A Time to Love

Chapter 12

Lucy was waiting by the gate for Sarah as the car pulled up beyond her view. Zander paled when he saw her from the corner of his eyes. He deliberately turned away when he saw Lucy's head turn in his direction as she searched for Sarah.

'What was that for?' Sarah wondered, after he rammed his tongue down her throat.

'I'm allowed to kiss my girlfriend aren't I?'

'Well I'm not complaining' she smiled as her face turned scarlet from the image of the night before placed firmly on her mind. As if she had just noticed the ghostly complexion of his face, she asked.

'Are you alright? You don't look so good.'

'I'm fine' he lifted his eyes away from her and scanned Lucy as she walked across the courtyard, lonely.

'It's just the shock of meeting such a beautiful girl.'

'I'm flattered' she chuckled before she reached to open the door. 'Are you coming?'

Zander lifted his head over the tiny gap in the window as he looked for assurance that Lucy was gone. 'I'll be in soon. You go ahead.' He kissed her cheek, smiling as she left and followed her with his eyes as she walked on.

***

'That all looked rather cosy this morning' Lucy spoke as she leaned against the wall outside the canteen. 'with you and Sarah' she continued as she folded her arms defensively.

'You saw us?'

'Yes, despite your best efforts to avoid me.' Noticing Sarah from the corner of his eye, Zander grabbed Lucy by the wrist and pulled her into his dressing room.

'Listen, I need you to keep quiet about what happened with us.' He glanced outside the door to be sure that no one was watching.

'You see, me and Sarah, we've made up...and it's getting serious.'

Suddenly the door was flung open, smashing off the wall as Sarah barged in. Zander quickly snatched his hand away from Lucy's wrist and held them behind his back. While Lucy had a face so red it could have made a tomato blush, her eyebrows arched downwards as she stared at Sarah.

'There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you.' Sarah excitedly called to Zander, almost holding out her arms to pull him into them but in seeing Lucy's presence she threw them down again.

'Lucy and I were just, erm...'

'Having a read through' Lucy continued for him 'of the script.' She held up Zander's copy, which had been left on the table over the weekend for clarity.

'Ok' Sarah smiled 'I'll see you after...' she double winked at Zander to drop the hint of what she was implying. 'You know where I'll be' she cattishly finished.

Waiting for her friend to be out of sight and earshot, Lucy stood close to Zander, their bodies almost touching and she grabbed at the lapels of his jacket, squeezing them as she demanded 'Break up with Sarah. Today.'

Zander laughed with feigned fear at her self-righteous threat 'Why would I want to do that?' he threw his head as he laughed.

'Because if you don't then she might "accidently" find out about us. She turned to leave as Zander grabbed her arm, his fingers purposely embedded into skin so that she breathed through her teeth and pulled her arm to try and free herself.

'Luce please' he pleaded 'Don't tell Sarah. It'll break her heart.' Realising that his grip of her hand was tighter than he had intended, he carefully released it and wiped his hands over his shirt.

'Why should I?' she hissed, shaking the feeling back into her arm.

'Because I love her.'

***

Sarah lit each candle at either side of the table and lightly pranced towards the front door as Zander's car pulled up outside. She heard the key entering the lock and starting to turn, stopping halfway as, outside, he realised the door was open.

'Jeez' Zander exclaimed as he jumped backwards, his hand over his chest as he felt his heart thumping with fear.

'What are you doing in my house?' he finally asked, having realised that the intruder was not the axe wielding mass murderer that he'd imagined it to be.

'I let myself in with your spare key. I took it to lock up that first day that we...' she nudged her head in the direction of the stairs, adding her emphasis to the message.

'I meant to give you it back that day but it completely slipped my mind.'

'Ok...but why are you here?' Zander was still stood on the doorstep, as though he was waiting to be invited inside his own house.

'I thought I'd surprise you. Me being here is only the first part' she winked before grabbing his hand and pulling him inside.

The room was aglow with only candlelight and the smell of guacamole and salsa sauce lingered in the air, along with the ham boiling in the pan. The temperature was causing the water to bubble like an erupting volcano.

'I know how much you love Mexican food so I thought...' she reached for the box by the table and held it in front of him 'we could make Tacos together.'

Zander looked towards the cooker at the boiling water 'interesting choice' he commented.

'Yeah. It was all I could find.'

Zander scooped her into his arms until her feet where dangling off the ground and he swung her gently from side to side. 'It's perfect' he whispered as he kissed her on the cheek.

Sarah pushed a wrapped gift in front of Zander as they finished eating, she leaned back in the chair as she waited for him to open it.

'What's this for?' he questioned as he began to pull the tape off each corner one piece at a time.

'To say sorry for being a bitch...and for missing the party'

Zander stood up, walked around the chair and got on his knees by her side, took her hand in his.

'Don't worry about it. You're the best present I've ever had' he leaned forward, stroking her cheek and staring into the deep depths of her forest green eyes until their lips began to touch.

'Mmm' Sarah moaned and pulled away 'you'd better open that.'

'Sarah' he half scoffed but smiled so big that he couldn't his delight at the thick silver watch that was delicately placed inside the box. 'You shouldn't have, it looks expensive.'

'It's a good job you're worth it.'

***

A shadow standing above Sarah woke her the next day as Zander shielded her sleepy body from the sun.

'Good morning' Zander growled tiger like and sat on the edge of the be, stroking her hair.

'Sleep ok?' he softly questioned

Sarah nodded and mumbled a "yes" as she shuffled in the bed. 'When I finally got to sleep' she giggled like a naughty schoolgirl, giving him a vivid reminder of the previous night's events. Zander placed his forehead against hers and was ready to feel the soft touch of her delicate lips against his once more but she pulled herself free and stretched her arm underneath the bed for her discarded jacket.

'Here' she decided, handing the keys she had taken from him weeks earlier.

Zander waved his hand, an indication that he wasn't prepared to accept the return. 'Keep them' he insisted 'and stay over whenever you like.'