Chapter 9 - Open For 12 Hours
There were times when I rant. But there were times when I wish. And sometimes I wish something that I would regret in awhile. But at the moment, I didn't care.
I didn't care at all.
Alec and I were seated on the cold ground as we laughed our asses off. The music was lightly playing at the background but we were too far away to distinguish what song it was.
"You got Tate bald?" I said still laughing.
Alec nodded his head as he laughed. "He was so mad!"
"What did he do after that?"
He brought his hand up to signal me to wait. Taking a deep breath, he sobered a bit but his shoulders were still shaking.
"He asked me to buy a wig."
Silence loomed over us before we cracked into another fit of laughter. It has been years since I last laughed like this. For awhile it seems like all I could give were just merely chuckles and small smiles. But with Alec, I knew my walls were breaking.
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Big dipper.
Orion.
We gazed at the constellations as we laid together on the grass. My eyelids were getting heavy but I kept them open. Alec's arm was touching mine and I knew that our hands were itching to touch.
"That's Orion's belt," he said pointing at some maze of stars.
I chuckled. With my shoulder, I bumped him hard enough. "You don't know how to read constellations."
His soft laugh echoed. The concert has been done for hours. The fans and the bands have been long gone, but Alec and I stayed at the same place.
"Whatever. But seriously, that's a constellation," he said seriously.
With my head still on the grass, I looked at him and saw that he was looking at me. Even it was dark, I could still see his blue eyes. His eyes never failed to amaze me. One moment they were blue at times they were green then they're gray.
"What then?" I challenged.
He released a deep sigh before looking back at the sky.
"Do you see that?" he asked.
I looked to where he was looking at but still didn't get it even though he was already pointing at it.
"That's not a constellation, Alec," I pointed out.
Alec shook his head and pulled me closer to him. His arm wrapped around my shoulder. My heart leaped and my skin tingled at the contact. But it was different. I didn't like being touched, but at the moment, instead of feeling threatened when someone touches me, I felt safe.
This was Alec. That guy who you put into a high pedestal. That guy that you adored even though he was covered with mud. That guy that you considered as your hero.
"That's called Alec and Tori."
I stopped. Everything stopped. I didn't know why, but at the moment, everything felt emotional and intimate. Those simple words felt like it meant a lot to me.
"That's not a constellation."
He shook his head with a smile forming on his face. He looked at me, we were inches apart.
"It is now."
I chuckled and pulled away. The position we were in was just too intense. I sat up and gazed at the stars that he pointed. It was those two bright stars that would catch your attention. Like the stars that was shown in Peter Pan.
"Says who, smarty pants?" I teased.
Alec looked at me for awhile. He sat and pulled me again in his arms. Instinctively, I laid my head against his shoulder. A deep relieved sigh escaped my lips even before I could stop it. Inside, my brain was screaming at me for being stupid. I shouldn't be this close to Alec, better yet, I shouldn't even let him in.
But at the moment, I didn't care. His touch was something I longed for. His voice was like a song that I have been dying to hear.
"Alec Austin did," he replied cockily.
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There were a lot of things written in my bucketlist. Through the years, I have checked most of it. But since I was still a slight obedient daughter to my parents, there were some things that I wasn't able to fulfill. Though, tonight, there was something I was crossing out.
Stay awake for 24 hours.
Alec and I walked together with our bare feet touching the wet sand. The night was now starting to sleep and morning was starting to wake. Just an hour from now, I will be officially awake for 24 hours.
"Favorite food?" he asked.
I looked at him weirdly, but answered anyway. "Fruit loops."
I was looking straight ahead as we played 'infinite questions' (like 20 questions but infinite, you get it), but from my peripheral vision, I was aware the he was looking at me.
"Huh," he muttered.
I decided to ignore whatever he was going to say. Awhile ago, I have decided that I did really miss him. He was still that guy that I loved to death. So at the moment, I was going to enjoy whatever this was.
"Favorite girl's hair color?" I asked.
I knew that he likes brunettes, but there was something in me that made me ask the question.
"I like brunettes, but at the moment, blue is my favorite," he answered.
My cheeks turned into a tinge of red. I was blushing. Goddam was I blushing. Trying my best to avoid any eye contact with him, I cleared my throat.
"Your turn," I awkwardly said.
I was not stupid nor naive. But I was definitely not accepting whatever he said in my brain.Even though I was screaming inside.
"What's your favorite shirt that guy wears?" he asked.
"Hm, you know those baseball shirts that guy wears? Like the one with two colors."
I couldn't seem to describe it. It was like those shirts that has a different color on the sleeves part.
"Yeah, I understand."
Daring to look, I saw him scratching the back of his neck.
"The sun will rise in a few minutes," he informed, "want to seat and watch?"
Thinking that there was nothing better to do, I sat down on the sand and he followed suit. When his arm circled my shoulder, I stiffened, but relaxed after awhile. The air was cold, I was wearing my red flannel, but I could still feel the coldness of the weather. So when he wrapped his arm around me, I felt grateful. I was instantly warmed, not just on the outside but also in the inside.
Boy, was I being cheesy.
How many drinks have I had?
Mentally, I tried to recall. All I drank were three bottles of beer and two shots. It wasn't even enough to make me feel tipsy.
I seriously need to stay away from this boy.
"What time is it?" I asked.
I knew I was sleepy and tired, but for some reasons, I was not willing to sleep.
Alec wrapped me tighter into his hug and placed his chin on the top of my head. As much as I tried to stop it, my heart was besting fast and my skin was prickling. The way he held me just felt so damn good.
"6:10," he replied and placed his phone back in his pocket.
Few more minutes until the sun rises.
I have no idea how he did it, but soon I found myself in between his legs with his arms draped around me. My back was leaning on his hard chest. I could feel his soft breathing as his chest rises.
He leaned his head on my neck and placed a soft kiss. It sent my emotions and hormones raging all at once.
Why was he doing this?
"I missed you, love," he whispered with his warm breath fanning my neck.
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By 8 am, my eyes couldn't take it any longer. Alec and I both stayed in the same position we were in when we watched the sunrise until 7. We talked and talked. Bugs were obvious under our eyes, but we stayed awake.
"I'm sleepy," I informed him, placing my head on his neck.
I felt Alec nod his head, with his hold tightening against me. "Then sleep."
Something childish and cliché came over and I shook my head.
"I don't want this to end," I murmured.
I was barely conscious since words were just slipping out of my tongue like a waterfall.
"I'll be here when you wake up."
And just like that, I fell asleep. It was like that was the only thing that I needed to feel relaxed to sleep.
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I was abducted.
That was the first thing that came into my mind the moment I woke up. The sight that greeted me the moment I opened my eyes was unfamiliar. I was in a big California king bed. The room was huge. The walls were painted gray. Just in front of the bed that I lay on, was a huge flat screen television, from the right side of the bed was a long sleek study table with book shelves drilled on the wall.
"Good morning, love," a husky voice said.
Jumping out of the bed, I looked at the source of the voice. He was laying on the bed with shock in his eyes.
How I had not noticed that he was in bed with me, was beyond me.
Alec sat on the bed with his hands held out in surrender.
"Tori, relax," he said.
My hands were in position of defense out of instinct. Slowly, I lowered my hands and tried to bring back my breathing into normal. When I was fully relaxed a thought rushed in my mind.
"What the hell am I doing here?" I yelled.
Alec winced at the tone and volume of my voice. "You fell asleep, remember? I wouldn't exactly leave you at the beach all alone."
I glared at him because of his sarcastic tone. Ever so lightly, another thought hit my brain.
"You brought me here?" I murmured.
"Yeah. I told you I'd be here when you wake up," he replied with a smile.
I was now fully rested and was now back to my normal thinking. Thoughts of what happened last night came back to me. I winced at how much I had let Alec in.
Stupid move, Tori.
I looked around the room and saw my red flannel on the black leather couch that was placed at the left side of the room. I walked towards it and wore it. Under the couch, I found my shoes. I didn't even sit down to wear the shoes. I just gathered it and walked towards his door.
"Woah woah. Where are you going?" Alec said as he caught up with me.
He placed his hand on my arm to stop me from walking. I jerked away from him since I felt those shitty electricity and crap.
Ugh. Too freaking girly.
He stared at me as if he was hurt by my reaction but I pushed it away.
"Whatever happened last night, forget about it. I don't know what stupid idea came into my fucking mind," I snarled at him.
I wasn't technically mad at him. No, that's the misconception he might be thinking right now. I was totally mad at myself. Last night, and a few hours ago, I had let him in. I had my walls down and I was freaking open for 12 fucking hours.
Alec looked at me, dumbfounded. His eyes were wide but soon they narrowed. I ignored his mean gaze and opened one of his black french doors.
"What the hell did I do?" he snapped angrily, slamming the door closed before I could fully open it.
I let out a groan before I faced him. I had to swallow hard and extract that thought of me being too close to him.
"Whatever you're doing, stop. Just go back to that 'golden boy' jerky aura."
I didn't care if he didn't get it. But him being that 'golden boy' was better. He was an asshole and a jerk. It was better for me, since I feel nothing but hate towards him.
"Why are you being like this, Tori?" he growled under his breath.
"Go back two years ago, then maybe you'll get your answer."
With I that shoved him away.
"Was this because-"
"Alec?" A familiar voice called.
The other door that I wasn't leaning on opened and in came a familiar face that I haven't seen for two years.
"Alec, I know I am a cool uncle. But for god's sake! Don't come home at 8 am," Zach Austin said to his nephew without taking notice that I was leaning against the door with his nephew trapping me with his body.
Alec turned his head to his uncle with his eyes wide.
Zach turned to face us. His blue eyes immediately filled with shock. He did a double over to look at me before looking back at his nephew.
"Lounging room, now."
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Ooh, Zach's being mature. huh. That's new.
Bipolar Tori, huh?
What do you think?
Vote? Comment? Promote? Follow?
Thank you!
Always smile!
:)
Xx