His laughter brought my smile to life. I couldn't figure out how he did it, but he did it. We looked around at all the dogs and even held some dogs. Alex and I narrowed it down to two types of dogs; a yorkie or a pug. We looked at the two and finally decided that I would get a pug, although I really wanted a yorkie and thought it looked sad when we didn't choose it.
"This is why I don't buy dogs!" I whined to Alex.
Alex chuckled and helped pay for the pug. We bought all the supplies and took it home. Alex asked me what I should name the dog and I stared at it for a second. Once the name came to mind, I almost shouted it.
"Zelda!" I smiled.
"Really?" He asked, looking down at the pug. She looked up at Alex and licked his chin. I smiled widely and nodded. "Zelda it is."
We got Zelda into the apartment and set down the "potty" mats. Zelda was pretty good and didn't chew on anything like we thought she would, but then again, it was the first day I had her. Alex's phone rang and he picked it up, taking it into the computer room, as I played with Zelda. She cuddled into my lap then fell asleep before Alex came back into the room. Alex looked at me and sighed. I looked at him confused and he just shook his head.
"What's wrong?" I asked, stroking Zelda's belly.
"I have to go get my things," Alex sighed. I shrugged, not knowing what to say, then told him he should go.
He left with no other word. I set Zelda in her bed in my room and started to leave, until my shoe hit a box under my bed. I stopped, leaned down, and pulled the box out. I opened the top and saw the pictures from high school.
Jack and Alex looked so different.
I flipped through the pictures and found my favorite one. It was Alex and I at the cabin, sharing a chair and blanket, and him kissing my cheek. I covered my mouth and tried not to let the tears break, but they did. I laughed and wiped my eyes. I pushed away some of the bracelets and things to find the scrapbook Jenna made me before I spent a few months traveling. The pictures brought the memories in my mind back.
I left the apartment to get a poster board to make a collage of the pictures with of, and copied the pictures. After I got back to the apartment, I started to work on the collage with the copied pictures, after cleaning up some of the mess Zelda made. Alex walked into the apartment while I was in the computer room and called my name. I called him into the room where all the pictures covered almost half the floor. Alex sat beside me, carefully, and looked at all the pictures.
"I remember that one," he whispered, picking up the picture of us at the cabin.
"I do, too," I whispered.
"Do you ever think about it?" He asked. I nodded.
Flashback~
Jenna and I watched Jack start the fire as Alex brought out the chairs and blankets. Jenna got the marshmallows ready and took one of the chairs from Alex.
Looks like we're sharing chairs.
Alex set up a chair for him and I then sat down in it. I sat on his lap. Jenna handed me a stick with a marshmallow on it and we started to roast them. Jack was still standing and started dancing. Jenna tried to get him to sit with her, but he just moved around. I laughed at him and leaned into Alex.
"Look out!" Alex said. "Your marshmallow is on fire!"
I yelped and pulled it out of the fire. Alex blew on it and tried to eat it, but I slapped him away. He laughed and took the stick away from me. Jenna took a picture of Alex, then Jack, then me. I stole her camera and took a picture of her. She laughed and took her camera. Alex ate his marshmallow then tried to talk with his mouth open. I laughed and covered his mouth. He moved my hand and pulled the blanket up and around us. I cuddled up to him and felt him kiss my cheek. I looked at him and couldn't help but blush.
Alex being my crush since he moved here was a huge reason why. He knew I had a crush on him and always teased me for it. Sometimes I hated it, but I didn't mind it. I expected it. That's what happens when someone finds out you like them.
"Hannah!" Jenna yelled. I looked up and wiped my eyes.
"Huh?" I asked.
"Jack and I call the master bedroom," Jenna said.
"Ok," I replied. There were only two bedrooms in the cabin; the master bedroom and a guestroom that had two beds.
"I call window bed," Alex announced.
"Whatever you say!" I laughed.
The fire died and we all migrated to our rooms after putting everything away. Alex put his things on the bed by the window then changed into something comfortable. I did the same, turned off the lights, and crawled into my bed. A few minutes of silence passed until Alex whispered something. I sat up and looked at him.
"What?" I asked in a whisper.
"I'm cold," he whispered.
"Well, I can't do anything about it," I giggled.
"Well, you could..." He patted the bed.
"Isn't that too far?" I asked. It was silent, so I thought he was asleep.
"If you couldn't tell, I shook my head," he said.
"Oh, ok."
I got out of my bed and quietly moved into his. He snaked his arms around my waist and nuzzled his face into my neck. I giggled and held onto his hands. He pulled the blanket over us then kissed my neck. I became uneasy.
"It's okay," he whispered.
"Not really," I replied, looking back at him. The moonlight hit his face just at the right spot so I could see him. He sighed and moved the hair out of my face. "Alex, it's obvious that I have a crush on you. I can't just do things like that and be ok with it." He nodded.
"But, Hannah, you don't know how I feel," he whispered, almost choking out.
"Then how do you feel?" I asked. He leaned in close, our foreheads touching, and smiled.
"You have to keep this a secret, okay?" He asked with his goofy smile. I nodded and giggled a little, still trying to stay quiet. He pulled me into him and chuckled a little. "I'm secretly in love with you."
"No you're not," I giggled, pulling away. He nodded rapidly.
"I am. I really am. I'll prove it!"
Which he did.
~
Alex looked through the pictures some more. I stood from the spot and made my way into my room. I couldn't bare to think of the memory anymore. Alex called my name, but I didn't reply. I took off my makeup, which was smeared now, and changed into pale pink sweatpants and a cream-colored, off-the-shoulder t-shirt that I tied in the front. I put my hair in a bun and walked back into the room. Alex stood and stared at me.
"Are you-"
"I'm fine, Alex," I whispered. He nodded and attempted to make his way towards me, but I just started to put up the pictures. "I should probably clean up."
"Do you need help?" He asked.
"I just need..." I started, but couldn't find the words to finish. Alex took me into his arms. The tears broke and I held onto him. "I just can't stand this," I whispered.
"Do you want me to leave?"
"No, I just don't want to have to share you."
Alex pulled away and looked at me. I wiped my eyes and went back to cleaning up the pictures. I struck a nerve, but I needed to tell him. He stood there for a second, then said he'd be back. I finished cleaning up the room and set everything in a place where I would remember it.
Zelda whined for food. I led her to the kitchen where I had her food and fed her. I crawled into bed and turned on Netflix. I watched The Blair Witch Project and snuggled up with Zelda.
The front door opened then there was a knock on my bedroom door that was only halfway shut. I paused the movie and sat up as Alex walked into the room. He held flowers and a bag. He sat on the bed with me and handed me the things. I looked in the bag, finding a card and candy. I read the card and started to cry. I looked at Alex and smiled.
"Thank you," I whispered. I wrapped an arm around his neck as a hug and tried not to get my tears on his shirt.
"I love you," he said.
"Don't throw it around," I said, pulling away.