Falling To Pieces #1 (COMPLETE)

CHAPTER TWENTY

It was official.
Alex was ignoring me. I got the message loud and clear. I haven't seen or heard from him this entire week. Not a single text, not one 'pocket dial' that would coincidentally occur every Tuesday night, so he could make lunch plans for the next day- which meant there was no Wednesday lunch. He didn't even show up for Taco Bell on Thursday, which he loved and never missed. And yes, I could have been proactive and called or texted him to ask what the fuck his deal was, but I've never been the one to call first. And I certainly would not start now, just because we slept together. That would just seem desperate.
I could take a hint.

I had pretty much accepted the fact that he was done with me now that he'd gotten a taste. Which was why I got the shock of my life when I walked out into our backyard on Saturday and saw him, socializing in the Jacuzzi with the rest of the group. He wouldn't even look at me. In fact, he made as if I weren't even there... so yeah, that pissed me off. A lot.
Why was he even here? The last time I checked, I was the only one in this group who had actually considered him a friend.
Fucking. Asshole.

Katherine made everyone move up a bit, so there'd be enough space for me but I declined. I didn't care if the weather had turned out to be cold and overcast. I wasn't going to sit across from him in that hot tub and watch him pretend that I wasn't even there. Before I could change my mind, I dived into the pool. It was freezing cold at first but, my body eventually adjusted to the temperatures. Monroe and Lola called me insane, but I ignored them. I didn't look at anyone in that Jacuzzi. If I did, I knew that my eyes would immediately land on him and there was just no way. He wanted to make as if I didn't exist? Two could play that game.
Terry surprised me when she dived into the deep end of the pool and swam to where I was afloat, somewhere in the middle. I smiled when she shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, as if that would help keep her warm.

"Are you okay?" She asked.
I stopped floating and turned to face her.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
She looked over my shoulder and then back to me. "How come you're not speaking to him? Did something happen?"
"No... I guess you could say that we have nothing left to say to each other" I said, with feigned nonchalance.
Terry looked at me with open concern.
"Is it because, he and Chloe seems to be starting up a thing again?"

I didn't bother hiding my surprise.
"What?"
I couldn't help it, I had to see it.
I whipped my head in their direction and saw his arm draped over Chloe's shoulder. Whatever he had said to her, made her throw her head back and laugh. Everyone else seemed amused too, except for Wesley and Riley; Wesley openly glared at the pair and Riley's attention wasn't even on them. He was watching us- actually no, he was watching Terry.

"No, I mean... I don't know if they are..." I heard Terry say, trying to backtrack. "...but they keep flirting, and making suggestive comments in front of everyone. And he never does that. He usually doesn't give her any attention at all but now he is, and I noticed that he isn't even speaking to you and you don't really seem bothered by it. I just thought that something must have happened... "
She continued to ramble, but I tuned out, and watched them closely. I couldn't see Chloe's face, but I could see his. He said something to her again, before flashing his trademark smirk with a cheeky wink.
He was flirting.
As if feeling my eyes on him, he looked up and our eyes locked. His smirk disappeared when he saw me watching. I didn't wait to see him look away and turn his attention back to her, so I broke eye contact first.

"...and you know, maybe I got it all wrong. Maybe, this is just his way of patching things up with the group. Maybe he's just messing around. You know how Alex is-"
"No, I'm pretty sure you got it right" I interrupted.
"And you're... well, are you okay with that?" She asked hesitantly.
"Sure." I lied. "Alex can do whatever he wants. I don't care."
She looked sceptical, but thankfully, decided to drop the subject.
We raced back and forth, across the pool until I asked for a time out. I lost so many times it was starting to become embarrassing. We were floating around and relaxing our tired limbs when we heard a big splash at the end of the pool.
Riley had decided to join us, finally.