Chapter Twenty-Six
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Sitting in the front seat of the familiar van, I felt my dream vacation rapidly coming to an end. Allowing myself a small sigh I looked at the ocean in the rearview mirror one last time. I was going to miss the place Alex first told me he loved me, where we were cuddled on the beach just after another attack from Andy.
I was going to miss Alex's carefree attitude because I know that he's not going to keep it up when we get home. I was going to miss hanging out as a couple. Laughing, kissing. I'm going to miss his warm body next to mine as I slept.
Sighing again, Justin caught my eye in the mirror as a smirk stretched across his face. "Stop." I hissed at him.
Alex opened the driver's door as Harry hopped into the back. "Syd's taking a plane home in a few days. So it's just us." Harry laughed.
Rolling my eyes I looked at Alex who was already looking at me. I leaned across the center console and gave him a quick kiss.
"Guys." Harry and Justin groaned with laughs at the same time. I smiled and took Alex's hand while he drove down the freeway.
Watching as the ocean was taken over by the tall buildings so I could no longer see the glistening water, I got a little sad. I kissed Alex's hand and he gave mine a squeeze.
Justin and Harry got bored after an hour so I turned up the radio and we sang along with most of the songs. Alex was annoyed because we were stuck in traffic.
"If you guys don't cut it out." He growled between clenched teeth.
"Alex, please calm down." I urged him with a smile. "What's the rush?"
He looked over at me and smirked, "You're right." He sighed.
"Of course I'm right." I laughed, leaning back against the headrest but keeping my eyes attached to his.
After another two hours stuck in traffic, I couldn't take it anymore. "Alex," I whined and he smirked.
"What happened to 'what's the rush?'" He mocked.
"That was hours ago!" I hissed, "When we haven't moved in nearly forty minutes, I'm just annoyed."
He laughed, "Wanna play a game?"
I eyed him skeptically, "What kind of game?"
His smirk sent my heart into a flutter as he leaned in. I found myself captivated by his eyes and leaned in as well. His lips brushed against my jaw and I felt his smirk widen as I trembled. "You're it."
"Hey!" I shouted as he opened the door and took off up the rows of cars. "Alex!" I screamed as I hurried to unbuckle my seatbelt. Justin and Harry laughed and took off after Alex. I struggled with the door, for a few seconds and then I hopped out after them.
I was laughing as I chased down Justin who was closest to me, I could hear people yelling at us that this wasn't a playground but I didn't care. Justin was taunting me around a car with small children who kept waving at us and I was instantly distracted. When I looked up Justin wasn't there anymore.
I found Harry, crouching down low a few cars ahead so I quickly ran up behind him. "You're it. No tag backs." I called over my shoulder as I took off running with a wide grin. We played tag for ten minutes when Justin had tagged Harry and they took off again. I was keeping an eye out when I couldn't see them anymore.
"Alex?" I called as the few people who had gotten out of their cars were getting back in. Panic rose inside of me and I spun around searching for my friends. "Alex?"
I saw him a minute later, he was running straight for me, his carefree smile lighting up his face.
"Run, Lucy!" He yelled and behind him, I could see the lighting of brake lights. The cars were moving. He grabbed my arm as he continued to run, pulling me with him.
I was laughing again as we tried to dodge people who were getting back in their cars and cars that were starting to slowly crawl along. "Justin! Harry!" Alex screamed and a second later I saw them ushering us to the car. Justin was jumping up and down and Harry was screaming for us to run faster.
We all got into the car laughing and screaming with Alex having the most exhilarating smile of us all. Well, that certainly woke us up.
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"Alex, I have to pee!" Harry complained, "I need to pee!" He emphasized.
Alex let out a sigh and took an exit. It was nearly supper time and as hungry as I was I wasn't going to complain about it. Alex was in one of his moods again.
A car about an hour ago cut us off and he hasn't been happy since.
"Fine." Alex hissed as he parked the car in front of the gas station, "Ten minutes and we're leaving."
I watched as Alex shut the car off and got out as he glowered at the ground. With a sigh, I followed after the guys. First I went to the bathroom because who knows when Alex was going to stop again and then got lots of snacks.
Alex was leaning up against the car when I came out with my bags and my stomach knotted together. As soon as I was close enough he took my face in his hands and brought his lips down on mine. "Two minutes." He whispered a smile etching onto his face.
I dropped the bags and wrapped my arms around him, one of my hands trailing down his back and the other brushing through his hair. "Alex," I whispered trying to catch my breath after a few minutes.
"Yeah?" His laugh was breathless as his thumb ran across my cheek.
"I love you."
He was smiling again. "I know." He paused, "I love you too."
Hearing him say it still brought me so much happiness, the flutters in my stomach and the skip in my heart were only some of the things I was feeling at the moment.
"Ten minutes is up!" Justin called as he jogged to the van, "Let's get a move on."
"Losing daylight kids," Harry smirked.
Alex gave me one last kiss and then helped me pick up the bags before holding the door open for me.
We were driving for three more hours before Alex pulled off again. I looked up at him in surprise, it was barely 9. We couldn't be stopping for the night, could we?
But we were. He pulled up to the hotel and parked before anyone could say anything he was already closing the van door. I stepped out of the van and stretched as I waited for Alex to return.
He was back a minute later to grab his bag and my hand, Justin and Harry were pushing and shoving each other behind us and I smiled. "Our room." He ushered to us when we arrived at the door.
It was a standard hotel room with two queens, a tv, and a chair. Alex still had my hand in his and led us over to the furthest bed. "This one is ours." He smirked as he belly-flopped onto the bed, pulling me with him.
"Alex!" I laughed and pushed him on the shoulder.
"Um. No." Justin shook his head, "If you guys are going to be all cute and touchy we're separating you. We don't want to be scared for life. Understand?"
Harry nodded his agreeance with Justin and I giggled as I brought myself closer to Alex's warm body. "Don't let them separate us."
"I got you baby." Alex wrapped his arms around me and pulled me over so I was on his other side, further away from the boys. He placed kisses on my neck and I laughed as I tried to squirm out of his arms.
"Gross," Harry muttered with the shake of his head. I pushed Alex away and picked up my bag from the floor next to the door.
"Swimming?" I asked over my shoulder.
"Yes!" Harry and Justin coursed excitedly and I could hear them high five as I closed the bathroom door.
On our way down I held hands with Alex with Justin trying to get in between us. I laughed as Alex shoved him away. "Come on man." Alex shook his head, "Personal space."
"You let Luc close." Justin pouted and got right up in Alex's face. "At least hold my hand."
"Dude-," Alex growled, I could tell this was not going to end well.
Slipping my hand out of his, I kissed his cheek, "Don't be mad Alex, please?"
"Yeah Alex, please?" Justin repeated, I sent him a glare and grabbed Alex's hand again.
"He's mine, Justin," I told him and then look up at Alex who was smirking down at me in surprise. "I don't like sharing, you can hold hands with Harry."
"But what if I wanted to hold hands with you?" Justin pushed again, doesn't he know when to quit?
"Justin-," I warned.
"I'm going to kick your ass," Alex growled when we walked into the pool room.
"Like to see you try," Justin smirked and Alex let my hand go as he pushed Justin into the pool, but Justin grabbed Alex's arm so he went with. They were both laughing as they came up to the surface, boys are weird.
"Come on baby," Alex called from the water and Harry looked up and placed his hand over his heart.
"Baby?" He gushed, "Alex this is all moving too fast for me."
Harry jumped into the pool, which started a water fight between the three of them. I'm going to miss this, I sighed as I watched them.
The next morning I was wrapped in Alex's arms as we waited for Justin and Harry to wake up. He kissed my nose sweetly and I laughed.
"I've been thinking," He started which sent my heart racing, I was scared what he was going to tell me. What if he decided this whole thing just wasn't going to work.
"That's not good," I whispered, trying to be playful but it came out breathless.
He smirked, "I've been thinking," He started again, "About after this year.."
My eyes flickered up to his, was he being serious? "I'm not going to school." He told me quickly as if he could read my mind. "But I was thinking about moving closer to your school, only a half hour away. There is a really good job opportunity and I'd make some money while being close to you."
"Really? You looked at jobs close to my school?" I smiled at him.
His cheeks tinted red and I giggled, running my fingers across the redness. "I love you, Alex."
"I love you more." He whispered and I kissed him.
Half an hour of cuddling later Harry and Justin woke up, instantly complaining about our couplness. Harry's words, not mine. We went down for breakfast, which is where Justin brought up the idea of doing something fun today, besides driving.
"What would you like to do?" Alex asked me as Justin and Harry went to get seconds. I stared at him for a second, was this a real question? All I wanted was to stay with him, cuddled up in bed, forever. He smirked like he was reading my thoughts, "Who know you were like that Lucy?"
"Shut up." I blushed as I turned away from him.
I felt his fingers brush against my arm and I shivered from his touch. "I like this side of you." He whispered.
I rolled my eyes, of course, he would. "I want to go back." I sighed.
"Back?" He asked, the confusion plain on his face as he stared at me. "Back home?"
"No." I shook my head, "Back to California."
He kissed my temple, his lips lingering as he leaned into my shoulder. I picked at the orange peels that were on my napkin, refusing to meet his eyes. "It's going to be okay, I promise." He told me softly.
"I left with one boyfriend and I come back with his brother as my new boyfriend." I sighed, "Everyone is going to talk about it."
"Who gives a shit?" He laughed, "We are the only ones who matter in this relationship."
"I know." I mumbled, "I just don't want to be slut-shamed or called a bitch."
He sighed. "Everyone will see that it was always meant to be you and I together, and everyone, if they don't know already, will learn what a dick Andy was for treating you like that."
"Alex?" I asked quietly.
"Yeah?"
"Promise me that you'll hold my hand, every day." I finally allowed my eyes to meet his.
He smiled and kissed my lips, "I promise." He laughed.
2 Years.
2 years, it took me to update this sad, sad excuse for an ending. I'm so sorry, but I figured I'd post so it was finished. might improve/edit the story later... who knows...
Thank you for reading anyway!! :)
Xx