Chapter 20// Date

Alex stared.

He wasn't even sure for how long, he just stared. He was in love, and madly so.

He loved everything about her — the freckles on her face, the honey-ness of her hair, the softness of her skin; but it was far more than that, far deeper. He loved they way she would use her hair to shield her smile whenever he said something that made her blush, or the way she made him feel safe and accepted. He loved how protected she felt when he held her, and how quickly they grew so close and intimate. Simply put, he loved her. All of her, and in every way.

"Alex?" Flora stirred, attempting to peel herself from his hold, but his arms only pulled her closer into his chest.

"Mhm," he hummed lazily, his fingers combing through her hair.

"How long have you been up?" She asked tiredly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Not long," Alex half lied. He wasn't exactly sure how long he had been awake for. Last night was both the best and the worst sleep of his life. Laying next to her felt incredible— but it also brought a whirlwind of emotions he wasn't sure he was ready to confront.

Alex pulled Flora in closer to his chest, resting his chin on her head after placing a chaste kiss along her hairline. He inhaled her berry-scented shampoo, mentally finding the courage to say what he wanted to— what he needed to.

Flora sighed, immediately melting into his touch. She mindlessly played with the silver chain that hung around his neck, basking in the comfortable silence that had fallen over them.

"Hey," Alex began gently, sucking in a deep breath and mentally encouraging himself to continue. Flora hummed, her fingers continuing to twirl the chain delicately between her fingers.

Alex smiled. He never thought he would share that part of him— his mother, his life, him— with anyone. But somehow Flora made it almost... easy.

"I was just thinking..." he let his words trail off into the air, his mind consumed with the beautiful girl tucked beneath his arm.

"... I was just thinking that maybe we could do something today?" Alex cursed himself for his vague choice of words. Nonetheless, his offer still managed to make Flora's heart skip a beat.

"Like a date?" Flora teased, half-expecting Alex to scoff and dismiss her entirely.

"Like a date," Alex confirmed, a smile tugging at his lips. Flora loved when he smiled— truly smiled. He smirked often, his lips curling up into a devilish curve. However, he seldom smiled.

"Really?" Flora squeaked, unable to hide the giddiness within her.

"Well, don't look so surprised," Alex teased, his thumb tracing along her skin. Despite the subtlety of his action, it caused a sea of butterflies to flutter in her stomach.

"It's because I am," Flora began, her fingers finally stopped fiddling with his necklace.

Her wide-eyes flickered to his. "It's just that I thought you didn't really um-" Flora struggled with her words before continuing, "do... relationships."

She held her breath, anxiously awaiting Alex's reaction to her use of the dreaded label.

"I don't," he deadpanned.

"But you said—"

"I don't, usually," Alex promptly corrected.

"But there's nothing usual about you, flower," he finished.

Flora smiled, biting hard on her lip to contain it from taking over her entire face— she was that happy.

"So, it's a date," Flora loved the taste of those words on her tongue.

"It's a date," he confirmed sweetly.

Flora eagerly sat up, her cheeks flushed, quickly pulling the sheet and covering her exposed chest.

"Still shy in front of me, huh?" Alex smirked, he loved teasing Flora, maybe a little too much.

Her blush remained crimson on her pale cheeks.

Flora ignored his question, "where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," Alex was only being partly honest— it was a surprise, but for him too. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Later that night, the two found themselves sitting in Alex's car. He was quiet — quieter than usual.

"Soooo," Flora's sing-song-y tone pierced through the silence.

"Are you 'gonna tell me where we're going? For all I know you could be kidnapping me or—"

"Babe!" Alex interrupted, "just wait."

Flora sighed, sinking deeper into her seat.

She hated surprises.

"Fine," she pouted, sticking her bottom lip slightly over her top. Alex glanced over, his hand loosely draped over the steering wheel. He thought, even pouting, she looked beautiful.

"We're almost there, baby. I promise."

A few moments later the car came to an abrupt stop.

Flora looked around her. Nothing.

Not a person or place in sight. Nothing but trees surrounded them.

"Where are we?" Flora asked, confusion written across her face. She expected a restaurant or something.

"We're here." Alex beamed. Flora rarely saw Alex excited— but here and now he seemed just that. And despite having no clue where here even was, Flora smiled, for Alex.

"Wait here," Alex instructed, stepping out of the car.

He went into the backseat and retrieved a wooden basket and a red blanket. When did he put that there? Flora thought to herself.

Before she could ponder any further, Alex opened the car's passenger door, stepping aside for Flora to step out.

"Such a gentleman," Flora giggled, grabbing ahold of Alex's outstretched hand.

He led them to a patch of the greenest grass Flora had ever seen, in the middle of nowhere. There was a stream of water off to the left, it smelt like evergreen, and the sky was clear and blue. It was breathtaking.

Flora had lived in this town her whole life and yet she had never heard of this place.

"I like to come here sometimes to cool off whenever I'm frustrated with life," Alex admitted earnestly. Sometimes he couldn't believe the things he would tell Flora. Things he never thought he'd tell anyone just slipped out of his mouth whenever he was around her.

Flora smiled, "it's beautiful."

"And so are you," Alex's finger traced the bottom of her skirt.

Alex meant it in a way much deeper than Flora understood. Sure, she was beautiful in a traditional sense. But it wasn't her beauty that attracted him to her. Perhaps, at first. But Alex met lots of beautiful girls. What he felt for Flora transcended beauty.

Alex flattened the red blanket across the grass, turning towards the basket he pulled out all the traditional picnic foods — breads, cheese, crackers, grapes, strawberries, even desserts.

"Alex, this is..." Flora's thoughts trailed off. She was so happy she couldn't even find the right words to describe her content.

So, she kissed him instead.

A phone rang.

Alex fisted his hand in Flora's hair, deepening the kiss.

The ringing continued.

He swiped his tongue across her bottom lip, tasting her raspberry gloss.

"A-Alex," Flora breathed, "your phone..." she tried to finish her sentence, but Alex's hand reached around her throat and she felt the wetness pool within her panties.

"...it might be an emergency."

"Fuck it, I don't care. The only thing I care about right now is you."

Alex released her throat and slipped his hands beneath her shirt. He un-clasped her bra and let it fall down her shoulders. He held her breasts in his hand, tracing his thumb across her nipples, causing goosebumps to form on her skin, as she moaned into the kiss.

The phone rang again.

"God dammit!" Alex muttered, yanking the phone from his pocket.

"What!" He spat into the receiver.

And, just like that, his face changed.

Flora couldn't hear the other end of the call, but she knew his demeanour had shifted.

He stood up, began pacing and cursing into the phone.

Flora considered going over, placing a comforting hand on his tense shoulders, but ultimately, she stayed put.

"We're going," Alex said, walking back over to Flora, his phone tucked back into his pocket.

"What? Why? What happened, Alex?"

"It's nothing. Get in the car." Flora's eyes widened at his sudden temper. She knew Alex had one but it was never directed towards her.

"Now."

Flora rose to her feet, quickly reaching around to re-clasp her bra, she scurried into the passenger seat while Alex's heart sank to his stomach. He felt awful for scaring her, but he didn't know what else to do. She couldn't find out about his past. Which meant she couldn't find out about that phone call.

Alex ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He cursed under his breath as he whipped open the car door and placed the key into the ignition, driving off in complete silence.