AM

Arabella

"You're not packin' those," Alex stated, looking down at the eccentric crocodile skin boots that Arabella was trying to fit into her suitcase.

Somehow, she'd managed to convince him that they should go on a road trip around the UK for fun. At first, he'd been completely opposed to the idea, but Arabella had him wrapped around her little finger.

"Let me pack my swimming costume, then," she replied, tossing the boots aside. She pulled a striking silver swimsuit out of her wardrobe.

"You'll look like Barbarella," Alex said.

Arabella raised her eyebrows. "Surely that's a good thing." She put the swimming costume in her suitcase.

After a few more back-and-forth arguments about what they were going to pack, they finally made it to the car. Arabella heaved her bulging suitcase into the boot before sitting on the passenger seat.

She loved spending time with Alex because it all seemed like a wonderful daydream. Whenever Arabella needed a break from reality, Alex would be her escape.

They'd been on the road for two hours or so before the sun started to dip below the horizon. Just for a second, Alex absent-mindedly turned to look at Arabella. His reaction nearly made him stop the car.

She was beautiful.

There wasn't a better ending to the day than this. He realised how ordinary the sunset would've looked without Arabella's picturesque face catching the fading light. Sure, the sky was pretty, but she made it so much better.

Snapping him out of his reverie, Arabella plugged her phone into the stereo and started blasting something by The Modern Lovers. She gave Alex a wicked smile when he met her gaze. Her eyes looked like outer space, dotted with stars. He leaned over to give her a kiss but she pulled back.

"You're a tease," he muttered.

Arabella smirked before pressing her mouth to his. Kissing her could only be described as interstellar. It felt as if everything was falling into place.

Alex kept driving when we pulled apart but continued to steal the occasional glance at her. She had fallen asleep against the window, her face cast in shadow. It was a stark contrast to the watercolour sunset outside. She really was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

Perhaps they were becoming close now, instead of the distant friends with benefits facade they'd been maintaining. Alex wasn't sure, though.

He pulled into an area beside the road where a couple other cars had parked. It was late and he needed to rest too. Arabella, however, started to stir.

"Cold," she mumbled.

Sighing, Alex got out of the car and opened the boot. He rummaged around in Arabella's clothes. Eventually, he pulled out an oversized cheetah print coat. She smiled gratefully when he handed it to her.

"How about we go to the back seat?" he suggested. "More room." He climbed into the back seat, waiting for her to join him.

"You just want to take this coat off, don't you?" Arabella said, raising an eyebrow.

Alex shrugged. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Why are you like this, Turner?" she giggled.

She did get out of the car, though. He grinned but soon stopped when he saw her pull out a packet of cigarettes. He thought that one would help him sleep, so he stepped outside.

"Can I have one?" Alex asked.

Arabella complied. When they'd finished, she reached back into the car and retrieved a bottle of Coca-Cola.

"It's Mexican," she said. To answer the question she knew he was about to pose, she added, "It's sweeter than regular Coke."

Almost reflexively, Alex's eyes were drawn to Arabella's lips as she wrapped them around the glass. He almost wished he was the bottle. They stood outside in the crisp air of the night until the bottle was empty. She threw it in a nearby bin before sliding into the back seat of the car where Alex was waiting.

He kissed her the second Arabella shut the door. The longer it went on and the more heated it became, Alex wondered once again if he was finally, finally moving past the friends with benefits stage.

He couldn't be sure, but he was damn excited.