Oklahoma Heart: Stolen Away

The Way We Were

Emmalynn did not ignore Alexander for the next few days but she also didn't engage with him. He would text her and she would respond as she would to a friend not a romantic partner or a potential one. She kept everything friendly. She would still banter with him in texts, always answer him just not right away and she would answer his calls just not in long talks or flirty tones. She kept it brief and kind. If it was a longer conversation she always tried to steer it to a close. She knew she had to keep him at arms length or bad things could happen again for them both and she had to protect their hearts this time. 

Alexander recognized it immediately. After all he had been friend zoned by her for 2 years while they were at school. He had played the long game and in those days it had worked out for a time but he didn't have time for the long game now. His project would start filming in a month and then once filming was complete he was back to New York. 

But did he really want to push for anything more? Would he be an ass if he asked her to move to New York now? Would he be willing to move for her? He kept wrestling with his heart and his head on this one. Of course he also realized that his heart was remembering more of the past and 10 years can change a lot of things as it had for him. So what if he isn't really in love with the Em that she is today but with the memory of who she was? That thought made him realize that he needed to work on getting to know this Emmalynn and not just trying to bring what they had back but old feelings will always resurface. 

A: Hey I'm thinking of staying at the Lindley House. What do you think?

E: OH yeah I love it. It's a real cute place. 

A: So you think it's up to my standards? 

She knew he was trying to get a sarcastic response from her that he could flirt with, just like the old days, and this time she wasn't falling for it.

E: Um I mean I haven't stayed the night. I've just been to events but I'm sure as far as this town goes its our best.

Damn it she didn't take the bait. What is with her? Ever since Sunday she has been pulling away. I can't even get her to be quippy. 

"You try to get her to flirt with you again?" Michelle asked Alexander as they sat in the back seat of an Uber taking them to the museum. 

"Yeah" he hung his head in defeat.

"She turned it down I'm guessing. Well, at least you don't have to be the bad guy again. She's pulling away this time."

"Wait, how'd you know I was trying to flirt" he lifted his head and looked at her in a bit of awe.

"Because I know you stupid. Years of working for your dumb ass and the way this woman makes you act like a college boy. It's like you were when we first met. Shit Alexander I thought you didn't want to make that tough decision now any way. You get to have a decent relationship with her. You get to have her in your life again without all the mess you two used to have. Just be happy with that." 

"You're right I should just be happy with that." 

He was reminded of another conversation years ago that he had had with his college roommate.

"Man, stop checking your phone. She hasn't text you yet why do you think now would be any different? She is just your friend remember?"

They were sitting in their dorm room. Pizza boxes and dirty socks all around. Text books and laptops laying on the desks and unmade beds. Jesse was sitting on the floor playing the Xbox while Alexander was sitting on the bed staring at his phone. He had done that off and on while pretending to study.