Page 59 of Tell Me Everything
“Sorry.”
Alex grabbed my face with a smile, then touched the tip of my nose with his. “If I spend my time with you, it's because I want to. Now go get dressed, love. We're off.”
A shower later, we were downtown, heading for, and I quote, “a very nice little place with great mocktails”. Alex knew I wasn't tempted by alcohol. At first, we talked about everything and nothing. Then something in the air changed. I didn't understand what it was, but it had an impact on my friend, Alex became silent. Something was bothering him. I acted as if nothing had happened, knowing full well that he didn't like to be rushed when he was in his own world.
By the time I saw the terrace of the café, Alex had stopped following me. He was livid, like an animal caught in theheadlights.
“Alex, are you okay?”
I put my hand on his arm, and immediately withdrew it when he tensed under my fingertips.
“Hello, Alexander. It’s been a while.”
A man in his mid-twenties stopped in front of us. He waited for an answer from Alex that never came. He was petrified. The man took a step in our direction, and, without thinking, I stepped in between them. I didn't know what was going on that had Alex in such a state, but something inside me was screaming not to let this guy get any closer. The intruder raised his eyebrows, surprised by my intervention.
“And you are?” he asked, full of disdain.
“His girlfriend.”
Okay, total lie.My instinct told me to keep him away from Alex. The stranger held out his hand. His smile was insincere, giving me a strange feeling.Don't show weakness, Lena.I shook his hand with my most convincing smile. This snapped Alex out of his torpor. In one movement, he pushed the man's hand away from mine as if he were contagious. I gathered my courage; I had to react before Alex did. A cornered animal was as unpredictable as it could be dangerous.
“I think it’s for the best if you leave,” I suggested in a voice I wanted to sound calm and controlled.
If my intervention displeased him, he didn't object. There were too many people around us.
“See you soon, Alexander.”
He also gave me a small nod before disappearing into the crowd. It took Alex a few heartbeats to come to his senses. It was as if he'd seen a ghost in this person's eyes. “Are you alright?”
His fear broke my heart. I nodded. He watched me from head to toe to make sure I was unscathed. Who was this man? And what had he done to Alex to petrify him like that? I tried to givehim a reassuring smile.
“Are you?”
“I'll be fine.”
“Shall we go to your place instead?”
Alex nodded. I didn't know what to expect when he spoke, but I certainly didn't expect this:
“So you're my girlfriend, huh?”
He heard that? My cheeks flushed.Damn!Alex, on the other hand, sported a smug expression. This was how his defence mechanism worked. Alex had to pretend nothing had happened, or he'd collapse. I cleared my throat and tried to look confident. “Yeah, I thought he might leave us alone if I said we were together...”
Alex nodded with a hum. Was he mad at me for saying that? I headed for the car so I wouldn't have to look at him. It was best to move on.
“Would you like to be my girlfriend for the day?”
The shock his words gave me stopped me in my tracks. “Why would you want that?”
“Please?”
How could I refuse when he smiled so sweetly? Everyone knew I was at his mercy. I couldn't help grinning back. “Okay.”
In this moment, I was a way for him to forget what had just happened. I could be a diversion if that's what he needed. Alex intertwined our fingers. Unsure of what to do, I let him take the lead and followed him. I had no idea how to behave in a relationship. I'd never dared to be with a boy before because of my emotional baggage.
Ever the gentleman, he opened the Polo's door for me. On the way home, the silence was heavy, and I didn't know how to break it. Something serious had happened between them. Now that the truth was at hand, I didn't dare ask. Alex was the first to speak.
“You want to know what happened, don't you?” His eyesnever left the road.
