The Wrong Guy

Chapter 48 The Bear's Heart

                Alex and I stayed for a while until he was completely calm and normal again. We really liked the place, so it took us about two hours until we left. Alex offered me a ride on the way home, and I don’t know why, but we suddenly had this idea to stop over Alex’s house. He said he wanted to give me something. When we got to his house, he asked me to get in with him. I was really tempted. Even if I was to do something dirty with him, I probably would have gone with it, no questions asked. When we got to his living room, he told me to wait there as he went to his room. I waited for moments in the living room, recalling the wonderful night we had in that couch. As I sat firmly on it, I gazed down to it and started imagining stuff again. When Alex went back out, I noticed he was carrying a present box with him. He brought it with him as he walked to me.

                “What’s with that box?”

                “This,” he charmingly said as he gently placed it beside me. “is my Christmas present to you. I know it’s too many months late, but I just couldn’t get the chance and bravery enough to give it to you.”

                “Bravery?” I chuckled. When he said that, he looked really cute.

                “Well, I was always scared to talk to you especially when Winnie was around.” He said, and I smiled. That was really complementing. I felt special to him.

                “Wow!” I laughed. “Someone like you… a very good-looking and kind guy that got popular in school in less than a year felt shy to talk to a delinquent like me? It doesn’t make sense, Alex, but that’s a really nice thing to say, and you don’t have to be shy around me.”

                “Well, I was shy.” He bent his legs down to level with me. “But now, it’s all okay. I’m really happy that you accepted me.”

                “Thank you, Alex.” I started to sniff and shed a tear. “I’m really happy, too.”

                “That’s really relieving.” He chuckled. “Now, open my Christmas gift for you. I thought you’d like it something like that, so I bought it for you.”

                “Thanks.” I slowly untied the ribbon on that giant present box. It was quite big, so I got a pretty good idea what it was. Alex smiled at me as I enthusiastically opened the box, and when I did and brought it out, I was happy to have seen that he bought me a big teddy bear. The stuffed bear was really cute, and it had a stuffed heart sewn together on the legs. On the stuffed heart was a print that said I LOVE YOU. I was a little astonished. He was probably doubting to give me that because he wanted me to know that he loved me. If only I had been more attentive to him, he wouldn’t have been Winnie’s boyfriend; he would have been mine. “Alex.”

                “Do you like it?” he smiled at me.

                “Alex!” I started to cry as I hugged the bear. “I love it!”

                “Hey, hey. Why are you crying?”

                “I just!..” I continued crying. “I just wanted to ask…”

                “Ask what?” he started reaching for my cheeks and wiped my tears off. “Why are you crying?”

                “If what this teddy bear says is true… if you wouldn’t give the same to Winnie.” I said and paused my crying. Alex looked a little surprised. But then, he just smiled at me. “Please answer me honestly, Alex.”

                “I’d never lie to you, Liyah.” Then, he held my jaw and looked at me eye-to-eye. “Just because I’m Winnie’s boyfriend doesn’t mean that she’s the one for me. It just got a little tight for me and her parents; that’s why I accepted her as a girlfriend. But those are just labels, okay? I love you, and it’s only you, okay? Don’t doubt it.”

                “I won’t doubt you. I promise!” I shook my head with a smile. “I love you, too, Alex… very much.”

                “Come on.” Alex stood and offered me his hand. I looked at him, wondering what he was doing, and he just told me, “Do you wanna dance?”

                “Oh.” I smiled. Soon enough, I nodded and took his hand as he pulled me to him. I left the bear on the couch when he pulled me.

                “Don’t say you’re not good at dancing. When I danced with you, it was awesome.” He walked to his television where there was a small CD player under. Alex turned it on and played something. When the music started, everything felt slow again. The music was slow and passionate, too. As Alex walked to me, I couldn’t move in shock.

                “I really think I’m not good at dancing.” Somehow, my body felt frozen. I was nervous and excited at the same time.

                “Oh, come on. I’m not going to the prom, so we better dance while we have the chance.” He said as he held my hands again.

                “You’re not?”

                “No. If I were to go, Winnie’d be with me all night. I can’t stand that.” He chuckled as he pulled my hand and placed it on his waist.

                “Oh.” I said like it was going nowhere. He just smiled at me as I grasped his waist and my other hand holding his. We started to move with the song like back at the Snowball dance.

                The music went softly. We just stared at each other as we moved along with the music. It was like last time, but it still felt special. He was just staring at me and smiling, and I stared and smiled back at him. It was like he wanted to kiss me, but he was just keeping his face close to mine. It was like he was trying to taunt me to. I wanted to because he was really hard to resist, but I thought I shouldn’t go too wild.

                “You’re really good at this.” He told me, but I didn’t think I was good at dancing.

                “I’m not.” I sounded a bit shy and innocent. “Stop exaggerating.”

                “It’s not exaggerating. You’re really amazing.” He panted and smiled. “My heart’s beating really fast right now that it’s hard to breathe.”

                I was a little shocked, and my stomach went really warm. I felt my face go red again, and I remained speechless. The next thing I knew was he was moving closer to me like he was about to kiss me. I guess I wasn’t the only one trying to resist.

                “Is it okay?” he asked me when our lips were really close. I was bathing my nose with his minty breath.

                “It’s…” and I couldn’t resist anymore and kissed him.

                It was amazing how quickly things went. It was amazing how I was alive even when I was breathless when we kissed for so long. It was amazing that how everything I ever wanted was given to me… for the first time ever. I felt like crying in happiness. It was all a blessing.