Expect The Unexpected (Alexia Putellas x OC)

Chapter 61

September 6th, 2023, London

We are walking in the London streets with Leah and Jordan. It's actually the first time we are discovering more of the city together and we thought it could be good to have friends who know the town with us. Leah is making us walk through all the hidden spots she knows, and we stop in a little coffee shop. We talk for some time, and we laugh.

"Oh, Alexia." Jordan changes the subject. "Did you find a house finally? Last time during the World Cup, Jay told us you were still searching for it."

"No, not yet." Alexia shakes her head and looks away.

"Which areas are you searching in?" Leah wonders while sipping on her coffee and looking at me with a knowing look.

"Near Cobham." Alexia shrugs.

You see, the thing is I don't think Alexia is searching anymore. I don't blame her. It feels nice to share my house with her. We are happy and I'm thinking about asking her to stay permanently. Leah knows about it, of course. And she decides to tease me with it.

"Well, there are some nice places around this area." Jordan smiles. "I'm sure you'll find something quickly."

"Yeah, nothing to worry about." I smile reassuringly, and Alexia frowns. "I'm sure it'll be done soon."

"Won't you be sad without her around?" Leah smirks.

"Sure thing, but I can get she needs her own space." I shrug not trying to pressure Alexia. "It won't prevent us from seeing each other, you know?"

"You're right." Jordan nods. "Look at us, we aren't living together, but we see each other a lot."

"I'm glad to see you're doing better." I smirk knowing I'll be the one teasing Leah on this one.

"It took time for Leah to open up a bit more, but we get there." Jordan happily states.

"I'm happy for you, guys." I chuckle seeing Leah blush.

"I hate you." She mouths to me.

"Same." I wink at her.

We spend the rest of the afternoon together before going back our respective houses. The drive back is very silent. I can feel Alexia thinking but keeping things to herself. I probably know why, judging by the change in her mood as we talked about her house's researches. I know she feels good here with me, and I also know she will never have the gut to suggest staying permanently.

As we walk in my house, Alexia goes straight to the living room and sits on the couch, scrolling mindlessly on her phone. I go to the kitchen and take two glasses of water. I walk back to the living room, put the glasses in front of Alexia, and I sit next to her.

"Thank you." She mumbles under her breath.

"Are you going to talk to me about it?" I chuckle softly.

"What?" She tenses up.

"Ale, look at me." I softly caress her arm. "I know you, tell me what's up."

"Do you need me to search for a house quickly?" She looks at me with all the pain in the world in her eyes.

"What? Why would I need that?" I frown.

"It felt like it back at the coffee shop." She clenches her jaw. "Nothing to worry about. I'm sure it'll be done soon." She quotes me in a funny way. "And don't laugh at my impression of you." She warns me.

"Sorry..." I try hard not to laugh. "Do I sound like that?"

"So not the subject, Jay!" She hits my arm softly.

"Okay..." I breathe out. "We just never really have talked about it, love. I didn't know what to say to Jordan."

"Leah seemed to know more." Alexia rolls her eyes.

"Probably." I admit.

"And so, what?" She wonders. "You're tired of having me around? Is it too much too soon? Do you need more space? Don't you like spending that much time with me? Because I'm not tired of this, Jay!" She gestures to everything around us. "I'm not tired of waking up by your side, I'm not tired of cuddling for hours in front of stupid series we don't even watch, I'm not tired of seeing your defeated face when I finally beat you in training, I'm not tired of hearing you and Sam laugh for hours while playing FIFA, I'm not tired of smiling when I hear you say "we're going home" as if this place was actually mine too... I won't ever be tired of this, of us... but if you are, I can find somewhere else to live..."

I look at her eyes filled by tears and my heart breaks as a tear rolls down her cheek. I try to be tough and not to cry. I gesture for her to follow me, and I lead her in front of the TV. Two days ago, I've decided to buy the same picture frame I did for my family, so Alexia could have hers too. This morning, as Alexia was getting ready, I've carefully put my framework on one side of the TV and Alexia's empty one on the other side.

"What is this?" She wonders kind of lost.

"This is me not getting tired of us laughing for hours in the kitchen because you can't bake a cake, it's also me not getting tired of seeing you pass this door, and telling me you are home, it's me loving every single second we spend together, loving the feeling of safety and love you provide me, loving the fuzzy things in my stomach every time you call me cariño..." I take my breath. "But it's also me asking you to stay here with me for a long time, not to search for a stupid house you'll never be in because you'll rather be here anyway. I want us to be together, Ale, not just today. But for a long time. I've asked you for time, and I want to spend that time with you next to me."

She doesn't hesitate and wraps her arms around my neck bringing closer and closing the gap between us. She kisses me with everything she has, and once again, I wonder how someone could make you feel so many things by simply kissing you.

"I would love to share this house with you, cariño." She whispers with a big smile.

"Best news ever." I smile back and peck her lips.

"So, I need to fill that one, right?" She looks at her picture frame.

"Yes." I chuckle. "Oh, and by the way, I've finished mine."

"Really?" She looks closer to the central picture of my picture frame. "Can I cry?" She sobs slightly.

"Seems like I don't have my word to say." I shake my head playfully. "You like it?" I ask her as she takes a longer look at a picture of us kissing in Barcelona with the Mediterranean Sea behind us."

"I love it." She turns to me. "Almost as much as I love you."

"I love you too, mi amor." I smile happy with the way things went.