I'm Normally Perfect (re-upload)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Stewart and I got on well enough, usually we chatted for a few minutes whilst Alex finished getting ready for their dates. We didn't have loads in common, except for the fact that we both thought Alex was the absolute personification of femininity, but he treated her well so I had to be happy for her. Right? The week before the end of Hilary term Alex asked me if I'd care to join them, as they were attending a Bach concert at the Sheldonian. I'd accepted after Alex assured me that I wouldn't be crashing their date.

That evening I went out of my way to be classy, as I knew Stewart and Alex would have the sophisticated elegance thing down. Alex let me borrow a set of diamond studs for my ears, those alone made me feel like a princess. He looked me over when I let him in, 'I'm going to have the two loveliest ladies with me tonight. Everyone's going to be jealous.'

I mumbled, 'Thanks,' and noticed Stewart gazing up the staircase behind me and turned to find Alex descending in an ankle length, burgundy velvet dress with a slit up the left side. Her hair was up in a twist and an understated diamond pendant rested on her chest. I don't know what Stewart was doing, but I was gaping. Once she reached the bottom of the stairs she placed one hand on the end of the banister,

'What do you think?'

Stewart said, 'You look smashing, darling,' and stepped past me and kissed her hand. I couldn't decide if I was more upset over the fact that he called her "darling", kissed her hand or that he could speak at all, as I was still stupefied by shock.

She stepped to me and put her hand on my cheek, 'And you? What do you think?' We were toe-to-toe; her clear green eyes removed my ability to think of anything besides how gorgeous she was. Between the light scent of jasmine and the translucent quality of her skin, I was suddenly possessed with the urge to hold her. I wanted to bury my face in her neck, in that place just behind her ear. She asked, 'Are you feeling all right? You're a bit flushed.'

I stammered out, 'I'm fine. You look...wow.'

She smiled and when her dimple appeared I reached up and touched it gently. Suddenly I remembered there was a third person in the room and looked over to find Stewart regarding us curiously. I blushed harder and stepped back, 'We should get going—don't want to be late.' I removed her coat from the cupboard and helped her into it. Stewart had taken a step in my direction to do it, but I wanted to. Alex didn't seem to notice her date and I exchanging proprietary glances. She helped me into my coat and we went out to Stewart's black and silver BMW. He opened the passenger's door for Alex, then let me into the backseat of the passenger's side. I scooted over, behind the driver's seat, so I had a better view of Alex.

At the theatre I sat one side of her and Stewart the other, but he took her hand before I could and I thought it would be odd for her to hold hands with the both of us simultaneously so I folded mine in my lap. I don't know how the concert was, as I was consumed with fuming over Stewart, berating myself for not wishing Alex all the happiness in the world and telling myself to stop berating myself for being jealous, which was a perfectly human emotion. Afterwards, he asked if we'd like a bite to eat and I declined. I was hungry, but I really just wanted to go home and be alone with Alex. When she also politely deferred I wanted to shout with glee.

Back home, I professed exhaustion and unlocked the door to the house on my own, I figured she'd want some time alone with Stewart to say goodnight. I went into the kitchen straightaway and began making a sandwich, only to hear the both of them in the foyer. Then two pairs of feet went upstairs. No longer hungry, I binned my cheese and cucumber sandwich and sat on the back patio. I couldn't stand the thought of hearing them and remained outside with Clem for company, until it was too cold. I went up to my room, hoping they were done doing whatever they had been doing, though I had no idea how long those sorts of things took.