Page 69 of Alex

Mr. Strickland joins us as Alex is buckling mylast buckle. The two Stricklands buckle themselves into their seats like experts.

I guess in a way they are experts, since they fly all the time.

“Are you two ready to head home?” Mr. Strickland asks before putting his headset on and clicking several buttons.

I nod as Alex speaks into his headset. “We’re all good back here.”

He adjusts himself in his seat and presses harder into my side. This is going to be a long trip back home.

Well, a long trip to the airport and then to my apartment.

The helicopter’s blades begin to spin several moments before Mr. Strickland’s voice sounds through the headset.

“We’re about to take off. We will be back home in a couple of hours. Enjoy the flight, sights, and remember, don’t try to open any doors.”

Alex chuckles, and I smile at Mr. Strickland’s attempt at humor.

The helicopter slowly lifts off the ground and all too soon, we are airborne and heading towards the beach.

I’m pressed against Alex. My entire right side is pressed against his left. His amber and woods scent overwhelms my senses, making me wish our vacation wasn’t over and we could spend all day in bed.

More like I wish I didn’t waste my vacation being mad at Alex and keeping to myself.

Alex didn’t bother me at all yesterday and his dad didn’t question me when I told him I wasn’t feeling well and wanted to stay in bed.

For hours I just laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling as I weighed the potential consequences of telling Mr. Strickland about what happened at the club.

In the end, my heart didn’t want to lead Alex to the wolves, so to speak. Plus, he said he would handle things.

I decided it was easier to stay in bed and pretend to be sick than to have to look at Mr. Strickland or Alex and not say anything.

This also meant that I wasn’t able to ask Alex any of the hundreds of questions floating around in my mind. That would have to wait until we were alone with ample free time.

Last night, I made a mental timeline of sorts to try to get all the pieces of the story together.

From the conversations I overheard and what Alex told me while we were smoking, Adam and Bianca were already dating when the poker game happened.

At the game, Alex flirted with Bianca and somehow she ended up breaking up with Adam and started dating Alex.

Sometime later, Alex fell in love with Bianca, but she didn’t love him back, so she went back to Adam.

It seems too planned, like she was always going to go back to Adam. They just wanted Alex to sufferin the end. And what better way to cause suffering than to wait until someone loves you to leave them?

If I didn’t already dislike Bianca, I do now. It was all a game to her.

I just don’t know Adam’s part in all of this. Did he tell Bianca to flirt with Alex and to make him fall in love with her?

Was he still with Bianca behind closed doors while she was publicly with Alex?

The whole situation is shitty and immature, and the more I think about it, the more my heart breaks for Alex.

Sure, he might have brought the cocaine to the party, but innocently, he never intended on falling in love with Bianca, nevermind stealing her from Adam.

Or did he?

Alex did confess that he and Adam were always in competition with one another. They tried to beat each other at getting the most girls. Maybe Alex saw Bianca as the ultimate prize to be won.

She was Adam’s girlfriend and if Alex could steal her from Adam, then Alex would be on top.

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