Inferno Part 2

~144~ Tacos And Cupcakes

Ellie's POV

I fight the tears that are burning my eyes. He just told me that he loved me. Man, that's cool.

'Don't get to close to him Ellie. Don't let your heart go there', my inner voice says to me. What the hell is my problem?

I shake my head, disgusted with myself as I walk into work. He's a kid for crying out loud. How ignorant can I truly be? Pretty damn ignorant, apparently.

I get into work and get my day started.

At lunch, everyone is already at the table when I get in. I get my food, and as soon as I sit down, Alex comes in.

"Shoot. I was hoping to catch you before you got your food. Give the fries to Nick and come eat with me, please?"

"YES!" Nick fist pumps as he yanks the fries off of my plate.

"I didn't say yes, ya dork," I say, giving Nick the evil eye.

He chuckles as he pops the top off of my soda and takes a swig, and then takes my chicken sandwich and spilts it in half, handing half to Mason.

"You two are a couple of piranhas," I grumble, staring at them.

Nick laughs around a mouthful of my sandwich. "We're growing boys, mom," he says as he gives some of my fries to Lance.

"Bout to introduce you to my paddle," I mumble as I shove Nick playfully.

The three dorks are still cackling as Alex and I walk out of the lunchroom silently.

We say nothing as we go to my office, and we continue saying nothing as I shut the door and we sit down. He takes the cot, and I take my desk.

I look at the bag, and roll my eyes. He's totally trying to buy my forgiveness with food. He went to our favorite taco place when we were kids. He also has some cupcakes from my favorite bakery.

Without saying a word, he hands me a cupcake first. He knows me, and he knows I love eating my cupcakes before my meal.

I take one and start eating it. We sit in silence as he starts eating his taco, like an adult. He never joined me in my 'dessert first', mantra.

Only the sounds of Alex's crunching is filling the room. He's trying to figure out what to say, and I'm trying to decide how I'm feeling.

"Trying to buy my love with food?" I finally ask.

He looks at me hard for a minute. "No," he finally says.

I just nod as I reach in the bag for a taco.

"I'm sorry, Ellie. I knew all those years ago how awful it was for him to do that to you. I begged him not to. I shouldn't have helped him, but I did. I'm sorry."

I'm quiet for a long minute as I eat my first taco.

Finally I take a swig of my soda and nod. "You and I are fine, Alex," I finally say.

"Really?" He asks, stunned.

I just nod. "Yeah. I know Taylor, and I know how persuasive he can be. I'm sure you felt like you didn't have a choice. He's the one I'm mad at, not you."

He looks at me for a minute, studying me hard as I get another taco out of the bag.

"I don't think I'm buying it, Ellie," he says softly. Sadly.

"You're not buying what?"

"Something is going on with you. You haven't been avoiding me for nothing."