The Road to My Heart

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Five

_____________________

 "Get in here Jacobs." Alex yelled as he splashed in the pool with Justin. Harry was attempting to get the girls on the far side to give him their numbers. I sighed and took my shirt off and shimmed out of my shorts. My bathing suit was a bright pink and I shyly looked up under my lashes to see Alex's reaction.

He was staring at me, his eyes trained on me. I saw Alex raise his hand before he smacked Justin in the chest with a glare. "Don't look at her like that." I heard him tell Justin before he looked back at me. He gestured me to join him in the middle of the pool so I slid into the cool water and made my way to his side.

"Did you get a new suit?" Alex asked.

Blushing I nodded, "Do you like it?"

"Love it." Justin smirked and I laughed, my face getting hotter.

Alex nudged Justin again and I grinned at him. "It's okay Alex." I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, "I only care what you think of it."

He stared at me for a moment before he too grinned. "Well in that case, yeah, I love it."

"Good." I nodded, kissing his lips once before Justin was shoving us into the water. I giggled, as I broke the surface wiping the water from my eyes. Alex had Justin in a headlock as he struggled to free himself.

"Harry!" He shouted, his last ditch effort for help. Harry looked over and rolled his eyes but pushed off from the side of the pool as he swam in our direction. I stepped in front of Harry to block him from going closer, Harry smirked. "You know you do look hot in that." His sweeping over me once before they connected back with mine.

"Shut up." I hissed and jumped on him. I giggled when he lost his balance and fell into the water. He came up a second later and shook the water from his hair.

"You're going to pay for that, Lucy." He told me darkly.

"Alex." I shrieked as I ran back to him, Harry right behind me. Alex held Justin tighter when Harry took me by the waist and copied Alex position that he was holding Justin.

"Give me Justin and I'll give you her." He gave me nudge.

"On three." Alex nodded.

"No!" Justin shouted, "No. Don't do it! It's a trap."

I giggled, it was like some kind of ransom exchange. Alex smiled at this and gave me a wink before looking back at Harry, reading his face.

"One." Harry started.

"Two." Alex replied his voice calculated.

"Three." They said at the same time and Harry loosened his grip and I was shoved in between them. Arms wrapped around my waist and I laughed as he pulled me to the side. Justin grinned at the other two who looked at us in complete shock. Justin took my hand and we were running to the edge. It wasn't easy, running water is a lot harder than I thought.

We climbed out of the water and he took my hand again as we ran toward the beach. "They're gaining!" I shriek and Justin pulled left, mixing us in a crowd of people. I laughed as we shoved past people and I tried to apologize but they just glared. At the moment I didn't really care.

"Here." Justin opened the door and we ducked down as we made it to the window of a beach cabin. We saw them run passed and we laughed, our hands colliding in a celebration. I turned around and was greeted with a couple staring at us with wide eyes.

"Sorry." I muttered and Justin smirked, taking my hand and bringing me back to beach. I let go of his hand when we integrated with the crowd and looked over my shoulder. There was no sign of Alex or Harry and I grinned again.

It was an hour later and I was really beginning to miss Alex. Where was he? We weren't hiding that long or that well for that matter. We were currently poolside, I was stretched on one the loungers getting a tan while Justin was playing on his phone in the lounger next to me.

I sighed and looked to the pool entrance, no Alex. Closing my eyes again I let the rays cover me in a blissful warmth.

The chair below me was gone and my eyes flew open. I was in Alex's arm but before I could even register what was happening I was thrown. Water cascaded around me and I laughed as I came back up.

"Alex!" I called and he smirked as he watched me.

"That was for leaving me behind." He called back and then jumped right in front of me. "I missed you." He grabbed my face and brought our lips together.

"Ew." Andy shook his head as we both looked over at him. Justin and Harry came up behind him and I had to bite back a smile. "You guys are disgusting. Like this is the grossest thing I've ever seen."

Justin and Harry both pushed him into the water and he belly flopped. He shot out of water and reached into his pockets frantically. "My phone you dumbasses."

Alex chuckled as Andy ran back into the hotel, the two guys on the pavement high fived before jumping into the water next to us.

"Only one week to live it up before our journey home." Justin called shoving Harry.

I wasn't ready to go back yet. "Enjoy it Jacobs." Alex whispered in my ear and I could feel the grin stretching across my face. "You're so beautiful."

Blushing I kissed his cheek and swam to Justin and Harry who let us play the game that they were creating.

Hours later Alex and I were sprawled across the bed. "Where do you think you're going to college?" I asked in a tone I hoped was off hand.

Alex didn't answer right away, so I waited. "I'm not."

"You're not?"

"No." His voice was hard and he didn't elaborate.

Nodding I changed the channel and then deciding I didn't want to watch tv anymore I handed the remote to him. "I'm tired." I shimmed into the sheets and closed my eyes.

"You're not mad, are you?" Alex asked his tone was a complete 180 from the previous minute. "I mean, just because I'm not going to college doesn't mean.."

"Of course I'm not mad!" I told him trying to plaster a smile on my face. "It's fine Alex, I understand."

"What?"

"I understand Alex." I nodded showing him I did, "What do you plan on doing after this year then?"

"I-," He started with a pause, "I haven't thought about it."

It was quiet and I waited for him to speak but he didn't. "I'm going MNSU." I told him quietly.

He faced me in a fast movement, "That's hours from our town."

"I know." I whispered back at him.

"Lucy." He gave a heavy sigh and flickered the Tv off so we were in the dark, "I love you." He wrapped his arms around my waist and brought our face inches apart. "We're going to make it work. I promise."