Love's Bind

Ch. 11

**Alexis's POV**
*three days later*
"Lex, come on. You can't stay in there forever," called Emmarie from the hallway.
"Leave me alone," I said scrolling through my phone.
"You need to get up and do something with yourself," she said still standing in the hallway. I had my door locked and I haven't left out of my room since the night that everything went down.
"Go home. I don't want to be bothered," I said rolling out of bed.
"Okay. I'll be back later. Be dressed to go somewhere," she said walking away.
I walked to my mirror and looked at myself. I look like shit, I thought to myself. My eyes were red, I had bags under them, and I was pale. I hopped in the shower and stayed in there for 30 minutes. I got out and wrapped my towel around my body and walked out the bathroom. I sat on my bed and started thinking. I can't believe that Bryce would do something like that to me. After everything that I did for him and us, this is what he does. I've never been this hurt before. For him to come up to my house like he was so innocent and try to make a huge scene about me and Caleb while the whole time he was pulling some foul shit like that. The thought of it made me mad. I'll be sad again in about 10 minutes, I thought to myself rolling my eyes. I've been on an emotional roller coaster and it's impossible for me to get off. I walked to my closet and pulled out a black long sleeved V-neck shirt. I got out a pair of light washed Hollister skinny jeans and put on my black UGGs. I blowdried my hair and flat ironed it. I put my hair into a high neat bun and got my make up bag out. I put on a little foundation and concealer to make me look more alive. Then I put on mascara and eyeliner. I grabbed my keys and my phone off the charger. I walked out my room and went downstairs.
"Hey babygirl. How are you feeling?" asked my mama.
"Fine," I said dryly. I'm still pissed that she lied to me and Dre about our daddy.
"Look, I know you're mad at me for what I did, but I am so sorry."
"I'm really not in the mood to talk about this. I'll see you later," I said walking out the door. I got to my car and started it up. While I was pulling out, Emmarie called me.
"Wassup?" I answered.
"Hey girl come to my house around 6:30 tonight," she said sounding out of breath.
"Um..ok. Why do you sound out of breath?" I asked turning a corner.
"Because I was running up the stairs chasing after Emani," she said laughing. "I'ma see you later tho."
"Alright," I said then hung up.
I parked my car in the mall parking lot and got out. I walked into the food court and went to Chick-fil-a. After I got my food, I sat down at a table and started scrolling down my tl on Instagram. I heard somebody pull up a chair and I looked up.
"Hey," Caleb said smiling.
"Hey," I said.
"What's going on? I've been trying to get in touch with you," he said taking a sip from his drink.
"Well, after you left Bryce hit me, and we got into it."
"What do you mean he hit you?" he said getting mad.
"He was pissed after he saw us laying on each other and he punched me in my face," I said holding back my tears.
"Lex, I didn't mean to cause any harm-"
"Then Danielle walked in..pregnant. And apparently by Bryce.." He paused for a while before saying anything.
"So you're saying Bryce cheated on you with your supposed to be best friend and got her pregnant?"
I nodded and tears fell down my face. Caleb got up and sat next to me and pulled me into his chest.
"I don't know what to do anymore. Everything is falling apart," I said crying harder.
Caleb rubbed my back and wiped my face.
"Come on," he said grabbing my hand.
"Give me your keys." I grabbed the keys out of my pocket and handed them to him. He grabbed my hand and we walked out of the food court. We got to my car and he opened the passenger door for me. He waited for me to get in and closed the door. He got in the car, started it up, and looked over at me.
"What?" I asked him.
"I hate that this happened to you. You don't deserve this," he said grabbing my hand.
"What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right?" I said half smiling.
He shook his head and pulled off. I turned the radio on and "Window Seat" was playing. I let my seat back a little bit and just started thinking. 4 years..4 years of ups and downs..4 years of love and laughter..4 years of so many memories all gone to waste. He was my other half. We were together for so long that I forgot what life felt like without him. My mind kept going back to when he walked out of my room with Danielle. The dude I love with my best friend expecting a child. That was supposed to be me. I started crying again. I have never felt so hurt and mad. The thought of it makes my stomach turn. I felt the car stop and I wiped my face. Caleb turned it off and got out. He opened my door and I got and looked around.
"Remember this place?" he said smiling.
"Yeah," I said laughing. "This is the park we used to go to all the time when we were younger."
"Yep. The place where I asked you out at," he said sitting down on the grass. I laid down next to him and looked up at the sky. The sun was setting and it looked so pretty.
"You remember when I was pushing you on the swing and you were so high up that you flew off?" he asked laughing.
"That shit wasn't even funny. I got my ass beat when I got home for having dirt all in my hair," I said rolling my eyes. "You remember you were trying to show off at the school dance and you fell on your face?" I said laughing.
"That wasn't funny. I was trying my best to impress you."
"Well that was a mighty strange impression," I said chuckling. We were silent for a little while.
"Hey, Lex.." Caleb said.
"Yeah?" I asked still looking up at the sky.
"You remember the first time we had sex?" he said kinda quietly. I sat up and looked at him.
"How could I? You were the one that took my virginity," I said.
"Can I tell you something?" he said picking at the grass.
"Yeah."
"That was my first time too."
"Foreal?" I said shocked.
"Yeah. I wanted my first time to be with you before I left."
"Aww that's sweet," I said. I laid my head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around me.
"Do you think we could ever get back to that?" he asked.
"Get back to what?"
"You know..being together." I thought for a minute.
"I think we could, but not now. I need to heal and get over this first."
"Okay," he said laying his head on top of mine. My thoughts were interrupted by my phone.
"Hello," I answered.
"Did you forget about coming over?" asked Emmarie.
"Shit. I'll be there," I said hanging up.
"You gotta go?" asked Caleb.
"Yeah," I said standing up. "You need a ride?"
"Nah. My brother is bringing my truck to me," he said getting up.
"Alright. I'll call you later," I said.
"Okay," he said kissing my forehead.
"Bye," I said getting in my car and starting it.
"Bye," he said before I drove off. Emmarie's house wasn't far from the park, so I made it there in 5 minutes. I got out the car and noticed other cars in the driveway. I walked up to the door and before I could even ring the doorbell, Emmarie opened the door and pulled me in.
"About time you made it," she said. "Where were you?"
"Out with Caleb," I said.
"Oh really?"
"Yeah.."
"Doing what?"
"Chillin. Dang why you askin all these questions?" I said getting agitated because I don't like people being all up in my business.
"Just asking," she said turning around. "Come on. I want you to meet somebody." I followed her into the family room and she brought this dude over to me.
"Alexis, this is Jordan," said Emmarie.
"Hi," I said studying him. He was about 6'2 with a caramel complexion, muscular with some nice waves.
"Hey," he said.
"So, Alexis is single now," said Emmarie to Jordan.
"Really Em," I said getting mad. "Come here," I said pulling her away. "I just got out of a long term relationship three days ago and you're rushing me into another one. I need time to heal and recooperate and jumping into another relationship isn't going to help."
"Girl, just give it a try. Being with somebody else is going to take your mind off it," she said.
"Em, you're missing the point. I need time to get my shit together. Me getting into another relationship is going to distract me from that," I said getting even more aggravated.
"Alexis, I know you and this is what you need. Jordan is a real cool nice guy and I think y'all would be nice together. Plus, we could double date," she said smiling.
"Why must you be so damn simple minded and selfish? For the third damn time, I just got out of a four year relationship with Bryson. I am not ready for another one right now. What the hell is so hard to understand about that?" I said trying not to cause a scene.
"Whatever Alexis," she said walking off. I walked over to Jordan and told him that it was nice meeting him and left. I pulled over and broke down. I dialed Caleb's number and he answered immediately.
"Hello?" he answered.
"Caleb.." I said still crying.
"Lex, what's wrong?" he asked sounding concerned.
"I'm just going through it right now," I said holding my steering wheel. "I feel like I'm about to go fucking crazy," I said sobbing.
"Where are you?" he asked.
"The Shell station across from McDonald's," I said.
"I'll be there in about 10 minutes. Don't move," he said hanging up.
Bryce..Danielle..pregnant..me..abortion. What if I hadn't gotten the abortion? Would Bryce still have left me for Danielle? What would've happened? My life down the drain is would've happened. I got out my car and walked into the gas station. I walked to the liquor aisle and grabbed a bottle of Hennessey. I used my fake ID and drivers license that I had to buy it. I walked back out the store and saw Caleb standing by my car. I walked up to him and hugged him.
"What is it?" he asked looking down at me.
"Get in," I said walking to the drivers side. I drove out the parking lot and drove to an empty lot. I opened the bottle and drank out of it and passed it to Caleb.
"I'm stressed out," I said taking another drink out of the bottle.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"So much is going on at once. I can't take it all," I said starting to feel the liquor kick in my system.
"Like what?"
"The stuff with my mama and dad, Bryce and Danielle, and Emmarie just tried to hook me up with some dude," I said drinking some more.
"Oh. What did you do?"
"I tried to explain to her that I don't need to be in another relationship right now, but she didn't understand it so I left."
"Dang."
"I just need something to take my mind off all this," I said taking one more drink before putting it down. I crawled over onto Caleb's lap and started kissing him. I put my hand up his shirt and started feeling his stomach. He pulled away from the kiss. "Lex, you're drunk."
"So."
"So, I don't want it to seem like I'm taking advantage of you," he said thoughtfully.
"We both know you're not."
He lifted my chin up and looked me in my eyes. "I love you," he said.
"I love you too." He started kissing me and then I straddled him. I let the seat back and pulled a condom out the glove box.