Song: "Coffee" by beabadoobee
I was standing as soon as the plane stopped moving and I was the first out the door thanks to HBO's first-class seating for press tours. My foot tapped impatiently as I watched suitcases that weren't mine make their way around the baggage claim belt. Finally, my eyes caught sight of my bright orange luggage which I had decorated with a whole sticker pad worth of rainbow decals. I lugged the suitcase off the metal conveyor belt with an efficiency that always comes upon me when I'm at the airport. I hate airports because I always feel like people are watching my every move, and it's hard to control what I do and how I look. The last thing I needed right now is a picture of me after an overnight international flight on the front of some tabloid since I was sure my hair was anything but attractive. Once my suitcase was safely off the baggage claim, I fast walked out of the terminal, my travel security following fast behind me.
"Thanks, Margaret," I yelled as I slipped into the black car waiting outside the terminal. She had been so helpful throughout this whole trip, not to mention a badass.
"Of course, Mx. Ramsey." I smile at her formality and then close the door behind me, eager to get home and then to go see Alex as soon as possible. 45 minutes later we were pulling up to my apartment. I thanked the driver before dashing through the door and into the elevator which took a painfully long time to bring me to my floor. The clock in my apartment said 7:30 am, knowing Alex, she was probably still sleeping. I had also conveniently told her that my flight landed at 9 so that I could surprise her with breakfast.
But before I could do that, I had to change, desperately, as one look in the mirror confirmed. My hair was disheveled and my white t-shirt was stained with the Coca-Cola I spilled on myself during the flight. I quickly hopped into the shower; it took a while before I truly felt that all of the dirtiness that traveling always left on me was washed away. Then I picked a pink t-shirt and blue wide-leg jeans, which I slipped on while simultaneously brushing my teeth. I'm bad at a lot of things, but multitasking isn't one of them.
By the time the clock hits 8, I'm ready. I smile at my confident reflection, my heart warming at how far I've come from the more insecure version of myself I was just a year before. However, this was not a time for self-reflection, it was a time for Starbucks! The bright London sun hit me just as I stepped outside and I smiled as the familiar buildings and cars came into view. The walk to Starbucks was only 10 minutes and the irresistible feeling of being home made it quite pleasurable.
Soon, armed with 2 Pain au chocolat and a frappuccino, I was standing in front of Alex's dorm complex. I quickly texted Oliver that I was here, I had let them into my secret breakfast plan because I'd need someone on the inside to let me in. The loud buzz of the door being unlocked sounded and I opened it with great difficulty, since I was holding 2 Pain au chocolat and a frappuccino. Oliver was waiting for me at their apartment door.
"She is asleep on the couch, she stayed up late to watch your interview air on Japanese tv," they turned around and then whispered, "I'm pretty sure she fell asleep before it came on." I laughed.
I set down the breakfast in the kitchen before making my way to the living room. Surely enough, Alex was laying curled up in a ball on the couch with a blanket scrunched up between her legs. My chest warmed, she was so pretty when she slept.
"Alex," I tried. No answer. I stepped across the room and sat down next to her.
"Alex, I'm here." Her eyes fluttered open.
"Bella," she said sleepily. Then her eyes opened all the way and a smile swept across her face. I could never get enough of that smile.
"Bella! You're back?! I thought you weren't gonna land till 9!" She tackled me into a hug
"Suprise!" I said, laying under her with a grin. She tightened the hug. "I brought breakfast," I continued.
"Bella you're the one coming home from a trip, I should be spoiling you!"
"What if I want to spoil you love." She grumbled but I could see her looking around the room trying to find the food I got. I got up and grabbed the starbucks bag and slid it over to her. She opened it slowly, her eyes wide.
"Chocolate Croissants!!! My favorite!" I laughed as she devoured them at lightning speed. "What about you Bella? Are you gonna eat," she said, her mouth full of croissant.
"I already ate on the plane, plus travel makes me lose my appetite. I'll be hungry soon though."
"Then you will let me buy you lunch!"
"Fine," I chuckled.
---------- (later that day)
It was almost dark outside when we finally settled on Alex's couch. She was working on her Era's Tour bracelets while I worked on a book I had bought at the airport that morning. Alex sat crosslegged with a box of beads in front of her. My head was on her knee so I was careful not to move; she had made it very clear it would be the end of the world if one of her bracelets got messed up. I watched as she worked furiously, the Taylor Swift playlist she put on in the background matching perfectly with the way her fingers moved, searching for the right letters. I looked back down at my book to the same page I was on 10 minutes ago. Suddenly, Alex flopped backward on the couch and sighed loudly.
"Babe what's up," I said turning my head so I could see her eyes and the little wrinkles on her forehead that told me something was bothering her.
"It's nothing..."
"It's not nothing to me, Alex"
"I was just thinking about you flying into the airport and me not being there to welcome you home..."
"I wanted to surprise you, babe..."
She cut me off, "I know and I loved it, but that's not what I mean – it's about what we talked about the other day, that it was better if I didn't come to pick you up cause of the paparazzi. But I want to be able to pick you up and take you out."
"I know it's hard Alex. I'm sorry..."
"Don't you dare be sorry Bella, it has nothing to do with you!" She sat back up and reached for her bracelets again, "You know what, just forget I said anything. I'm so happy with you Bella, I don't care what the media does."
I dropped the topic for now because she seemed done with it, but one thing about me is that I never forget anything.
YOU ARE READING
Falling In Love (Bella Ramsey)
FanfictionAlex is a first-year student at King's College navigating life with the open wounds of her parent's rejection of her identity and her last relationship. There was very little to her life until she bumped into a person who would change that.
