Concealed // Alex x George

Deceit- Kaylnn

I'm so sorry that Kaylnn has basically become the main character but this storyline has more potential.
Also taylor song because why not

I decided to keep my eyes on Wilbur, which was proving to be very boring. All he did was stalk the premises, well, okay so did everyone else. This is a skiing vacation, I guess thats sort of the point so not very suspicious.

Me and James had some downtime so we had look through the resorts leaflet. There were so many activities to choose from! Zip-wire, a spa, all-year Christmas Market and seaway rides!

"Wait!" James stopped flicking through the blue booklet, "Look at this."
A picture of three husky dogs plastered the page, their tounges waggling in the snow. A heading read 'dog sledding through the winter woods'. It looked beautiful! Tree silhouettes filled the background; the orange-red sunset reminded me of the evening on the bridge with James. We had to do it.

"That looks amazing, are you up for it?" I attempted to widen my eyes, puppy-dog style. I probably just looked scared.
"Hell yeah, dogs, great views and something to do! Sounds perfect." He looked as though he had something more to say, I'm not sure what.
"Should we call the others? Maybe they would like it too?" I would prefer if it was just me and James, but the others there insures I don't do something I will regret.
"Oh, we can." He looked down at the book. "Oh, maximum two people and a small child per sled. They would have to get a separate one." Slight disappointment sat in his eyes, I wondered why.
"Let's not bother calling them then, just us two." Saying the last sentence made my head rush. There is no us. Not like that anyway. Friends. Why can I not get that into my head?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Name?" A man with greying hair and a thick Swiss accent asked.
"Marriott,' I replied quickly.
"Would you like to upgrade to the couples package, it includes complimentary warm mulled wine, savoury snacks and flowers?"
"No" I said at the same time James said
'Yes please"
I looked over at him, confuesed.
"What? I could do with some mulled wine!" I shrugged as he swipes his card.
Efficiently, the greying man leads us to a small cabin, a blazing fire lit the room up.
"The dogs will arrive shortly just wait here." The man said before walking off.
"How much was the couples package thing?" I asked as the thought popped into my head.
"Um, 30 euro? Maybe a bit less, I don't remember."
"30 euro!" James really spent that much on some mulled wine and crackers, we're not even a couple. I wouldn't have cared if he said no. Or just brought some crisps and wine in his bag.
Jingle bells filled my ears, I turn to see out the window. Pulling an intricately decorated sleigh were a pack of sleigh dogs.
Cba to describe it so picture the sleigh from frozen, I dont think dogs can actually pull that but I dont make the rules.

"Woah" I stared at it.
"What are you waiting for, let's go out!" James grabbed my hand and walked out the little door toward the sleigh. A small bottle of wine perched on the seat, accompanied by a bowl of kp nuts and a rose.
"30 euros for this!" James chuckled.
"Well, I think we can make it work."
"M'lady" James steadied me as I stepped into the sleigh. "Will you accompany me for a carriage ride tonight?"
"Why thank you kind sir. I would love to!" I responded before erupting into laughter.
Comfortably seated, the dogs shot off, not shot off as in fast, its seven dogs for God's sake! But shot off as in with a jolt, sending kp nuts flying everywhere.
"Look!" James said balancing a nut on his nose! "I caught one!" We both laughed.
I knew it was wrong but circling my head was the thought, 'is this a date?'. Obviously not because Aria and this isn't- "Lets not bother calling them then, just us two." James said that. James didn't want to go on a sleigh ride with Will or Alex or Wilbur or George. He wanted to go on a sleigh ride with me. The way James said "yes please!" to the overpriced couples package...

Or am I reading way too far into this?
Probably, but the way the sun set over the crystal-white mountains, soaking the sky with an orangey glow, is almost the same as the cover on the leaflet gives me hope. That maybe this isn't all in my head, maybe James feels it too.

"The sunset is amazing, oh my god!" James says, pulling his phone out his pocket, "Selfie?" I leant in so as to fit in frame, the swirl of orange blends into our rosy cheeks. James snapped the picture.
"The view here is so much better than by the cabins." I say looking up.
"Yeah, I wish the others were here to see this," I knew he wanted to invite them, "but it's so much quieter without them here, it's nice."
"If Alex and George were here they would be yelling so loud, they would probably scare the dogs." James chuckled.
Wtf is the tense of this story, oh well

"You know, Aria would've loved this." James said rather solemnly.
I tensed. Definitely not a date, personally bringing up current spouses serving in the army should not be a topic of conversation on a date.

"Yeah?"
"Yeah, she was never one for the cold or the outside but she loved a good sunset."
"She didn't like the outside? Why did she sign up then? Seems like an oxymoron." I inquired, not meaning to sound quite so insensitive but this had piqued my interest.
"I don't really... she just wanted to help people, no matter how uncomfortable it made her." I noticed a tear, he blinked it back.
'There are other ways to help people that don't involve leaving your perfect boyfriend behind to kill people.' I thought but definitely did not say; instead I said,
"That must have been hard for you, being alone for so long."
"I mean I wasn't... I had the eboys, but yeah, it was pretty lonely, just me and my cat." He sounded pained, I wanted to give him a hug, and for once, not in a romantic way...
In a friend way.