"Alex?" Emily called for Alex's attention as they walked to his car.Alex turned. "Yes?"They stood facing each other, their expressions tense and their body language guarded. Her eyes were fixed on him, her gaze unwavering, and her brow furrowed with determination. He met her stare, his jaw set, his posture rigid as if bracing himself for the conversation ahead."We really need to talk." She said, her voice steady but with a hint of strain, emphasising each word as if willing Alex to understand the gravity of the situation. Alex nodded, acknowledging her statement with a solemn "I know.""I know. It is why I am here...why I had to wait for you for over three hours." He replied."It's late already. Let's talk about it here.""I don't think you'll take it seriously if we discuss it in the car." Her words carry a sense of urgency, as if she has been harbouring the thoughts for far too long and can no longer contain them."Look at the time. It's late already, Emily." He tried to convi
The awkward tension persisted as they drove, each passing minute seeming to stretch out interminably. Emily's mind raced, trying to make sense of Alex's guilty expression that had flashed across his face when their eyes had met.Finally, they pulled into the parking lot of a luxurious hotel, and he brought the car to a halt in an empty spot as the engine's rumble faded into silence.He reached into the backseat and retrieved a black leather weekender bag before locking the car behind them.As they made their way inside the hotel, he could not help but be baffled by the shift in her demeanour. The lighthearted, playful woman he had been joking with earlier at the bar that laughed at them had vanished, replaced by a tense, closed-off version of herself that seemed almost irritated by his very presence.He could not help but wonder what had changed and what had caused the sudden shift in her attitude. Was it something he had done or said?Did what he did earlier, before they met, warra
Frustration knitted Emily's brows into a tight furrow as she walked out of the opulent hotel.She had never let her guard down for a man to treat her ridiculously like Alex did. The night air carried a chill, biting at her exposed skin as she stood outside, her mind racing. The argument with Alex had left her shaken, her emotions raw and frayed at the edges. A sense of unease crept over her as she realised the exorbitant cost of a cab fare home in the upscale area—it was far beyond her means.As she contemplated her next move, the first drops of rain began to fall, a light drizzle that hinted at the downpour to come, adding a touch of melancholy to the situation.With each droplet that fell, she felt a growing sense of urgency to find a solution to her transportation dilemma."Fuck, ordering for a ride is not an option either." She muttered under her breath, frustration mounting as she realised the stark reality of her situation. "If not for that jerk, I would be on the bed sleep
The rain continued to pour down in sheets, drenching everything in its path, while Alex sat in his car, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as he watched the relentless downpour. He concluded that Emily would not allow him to give her a lift back to the hotel unless he forced her in, which was only possible if he left the car. But how could he, without an umbrella? He could not risk leaving the safety of the car; he had never been caught in the rain without cover before. As he pondered his next move, his eyes caught sight of her stumbling against a stray stone as she tumbled to the ground. Without a moment's hesitation, he reached for his jacket hanging on the passenger's seat, where she had been just minutes ago, and flung open the door, dashing out into the storm. His mind raced with conflicting emotions. Was it guilt that propelled him into the rain, knowing he had indirectly caused her fall? Or was it a feeling he ha
Emily sat upright, her attention drawn by the urgency in Alex's voice that pierced the air. Her eyes locked into his. "Emily," Alex began, his voice wavering slightly. "There is something I need to tell you." His hands fidgeted nervously in his lap, betraying the composure he was trying to maintain. Her heart skipped a beat, every fibre of her being attuned to the words she sensed were about to spill forth as a whirlwind of emotions, hope, and apprehension swirled within her. Could it be? Was he about to confess the same feelings she had been harbouring for him? The thought sent a shiver down her spine, one that had nothing to do with the icy coldness still clinging to her skin. The anticipation mounted, her breath catching in her throat as she waited for him to continue. "What is it, Alex?" She asked, her impatience evident in her tone. He hesitated, his gaze flickering away for a moment before
The shrill ring of alarm from Emily's phone sliced through the morning, clinging to Alex's sleep.He mumbled a blurry curse, his hand instinctively reaching out to silence it. But before his fingers reached it, a warm weight landed on his arm, effectively pinning it down. Blinking blearily, he focused on the mop of messy hair nestled against his bicep. It was Emily, still deeply asleep, her body unconsciously gravitating towards his warmth,the corner of her mouth twitching upward.A low chuckle escaped his lips as he remembered the awkwardness and memorable moments of the previous night. Two strangers—well, not entirely strangers anymore—sleeping on the same bed, backs turned against each other like shipwrecked survivors clinging to a deserted island.As he carefully peeled her hand off his arm, preparing to tiptoe out and give her some space, she mumbled something unintelligible into the pillow. Momentarily stunned, his breath hitching, he unconsciously brushed past the soft cur
The sight before Alex, as he shoved Henry's door open, brought a screech to a halt.Henry was not perched on his sofa.Instead, he sprawled on the threadbare rug, his limbs sprawling like rag dolls. His usually neatly combed brown hair stuck out in wild tufts, and his shirt hung askew.A half-empty bottle of alcohol lay precariously close to his outstretched hand.The other hand, worryingly still, rested limply on the armrest of the sofa.A cold dread slithered down Alex's spine. Henry, the ever-optimistic, shoulder-it-alone kind of guy, reduced to this? It was a sight that defied logic.Memories flickered in Alex's mind—of a younger Henry, always with a smile plastered on his face, a smile that never quite reached his eyes.Back then, when they were both just kids, his future was a looming question mark, but he never faltered or let on about the battles he fought.He did believe that making people aware of the battles he was fighting would make them perceive him as weak and a call fo
Alex drove home, his mind full of thoughts after he and Henry had left each other after they had hung out and had a body massage, as Alex had suggested to help him relax from his worries.He knew his suggestion would only work for some hours, sure that Henry would go back to being sober because the breakup was too sudden and unexpected."But how can one just decide to cut ties with their partner in just those few hours when the heart doesn't fluctuate like a swing?" He wondered."It is why I never believed in the concept called 'love.' Thinking that he was trying to make me believe in it is so funny." He chuckled, mocking him even though he knew he shouldn't be doing it.The moment when Henry was crying like a baby flashed in his mind, prompting him to burst into laughter as he hit the steering wheel repeatedly while driving. "If not because he had been there during my emotional downcast days, I would have mocked him." He muttered, his voice tinged with pity."I can't even picture my