We Really Need To Stop // ImAllexx

Sunshine

Groggy from lack of sleep and lack of coffee, I closed my eyes. If only I was sat drinking a caramel latte at Starbucks right now. Buzzing, creaking and the awful stench of stale carpet interrupted my daydream. I hated the morning tube. To drown out reality, I pushed the volume up on my music: up, up, up. Better. The sound of Twenty One Pilots devastated my eardrums.

"Hey!"
What the fuck was that? I ignored it. Until it came back twice as loud and closer to my ear, "HEY!!"

Wincing, I yanked out my earphones, realising it was my stop.

I yelled at my opponent, "Fucking hell, keep it down! People are staring!"

"So? Don't care if they stare. People do that anyway!"

Frantically grabbing my tote bag, I rushed out the doors before they beep beep-ed to a close. Alex was now stood next to me, carrying my Drop Dead jacket that I'd forgotten on the seat. I couldn't believe he was here. I started walking away, thinking I was seeing things.

"Callie! You might want this," he handed me the jacket, running towards me. The bustling commotion of people rushing around us blurred into watercolours for a moment.

"Thanks, Alex," I managed to say, feeling my lips give way to a smile. "Gave me a fright just now, you did. You shouldn't stay too close to me anyway..."

"Why not?" he teased, shoving his weight into me, keeping up with my fast pace.

"What if some girl come clobs me one for being next to you?!"

Alex just shrugged. "I don't really care about that either," he joked and burst into laughter.

"OH MY GOD, Alex!" I put a palm to my face and took in a deep, slow breath of polluted London air. Yuck. "You're the worst."

"Nah, I'm joking," he held onto my arm. "Of course I wouldn't want anyone on the street clobbering you, Callie," Alex said pitifully, softening his expression. "That's my job!"

I wanted to slap him.

"What the fuck are you saying?!"

Alex was stuck, still giggling at his own joke.

Already up the grimy stairs and out into the sunshine on the street, I began to wonder why he was still with me.

"Where are you headed anyway? Are you following me?"

"No! Of course I'm not following you. I was about to ask you the same thing. I thought you were following me," he insisted still smiling, the sunlight kissing his rosy cheeks and glinting off his vampire teeth.

Watching a cloud of cold air puff out in front of me, I wrapped my arms around myself. The jacket Alex rescued was just stuffed into my tote bag.

"Well, I'm going to turn the corner here, so..."

"What's around the corner, dare I ask?"

Finally I cracked, a small giggle escaping my chapped lips. "Nothing magical," I teased, keeping a steady gaze with him, "Just me and Nadia's shop."

"We can make it magical." Something glistened in his sky-blue eyes.

For a good while, I couldn't stop myself staring back at him.

Who was Alex to me now? Was this the YouTuber I'd obsessed over for years? Was this the boy who kissed me so sweetly in the pub the other night... even when we were both drunk off our faces? Was this the boy of my dreams... or nightmares?

My brain couldn't keep up. But my heart wanted him near. Right now, sunlight was streaming through the clouds, illuminating his gorgeous face. My life was starting to be filled in with colour. For the longest time when I'd been in the dark, it felt like Alex had been my only sunshine. And now here he was, asking me to let him into my dark corner. Unafraid yet unprepared. But I don't think anyone can prepare themselves for love, because it changes everything.

"Alright. Come on in," I smiled at the floor as I started to push in the code, "Welcome to Punk Rose!" The door came open with a satisfying click.