Love Me on Valentine's Day || ✔️

2.7 // the difference

2 . 7 / / t h e   d i f f e r e n c e

ALEXANDRIA STARED up at the ceiling, her mind tired and angry. Her phone was pressed to her ear, Caleb's voice soothing the tornado of thoughts in her head.

"Anyways, I'll be spending my summer working at the movie theatre," he concluded his story. He was telling her about the bizarre interview he had today, where the manager was overly excited and eager to meet him, barely let him say a word, and gave him the job instantly.

"So you can score some free tickets?"

"Ha ha," he said dryly. "Nice try."

"But movies are so expensive. Who can afford to watch all those movies when it's twelve bucks a ticket?"

"Go on Tuesdays."

"Yeah, because nine dollars a ticket is so much better."

"You know I'll try Lexie, but no guarantee."

"And you know I'm just joking, right? I'd never let you risk your job for me, Cal."

"I know. It's one of the many reasons why I l—you're my friend," he said.

"Oh? And what are the other reasons?" she said, turning around to lay on her stomach. Caleb unknowingly distracted her from her problems, their conversation calming her down. "My charm, wit, and brilliant ideas?"

"Oh, sure," he played along. "And tendency to be dramatic, never know how amazing you are, and talk like you're going to be banned from talking soon."

She huffed. "Very funny."

"I'm practicing my new stand-up set. Like it?"

"I'm roaring with laughter," her voice was deadpanned but she was fighting to conceal her amusement. Caleb, on the other hand, did roar with laughter. Soon enough, Alex followed. She could never not laugh when he did. And just like that, Caleb was able to cheer her up when she was in a bad mood.

As their laughter died, Alex realized that his laugh was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. She could kid herself and say that her feelings for him—because she did have feelings for him no matter what her doubts might say—started only recently. That the incident at the café was the start. But it wasn't. She felt for him ever since the first day she'd seen him, and only did the other day awaken her feelings.

She didn't know what to do with that information. Alex was almost positive that Caleb didn't see her as anything other than a friend. And why would he? She had made it clear that dating was not something she was particularly interested in. They never strayed into that territory except for the other day. She really didn't want to confess her feelings only to ruin their friendship, especially since their was no indication he might reciprocate those feelings.

It was selfish.

She didn't want to make him feel the way that all these people who sent her Invites made her feel. Like her feelings and opinion didn't matter. What she wanted didn't matter. They were only thinking of themselves and their feelings, how she made them feel. None of them cared about her, just what she did and could do for them.

"Hey, Lexie?" Alex felt her heart flutter at the nickname. Caleb was the only one who called her that, just like she was the only one who called him Cal.

"Yeah?"

"You sound down, is everything okay?"

Alex sighed. She knew Caleb would be able to know something was wrong. "The Invites," she said. She thought she heard Caleb's breath hitch.

"What about them?" his voice was covering something up, she knew. But while her brows furrowed in confusion, she wasn't face-to-face with him and couldn't read his face and figure it out. She shook her head, letting it go for the time being.

"It's so disheartening to see all these people ask me out without any thought as to my feelings. They don't know me. I've barely talked to any of them, and they assume I'm going to accept just because I've helped them out once in the past."

Caleb was silent for a bit. "That's one of the cons of being such an amazing person," he said. "People like you. They want to be with you. Sometimes that makes people assholes, and I'm sorry."

Alex smiled, "Thank you, Cal. You always make me feel better," she sighed, turning back onto her back to stare up at the ceiling. "I guess it's not all their fault. It's annoying, but whatever. People are fucked up. As long as I have you, it's fine."

Caleb chuckled a bit, "Yeah, same for me."

"Oh, wow. I go all sappy on you, and reply with that. A+ in emotional talk."

"Go to hell," he joked, but his word dissolve in laughter, hers joining in in no time. It was this, the comfort of their conversation, that made her like him. Why he was such an important part of her life. Without him, she didn't want to imagine what life might be like.

_________________________

Hi everyone! What do you think of this chapter?

Here's another glimpse at Caleb and his friendship with Alexandria! I really enjoy writing scenes between the two, but it's also hard. I really want it to live up to the expectation. Hope you liked it!

See you next chapter,
Sage