Shout

Chapter Eighteen - So Says Relish Girl

I frantically picked up my phone and dialed the first person that I could think of.

"Olivia?" Came the concerned voice.

"Hi," I squeaked "I'm so sorry to bother you, but do you think you can pick me up?"

"Where are you?" Alexander insisted gently. I could hear movement on his end of the line and the rev of his bike.

"I'm at the Town and Country Club. I think I'm a few minutes away from the restaurant? Please don't tell Avery." Avery would stomp her way down here and confront the entire country club yelling at everyone that got in her way. I just wanted to get away as fast as I could and not think about this crappy evening ever again. I sniffed only to realize that tears were leaking out my eyes.

"Just stay put, I'll be there in a minute"

"Thank you, Alexander."

"Just hang on." Came the reply.

I walked further along the road trying my best to stay as far away from the country club as possible. The goddamn dress I was wearing was so tight around my legs that I could barely walk faster than a quick pace. I reached for the hem of it and ripped it up the side seam so that I had a slit that reached my upper thigh.

I couldn't believe my mother pulled a stunt like that. I couldn't believe Aaron was in on it. I was fuming. I was sad. I was tired. I was hungry. I couldn't decide the overriding emotion at the moment.

I heard the rev of a motorcycle and I perked my head up to see Alexander approaching me. I never thought I'd want to kiss an inanimate object in my life. He pulled over at the side of the road and hurriedly got off his motorcycle. He jogged up to me and wrapped his arms around me. Just the feeling of being held in his warm arms made me feel the slightest bit better.

"What happened, baby?" Alexander murmured but his arms stayed wrapped tightly around me.

"Can we just go? I really want to get out of here." I asked looking up at him.

"Of course." He placed his arm around my waist and walked me to the bike before picking up the helmet and placing it on my head. He helped me onto the bike and we zipped off as I shut my eyes. If only my mother could see me now.

I stepped off of Alexander's bike and onto the sand. I glanced up to see that we were at a secluded beach area. I stared at the waves hitting the sand for a moment, mesmerized by the sound. I glanced behind me to see Alexander watching me. I wondered what I looked like to him, my previously blow dried hair flattened by the bike helmet, makeup smeared from my crying, face splotchy from my nerves, dress torn at the side. I could almost laugh at the image I had of myself in my head.

I plopped myself onto the ground and Alexander walked over and sat next to me crossing his legs so we were sitting in the same way on the sand.

"I hate to see you looking so upset," He stated quietly.

Without looking, I reached over for his hand, my fingers brushing his. His large hand opened immediately and he laced our fingers together giving mine a gentle squeeze. I let all the events of the evening tumble out of my mouth until they wouldn't stop falling out. He listened attentively. I could tell when he was upset by the extra pressure he'd place on my fingers or a random flex of his fingers here and there when he was worried, but he was silent, giving me the time I needed to vent.

When I finished talking, I let out a huge breath of air. "Why am I so weak, Alexander? I should have done what Avery would have done. I should have screamed at all of them and told them to go to hell and punched someone. Anyone." I laughed as tears leaked out of the corners of my eyes.

"You're not Avery. You do things differently and that's okay. It's better even. And you're not weak. You're unbelievably strong." Alexander stated passionately as he reached over with one arm to place it over my shoulders pulling me into his embrace. I rested my head on his shoulder just as my stomach grumbled.

He laughed, "Are you hungry?"

"Absolutely ravenous." I replied.

"Let's get out of here then." He stood up and held onto my hand pulling me along with him. He reached out to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ears before gently cupping my face with both hands. He used his thumbs to dry away the extra tears that had stained my face and I closed my eyes for a moment, my heart thumping rapidly in my chest. "I hate to see you like this, Olivia."

"Alexander," I trailed as his eyes glanced down at my lips for just a moment.

"Yeah?" He asked, his voice thick with emotion.

"Can I show you a great place to eat?" I asked hunger clouding all other judgments. Maybe there was fear in the mix as well. Fear that I hadn't moved on. Fear of trusting someone so deeply again and getting hurt. I knew logically that Alexander would never hurt me, but emotions take a while to catch up to your brain sometimes. Or at least they always have for me.

His eyes softened in the slightest as his hands fell from my face. He smiled at me, "Sure, I'm starving." He shrugged.

We got back to the bike and Alexander placed my helmet on gently before helping me climb on after him.

He twisted around in his seat, "So just tap my right arm to turn right and my left to turn left. This will mean you have to keep your eyes open," he chuckled.

I felt nauseous. "I can do it," I nodded.

He grinned at me before reaching behind him for my arms and dragging them around his torso. He gave them an extra squeeze before revving his bike up. I closed my eyes out of instinct before peeking them open slowly.

Alexander drove forward and I tapped his right arm as he turned right and outside of the beach area. We drove for a few minutes before I tapped his left arm and he turned onto a small street with vendors lined up. I tapped right once again and shouted, "Right here!" I wasn't sure if he could even hear me over the sound of the bike, but he turned over regardless and parked.

He climbed off the bike looking around the small street, "You brought me to a hot dog stand?" He asked incredulously.

I laughed at his expression, "I'm telling you, they're amazing! Avery and I found this place once after we finished shopping and I could eat three of them."

He held onto my hand as we walked to the stand, "Four hot dogs, please." He requested.

"I was only exaggerating about the three, Alexander."

"Oh no, I have to see you eat three hot dogs now. It's a life mission."

"A life mission?" I laughed.

His eyes twinkled lightheartedly as he gazed at me, "I've never had a bigger life mission than this one."

The man behind the counter handed us our hot dogs and Alexander passed money along to him. We moved to the side of the cart where the condiments were placed and I stared judging as Alexander placed mustard on his hot dog. "What?" He laughed.

"Mustard is pretty much sacrilegious on a hot dog."

He snorted, "So says relish girl?" He asked pointing to my hot dog. 

"Don't judge my hot dog," I said as I turned my back to him so he couldn't see the other condiments I placed on my hot dog.

"Hey, don't judge mine, I won't judge yours. All three of them."