56

KATHERINE THRONES

I stretched my arms and legs, reveling in the warmth of Alexander's embrace. His breaths were slow and steady, indicating that he was still asleep. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of how lucky I was to have him in my life.

As we packed up our things and headed to the airport, I felt a sense of sadness at leaving the beach resort behind. But the anticipation of being back in our own space filled me with excitement. Alexander and I chatted and laughed throughout the journey, making silly jokes and poking fun at each other. The hours flew by as we talked about our favorite moments from the trip.

As we boarded the plane, my thoughts drifted back to the intimate moment we shared last night. I couldn't help but blush as I remembered the feeling of his hands on my body, the way his lips felt against mine. It was my first time, and I was glad that it had been with him. The experience had been everything I had imagined and more.

Glancing over at Alexander, I couldn't resist the urge to reach over and brush his hair away from his forehead. He was fast asleep now and stirred slightly in his rest. I couldn't help but smile at how adorable he looked when he was sleeping.

leaned over and planted a soft kiss on his forehead, not wanting to disturb his sleep. I closed my eyes and let out a content sigh, feeling grateful for everything that had happened and excited for what the future held for us.

As the plane landed and we made our way to the Uber, I couldn't shake off the feeling of contentment that surrounded me. Being with Alexander made everything feel so right. I knew that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. In Alexander's arms.

As we drove through the city, I gazed out the window, taking in the familiar sights and sounds of the city. The sprawling skyline, the honking of car horns, and the buzz of people rushing to and fro all felt like a warm welcome.

"You know, Katya," he said and that snapped me out of sightseeing thoughts, "I never would've guessed that a nerd like you would be so much fun." He jeered a tease with a cheeky grin.

I playfully nudged him, trying to mask my excitement. "Hey, watch it, jock. Don't let my straight-A's fool you. I know how to have a good time."

He laughed, and I realized with relief that he was enjoying himself. "I can see that now," he said. "I had a great time with you this weekend. Can't wait to see what other surprises you have in store."

I blushed under his gaze, feeling grateful for his words. "I'm just glad we could spend some quality time together, Alex. You make me so happy."

He took my hand and squeezed it gently, and I felt a warm tingle run up my arm. "You make me happy too, Katherine. I never thought I'd fall for a nerd like you, but here we are."

I smiled at him, feeling a mixture of joy and disbelief. It was as if we were from two different worlds, Alex the charming athlete and me the quiet studious type. But somehow, we had found each other, and it was like all the pieces had fallen into place.

"I guess we're just two unlikely souls who found each other," I said, returning back to leaning on the window glass and gazing out.

Alex leaned in closer, and I could feel his breath on my cheek which made me giggle. "I don't think it's unlikely at all," he said. "I think it was meant to be."

And with those words, I felt my heart swell with happiness. Who knew that a jock and a nerd could make such a perfect pair?

Few minutes later, the Uber driver announced that we had arrived at our destination I couldn't help but feel a flutter in my chest as we stepped out of the car, hand in hand, and made our way towards our apartment complex.

The memories of our past adventures at this place flooded my mind, filling me with a sense of nostalgia. I was grateful for this moment, for the love and companionship that I shared with Alexander.

Love huh?

I guess I can admit it consistently without a doubt now. I am in love with Alexander Walters. I love him more than anything in this world – shit, Katie is going to kill me if she hears that.

I shook away thoughts of Katie's soon-to-come scolds and focused on the warmth of Alexander's embrace. He had his arm around my waist now and I leaned into Alexander's shoulder as we walked towards our building.

The moonlight streamed down on us, making the world feel vibrant and alive. My heart swelled with contentment, and I couldn't help but smile as we approached the door.

When we arrived at my doorstep, I turned to Alexander, tugging the sleeves of my sweater nervously. I could feel my cheeks flush with anticipation, hoping beyond hope that he felt the same way I did. "I had a great time on this trip, Katherine. You're amazing and I like you. Really, really like you," he said, looking at me with an intensity that made my heart flutter.

I beamed up at him, feeling a surge of joy and relief rush through me. "I'm so glad to hear that, Alexander. I had a great time with you too," I replied, feeling my lips curve into a smile that I could barely contain.

But Alexander wasn't done yet. The way his eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned in closer made my heart race faster. "And..." he trailed off, his lips curling into a smirk that made my cheeks flush even hotter.

I rolled my eyes, "I really, really, like you too," I  mimicked his words, savoring the way his smile grew wider and his eyes shone with happiness.

"That's more like it," he chuckled, and I felt a flutter of butterflies in my stomach at the sound of his voice.

As he leaned in to kiss me goodnight, I couldn't resist teasing him just a little bit. "Don't forget to work on your homework tonight, jock. We've got school tomorrow," I reminded him with a playful edge in my tone.

He chuckled in his deep, masculine voice, his lips still lingering close to mine. His breath was warm upon my skin and it sent a shiver down my spine. "Don't worry, nerd. I'll make sure to get it done," he said, still grinning at me.

I blushed furiously, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and excitement. It was always like this when I was around Alexander.

My heart was racing as I looked up at him, his eyes sparkling in the dim light of his apartment. "I don't want to leave you, but I know I have to," he whispered, his hand gently cupping my cheek.

I bit my lip, my eyes locked onto his. I didn't want him to go either, but we spent the whole weekend away and had a lot of schoolwork to catch up on. I'm way, way, way behind schedule on my studying.

"I'll see you tomorrow after school, right?" I asked, hoping he would say yes.

"Absolutely," he replied, still holding my hand. "But for now, I guess I should go."

I nodded, feeling a little disappointed that our time together was coming to an end. But I tried to push those feelings aside, reminding myself that I would see him soon. "Goodnight, Alexander," I said softly.

"Goodnight, Katherine," he replied, his lips close to mine once again. And then, he leaned in and I felt his lips press gently against mine. The kiss was soft and sweet, yet it filled me with a sense of passion that I have now gotten accustomed to.

As he pulled away, he gave me a final smile before turning and walking back to his own apartment. My eyes followed him as he walked away, but as he disappeared from view, I felt a sense of doubt and insecurity creeping in.

However, as he turned around and I watched him go, all the butterflies in my stomach died and were replaced by mites of doubt and self–questioning.

As I took off my coat and set my bags down on the floor, my thoughts were still consumed with Alexander's reputation. He had a long history of being a playboy, using girls for his own satisfaction and then disposing of them without a second thought. It was a well-known fact among – literally everyone in our school, and I couldn't help but wonder if I was just another girl on his list.

Despite this, I couldn't deny the fact that I had fallen hard for him. Our time together had been magical, and he had treated me with the utmost respect and care. He had told me that he loved me and that I was different from any other girl he had been with before. He promised that he was serious about us and didn't want to make the same mistakes he had made in the past.

As I walked through my apartment, memories of our time together flooded my mind. I remembered the way he looked at me as if I was the most important thing in his world. I remembered the way he held me close, his strong arms wrapped around me protectively. It was moments like these that made me believe that maybe, just maybe, I was different from the rest.

But the nagging voice at the back of my mind continued to bring up doubts. I felt foolish for even considering that I could be the one girl to change Alexander's ways. After all, he had a long history of playing around with women's hearts, and I was just one person in a long line of girls he had charmed and discarded.

Despite these doubts, I couldn't help but feel that there was something special between us. The way he had opened up to me, and shared his deepest fears and emotions with me, it all felt like more than just a fling or a one-night stand. Alexander looked at me like I was his like I was meant to be his forever.

As I sat down on my couch, I realized that I was in far too deep to turn back now. Whether I was just another girl on his list or not, I couldn't deny the way that Alexander made me feel. He had awakened something inside of me, something that I had never felt before.

But then, I felt regret wash over me like a tidal wave and I was back to self-doubting again.

I found myself wishing I had held back and made Alexander work for my affections before we had sex. I wondered for the utmost time if he truly cared for me, or if I was just another fleeting moment in his life.

As I lay in bed that night, the tears came hot and fast. I berated myself for being so foolish and gullible, for trusting him so easily. What if I was just another conquest in his long list of dalliances? The thought made me feel sick to my stomach.

In that moment, I realized that I had given him my trust and my body too easily, without any consideration for the consequences. I cried myself to sleep that night, wondering if I had made a mistake in letting myself fall for him so quickly.