The Apprentice (Girlxgirl)

Chapter Sixty Eight

It was almost midnight when Ellie and Rachel got home. Alex and I had waited up to see their reaction to their newly decorated bedrooms.

"Hey, you're still up?" Ellie asked, seeing us sitting on the sofa.

"Yeah, this movie's almost finished though," Alex said.

"Well, I'm going to bed," Rach said, "We've got a busy day of doing nothing tomorrow."

"Goodnight Rach," I smiled.

Ellie sat with us for a moment while she drank a glass of juice. She stood up fast when she heard Rach scream, and ran upstairs. Alex and I laughed, and followed her.

When we got to the top of the stairs, we could hear Ellie laughing.

"Oh my god, that's amazing," she giggled, seeing Rach's room.

"I fucking hate this picture," Rach moaned. I could see that she was holding back a laugh.

"Personally, I think you look hot," Alex joked, and I frowned at her calling another girl hot. She laughed at me when she saw I looked jealous.

"I always look hot, Alex, but the traffic cone doesn't do me justice."

Ellie was still laughing, and I couldn't wait for her to see her room.

"Anyway, ladies... We're going to bed," I announced, taking Alex's hand and leading her to our bedroom door.

"Yeah, me too," Ellie said. "Goodnight Rach."

She was still grinning about Rachel's room, but I saw her smile disappear when she opened her bedroom door.

"Oh, fuck off."

Alex and I burst out laughing, and Rach ran to Ellie's room, and laughed like the maniac I always knew she was.

"Goodnight!" Alex said happily, and pulled me into our room.

I got undressed, and started to put on pyjamas.

"It's too hot, baby," Alex said, and pulled me to the bed. She was naked too. We got under the cover and she wrapped her arms around me. I fell asleep quickly, with my girlfriend's warm body pressed against me.

~~~~~

I felt sad when I woke up, the next morning. It was Saturday. Our last day, before Venice.

"Good morning, my love," Alex whispered, when she knew I was awake.

I turned around to face her, and kissed her softly.

"I love you so much."

"I love you too, and I can't wait for the next three months alone with you," she replied.

"Me too," I said, "I'm gonna miss Ellie and Rach though."

"Maybe we should take the shower curtains with us, or something," she joked.

"Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" I pouted.

"Oh my god, you're so jealous," she laughed. "Believe me, baby, you will never have to be jealous. You're perfect."

I smiled at her words, and she kissed me on the forehead.

"Now, come on. It's our last day here, let's go be sociable," I ordered.

We both showered, and got dressed, then headed downstairs to find Ellie and Rach making breakfast.

"Sit your asses down," Rachel demanded. We did as she said, and they joined us at the table, bringing food with them.

"We're coming to the airport tomorrow," Ellie informed us, and I smiled.

"Like, you thought there was another option?" I laughed.

"Just so you know," Rachel started, with a mouthful of bacon, "I'm taking all of your little presents down today. I couldn't sleep knowing that those pictures were staring at me all night. I mean, you are literally a photographer, and that's the gift you want to leave me with?"

We all laughed at her, and I felt quite proud of our work.

"You should definitely expect some form of retaliation when you get home from Venice," Ellie said mischievously.

"I can't wait," Alex laughed.

We chatted some more, during breakfast, then we moved to the living room to watch some terrible TV. Mark and Brad didn't come over, which was strange as they were always here on the weekends. I thought that the girls asked them not to come today, as it was our last day together for a while.

"Oh yeah, Rach, I've got something for you," I said, remembering an idea I had.

"If it involves that photo of me, I don't want to know," she laughed.

"No," I replied, then stood up and walked into the hallway. I took my car key off my keyring, and walked back into the living room. I threw the key to her, before sitting down next to Alex again.

"You're joking?"

"I'm not gonna need it," I smiled.

"Oh my god, I love you."

"Woah, back up wench, she's taken," Alex said, and I laughed.

I was so happy in that moment, just sitting around with my girlfriend and my two best friends, laughing and joking.

We spent the rest of the day doing pretty much nothing. Alex texted her dad, asking him to meet us at the airport an hour before our flight, but he insisted that he would pick us all up in his limousine. She texted him our address.

I quickly ran through some paperwork with Ellie, ensuring she was able to make any business related decisions until I returned from Venice. Then, I made a quick phonecall to Miranda, to make sure she knew what was happening. She wasn't able to talk for long, but she asked to speak to alex, to say goodbye and wish her a good holiday.

Alex and I unpacked our suitcases, and packed them again. I was nervous that we might have forgotten something, although I knew we would just buy anything we needed, while we were there.

Finally, we all went to bed early. We would need to be up early, to get ready to leave. And I knew Alex would be anxious about flying, so I would need to calm her down before we leave. I realised I was nervous too, not about flying, but about leaving for so long.