45

Katherine Thrones

I zipped my bag shut and that meant I was done packing and ready to head back to my apartment.

I spent an overall of three days with Alexander recovering until I felt better. We went to school together all through, he'd drive us there and drive us back, he even skipped football practice all through the period because he didn't want to keep me waiting for long, and immediately after the bell rang, we would be on our way to the parking lot to go home.

I enjoyed Alexander's company as usual and even though my house was literally the next door, I didn't bother myself to even visit my apartment once all through my stay with him.

Katie came around too and kept us company and checked up on my health. The three of us watched movies together and had so much fun. Well, Katie felt Alex and I were having too much fun and she didn't hesitate to remind me that everything was a game and I should be cautious because according to her, it looked like I was deviating from the plan totally and doing the things she warned me against.

Falling for Alex.

Katie was making sense and a reason I attributed to the feelings I felt brewing was the fact that Alex and I were in close proximity for three whole days.

This is the reason why after our classes today, I decided that it was time to head back to my apartment and also to give Alexander his well-deserved space and time to himself—he has been missing a lot of things with his friends and the team too, I felt selfish for depriving him of all that simply because he has to babysit me because of my emotional breakdown.

But it seemed like Alexander was okay with it; we spent all our time when we weren't at school together and enjoyed each other's company and laughed so damn hard because Alexander says the funniest of things.

I was having the best time.

Plus, I also needed time to myself as well. I didn't study once all through my stay with him and the main exams are around the corner, I should really up my studying game at this point.

But what really surprised me was the fact that Alexander the Alexander Walters we all know never tried to make advances to me or even touch me. I'm seriously serious about it. The fact that I was going to stay with him in his house had actually filled me with a bit of apprehension because I thought I'd be too weak to stand my ground and Alexander would find a way to emotionally cajole him into getting hot and heavy with him.

Not even once did he ask for a simple kiss or a hug, even though deep down I really wanted him to y'know… ask me for one. There, I admitted it. Alexander minded his language, he didn't say or hint at anything sexual at all. He was actually well–behaved. A little part of me was quite disappointed, but the major part of me was actually…proud of him in a way, I guess.

"I can help you carry the bag back to your apartment." Alexander's voice tuned in and jolted me out of my thoughts, startling me. I immediately swung around and saw him at the door, leaning on the frame with folded arms.

It seemed like he had been there for a while now, watching me. He just came out from a shower—his wet hair pointed out the obvious, he was in a tank top and grey sweatpants. He had this look in his eyes, it was distinct and a mixture of so many emotions that I couldn't even point out what exactly it was.

And he was staring at me with that look, and a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

I instantly melted under that mesmerizing gaze of his and my cheeks betrayed me, flushing red in a blush and then I found myself smiling.

"Uh–uhm…" I stuttered, momentarily forgetting what Alexander had even said and I was certainly sure I was making a fool of myself now. The flush on my cheek reddened deeper now, in mortification.

Alexander chuckled, probably at the ridiculousness of me just embarrassing myself just now. I heaved a sigh and fell to the bed—these butterflies and tingles I usually felt around Alexander were getting WORSE and way too frequent.

Was I that smitten by this boy?

He left the door frame and ambled closer to where I sat on the bed and then he sat beside me. I swear my breath hitched when he came close to where I was. God, I'm down bad.

"I was asking if I can help you take your things back to your apartment?" Right! That was what he said that my love–scrambled brain had deleted out.

Love? Is this love? I cannot deny the fact that I've started to feel some kind of way around Alex, but I don't think it's love yet.

I shook my head in disagreement, "Oh come on Alex, there's no need for that. My house is literally just five steps away and I can carry just one bag. What do you take me for?"

"Well, I was wondering how you'd be able to carry that bag all the way to your apartment with your flimsy non–existent muscles. That's why I offered to help, you know, because I'm stronger than you." He teased with a cheeky grin.

I rolled my eyes, "Don't rub it to my face, Hercules. I can handle one bag." I smacked him playfully and stood up from the bed, grabbing the bag.

"Can you? I feel you really need to work out more, Katya?" Oh yeah, he also found this weird nickname for me, Katya. I really don't know why or how he conjured it up, but I kind of like it and simultaneously get annoyed by it at the same time.

"And you need to shut up more." I retorted and he snickered.

"So you're leaving now? I'm going to miss you around, I really enjoy your company." Alex stated after his laughter died down and the air between us suddenly became more serious and tense.

He rose up from the bed as well and stepped closer to me, my gaze cautiously followed each of his movements.

"I'm just next door, so you can always stop by." I found myself saying irrationally. No! The whole essence of me leaving was so that we won't see each other as often and now I'm willingly offering him to come over.

"Nah. You need your space. We've been at each other's faces for the past three days and I'm surprised we made it that long without killing each other. Plus, you need to study, I haven't seen you pick up a book since you got here." Alex stated matter–of–factly and I was having mixed feelings.

A part of me was happy he had refused to come over, it'll make me concentrate more, but another part was sad about it. It seemed like I was now addicted to the whole Katherine and Alex dynamic.

"No, no. You can always stop by—"

"Shush Katya, don't make hasty decisions." He intercepted me by placing his index finger on my lips. Two things were on my mind; one, I made a mental note to remind him to stop calling me Katya. Two, the feel of his finger against my lips was sending waves of tingles down my nerves and making me wish it wasn't his fingers on my lips, but something else.

"You need to make up for what you've lost for the past three days, and we both know you won't do that with me around you all the time." He added, removing his finger from my lips and my racing heartbeat finally steadied.

"That's true. You really are a huge distraction." I conceded and he smiled with a nod.

"A handsome distraction, right?"

I scoffed, "Oh please, don't flatter yourself." I lied completely. He's so handsome I could stare at him for days unending and not get tired of it.

"Well, I think you're beautiful, but not a beautiful distraction. You're the opposite of a distraction, you actually make me focus. Your beauty makes me focus—I doubt if I've ever focused on anything the way I pay attention to your face, and everything else about you Katherine."

Suddenly my knees become weak as well as the rest of my limbs and it was a struggle to keep standing or even remain conscious after hearing those words. The bag in my hand started to become heavy— was it because I really didn't exercise or that Alexander had successfully tugged all the strings on my heart?

The realization that I was supposed to say something in response to that compliment jolted me out of my smothered thoughts.

I cleared my throat nervously, "T–thank you."

Again, he chuckled at how I had just embarrassed myself yet again.

"I would hug you, but your principles demand that I have to write a permit application for that first," Alex stated and his humor watered down the tense environment and I chuckled. "I would put this into writing later, but for now can I just ask if I can get a hug from you Miss Katherine Katya?"

My chuckle morphed into a full–blown laugh. "On one condition."

"I'll kill whoever just to be in your arms for five seconds."

"Slow down, Alex. There will be no killing. I just want you to stop calling me Katya!"

He shook his head, "Never. So are you hugging me or not?" He said and I grinned, dropping the bag and then widening my arms to accommodate him. He embraced and hugged me, I reveled in the warmth that came from his body against mine.

I hated the fact that my heart had developed a new routine of going haywire whenever I'm around him. At this point, I think I'm slowly losing myself to Alexander and I feared that I might be the one who would get heartbroken after all of this instead of Alexander.

I have to end this before it gets worse…but my haywire heart was way too attached and not ready to separate from him yet.

I leaned my head on his shoulders, letting out a sigh and my hands found his hair, his shower–drenched hair and I slowly stroked it whole enjoying the comfort of his hug, of his presence, of him just simply being here and close to me. And the hug lasted way more than five seconds.