Alexandria Anderson
“Lexi, will you stop pacing back and forth?” Madison asks in vexation.
I stop on my tracks and sit down across from her, “Sorry.”
“What’s the matter?” she puts her drink aside, leaning forward on her chair. “You seem uneasy.”
“Nothing, I am okay.” I reply, giving her a small smile.
“By the way you act, you don’t seem okay to me.” she raises her eyebrows.
I let out a breath, “I am just thinking about something.”
“You can tell me anything, Lexi.” she says and I look at her with a small smile.
“I know,” I reply. “I just – I just have a lot to take in.”
She cocks her head a little, looking at me quizzically whilst furrowing her eyebrows.
“Remember Ryan, the guy I told you about before?” I ask.
“Yeah.” she trails off, her lips slowly turning into a smile as she waits for me to continue.
“It turns out.. he’s my childhood best friend.” I utter quietly.
“Woah, really?” she asks in a rather loud voice and I look at her with wide eyes.
“Quiet down, Madi!” I sheepishly say.
“Sorry, sorry.” she laughs, composing herself. “Well, that’s cool, shouldn’t you be happy about it?”
“I am happy..” I reply, but the way I said it contradicts what I just said.
She raises her eyebrows and looks at me doubtingly, “You don’t seem happy though.”
“Madison.” I trail off, trying to hide my smile.
“Well, I am just saying.” she shrugs whilst smiling at me teasingly.
I shake my head and smile a little, “I am honestly happy that I met my best friend again, I just find it overwhelming.”
“What do you mean?” her smile falters, as she looks at me curiously.
“It’s kinda overwhelming how we’ve been hanging out for years, even before RoadTrip became a five piece boyband and all that, yet we had no idea about being childhood best friends..” I say, but something just occurs to me – maybe he did have an idea.
Just before she could reply, her phone starts to ring; getting up from her chair, she takes it out from her pocket and looks at the caller ID.
“I am sorry, I’ll just take this.” she sheepishly says.
“Yeah, sure, go ahead.” I reply with a small smile.
She smiles back and excuses herself, before walking away. I wonder if he already knows; I remember when I lost the necklace that he gave me when we were younger and when he found it, he was in utter bewilderment; and when we were on our way to Somerset and he heard what my second name is, I remember him slamming on the brakes.
“Hey,” Madi walks back to the table, pulling me out from my thoughts. “I am sorry, but I have to go.”
“It’s okay.” I give her a reassuring smile.
“Will you be alright?” she looks at me in concern, as she takes her coat and bag from her chair.
“Yeah, of course.” I chuckle. “Just go ahead.”
She nods and puts the strap of her bag onto her shoulder, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Lexi, I’ll just text you!”
“Okay, see you tomorrow.” I wave at her whilst smiling.
“Bye!” she waves one last time, before turning around and walks away.
I breathe out and get up from the chair, walking down the pavement without really knowing where to go. I find myself at an empty park and sit on one of the swings there, I couldn’t help myself but think about yesterday. I wonder if he already knows that we were childhood best friends even before that lunch but if he did already know, why didn’t he tell me? All of a sudden, raindrops start to fall one by one until a heavy rain starts to pour. I just stay on the swing, slowly getting drench from the rain. After a couple minutes, the rain suddenly stops – wait, it didn’t stop. I look up and Rye looks at me in concern, holding an umbrella above us.
“Rye.” I utter in surprise, getting up from the swing.
“What are you doing under the rain?” he asks.
“I – well..” I stammer, I didn’t know what to say. “Nothing.”
He shakes his head, my attention diverts to the plastic bag on his hand and there are probably half a dozen cans of drinks.
“We’re at Andy’s place right now, maybe you might want to come over?” he asks with uncertainty.
“No, thank you, I’ll just head home.” I smile a little at him and turn to walk away.
“Wait a minute!” he says.
I stop on my tracks and turn to him, whilst he jogs over and shares his umbrella with me again.
“You’re all wet already, I’ll walk you home.” he insists.
“Nah, I am okay, thank you.” I reply calmly, smiling a little at him.
“Why don’t you stay at Andy’s place for a while?” he asks. “We can walk you home once the rain stops.”
“I–it’s okay,” I wave my hands in repudiation. “that won’t be necessary.”
He sighs, “Alexandria, you’re going to get sick.”
“I won’t.” I assure him.
He breathes out and I just smile at him, before I continue to walk. I suddenly feel a little dizzy, wobbling as I did so and before I know it, Rye’s already by my side – wrapping his arm around my waist so I wouldn’t fall.
“Are you okay?” he asks with utter concern.
I nod and stand up straight, his hand on my forearm for support.
“Just stay at Andy’s place.. please.” he says and looks at me hopefully.
“I am okay.” I reply for the nth time.
“Ugh, why are you so stubborn?” he asks in frustration. “You are always making things hard, Alexandria.”
I let out a laugh, “I am not being stubborn, I am really okay, I promise.” I protest, he shakes his head and tries to hide his smile.
“Alexandria, I am just worried about you.” he says.
I feel dizzier, so I had no choice but to just agree. He takes his jacket off and puts it over my shoulder, before the two of us start to walk.