Please Don't Try and Turn On the Lights

11. Confessions

I grabbed my jacket and stormed out of the bar, determined to go home and get some sleep. Alex was so incredibly irritating and I needed to get away from him to not strangle him.

"Rhea, wait up," I heard Alex call behind me but I kept on walking.

As he finally caught up to me, he was almost coughing up his lungs, "I swear to god, I have to stop smoking," he muttered to himself. I was still annoyed with him and how he made me soften up just by looking at him.

"What's up, Alex?" I sighed.

"I'm taking you home," he said.

"I don't need you to take me home."

"As if I'm going to let you wander off on your own in a strange city. Look at you, you're tiny,"

"I'm not absolutely not!" I spluttered, "I'm just as tall as you are!"

Alex grinned, "I knew I could get to ya' - come on - I'll get you home safely."

I huffed, "suit yourself".

Alex gave me a triumphant smile and put his arm around me. I contemplated shrugging it off but didn't. I had already forgiven him for his little scene with Michael. He had been drunk and it wasn't as if I hadn't been just a tiny bit jealous of the girl he'd been chatting up.

"So who was the lovely laf you were talking to?" he asked me after a couple of minutes of walking in silence.

"Pfft, nonchalant about it now, are you?" I scoffed, glancing at him sideways.

"Yeah, I got a bit jealous in there, I guess," he laughed awkwardly, pulsing at his cigarette.

"Jealous of what?

"Of that guy," he shrugged, "he got to kiss you."

I stopped walking and looked at him, "I didn't interrupt you and that bird you were talking to all night."

"Naah, but that was only because you could see that I had my attention directed at you all night, yeah?" he wiggled his eyebrows.

"UGH! Alex, you're killing me," I laughed.

"Why? Why am I killing you?" he smirked.

"You know why!"

"Yeah, but I want to hear you say it out loud,"

I laughed awkwardly.

He put his hands on my waist, "saaaaaay it," he sang with his hair falling into his eyes.

"Because I fancy you," I spluttered, not looking at him.

"Yeah, so I'd guessed," he said, still smirking at me, "So are you going to kiss me or what?"

I really wanted to close the distance between our lips but I didn't. I still didn't know if I could trust him. "I'm still angry with you," I mumbled.

"Come on, Rhea, now you're the one who's killing me"

"Why am I killing you?" I said, mocking his tone from before.

He laughed, "you know why but let me guess, you want to hear me say it, yeah?"

I nodded, "obviously!"

"Because I fucking fancy you too," he smiled at me, "happy?" he said and moved closer to me, almost closing the distance between our lips.

"Very happy," I said and rolled my eyes at him sarcastically, "come on, let's get you home," I said and tugged at his arm.

He groaned, "unfair!"

We fooled around for quite a while before Alex said, "my hotel's right down there you know."

"So?"

"Well, yours is just so far - so far -away. Why don't you just stay at my place for the night?"

"You forgetting that I'm still mad at you..."

"Come on, love. We're probably going to hang out tomorrow anyway."

He was actually right about that so I decided to go with him, determined not to sleep with him.

As we entered Alex' room we could hear some suggestive noises coming from the bedroom.

Alex groaned, "Miles for fucks sake! Why did he have to bring his bird here? I would never do that"

I cleared my throat.

"Well, you're not some bird," Alex said, grinning, "You're...well...You're you".

I shook my head, laughing, "very specific there, Al"

"Looks like it's the sofa for us then," Alex said.

"Uhm, that doesn't fit two," I pointed to a very small sofa.

"Sure it does, can you not, like, unfold it?" He asked, tugging at various places on the sofa until something came lose and he stood with part of the sofa in his hand.

I laughed uncontrollably at his dumbfound facial expression and he soon hollered with laughter as well.

"OI, MATE!" Miles called from the bedroom, "Will you shut up! I'm trying to concentrate in here!"

"Sure thing, mate" Alex snickered, tossing the part of the sofa into the corner where it landed with a thud. Eventually, he admitted defeat with a sigh and sat down on the sofa, pulling off his boots.

"Well, goodnight, Alex," I smiled and waved at him.

"Goodnight? You're not going to stay here?" He looked up at me with puppy eyes.

"Naah, that doesn't really look too comfortable," I said pointing to the piece of furniture he was occupying half of.

"I'm sure we can fit," Alex said, already taking off his shirt.

I wanted to lie down next to him. To ruffle his greasy hair. To touch his bare chest. But I wasn't ready yet.

"We absolutely can, love!" Alex said and tried making room for me next to him, failing horribly, "well, I can't say that I don't see your point, but if you don't think we can both fit, I don't mind sleeping on the floor. Or we can both sleep on the floor and cuddle."

It took all of mu strength to decline his offer, "Well, as tempting as horrible back pain tomorrow sounds like, I think I'll take the sofa in Jamie's room," I laughed, "goodnight, Alex"

As I closed the door behind me I could hear Alex mutter "I'm going to kill Miles.."