If These Sheets Were States

30. A Better Reality

Bella started to drive off, as Paige turned around in her seat and stuck her tongue out at Zack and Alex, who were sat in the back seat of the Peugeot. They reciprocated the gesture with their arms folded and went back to talking, as did Paige with Bella. In their couples, they laughed and joked. Zack and Alex's conversation took a serious note, though.

"It's really shitting me up, Zack."

"Why?"

"I just.."

"Alex, just leave it until later. Just try and enjoy the few days left we have, alright?"

"I guess."

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO TALKING ABOUT NOW?" Paige screamed through to the back, over the music that was blaring throughout the car. Funnily enough, a song by All Time Low.

"Nothing to do with you, nosy! Do you only have our albums to play?!" Alex asked sarcastically.

"Maybe.." Bella winked at Alex through the rear view mirror.

Alex took in the sight of Bella's face, a beautiful sight it was, indeed. He thought of the first time he'd brushed her arm at that meet, the first time they'd pressed their lips together and taken it further. He couldn't leave it behind but he would have to. He couldn't leave Bella behind but he would have to. He couldn't see any other way around it.

Alex frowned and felt Zack elbow him in the arm, a look on his face that he knew was saying "lighten the fuck up". He gave a half smile as Bella pulled in to the car park, parked up and turned off the engine. She smiled at Alex through the rear view mirror, and he felt the butterflies in their swarm fly around and turn his insides upside down.

- - - - - - - - - -

The four of them walked in, the two couples arm in arm with each other, smiling and laughing away. They chose a table and the girls had mentally picked their seats already. Paige and Zack sat down, Paige next to the window. Alex sat down next to the window, on the other side of the table and as Bella went to sit down, he pulled her onto his lap. She squealed in a high pitch that caused everyone surrounding them to turn around and look at the four of them. Zack, Paige and Alex pointed at Bella, whose cheeks had turned a bright shade of red.

"You know, you're so cute when you go all red." Alex whispered in Bella's ear, gently squeezing her sides.

"I won't be cute when I fuck you up later, you whore." Bella grunted in a whisper, through clenched teeth as she forced a playful smile.

"I'd rather you just fuck me, to be fair."

Bella bit her lip as she slid off of Alex's lap and into her own chair, Alex pulling it as close as he could to him. He put his arm around Bella's back as the four of them sat and thought about what they would order. But when it came to ordering, Bella became fussy. A side of her which Alex thought he would never see.

"I'm not that hungry to be honest, can I just get a glass of water please?" Bella asked the waitress politely, who smiled as she wrote down the request. Alex eyed Bella up suspiciously and when she turned to face him, he glared at her. He watched as she gulped.

"Shit. He knows." Bella thought. And the stare that Alex was giving her right now, let Bella know that he could read her mind. And the way he pursed his lips answered the statement with a big, fat 'yes, of course he does'. Bella found herself digging her nails into her legs.

*?<