Fall For You

(11)

"I don't want you to drive me home. I'll find someone else," Alex tells me as we walk to the car. He has an almost empty bottle of water in his hand that we grabbed from the kitchen on our way out of the house.

"Yeah, right," I scoff. "Do you really think that anyone is going to be sober? You're at a college party. Everyone here is drunk, including yourself," I remind him.

"Then I'm walking back to the dormitories," Alex says, his determination strong. Dormitories. Why can't he just call them dorms like everyone else? He's so proper. So... formal.

"Just get in the car, Alex," I demand. It's late, and I'd rather not stand here arguing with him. In fact, I'd rather not drive him home in the middle of the night at all. 

"Unless..." I say, mockingly. "You'd rather spend the night at a sorority house?" I offer. It's not a terrible idea. There are a few spare rooms, and thankfully, they all have locks. 

Alex scrunches up his nose. "No, thank you. I'd rather get back to my room."

I roll my eyes as he awkwardly opens the passenger door and climbs in. 

As I put the key in the ignition, music blasts through the speakers. A reminder of the times when I've needed to drown my thoughts. To escape. Even if it's just for a little while. 

Alex's hand reaches out to touch the dial. I expect him to turn it down a little bit, but no. He turns it off completely. 

"Don't touch my stereo," I snap.

"I'm sorry, but that music was way too loud and I'm getting a headache right now." Alex rubs his head, proving his point. Poor baby. 

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have drunk so much. Then you wouldn't have a headache."

I roll my eyes, taking one hand off the steering wheel to turn the music back on. It's not as loud as it was before. I expect him to complain again, but he doesn't.

"That music is terrible," he comments.

"Well, I'm sure I wouldn't like your taste in music either." I snap.

"I have great taste in music. Thank you." He fold his arms across his chest.

"Let me guess. Your favourite singer is Justin Bieber." I tease him and he laughs.

"No. Actually, he isn't" Alex replies, a smug smile covering his face. "Although, I do like a few of his songs." He either jokes or admits.

"I knew it. Which one's your favourite?" I ask. "I bet you like his song that's all like baby, baby, baby ooh. I thought you'd always be mine." I sing deliberately loudly and offkey, hoping to irritate Alex.

He reaches up and covers his ears with his hands. "Make it stop. My head hurts and my ears can't handle it."

I roll my eyes and continue focusing my attention on the road. Alex turns his head to look out his window as we drive through the deserted streets. It's almost 1:30 in the morning. His sudden quietness makes me feel on edge.

"What's wrong?" I ask

"Nothing." Alex replies. We stop at a red light and I turn to Alex raising an eyebrow.

"I'm just shocked that you still talk to me." Alex confesses.

"What?" I ask having no clue what Alex is talking about.

"The conversation that you eavesdropped on. With my parents." Alex elaborates. "I thought after that you'd never want to talk to me again."

"Yeah, well, your parents aren't the first people to have that impression of my friends and I." The light turns green and my foot moves to the accelerator.

Alex doesn't say anything more. The rest of the drive is taken over by an uncomfortable silence.

When we reach the car park, I pull into the closest spot to the building that I can. Alex unbuckles his seatbelt, without saying anything and opens the car door.

"What, no thank you? I thought you had manners. I did just I did just drive you home you know." I smirk irritatingly.

"Thank you." Alex snaps.

"Anytime." I smile sweetly before adding, "I enjoy being a Taxi driver."

"Ugh!" He complains as he slams the door shut. I speed off into the night, not bothering to even wait around long enough to make sure that Alex makes it into the building.