"No, wombat, bad dog! Bad dog," I say to the tiny puppy as he tries to rip open my white converse shoe. "Put it down!"
He doesn't let go of the footwear, instead he shakes his head back and forth so that the shoe whacks him in the face. I pick him up and pull the shoe off him, dropping it on the floor and giving him a little pat, because cuteness overrules all evil.
I walk over to the bed and sit down. Wombat nuzzles his snout into my side and I run my hands through his curls. I stare up at the ceiling and look at the plain white paint. There is a knock at my door and I look at it. But its open, so I look to my French doors and see Alex soaking wet on my balcony. I jump off the bed and go and unlock the door, saving him from the pouring rain.
"Thanks," he says, taking off his leather jacket and squeezing his white shirt out, the water pouring onto the carpet.
"Alex!" I say, slapping him lightly and walking over into the bathroom to find him a towel. I bring one out and he dries his hair and clothes. Wombat yaps and jumps off the bed, bounding towards us. Alex slings the towel over his shoulder and bends down to pick up the small dog.
"I caught the bus and didn't have an umbrella," he says, patting the dog.
"You should've called me!" I say. Alex shrugs. I take the towel off him and return it to the bathroom. When I return Wombat is panting happily and wagging his tail.
"Can we go to the tree house?" he asks. I nod and take my umbrella out of its stand and we make our way outside.
We get wet when we're trying to climb up the ladder and Alex struggles to climb up with Wombat, so I take the dog from him when I can reach for him off the balcony. Finally, we get inside and sit down on a bean bag together. Wombat jumps up and sits on our laps, wagging his tail. Alex wraps an arm around me. I lean my head on his shoulder.
"Can you model with me, please?" he says after a while. The rain starts coming down heavier.
"Alex," I groan. "I'll take you and hang around and drive you back, but, seriously, go with Amanda."
"But I wanna do it with you!" he says, Wombat yaps.
"I'll do it some other time," I say. "Take Amanda."
"No!" he says.
"Yes, call her," I say and take his phone out of his pocket and unlock it, clicking on Amanda's contact name to call her. Alex rolls his eyes and takes it from me, putting it on speaker.
"Hey, babe," she says to him. I only just realize that she called Alex what I call him. A pang of jealousy hits me in the chest and it actually hurts.
"Hi," Alex says. "Natalie wants to know if you'd let her and I model together."
"Of course not!" Amanda screams. "I'm doing it with you. Why didn't you just ask. Its tomorrow, right? Pick me up at seven."
She hangs up and Alex sighs, tossing the phone beside him. "Why'd you have to do that?"
"Alex, she's your girlfriend. She should be your first option. The first person you ask!" I say and Wombat yaps. I shush him quickly. Alex runs a hand through his hair.
"I wanna take you. My.... I dunno, friend?" he says. I shrug.
"I'll be there," I say, patting Wombat. "I'll even do your make up."
He laughs, pulling me into him more. I lean my head back on his shoulder and pull my legs up so Wombat moves onto Alex's lap. Alex looks around.
"Its nice up here," he says. I nod.
"I haven't really been up here that much, though," I say. "It can be our spot."
"Our spot," he looks around. "I like it."
"Yup," I pop the 'p.' "We can run around and sing 'right here, right now,' if you like," I laugh. He chuckles.
"Let's do it," he says and starts to get up. I pull him back down.
"You stupid idiot, I wasn't being serious," I say, laughing. He pouts and I giggle. He touches my braids.
"I need to learn how to braid," he says. I laugh and run a hand through his hair.
"Yours isn't long enough," I say, pulling my hand out of his hair reluctantly. He pouts. "You can try on mine."
"Ok!" he says. I widen my eyes. I didn't know he was being serious. He moves to sit behind me and Wombat trots over to the mat and glares at us from there. I unravel my braids and comb my hands through my hair.
"Ok, so you take three strands of hair from one side," I say. He does it, and I get that good relaxing feeling I get when people do my hair for me. "And you plait it three times."
He does it. "Then you take a strand separate from the three and add it to the one you're just about to plait. Then you plait that into it and take another strand for the next part."
He lets go of my hair and surrenders. "I can't do that. I need YouTube," he says, I laugh and tie my hair into a messy, curly ponytail. Wombat trots over and sits in between us again. Alex takes out his phone and scrolls through his Snapchat messages, whatever they're called, I don't have Snapchat.
I eventually drift off and don't wake until my phone is vibrating at seven o'clock. I get up and see my head was lying in Alex's lap, Wombat's body on my stomach. Alex's hand is in the puppy's fur and he's sleeping. I quickly move the sleeping dog and step onto the balcony where it is only drizzling.
"Hi, Mum," I say.
"Natalie Bennett! Where are you and Alex, you haven't been answering any of my text messages, Michelle and I have been worried sick!" Mum yells.
"Calm down, we're just in the treehouse," I say.
"Are you staying there, its comfortable," she says, having a big mood change.
"You've been in here?" I ask.
"Yeah, I have my teas there. I use the little thing you use to pull things up in. You know, the carton thing?" she says. I raise my eyebrows. She's been up here. And we could've pulled Wombat up in that thing.
"I think, yeah, we'll just stay in here. I'll set an alarm. Tell Michelle. Night," I say.
"Night," she hangs up and I sit back down in the bean bag, wrapping my arms around Alex's waist and leaning my head on his shoulder. I drift off into sleep quickly.
***
Beep. Beep. Beep.
I sit up, yawning. Alex stirs beside me, pulling me tighter into his chest and groaning. "Alex," I complain, shoving on his chest.
"Why," he complains, I roll my eyes and get up. I hold out my hand, Wombat running around my legs happily.
"You'll be late! We have half an hour to get dressed, then we'll go pick up Amanda," I say. Alex grabs my hand and I try and pull him up, but he pulls me down on top of him. I fall onto his chest and stare grumpily at his flawless face.
"Lemme go!" I say. He rolls his eyes.
"We've still got time," he says. I blush, last time he said that we were in the Ferris wheel. He must notice because he unwraps his hands from around me and I hop up, dusting myself off.
We walk to the door way and I climb down the ladder. I instruct Alex to place Wombat in the little carton that Mum 'uses to bring up her tea' apparently. He lowers it down and I wait for him to arrive.
"I'll see you at six thirty!" I say as he opens the gate and leaves. I walk up the stairs, glad no one's up. I walk into my room and get dressed into some leggings, a white cropped T-shirt and a green bomber jacket.
I pull my hair up into a pony tail and make my bed, picking up a few things off the floor and twisting the heart necklace around my neck. I realize I haven't had breakfast yet, but I check my watch and find there is only five minutes till six thirty so I open the box of chocolates Alex gave me and an envelope falls out. I pick it up and pop a chocolate in my mouth, what a nutritional and healthy breakfast!
I walk into the bathroom, ripping open the envelope. I brush my teeth and lie down on my bed while I read it.
Nat,
Wassup? I'm a sh** writer, don't judge me. I don't know how to start this. I literally just stared at my page for ten minutes without writing anything. But its your birthday, so I have to write some kind of card/note.
It was hard to get close to you at first. Once you said I had cooties. Another time you said - and I quote - I was a 'nutcracker' when I pushed you into the pool. But then you started to let me put my arm around your waist, even when you were with Noah. And, f***, yeah it feels comfortable.
I don't know when you'll get this note. Depends on when you open your chocolates, which I'd like, by the way, you better give me some.
Damn, I've been looking at the page for half an hour. You'd be heaps better at this than I ever could be.
When you're mad at me its like there's no longer anyone to talk to in the world. Its funny, I didn't really feel like that before I met you (for the second time). I actually thought you were a dude when I first met you, though, sorry about that. But then your hoodie fell down. You'd changed. Alot. I didn't even recognize you. Your hair was longer and darker and you cheekbones were higher. You were tall, like me and your legs were longer. There was no way in hell I could've pictured you as the old Nat.
But I didn't really get to know you back then. That's probably the biggest mistake I've ever made. Because you're kind, funny, smart, beautiful, all the things I didn't peg you to be. You forgive me too easily and I don't know why, but I sure hope you keep doing it.
I love it when you wear you hair in a messy ponytail. I love it when you smile, it makes me want to as well. I love it when you bite your lip when you don't want to tell me something. I love the way you sing.
You mean the world to me and if you left me I'd go jump in a whole to China. Seriously, I'd do it. If you ever got hurt I'd be by your side in an instant. If you asked for anything, I'd give it to you. If you said you were scared I'd hold you until you feel safe.
CRINGE. I'm done now. Anyway, happy birthday, dude. I hope we can do all sorts of adult activities together.
Love,
Alex.
I'm usually a very quick reader. This time I read it five times to believe its actually right there in front of me. I try to not let myself believe its a love letter but my eyes keep moving back to the "love, Alex,' bit. I shake my head and check the time. Its six thirty five.
"Shoot," we'll definitely be keeping Amanda waiting. I grab my keys, walked and phone and run downstairs, typing a poorly edited text to Mum.
Gon to modelin wtih Axel. be bck soon.
I run out the door and see Alex waiting beside my car with a smirk. I roll my eyes at him an unlock the car. We drive off.
"What's her address?" I ask, he tells me and I head off in the direction he tells me to. I clear my throat as I drive. "So.. I read your letter."
"You did?" he says quietly, then chuckles awkwardly. "Well, ya know, it was meant to be read."
"I can give you some of my chocolates, if you like?" I joke. He laughs. I'm contemplating asking about the love but he interrupts my thoughts with a direction and we drive in silence for a few minutes until we reach Amanda's house. She lives in a large white house with a chandelier visible through the windows.
Amanda is waiting impatiently on the foot path and when I pull over she opens the passenger door and is surprised to find Alex in there. She looks at me and shrieks, "What is she doing here?"
Alex shrugs. "I wanted her to come, she's just gonna hang around."
Amanda slams the door and walks to the back, sitting in there and glaring at me. I widen my eyes slightly and turn the radio volume up louder.
***
"That's right, Amanda, just a little to the left, make sure Alex can be seen," Denis instructs. Amanda moves to the right. Denis looks to the heavens. "No, silly girl, your other left."
"Oh, sorry, Mr Denis," Amanda giggles, pulling Alex into her and smiling sweetly at her. Meghan is standing beside me.
"She's disgusting," Meghan whispers. I raise my eyebrows at the two and nod at Meghan's statement.
"Ok, and now, kiss!" Denis instructs. Amanda places her hands on Alex's face and pulls him into her. She kisses him with force and he puts his hands on her hips, kissing her back. The photographer takes a few shots/videos and finally Denis yells for them to stop. Alex tries to pull away, but Amanda continues to kiss him. I turn away and gag at Meghan. She smiles.
"Jealousyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!" she drawls. Someone calls for her, she winks at me and I scowl at her back as she walks away.
Alex walks over to me with two water bottles. He chucks one to me and I catch it. "Kissing making you thirsty?" I ask.
"Duh," he says, taking a big gulp and screwing the lid back on. He wraps an arm around my waist but I quickly pull out of his hold when I see Amanda's watching us with her mineral water in hand.
I look away from Alex and sip my water. Denis and the photographer are talking. Denis takes his hair off and pushes back his non-existent hair. "Alright," I hear him say when the photographer points to me.
Denis beckons me over. I smile at Alex and he grins back. I stand next to Denis.
"What's up?" I ask, screwing on my bottle lid.
"Amanda is taking up the whole space and not being that professional," Denis says quietly. "She's draping herself all over Alex and she's just... too much. Can you get on there?"
"Sorry, Denis," I say, shaking my head. "Amanda would get so mad. I don't need the money, either."
Denis shushes me. "C'mon, Natalie! Everyone loves mon-ay! Look at your boy, over there he's grinning like a fool because he knows exactly what I'm saying."
I turn around and look at Alex. He is beaming. when he sees me look, he quickly morphes his expression into a neutral one and turns around. I turn back to Denis. "Alright, but no kissing!"
Denis smiles. "Great! My stylist will set you up!"
***
This dress is utterly disgusting. Its not as bad as some of the things I'd usually have to wear, but its pretty bad. Its a green army colour and has pleats that go down to my knees. Its showing way too much skin on the top and I have to wear a necklace and my hair in a messy high ponytail.
My heart necklace is completely visible and Alex looks at it as soon as I exit the change rooms and finish having my make up done.
"Heyyyyy," I say, drawing it out and slouching. He holds onto my shoulder and pokes my back.
"Stand up straight!" he orders. I roll my eyes but do so.
"Ok, captain," I say. "But this is gross."
"Shut up," he says, looking down at my legs and the high heels on my feet. "You look... great."
I flick him and take his hand, trying hard not to fall in my heels. He steadies me.
***
True to his promise, Denis doesn't make us kiss, although I do have to kiss his cheek, but that doesn't really matter, right?
We have to do all the weird modelling stuff and finally it finishes. Alex walks down to the car with us when we're all finished. Amanda is glaring at me, I took all her glory, and I feel bad.
But we did have to do a shoot together, acting like we're friends. It was very uncomfortable and in the end I don't think Denis will put it in the magazine.
"See, you are a good model," Alex says as we get into the car. I roll my eyes. My phone buzzes. I know who it'll be from, so I snatch it from where Alex can reach it and put it in my pocket.
"Are you excited for Virginia tomorrow, Alex?" Amanda asks.
Alex shrugs. "Kinda..."
"Tomorrow?" I ask. Alex looks at me then out the window.
"Yeah. For two weeks," he says. I frown. Damn, two weeks with Amanda, poor him.I bite my lip. There is silence until we get to Amanda's house. She gets out and opens Alex's door, giving him a big kiss on the lips that he returns. After about a minute I take my phone out and start playing Candy Crush. Finally Amanda shuts the door.
"That's done then?" I ask, shutting off my phone and hitting the accelerator.
"Yeah," he says as we drive away.
__________________________________________________________
hiiiiiiiiii.
It took a long time to write that letter. And some weird, weird, weird suggestions from some friends about what to put in it! Next chapter will be a cross over with snowblizzard32's Locker letters! So go catch up with that while I write the new chapter and you're waiting for an update!
This chapter was rly short, but I hope you enjoyed it!
Also, I just wanted to say thank you to all my friends for reading and commenting and voting and giving me ideas! LOVE YOU, PEOPLE!
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk. byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Also, #respectsoccer.