The Secret.

The Talk.

Finally, 7:00 pm arrived and it was time for Saige and Alex to meet up.

Text message from: Babes<3:)<3

Babes<3:)<3: Hey. im here. :)

Me: alright. :) ill be right out. :)

Five minutes later, Saige walks outside and sees Alex sitting in his 2009 jeep Cherokee. Alex rolls down the window.

"Hey, beautiful." he says with a smile on his face. His shaggy dirty blonde hair is peaking out from underneath of his all black backwards hat. He has one arm hanging out the window with a blue bandanna tied around his wrist. Saige paused for a quick second to just look at him. She wanted to take it all in to make sure she was making the right choice. His quirky smile, that was slightly higher on the right side than it was on the left side, melted her heart.

Quickly she snapped out of it and enters the car.

"Any certain place?" Alex chimed.

"Wherever you want to go." Saige replied.

They drive for a couple of minutes and come to a quaint little place. It was called Bernie's Ice Cream Shack and it had a carousel on the side of it.

"Hey! That actually looks like fun!" exclaimed Alex.

"Right!? AND it looks like we are alone so....." she paused. "time for the talk?"

"Sure, I'll order us the ice cream and you break this ten to get us coins for the ride?"

"Sure. :)"

A couple minutes later, Alex meets Saige at the carousel bearing gifts.

"Alright. Here we go. A vanilla cone with chocolate jimmies for you Annnnd," he smiles. "a vanilla chocolate swirl ice cream in a large cup with the following toppings in order: hot fudge, gummy fishes, crushed butterfingers, crushed Oreo's, caramel and whipped cream!" His face went from ecstatic to the silliest face of them all.

Saige, between laughter, chuckles. "Are you sure you aren't pregnant!?" She laughs some more. "That's a pretty messed up combination."

"Hey, after the other night I just might be pregnant." Joked Alex as he winked and nudged Saige with his elbow.

They get on the carousel and Saige was dreading the conversation that is about to take place. They sit on two adjacent horses and the ride begins.

"Alex. We need to talk."

"Sure, what's up?"

She took a deep breath. "I love you but,-"

"Are you breaking up with me?" he asked as he looked her dead in the eyes. Saige felt so bad. She literally, felt his pain inside of her body.

"Awh, baby. No. No, I'm not breaking up with you."

"Oh dear lord, don't scare me like that!" Relieved, he takes a huge bite out of his ice cream and then offers some to Saige.

"I'm okay. Thanks though. Anyway, listen. When we had sex. It was good. I'm not going to lie. And I enjoyed it. But, I'm not ready for that. I know the other night it may have seemed as if I were ready, but I'm not."

"So, it's not going to happen again?"

She just looks down and starts to fidget with her ice cream cone. She is so sick to her stomach that she can't even eat anymore.

Alex broke the silence and spoke up. "Hey, it will be alright. We don't have to have sex, I guess."

"What do you mean 'I guess'?"

"Well, now that we already did it." he paused. "I was kind of expecting. Maybe not everyday or even every week, but at least two times a month."

"Is that all you want me for?"

"Saige, we dated for eight years, no that isn't all I want you for, but I do think we are at that level."

Saige was so mad her face went red. 

"YOU MAY BE THERE BUT, I'M NOT! OKAY? AND IF THAT ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU!"

"Hey!" started Alex but, the ride was ending and it was time to get off.

Angrily, Saige gets off the horses, nearly tripping, before the ride came to a complete stop. 

"Saige, be careful. Just wait up!" yelled Alex as he is trying to get off the ride.

However, Saige was too furious to stop. She stumbled off the ride, dropped her ice cream all over her, then stomped both feet on the ground as she clenched her fists. 

"WHY GOD? WHY!?" she hollered. Saige walked over to the counter and grabbed napkins to clean herself off.

Alex finally catches up to her.

"Why the hell did you spazz out on me like that?"

"Alex! You don't get it. I DON'T WANT SEX!"

"Shhhh! Alright. Calm down."

"No, I won't just calm down. I need you to understand."

He sets his ice cream down and holds her as she cries into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

"No, honey.  Don't be sorry. We can work it out."

"I just don't want it right away. It scares me. It feels good, but it scares me."

"Then we will ease into it."

She picks her head up off of his shoulders and nods her head. 

"Yeah, I can agree to that."

"Okay, but don't yell at me like that again. I don't like it when you get upset like that. Did you hurt yourself getting off the ride?"

"Yeah, I twisted my ankle."

Alex lifts her up and places her into the car. 

"We're going to go to your house and ice it." He buckles her into the car. "Oh! I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" shouted Saige.

"I'll be right back!" yelled Alex as he was running away. He runs back with his ice cream in hand.

"Really, babe?"

"There are four things I love in this world; you, family, friends, and ice cream and I refuse to leave one behind!"

They both laugh and head back to her house where they ice her ankle.

"I'm sorry about earlier, Saige."

"It's okay. I'm sorry too."

"I know. I gotta get going. I love you." he kisses her.

"I love you too."

They kiss once more and then he leaves. Alex gets in his car, starts the engine and just lays his head on the steering wheel; lonely, taunted, and confused.