Sandcastles

Chapter Thirteen

Reading this book to him without screaming out at the top of my lungs that I have the biggest crush ever possible on him is the hardest thing I've ever done. It's like he knows that I do, and he's trying to get me to admit it. Whenever I showed up at his house for the past three days to read the book, he always answers the door shirtless and with extremely messy and adorable hair. Is it possible for hair to be adorable? Apparently it is. Now it's Friday, which means the play is tomorrow night. We had a late rehearsal today so I told Alexander I would come by later tonight. Now, I walk in my house and throw my bags on a chair as usual.

"Tough rehearsal?" Ben asks from the couch. He literally takes up the whole couch, one leg hanging over the side and the other stretched out to the end. I groan and nod my head, causing a snicker from him.

We are basically going into the play without even rehearsing the kissing scene once. Troy has been avoiding it at all costs. He's just jealous that I've chosen hanging out with Alexander over him. After I left that day, he called me forever just so he could ask me out on a date. I've had to reject him over and over again. I just really don't like him like that.

I walk back to my room, taking my bags with me. Madeline lays on her bed, texting someone. She greets me when I walk in and I just flop onto my bed.

An hour or so passes before I get my book and Madeline's keys. She's been letting me drive myself lately. I walk out to her car and throw the book in the seat as usual before pulling away.

John Tyler waves to me whenever I pass over the bridge. He's been a lot friendlier lately, actually attempting to have conversations with me. It's been quite nice.

The sun is just creeping below the horizon whenever I pull into the Ludwig's driveway. I walk up and knock on the door as usual. Alexander opens the door, pulling a hoodie over himself as he does so. He smirks at me whenever he pulls his head through and lets me in.

I start to walk back to his room but he stops me and leads me up to the second floor of his house. I've never been up here. He leads me to an empty room and quickly walks through it, opening the window. He gestures for me to climb out of it and onto the roof. I raise my eyebrows but do it anyways. He follows behind me and we both sit on the edge with our legs swinging over.

"We going to finish that book?" he asks me. I shrug my shoulders before opening the cover. He stays silent while I start to read. The streetlights above provide enough light for me to see the words.

A cold gust of wind blows by and blows the pages of the book everywhere. I stop them and flip back to the page I was on, my hands trembling from the cold.

"Here." Alexander says, ripping the hoodie away from his body. He's only left in a white tee shirt when he hands me the balled up hoodie. I turn it down but he thrusts it forwards anyways. I sigh, pulling the sleeves just over my arms before I start to read again.

I read all the way to the very last sentence in the book. When I'm done, I look the Alexander for his reaction. His eyes are staring into nothingness, his teeth clenched around his bottom lip.

"I'm ready for my question now." He says after a while. I knit my eyebrows together and then remember. I almost forgot about the question.

"Alexander," I begin. He cocks his head to one side, expectant of the question already. "Do you still love Tiffany?"

He sucks in a deep breath and consumes himself in thought. After a few seconds, he looks up at me with sparkling eyes.

"No." Is all he says. Well, that was simple. I nod my head and close my book.

"And why not?" I ask him. That wasn't part of the original question, but I just wanted to see if he would answer. And he answers it like he was hoping I would ask it.