Until Then. // denis shapovalov - sascha zverev

5.0 - surprise

Willow's POV

"Here," I say, handing Alex a warm mug of tea as I take a seat on the sofa across from his.

"Thanks," he nods, glancing down at my bra on the floor and then at his cup.

I face feels hot as I look down at it too. My naked body feels small in Denis' sweatshirt, and I cross my bare legs. We sit there silently until I hear Denis' footsteps come down from the stairs as he's in a new change of clothes.

"Sorry," Denis says, walking over to us. "I didn't know what to grab you if you wanted to change," he says, handing me a shirt and sweats from my closet.

"It's okay," I smile, feeling him sit down next to me. "Thanks."

"So what brings you to Willow's?" Denis asks, putting his arm around me.

"We just..." Alex pauses, "have some stuff we need to discuss."

"For work?" Denis asks.

"No," Alex responds.

My heart races as I silently pray Alex won't say anything about last night.

"What are you even doing here?" Alex asks. "Aren't you supposed to be in Canada or some shit?"

"Oh, yeah, I was," Denis responds. "But I got the weekend off and I wanted to come and surprise my girl."

"Your girl?" Alex reiterates followed by a scoff.

"What's up?" Denis asks. I feel him lay his hand on my knee that's barely poking out from under his sweatshirt.

Alex turns to me asking, "He doesn't know?"

I bite my lip, "Don't."

Alex laughs and turns back to Denis, "You should check out 'your girls' priorities because they certainly didn't align with yours last night."

"What's he talking about?" Denis turns to me. "Did you-"

"No, no. I haven't cheated..." I say. "Well, I need to be honest... I did dance with Dom last night... but I promise it wasn't anything. Like I would never do anything with him, we were just friends..." I glace at Alex and back to Denis. "We were just two friends having fun at the bar!"

Denis chuckles and grabs my hands in his. They're warm, and large enough to fully cup mine. He has calluses from his tennis racket, but his hands are still soft.

"It's okay, Willa," Denis says. "Willa, I know you and Dom are best friends and I'm not one to tell you that you can't be friends with him anymore like you once were." He smiles, warmly, which makes my stomach twist in guilt. "I would appreciate if you took a little more consideration next time, but I know that you guys have sleepovers and that you need someone else other than me to talk to and chat with on tour, and that's okay!"

I smile at him with guilt behind it. How was he so kind? How could I just not feel as into him as I should? Why was I doubting my feelings for him. Even as we sit here now, and our moment from half an hour ago, I still can't allow myself to completely, fully, fall for him, and I don't know why.

"Don't leave out that you agreed to go on a date with me last night," Alex says, interrupting the moment.

I turn to him, glaring, "It wasn't a date."

I wasn't sure if it was or wasn't... I just didn't want to throw this on Denis. I turn back to Denis, anticipating that he would have the same reaction to hearing about Dom and me, but his face turns red.

"Willow," he says, trying to keep his voice calm and low. It scares me. "Willow, did you go on a date with Alex last night?"

I bite the inside of my cheek, unsure of what to say. I hesitate, "I don't think I would consider it as a date, no... but we did, um, we did grab dinner and ice cream."

Denis nods, processing the information as I sit in the awkward silence between us three. A part of me wonders why he is more affected by this news that me actively being physical with Dom.

"Okay, I'm gonna grab my stuff," he says, getting up and walking upstairs, leaving Alex and me in silence.

"Why would you say it like that," I turn back to Alex, my face feeling hot.

"What?" Alex asks rolling his eyes. "The truth?"

"What is your deal?" I ask him.

"I just thought my boy, Denis, should know that his girl, Willow, isn't into him," Alex shrugs, taking a long sip of his tea.

"Can you speak quieter?!" I say. "He doesn't need this right now and it wasn't your place to say anything about it either."

"Then when would he find out?" Alex asks. "Were you gonna text him after you guys have sex?"

"Okay, none of this is your business," I respond. "Especially after last night, I don't know why you care so much."

"Last night?" Alex asks. "Last night I was having a perfectly damn good night with you until you fucking charged the dance floor with Domi."

"You can't even admit your lying," I scoff.

"What do you-" Alex stops, hearing Denis jog back down the stairs to us.

"Denis," I say, immediately standing up and running over to him as he tosses his backpack on the floor to put on his shoes. "Denis, don't go."

He shoves his feet into his boots and looks at me with an expression I can't quite make out.

"Willow," he says, taking in a deep breath. "Willow, I love you."