|Destined With You|

Chapter 10.

Catalina

I descended the stairs in quick steps, instantly spotting Julian and Hannah talking to an elderly couple- Alexander's parents- their back facing me as his father held Adelaide in his arms. I coughed, trying to draw attention. The couple turned around instantly.

His mother was dressed in a pencil skirt and blouse, her brown waves matched Alexander's and his father's chocolate brown eyes were the same as Alex and Adelaide.

"Erm...hello sir, ma'am. I am-"

"Catalina. Adelaide told us." His mother cut me off.

"Mommy. This means I have two pairs of grandparents." She cheered in happiness.

"You do." Alex grinned and walked to his father, ruffling her hair.

"Hey Adelaide..." Hannah stepped in. "Would you like to eat something?"

"I wanna spend time with Grandpa."

"You'll be with us always, sweetheart. Go eat something first." His father spoke up and I noticed just how similar Alex spoke, in that hoarse voice.

"Nutella and bread?" Hannah forwarded her hand.

"Sure." She shrugged, placing her own hand after much hesitation.

"I guess we need to talk." I mumbled looking down as Hannah and Adelaide disappeared into the kitchen.

"We do." His father nodded, flopping down on the couch.

"Have a seat." His mother sat close to him, and motioned Alex and me to sit opposite them.

"She seems like a nice girl." His father spoke matter-of-factly, as if Alex had brought home a girlfriend.

"She does." His mother agreed missing her head slowly. "So, how did this happen?"

"Mom...can we please talk about something else...the present maybe."

"What do you mean? We've got to know everything." His mother shrugged nonchalantly. "If you have the guts to do it, you should also accept it."

"Jessie-" His father tried to interrupt.

"Let me talk, Christopher. You'd just be too lenient with this. Tell me," She pointed between us. "How and when did this happen?"

"Mom-"

"We met at a party, I was with Isabella. We just clicked, okay? We banged. That's it." I couldn't take it anymore, so I lost it, spilling the news in the worst way possible.

But the person that looked more surprised was not his father or his mother, it was Alexander himself, he looked a bit confused and anxious and...something else.

"Shh...they are here." His father instructed and I straightened up blinking back tears.

"Mommy! Won't you have some breakfast?" Adelaide asked, throwing herself on my lap and pulling Alex closer while Hannah looked apologetically at us for not being able to do one task well.

"No baby. I'm not hungry right now. I'll eat something later."

"Eat now, please."

"Ade-"

"Please..." There came the puppy dog eyes. Before I could speak anything else, Alex was on his feet, cutting me off.

"Hannah. Ask the chef to get some food ready for Catalina. I'll be back soon." Without a second glance at any of us, he left the house leaving an awkward silence.

***

I pressed a soft kiss on Adelaide's forehead, whispering a good night as she replied me with the same. We'd spent the entire day in Alexander's room(without Alex), with Hannah revolving around us continuously as we saw his childhood pictures together, some embarrasing moments and some sweet ones, and also pictures of his graduation.

This will get really hard. It's just been a day now. Yet, it feels so difficult. I feel so guilty for having entered their engaged life. Maybe if I hadn't been here, they would've got more close, they would've slept together, maybe.

Shutting the door behind me, I sighed quietly and started walking towards my room across hers. As soon as my hand found its way to the door's knob, I was pulled back by a pair of strong and warm hands.

"Alex?" I whispered as he backed me up against the door, my back facing his front as he caged me completely, leaving no space to shift away. Then, I sensed it...alcohol. "Have you been drinking?"

"That's none of your business." With that, he pushed his weight deeper on me as a soft whimper escaped from my lips. "Why would you care, huh?"

"What do you mean?" I tried to struggle my way out but my weight was nothing compared to his.

"What do I mean? We just met in a party and we banged?" His fingers pressed into my waist. "We. Just. Banged. That's it? You didn't feel the attraction? The...electricity?"

He pulled me into him completely in one go. He brushed his nose against my shoulder and then buried his face in my neck. As the scent of his cologne mixed with alcohol reached my nostrils, I almost gave in, feeling intoxicated. But then, realisation hit as soon as I felt his engagement ring brushing against my waist.

"Alex!" I whisper-yelled and using all the strength inside me, I  pulled back. "You need to get some sleep."

I expected him to retort and fight but he didn't do anything. He simply sighed as I pulled my arms around him, trying to gather his weight somehow upon me. With slow and steady steps, I guided him towards his room, a place I had learnt my way to pretty easily now.

I laid him down on the bed and opened his shoes. Then I took off his tie and pulled over the blanket on top of him. I turned off the lamp and turned to walk back out before getting caught by anyone.

As soon as I took the first step, I felt his grabbing my forearm gently, stopping me from leaving.
I turned around to face him and saw one of the most beautiful sights. His drunken eyes shine under the moonlight as the moonlight defined his features faintly. It took me all my power to not go feel his touch right then and there.

"You didn't feel it?" He asked in an innocent voice, babylike.

"I felt it, Alexander. I felt all of it. I felt electricity surge through me when you whispered my name in my ear. I felt like the planets aligned when you held my face in your hands. I felt warmth when I looked into your eyes and noticed how much you wanted me. I felt it all Alex, I felt it all."

Those being my last words, I lightly brushed off my hand from his, his eyes dropping slowly along my action as sleep took over. Closing the door behind me, I walked to my room with quiet steps, hoping he would not remember what I had said, but some part of me still hoping he would.

I didn't sleep all night.

~