Falling Like Stars

Chapter Four

It's 2 AM at night. Alex couldn't sleep. He didn't know why. But the things happened that day, led him to new thoughts. He couldn't help thinking about all of these.

He remembered the days after that dream. He wasn't able to talk freely to Ashley for days. But Ashley used to make enough time for Alex, not like before when she was single, but more than her first few months of relationship. She used to talk about so many things to Alex but he wasn't able to listen about Ethan, but still he did. He used to have bad mood, wanted to cry, used to become frustrated easily about anything. But he couldn't admit the fact that why that kind of mood swings were happening to him. He was so confused about his sudden change of feeling for Ashley, but he never realized that it was not sudden. He used to get more frustrated everytime when he thought about it because he knew that she never should feel the same way. He started to dream the same everyday. It made his mind the worst. But still, he used to keep that I'M FINE face on him.

Before Ashley's relationship, he used to sit with her, but then it was only him in the table. Every day, only him, looking at Ashley and Ethan, overthinking, frustrated.

"Why didn't I realize it earlier?", again he whispered, looking at the ceiling. Thinking about his feelings again and again, he was starting to feel the same again, the same agony, the same level of frustration. Suddenly his heart a short vibration from his phone. It was a text, *Hey, I'm Ella, I know you're probably sleeping now, so when you wake up, just answer me one question, when are you gonna meet me up?*

Alex wanted to reply, but his hands didn't, he was so into in overthinking, and Ella's text, again, led his thoughts to her.
One day, in college, he was sitting in the same table, watching he couple he despised most and overthinking. At that day, something different happened.

"Hey, can I sit here?", he heard a girl with a voice like a river, beautiful. And when he looked at her, he saw a blonde girl with gray and blue eyes, smiling at him. It was Gabriella Johnson, and called the nicest girl in college.
"Yeah, sure. Ella", covering the surprise on his face, Alex also invited her with a happy voice. He was happy that at least he had someone to talk to for that day, and a distraction from his disturbing thoughts. Ella sat down with a surprise on her face.
"How do you know that name?", Ella replied.
"What name? Ella?"
"Yeah, well I'm Gabriella, but only few people call me this, Ella!"
"Oh, I didn't know. I'm a little bit lazy so, I call people with the shortest form of their name, sorry if it offends you. I'll call you Gabriella then.", he became a bit nervous.
"Oh no, it's fine, I love that name, Ella.", she tried to comfort him as she understood that her words made him uncomfortable.
"She is Ashley, right?", Ella asked following where Alex was looking.
"Yeah, and as usual, I call her Ash.", Alex put on a fake smile.
"It's Ethan, the gentleman.", this words of Ella did hit Alex. He just thought in his mind, "What's wrong with me? Am I not gentle?"
"She's your best friend right?", Alex was so surprised that how she knew much about them.
"Yeah, she is. She is one of the most wonderful person I've ever seen.", his eyes  went bright as he said that.
"So, you like her, or something?"
"No, I.... I don't. She's my best friend.", the answer was ready as he had been saying this since he was a kid, but only this time, he didn't mean it.
"Oh, that's means you're feeling kind of jealous od Ethan, because now Ashley is always hanging out with him and you've no one with hang out to.", As Ella was telling that, Alex was feeling like she was reading his mind. But he didn't let it come on his face.
"No, not like that.", he replied with a shy voice.
"Oh, don't be shy, I've been there trust me. At least she talks to you. My best friend even stopped talking to me. It's okay to be jealous.", Ella's words comforted him. He felt a suddent bond with Ella.

Alex still remember, then, at that day, he talked to Ella, after a long, he laughed, it was a happy day for him after a long. Then, everyday, Ella started to sit with him and it made Alex a bit suspicious that why that nice girl sat with him every day, she had other friends, and Alex definitely mean the words for her, THE NICEST GIRL, she was really nice to him, to everyone. Soon, Alex and Ella, became good friends. Even Ashley sometimes felt jealous about Alex and Ella hanging out most of the time, even she told Alex once indirectly, but it was a best friend type of jealousy, Alex knew it.

Soon Alex and Ella became like best friends. They laughed together on silly jokes, even sometimes Ella used to cry remembering her ex, who dumped her. Alex used to comfort her. Soon Alex found a great friend on Ella which kept his mind from other things. But Alex never really stopped hanging out with Ashley. He still loved Ashley, but he just wanted to be out of the misery, so he spent most of his time with Ella. Well, Alex had always been a great actor. So Ella and Ashley never actually found out what was on his mind until he show them.

Months after their friendship, Alex started to like Ella. She was a beautiful, strong woman, with a very nice behavior, and her behavior attracted the most. She was so nice and understanding.

Then, one day, Alex was just sitting on his room, when suddenly Ella came. She really found a different comfort in Alex.
"Hey, what you doin'?", Ella had a different sparkle in her voice.
"Nothing, I was just reading. What led you here?"
"Nothing, I just wanted to see you."
"Oh, what's the matter?"
"I just wanted to say you something."
"What is it?"
Every time he talked to Ella, he felt light from everything. Thoughts of Ashley haunted him very less in those days. But then, suddenly everything changed.
"I love you, Alex.", her voice shuddered as she said it.
For a moment, Alex felt unconscious, just her subconscious was working, his conscious mind didn't know what to say or do, but his subconscious was pushing him to do the right thing for him.
"You are the best man I've ever met Alex, I love you. Before I started talking to you, your face and that deep sea green eyes always attracted me, I wanted to be your friend. As I became your friend, I felt like you were the best person I've ever met. You made me forget Matt and I feel more happy whenever I'm with you. I don't know if you like me, I don't know if my confession is gonna ruin our friendship, but I want to make you mine, Alex.", she stopped, and as she did, her eyes bursted with tears.
"Hey, don't cry. It's okay.", Alex comforted her, he felt his attraction for Ella redoubling as she said that. At that moment, his mind didn't think about anyone else than Ella. At that moment, he really admitted to himself that he loves Ella. He wasn't able to think about anything else, but he felt so much love and knew that his affection for Ella was real. So he didn't think, he just kissed her. The feeling was so new to Alex, loving someone who loves you back. That day, they talked for hours in Alex's room. Two young loves, and it was Alex's first love. So he was so in love that even for one time Ashley didn't come in his mind. The day was beautiful, Ella putting her head on his shoulder, he kissing her cheeks.

Thinking all of these Alex suddenly remember it had been all night he hadn't slept and the alarm clock was ringing. It's 6 AM. He wiped tears from the corner of his eyes. Thinking about all of these, Alex cried for an hour, and he didn't realise that. Then he just took his phone, and typed *I'm sorry for letting you down, Ella. Maybe you were my last chance.*