that nothing but wrath was coming out of his mouth.
"Me acting like a child?" She glares back and points a finger at her chest. "Look at you, you're practically dating one!" She raises her voice but has everyone gasping at her words and looking between Bella and Alexander.
Alexander's body fuels with madness as he stands up and holds himself back from just grabbing Scarlett by her hair and throwing her out of his apartment. But the soft smaller hand he loves to hold and that belongs to his love grabs his and keeps him grounded, both his body and mind.
He looks down at Bella, her eyes telling him to calm down before things escalate even though it might be too late for that. But he knows how much she hates conflicts so he takes a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down as much as possible.
"I mean look at your guests even." She shows the people around the table with her hand. "They're all still in school while you, a grown-up man only wants to surround himself with them. Why is that? Is it because you can't keep a single person in your life? Are you scared to be left alone like you always are, that they will leave you like everyone has-"
This time he really had enough. She hit a weak spot and with everything she knew about him and his life it disgusted him that she would use that against him, just because he doesn't want to reciprocate her feelings.
He bolts towards her, making her actually feel scared for the first time, but Bella is quick to jump up from her chair and stand in front of him, stopping him with her hands on his chest and a nickname he never heard from her but would love to hear again even though this is not the right time to think about how good it sounded coming from her. "Xander."
"I'm really sorry for you and for the pathetic man you became to be." She was trying to hurt him and break his heart as much as she can with her words, even though she is the one actually hurting because of how much he finds her repulsive.
But she did feel giddy when she got his reaction to her previous words.
"No, what you're actually sorry for is the fact that you could never have the pathetic man that I am." He spits the truth and breaks her heart into million pieces, leaving her shattered and embarrassed by his words.
"Oww, burn!" Nate and Jake let out at the same time, high-fiving across the table and making Jaxon giggle along.
"This is the last time I will tell you to leave before I forcefully make you," Alexander says calmly even though his chest is moving rapidly with the quick breaths he's taking. Bella is still standing in front of him, keeping her eyes on him as she gently rubs his shoulders with her hands.
"Goodbye." Scarlett scoffs angrily, taking her bag and swinging it over her shoulder as she makes her way towards the door.
"Bye, bye!" Jaxon waves his little hand with a small smirk on his face, making everybody laugh and finally relax as Scarlett glares at the little boy before she slams the door shut.
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Hey guys!
I have to say I really like the ending of this chapter and the response of our little Jaxon 😂
Question for you: What do you think about Scareltt and do you think she can be even worse? 👀
I hope you liked this chapter. If you did leave a comment and please vote
Also if you notice any spelling or grammar mistakes, please do tell me
Till next time
Have a good day/night 💜