Loving Ms. Winters

32: Alice's POV

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~Five Days Ago~

I heard my phone buzzing beside me on the couch causing me to wake up from the short lived nap I had taken. I had hardly slept in the past month and it was really starting to catch up to me. I looked down at the caller ID and my heart stopped, it was my mother. She had never called unless it was important since I moved away which had my nerves on end from the moment I saw my phone light up.

I shakily answered and put it to my ear "Hello?"

"Hello," her familiarly haunting voice rang through the speaker "I've got some bad news."

"What happened?" I questioned hoping she'd get right to the point

"Your brother, he escaped." She breathed out

~Present~

"So how have you been?" She whispered in my ear as we laid cuddled up on the couch

I sighed "I've had a lot going on."

"Want to talk about it?" She asked looking over at me with her ocean eyes

I smiled softly "Another time, how have you been?"

"Another time." She replied turning away from me

I exhaled softly "Come on Blair I really don't want to start fighting again already."

"You're right, I'm sorry." She mumbled out still not looking at me

I moved so I could see her face and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear "What's bothering you?"

"Stuff," She shrugged "why should I even tell you what's wrong when you hardly tell me anything."

"I just don't want you to worry." I whispered

She looked over at me calmly "I don't want you to worry either."

"Too late." I joked causing her to roll her eyes

"I've been drinking again." She mumbled out nervously

The night she had wandered into my lawn and kissed me flashed into my mind.

I cocked my head to the side looking down at her "What do you mean?"

She shrugged looking away from me once again "I haven't been sober all month."

"What about at school?" I questioned remembering a few times I had questioned whether or not she was either super high or drunk

She nodded and sighed "I mean I usually smoke and you know I drink occasionally but the past month has been rough."

"It was for both of us," I said running my fingers through her hair "but do me a favor and try to lay off the alcohol a bit. I care about you way too much to let you go down that path."

She nodded and smiled "So, any chance you'll tell me what's bothering you now?"

"My brother escaped from prison." I stated unable to meet her gaze

She seemed confused "How on earth?"

I laughed at her out of character statement "Mom said when they were transferring him he somehow escaped, they're still trying to figure it all out."

"Why are you scared though?" She questioned

I looked over at her "Who said I was?"

She cocked her head to the side "It just kind of seems like you are."

I sighed trying to keep the memories I had kept buried in the back of my mind "I testified against him."

"Why?" She questioned curiously

My hands were shaking now "He killed someone very close to me."

I hadn't talked about this since the case had been settled, it was something I had tried to forget in all honestly.

"Who?" She questioned looking over at me

I shook my head not wanting to answer the questions as my head filled with the memories I had tried so hard to keep locked up.

I gently rubbed my back calming nerves slightly and she sighed "I lied to you about something."

"What did you lie about?" She asked removing her hand from my back

I looked down at my hands unable to even process the thoughts filling my head "He killed my boyfriend."

"Holy shit." She whispered

Tears started to threaten to spill as I continued "He deserved so much better than what he got Blair. I was never in love with him, I just led him on and wasted the short amount of time he had. He would probably still be alive if I had just told him the truth."

"Hey do not say that Alice, it was not your fault." Blair said pulling me into her with a tight hug "It's hard to tell people the truth when we know it's going hurt them but that does not mean it was your fault."

"Thank you," I whispered out, cuddling into the crook of her neck "I haven't spoken to my brother in years. I have no idea if he hates me or if he wants revenge but I'm absolutely terrified."

"Shh don't worry Alice, everything's going to be okay." She whispered gently running her fingers through my hair

Pulling back slightly I looked at her through the tears that were blurring my vision slightly "I'm so glad you're here Blair."

She smiled softly "There's nowhere I'd rather be."

~The Next Day~

I was woken up by Blair jumping on me like a child screaming "Merry fucking Christmas!"

I groaned and pushed her off of me before climbing on top of her to keep her from jumping on me again.

"Let me go!" She giggled trying to squirm out from under me

I laughed softly and sat up so I was straddling her "Are you sure you want me to move?"

I slowly started grinding against her and she let out a low moan.

I leaned over leaving kisses down her neck and then smirked at her "I have a surprise for you."

"How, you didn't even know I was going to come over last night." She laughed as I climbed off her

"I was going to give it to you after break." I said as I went into my closet grabbing the small box I had wrapped a few days ago

Nervously I handed it over to her and she smirked up at me as she took it "You never fail to surprise Ms. Winters."

She slowly tore the paper over revealing a small black box and she smiled over at me before opening it. Her eyes lit up and she smiled brightly at me "Thank you so much Alice."

She pulled the necklace out and looked it over carefully as though it could break at any second. It matched the one she got me except for the initials were on opposite sides.

She grinned at me "Can you help me put it on?"

I nodded and helped her clasp it before she spun back around running her fingers along the engraving on the back, "For My Forbidden Love".

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