Alexia's pov
Arriving home I continued to get ready for my date later on with Isabella. I took one final look into the mirror and sighed out. Overall I was content with the way I looked but I couldn't help but feel there was something missing.
There wasn't a lot of time to dwell about it because only seconds later the doorbell rang. Nala joined in, deciding a doorbell wasn't enough to tell you there is someone at the door and channeled her inner guard dog to scare the potential intruder away.
Even when I opened the door and invited Isabella in, Nala didn't seem to calm down. I knew she wasn't keen on new people but this was unusual. Normally she would just keep her distance and leave the person alone, now she's barking and growling for whatever reason.
"Nala! Will you quit it?!" I scolded the small dog.
Isabella chuckled at my scolding and walked further into the apartment, following right behind me. She was wearing a casual outfit. Ripped skinny jeans with a simple loose shirt. Her blond hair up in a bun. She looked good, not gonna lie.
"Don't worry, it's fine." She gave me a smile and walked up to Nala.
She tried to pet the fluffy creature but with a small bark the dog ran away towards the couch. On the couch was Eleanor's sweater and that's where Nala went to hide. Of course the dog would pick a side. I rolled my eyes at the dog and turned back to face Isabella.
"Are you ready?" She clapped her hands together and smiled.
"I am. Is this okay though?" I gestured to the clothes I was wearing.
Just like her I was wearing ripped jeans, a blouse and some sneakers. When she asked me out, she told me to wear something casual but I couldn't help but think that this wasn't it.
"It's perfect. Don't worry." She kissed my cheek, making me blush.
"Alright then. Let's go." I smiled at her and we were off.
The date was lovely. We drove to the beach and had dinner in one of the restaurants that was close by with a nice view of the sea. During dinner our conversation flowed naturally. Nothing felt forced or uncomfortable but I couldn't help the pit in my stomach.
After dinner she took me for a walk at the beach. We were walking beside each other. Isabella was passionately telling a story about her job. With all the willpower in the world I couldn't focus on her story, instead my mind kept wondering about the brunette that had consumed my thoughts ever since I got to know her.
Her laugh was what brought me back in the moment and that's when it all clicked. The date was lovely and so was she but she wasn't the one I wanted to go on the date with.
"I'm sorry but I can't do this." I blurted out, surprised by my own confidence but I just couldn't keep pretending. I stopped walking and faced the girl. "I mean, you're a lovely person and you're attractive but you're not the one I'm in love with." I explained myself further.
I braced myself for the reaction because let's be honest here, it was a shitty move. I briefly closed my eyes but immediately opened them again when I heard her chuckle.
"Took you long enough." When I looked at her there was a smirk on her face. I for sure thought she would've been angry which only made me more confused.
"What?"
"I was starting to think you were too stubborn for the plan to actually succeed." She continued walking and left me standing there. It took me a minute to take it all in and the only words that seemed to do so were 'plan' and 'succeed'.
"What plan?" I caught up with her again and followed close behind her.
"The plan Alba and I came up with to get you and Eleanore together." She just shrugged her shoulders like it was the most normal thing in the world.
At the mention of my sister I shouldn't be so surprised but I couldn't help it. The fact that they had formed a plan simply shocked me.
"You have a plan?! This was a setup?!" I stopped walking again to look at her in shock. The girl turned around and sheepishly smiled at me.
"Well to be fair I was genuinely interested in you at the beginning but it was kinda hard not to miss the looks you two gave each other and who am I to get in between true love."
"Yeah well not really true love now is it" I scoffed, thinking back to a couple of hours earlier when I went to confront Ellie. We continued walking along the shore.
"You'd be surprised." She hummed. Her eyes fixed on some people on a bench further down the beach.
"Yeah well before our date I confronted her. I told her to tell me not to go on the date, to fight for me but she told me to go instead so I'm not so sure that you're right." I sighed, looking down.
"Have you ever considered that she is just scared?" She slightly turned her head so she could look at me.
"Of what?"
"Of losing you." She said, like it was obvious. "From what I have read and heard that girl has been through a lot and you must mean a great deal to her. She might feel like losing you would destroy her."
I furrowed my eyebrows at that. I was not gonna leave her. I mean I must be stupid to do so but maybe Isabella was on to something. Her last two relationships weren't really that great and in both she got betrayed and her heart broken.
"I'm not gonna leave her." I said maybe a little too defensive but Isabella didn't seem to mind but she stopped walking once again and stopped me in the process.
"Then make her see that. You asked her to fight for you but that isn't fair. You need to fight for her too. That's how love works. It goes both ways." She sternly looked at me.
"What do I do now?" I whispered.
"You fight for her because I know that girl is madly and hopelessly in love with you and so are you. Just give her time. After tomorrow you have a free day right?" She asked.
"Yeah why?"
"Well as of tomorrow you stop ignoring her and stop being awkward."
"I'm not ignoring her nor am I being awkward." I crossed my arms over my chest, pouting like a small child.
"Yes you are. Mapi told Alba and Alba told me but not the point. The point is that tomorrow evening you take the team out dancing. I'll be there as well. In the beginning of the night we make her jealous and we'll go from there." She smiled proudly at me. Me? Not so convinced about this whole plan.
"Jealousy? That's your whole master plan?" I asked the girl, not impressed with her.
"Yes. Well mine and Alba's. Take it or leave." She challenged me. We both stared at each other for a while, seeing who would give in first.
Although I thought it was a stupid plan, what did I have to lose? Maybe it will work.
"Fine." I grumbled, giving in, the other girl squealed and jumped up and down.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures, or how do the Americans say it." A smirk was growing on her face. Clearly she was enjoying this.
"Now let's enjoy the rest of our fake date. I might not be romantically interested in you but I do like you as a friend." She swung her arm around me.
"Agreed." I laughed at the blonde and we continued our walk.
It was around midnight when I arrived back home. Isabella and I decided to grab a quick drink but that turned out a bit longer than we both had originally thought.
I expected Ellie to be in bed already but because all the lights were switched off, when I entered the living room I was met with a sight that made my heart skip a beat.
The young American had her hair in a messy bun and was wearing her glasses. Something she mostly did at night when she was tired. She was lounging on the couch, watching Friends with Nala nestled into her.
"Hey." I slowly walked into the living room.
She looked up at me in surprise. She hadn't heard me come home, something that would happen often when the girl focused on something.
"Hey." She greeted me with a soft smile on her face. "How was your date?"
My heart broke at her question. For a split second I could see the hurt in her eyes but as soon as I saw it it was gone. I so badly wanted to tell her that it wasn't a real date anymore but then I remembered the plan. Even though I didn't agree with it, I was desperate.
"Good." I answered maybe too quickly but she just nodded.
For a while there was this awkward silence. I just stood there in the living room not really knowing what to do or say next and neither did she. That was until something funny happened on the TV and grabbed my attention.
"What are you watching?" I asked the brunette who started petting Nala, no doubt for comfort.
"Friends" was her simple answer and to be fair I should have known when I looked at the TV. Before I had the chance to respond to her she beat me to it.
"You wanna join me?" It was soft, I had barely heard what she said. Since the kiss we barely had spent time together so I hadn't expected her to ask.
"Sure, let me just change real quick." I said, going to my room and changed into something more comfortable.
When I got back I sat myself down next to her and we watched Friends together. For the first time in what seemed like forever, everything felt normal again. We talked, laughed. It felt nice. It was only, what a week? Maybe a bit longer that I went without really talking to her and I missed her. This situation needs to change and fast.