I went straight to bed that night but I didn't fall asleep. A knock came at my door. I only had on one of Jason's old t-shirt and shorts.
I sigh and stand up.
"Who is it?" I ask.
"Me." I knew it was Alex and he knew I knew so he didn't have to say it. I pull open the door and examine his face. "Hey."
"Come in." I say. "Are you okay?" He looks like he was stressed out.
"Yeah I just wanted to get out so I came here. Is that okay?" Alex asks as I close the door.
"Sure." I shrug and walk over to my bed. As I sit I realize what I was wearing again. I pat the space beside of me so he isn't afraid to sit down.
"Do you not like what your maids gave you to sleep in?" Alex chuckles and takes my offer to sit down.
"It's too silky. And the lace on the bottom got snagged on my fingernails and everything else in my room." I laugh a little.
Alex laughs. I pull my legs up and cross them.
"What all was going on that made you upset?" I ask.
"Not upset just frustrated. My dad. He— he really does love me and my siblings but I think he loves Illéa more. He wants me to marry next week." Alex whispers.
"Which one?" I ask. It hit me like a blow to the head but I swallowed my fear anyway.
"Whoever he just wants yet done." Alex says. I sigh outwardly and look st him.
"What do you want Alex?" I ask. "If it were just you and a single girl out living alone on the country side who would you want to be the one in your arms. Maybe you don't get to pick everything that happens to you but this is for you to pick. That is what the selection is for is it not?"
"I guess you're right. And I don't want to get married this soon. I barely know any of you still. Maybe some more than others but I can't imagine getting married so soon." Alex tells me.
"I know."
"Is that how you feel?" It was abrupt. Unexpected. And made my face hot. "Like maybe you could have everything if it weren't so abrupt and uneasy with the other girls."
Was it? I had to think about it for a minute and I didn't believe he was wrong.
"Would it be okay if I said yes?" I mutter.
"Of course."
"Then yes. Maybe that's why everything is so hard." I say honestly.
"Today... Charlie, I had a lot of fun. I could handle more days like that." Alex laughs covering one of my hands with his own.
"Me too." I smile. Stress free times like that helped me cope. With what? I wasn't sure.
I also wasn't sure what made me do it, but I did. I sat up a little and hugged Alex around the neck.
"I'm sorry." I tell him.
"My dad likes you, Char. And I want to ask you something." He says wrapping his arms around my waist. It wasn't tight at all because his arms were so long around my tiny waist.
"Okay."
"Would you..." Alex sighs. "I don't want to ask this of you."
"Alex.." I start. "Just tell me." I sit back so I can see his face, but he doesn't move his arms from me.
"If it came down to it, would you–maybe not even permanently– take my hand and marry me. Only if this time would come. Over all the girls I don't know any of them well enough to have even a chance of spending my entire life with them."
I sit there looking at him. What? Did I seriously just hear him clearly? You think that when you are being proposed to you know for sure what will happen.
"Alex..." I say but I don't know what comes after it.
"I know I shouldn't have said it but I need that. If not it will be Courtney and there is no way I could ever get out of it. Maybe with you, you could say you didn't want it— if you didn't of course. She never would, Char." Alex whispers.
"That's soon." I mutter. "I still haven't thought this through all the way. I thought maybe I would have a lot longer."
"What about." He says moving closer to me. "You think about that." He kisses my head making me lean back with the pressure and leaning forward as his arms pushed me back. "And as you do." Now a kiss between my eyebrows. "I'll wait." And then his lips find mine.
I smile. I don't know why or what brought it on but maybe it was the coolness of his lips that just sent chills through me.
"Okay." I say and wrap my arms around his neck. As I do so I pull myself up a bit until my lips are level with his.
"You can't tell anyone I said any of that okay?" Alex whispers sending his breath to fan over my face.
"I won't." I promise. I wasn't sure who made the next mood but I feel like it was the fact that Alex put his hand behind my neck which caused me to lean forward just enough to connect our lips.
He traced shapes into the small of my back as he pulled back a bit but not enough to push me away.
"I'm not supposed to say this." Alex breathes. "But I love you and I don't want to try and hide it from you. I love you, Char."
My eyes were closed for a minute and I didn't dare open them.
"I love you too." I whisper.
"Charlie." It was quiet what he said. "Open your eyes." Then he kissed me one more time. "I hope you don't mind me sitting in here with you."
"Not at all." It ends quietly with me leaning against his shoulder as I fall asleep.
Maybe he thought I was asleep.
Maybe that's why he said it.
Maybe it's what he asked me earlier.
But either way be said it.
"Goodnight my future princess."
Authors note!!
So I promised ReaganSpomer i would update tonight and I know it's late but I wanted to keep the promise anyway😂 Go give her a follow!!