Toddlers Until Teenagers

Chapter 14

I can't stay.

This is killing me. Literally, I mean, watching Dina sputter blood, sleep all day, breathing heavily, trying to survive, gulping down orange pills every second.

Straightening out my mini dress, I take a sip of water before leaving the kitchen altogether. Alex is crouched in the basement when I reach there. "Hi, Alex." I smile.

He looks up from his crouch and I realize the basement is like a gym. Machines, treadmills, blue mats, and a tv. There's also table tennis and soccer rounded up in the edge.

"Oh, hi." He nods.

"Working out?" I chuckle.

He seems amused. "Yeah, you don't?"

I give him a sheepish smile. "Not really."

"Surprised you're still skinny. And not as fat as Abby, "

"Who's Abby?" I ask.

"She's.. Ugh. She's really rude and annoying. A girl in my class. She got me in trouble, and she's basically a nerd with no friends. " he shrugs, bending into a push up.

"You're mean," I state.

"You know me well." Alex laughs, and then falls on the mat, which makes me laugh harder. "You made me fall!" He complains.

"Whatever. Anyways, I'm going out. You coming?" I suggest. He changes his face. Serious.

"No." He darkly mutters. I'm about to press some questions on, but I think against it. He wants my trust? I'll give it to him, eyes closed. No annoying, no forcing.

"Okay. See you later, Alex." I sigh, spinning on my heel and walking away on the hard wood floor. then, I feel an arm on my wrist.

I spin around to see Alex, face inches away from mine. I can feel his minty breath on my face, his sky glossy eyes gazing into mine, his lips parted. We breath light breaths, like if we would breath hard and rough, this moment would shatter.

"I'll come." He avoids my gaze now, and I smile. Before I can stop myself, I bring his chin up to face me. "Thank you." And then I leave him there.

We haul into the car, and I let him with the drivers seat.

"Where you wanna go?" He asks.

"Do you want to hang out around the beach or something maybe?" I shrug, and he nods, turning the car that direction. I sense his tension and smile at him, a genuine smile as he parks the car.

He stirs, scratching the back of his neck and avoiding my gaze. I see the blush travel up his cheeks, which makes me blush. It reminds me... Someone actually loves me.

What shit are you talking about?

He can't love me. After everything is done. I'd broken his trust. He was down, depressed, and alone. Words hurt. More than ever.

He simply can't love me.. Anymore.

No one has that much patience.

Keep that in mind, Jenna.

"Jenna?!" I hear Alex scream. I turn towards him. He waves a hand in front of my face. I gape back at him.

"Sorry, let's go." I mutter, my cheeks turning a bright pink colour as I assumed. His face is amused; the first time I've seen his actually amused in these couple of weeks, our fight week.

We sit on the edge of the sand, near the water. I stay silent and then go grab a strawberry smoothie for us, and he slurps it down while I take intimidating sips. "You know, you're good at this."