Complicate Me(30)

“You know what I’m talking about. Stop being an asshole for no fucking reason, Lucas. Do you not realize that you’re losing her more by doing so? You’re just pushing her into Cole’s arms, you fucking idiot!” she shouted too damn close to my face.

My eyes widened, she had never spoken to me like that. Come to think of it, I had never heard her speak to anyone, including Dylan like that.

“I know, okay? I’m not stupid, and no Alex didn’t tell me. I’ve known pretty much since Dylan and I started dating.”

“Does Dylan—”

“No. None of them do. I know how he would feel about it, though. I mentioned it one time randomly, and he threw a fucking fit about it. Saying some shit about how it would be incest and wrong. I don’t know, I tuned him out half the time because I was so pissed he felt that way in the first place. I’ve been around the boys to know that they would not have it, especially Jacob. I can’t even mention your names in that way without pissing him off. He thinks she deserves Prince Charming, and you’re not him.” She crossed her arms and glared me up and down.

“But now that you’re acting like a dick, I kind of agree with him. You wouldn’t be treating her like this if you loved her the way I know you do.”

I scoffed. “Don’t talk about things you have no clue about, Aubrey.”

“I don’t? Really? This started after Cole came in the picture. You lost your shit and now you’re not speaking, and you’ve become a total man whore and it’s disgusting. Alex isn’t even dating him,” she justified by stomping her foot on the ground.

“They’re just friends. She watched you for years having sex with Stacey, and now she’s watching you have sex with half the female population of our school. How is that fair to her?”

“Aubrey,” I warned. She pushed my last nerve.

“Don’t Aubrey me! You’re being an asshole, and she doesn’t deserve it! I’m rooting for you guys, I really am. But, the more you keep acting like this, the more I want her to be with Cole, and I don’t even know him, Lucas. I know you!” She shoved her finger in my chest.

“And the Lucas I know wouldn’t be acting like a fucktard, like you are. Get your shit together or else you’re going to dig yourself into a deeper hole and not be able to find your way out.” She took a deep breath, composing herself and then turned around and left.

I stood there completely stunned for a few seconds. I knew how the boys felt about it, but her knowing is what shocked me. Had we been that transparent? I thought about the last few months, how everything she said was true. In the back of my mind, I always knew that. I walked back to the table with a heavy heart and a guilty conscience. Alex laid all of our orders on the table. When I sat down, she was about to leave.

“I changed my mind.”

She stopped dead in her tracks, turning to face me. The surprised expression was evident on her face when she realized I held her stare. I don’t remember the last time I truly looked at her. Her hair was longer, lighter from the sun and had a tint of red in it. She wore more eye makeup, more than I had ever seen her wear before. She appeared older in some ways. Her lips were still glossy and shiny, just the way I remembered them.

I immediately remembered the taste of them.

She appeared sad, and it was then that I sincerely grasped how much of what Aubrey argued was true.

“I’ll take my usual, Alexandra.”

It was the first time I called her that in a natural way. She somehow managed to grow up during the school year, which was almost over.

My Half-Pint was gone…

Though it made me upset.

I also realized my brown-eyed girl was still here.

That was clear as day.





I wearily smiled. “Coming right up.”

I didn’t think twice about it. I didn’t want to get my hopes up only for them to be shot down with disappointment. I wasn’t expecting anything to change between us just because he ordered a meal from me. He could have just been trying to be friendly or cordial. The boys left, but he hovered around until the end of my shift.

“How you been gettin’ home?” he asked as I looked up at him after clocking out on my timecard.

“My bike, sometimes one of the boys pick me up, or my parents,” I shyly responded, bowing my head not knowing how to feel comfortable in my own skin.

“I can take you home. We could put your bike in the bed of my truck.”

I thought about it for a second. “Umm, you don’t have to.”

“I want to.”

That had made me look up at him. “Why now?” I blurted.

He grimaced, it was quick, but I saw it. “Can’t we just start over?”

“I don’t want to start over, Bo.”

His eyebrows curled toward his nose, only this time he didn’t try to hide it.

“You’ve been ignoring me for months. I mean the school year’s almost over and you’ve maybe said a handful of words to me. Only when the boys were around, so I know it wasn’t for me.”

He softly chuckled. “Still the same blunt girl as always, I see.”

I didn’t falter. “Did you think I would change? Am I supposed to?”

“I don’t know, Alexandra. I really don’t.”

“Why do you keep calling me that?”

“It’s your name.”

“Not to you.”

His head cocked to the side and one arm folded over the other in defiance. His eyes shifted up to the ceiling briefly and then to me. The sneer on his face accented his rebellious stance and so did his words.

“Just to Cole then,” he coldly snickered.

I didn’t want to play this game with him. I’d rather him continue to disregard me than to have him hurt me on purpose.

“I don’t need a ride. Thanks anyways. I guess you could go back to chasin’ tail and ignoring me.”

“Is that what you want?” His demeanor changed again, and I swear the wind picked up around us even though we were inside, and I knew that wasn’t possible.

I stepped back, walking away. “Bo wouldn’t have to ask me that. When you find him, you let me know.” I turned not waiting to see the expression on his face.

It was easier just to leave.

The hurricane behind me.



***



“I plan to kidnap you the entire summer. You are aware of that, right?” Cole reminded over the phone.

I laughed. He had been repeating this a lot over the last few days and it never got old. It still made me laugh. He always made me laugh.

“I thought the point of kidnapping was not to tell anyone?”

“This is a different kind. I need you willing, Darlin’.”

I rolled my eyes even though it still made my belly flutter when he called me that. “Whatever.”

“Alexandra, is that hesitation I hear in your voice? Don’t pretend you’re not excited to see me. I know you are.”

“Oh do you now? Why is that?”

“I can tell. I have powers when it comes to you. You were made for me.”

I shook my head, amused. “God, laying it on thick tonight, huh? Are you bored, Cole?” I asked while rolling onto my belly and elbows, and putting my cell phone on speaker.

He chuckled. “Oh, I’m laying it on somewhere—”

“COLE!” I blushed.

For some reason I knew he was rolling onto his back. Maybe it was because of the way his tone changed, it was heavier. He let out a big, throaty laugh.

“I like you, Alexandra. When a guy likes a girl he pays attention to the little things, and you, Darlin’, are very easy to read. As much as you want to pretend that you don’t feel something for me, I know the truth and one day, I’ll prove it to you. I’m not going anywhere, I’ll wait as long as it takes.”

I beamed. I couldn’t help it.

“You know the first thing I’m going to do when I see you?”

“Flirt with me?” I sassed.

“That’s the second. The first is to pull you up into my arms and spin you around until you tell me to stop. Will you tell me to stop, Alexandra?” he rasped.

My heart pounded in my chest with heavy thumps, and I rolled onto my back in some awkward position. My eyes landing on his, sitting right on my nightstand, wrapped in a black frame. The photo of Lucas and I stared me right in the face.

“What time do you land?” I asked, changing the subject. I had to.

“Two in the afternoon and you already know that,” he paused as he debated on what to say. If there was one thing I knew about Cole, it was that he always spoke his mind, no matter what.

“What took away my happiness, Darlin’? I can hear it in your voice.”

Sometimes I hated that he was so perceptive.

“Is it Lucas?”

Over the past few months, I started opening up to him. I told him as much as I could about Lucas and I. He always listened, never saying anything bad about him. I wouldn’t let him if he tried.

“Something like that,” I simply replied. “I’m fine.”

“Now that I’m aware of.”

I giggled. I loved the ability of being able to go from a serious conversation to a light one with him. It was never like that with Lucas.

“I’m really glad I met you, Cole.”

“Good, so I’ll see you tomorrow?”

I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “You land at two o’clock, and I will see you at two forty-five at the lighthouse. I’m bringing lunch and a smile.”