𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 || 𝘈.𝘛

54

Brielle Helders

''A gin and lemonade then?'' Alex is offering as soon as we step into his flat. I let out a sigh of relief at the fact that we're actually escaping the frosty night air.

''Yes please.'' My throat grows drier at the mention of the drink that I'm in dire need of as we walk through the cramped hallway of the flat he bought when he was twenty. It's been almost a year since I've last been here and it doesn't even look any different.

''Can you believe that Breana and Kelly are both pregnant?'' Alex asks as I follow him into the kitchen that is somehow tinier than the one that I have back home.

''Not at all.'' I shake my head as I shuffle myself to sit up onto the top of the counter.

Of course, I was ecstatic to hear the news about them. I can't wait to see them become parents, but on the other hand, it's such a slap in the face in the best way possible. Even though Jamie and Katie are already parents, it's now the realization that all of my friends are parents.

''Me neither.'' Alex agrees and I watch as he drags two glasses out of his cupboard- one gin glass and one whiskey glass.

''Do you remember when Nick was adamant he'd never ever even think of having kids?'' I smirk as he pours the gin into the wide glass.

''That's come back to bite him right in the ass.'' Alex huffs out a breathy chuckle with his back to me before he exchanges my gin for his whiskey, soon pouring it into his glass.

''That's just his luck.'' I shrug with a sigh and a nod of thanks when Alex turns around to pass my drink to me, his own held in his other hand.

''It is, to be fair.'' Alex nods in agreement with his lips pursed and I watch as he approaches me. I prepare myself to jump down when he's walked past, given the lack of space in this kitchen, but instead, Alex holds his hand out for me. I take it with a smile before jumping down, managing not to spill my drink in the process. Alex ushers me in front of him, making me lead the way into the living room.

''Any luck on Colin's case?'' I ask as I take a seat on the warn out, brown, leather sofa. You'd think that with his ridiculous amount of money, he'd buy a new couch, but no.

''I've found a lawyer I think.'' He tells me as he takes a seat right next to me.

''You have?'' I'm glad he has. The quicker he gets onto this case, the better it'll be for him.

''Yeah, she's looking through all the evidence now. The only problem we really have is trying to get the video of us from Colin.''

''Good luck with that.'' I huff out a laugh. ''I'm putting a hundred quid on the fact that the video isn't even real.''

''I have a question.'' Alex voices and I turn my head to face him with a nod for him to continue. Although I'm facing him, his eyes stay fixed upon the black, glass, cluttered coffee table.

''Do you know if we do..'' He pauses for a second with a subtle breath of reassurance to himself. ''get back together.. what are we going to tell everyone?'' It's only when he finally spits the question out when he looks at me with apprehension as I think about the answer to the question I know we've both been dying to know the answer of since we made up.

It's something I've been wanting to know for the past few weeks, but it's also something I've been refusing to think about because I'm putting off the fact that there's a possibility that Alex and I will get back together. As much as I want to be with him, I don't want to put myself in a position where I'm thrown straight back into the public eye. However, I think I'm willing to do that all again if it means I can be with him, but there's still that slight fear of having everyone else in the media going against him and I.