Forever and Always

Alexa's POV

Today when I arrived at school, I made sure to cover the mark on my neck with makeup. Unfortunately, Felix wasn’t present, and my attempts to contact him through calls and texts went unanswered. Jackson wasn’t around either, which was a small relief.

So, it was just Emily and me in the cafeteria during lunchtime.

“What’s going on with you and Mike?” I asked Emily directly, curious about the situation. She gave me a sad smile in response.

“You really want to know?” I nodded, indicating my interest.

“Yeah, but only if you’re comfortable sharing,” I assured her. She let out a sigh and began to explain.

“I met Mike during my summer vacation with my cousin. We saw each other on the beach initially, and later we coincidentally met at a café. He invited me and my cousins to a party, and we all went and ended up getting drunk. The next day, I woke up in bed, naked. With him.” She lowered her gaze in embarrassment.

“Wow...” I couldn’t help but react with surprise.

“Yeah, and after that, we decided it was a mistake and that we shouldn’t talk about it. Then he just left...” Her voice trailed off, showing the mixed emotions she felt.

“I’m sure there’s more to it than meets the eye,” I offered, trying to provide some comfort. She shook her head, clearly feeling angry.

“No, there isn’t! Guys can be such jerks sometimes. They’ll act all sweet, kiss you, or even sleep with you, and then they’ll avoid you like you don’t exist. And when you confront them about it, they just brush it off as a mistake and tell you to forget it ever happened.” She huffed in frustration.

And then, a sudden realization hit me.

Felix and I kissed yesterday, and he has been avoiding me today.

Does he think our kiss was a mistake too?

“Oh,” I mumbled as I stared at my plate, feeling a mix of disappointment and confusion. Emily looked at me with concern, her expression softening.

“No, Lexi. Felix is different. He wouldn’t do something like that,” she said, placing a comforting hand on mine.

“But we did kiss yesterday, and now he’s been avoiding me,” I admitted to her.

“YOU GUYS KISSED?!” Emily’s shocked reaction was pretty loud.

Uh-oh...

••••

Later that day, as I was checking my phone, I received a message from Felix:

Mr. Hotty: Come to the Park at 5 o’clock. We need to talk...

I sighed, wondering if he was going to tell me that he regretted kissing me. I liked him, more than liked him, and the thought of him regretting that kiss was painful.

Me: Okay.

At exactly 5 o’clock, I arrived at the park and sat on a bench, watching the kids playing. I jumped slightly as I felt a tap on my shoulder, relieved that it was Felix.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologized with a sheepish smile.

“It’s okay. Have a seat,” I gestured to the empty space beside me. He sat down, and an awkward silence settled between us, a rarity in our interactions. Before he could say anything, I decided to address the situation.

“Look, if you think that the kiss was a mistake, I’m okay with that. I won’t bring it up, and I’ll forget about it if that’s what you want. But please don’t avoid me and ignore me,” I said, my voice shaky but determined.

Felix’s expression softened, and he looked at me with a mixture of surprise and confusion. “Wait. You think the kiss was a mistake?”

“No, I don’t, but I thought you did,” I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.

“What? I don’t think it was a mistake, Alexa,” he said, his tone sincere. "In fact, I've been wanting to kiss you..." And before I knew it, he leaned in and kissed me passionately. The intensity of the kiss left me breathless, and I involuntarily let out a moan.

When he pulled back, a smug grin played on his lips. “Like that,” he teased before giving me a quick peck.

“So, you’re not asking me to forget about it?” I inquired, my heart pounding in my chest.

He pondered for a moment before his lips curved into a playful smile. “More like I’m asking if you’d like to go on a date with me.”

A broad grin spread across my face. “Of course.”

As we exchanged smiles, a sense of contentment settled within me. My worries about his reaction to the kiss were unfounded, and it seemed that our feelings for each other were mutual and genuine.

“What do you say, Cupcake? Will you go on a date with me?” he asked playfully.

“Absolutely,” I replied with enthusiasm, my heart fluttering at the thought of spending more time with him.

“Great.” He leaned in for one more kiss before we both got up. Just as he was about to leave, I noticed his knuckles were bruised and bleeding.

“Felix...” I murmured, concern evident in my voice. He hesitated for a moment before avoiding my gaze.

“I-it’s nothing,” he brushed it off, clearly uncomfortable discussing it.

••••

As Felix dropped me off at my house, I couldn’t help but want to take care of him, just as he had taken care of me earlier. I took his uninjured hand and pulled him inside.

“Where are we going?” he groaned, sounding slightly exasperated.

“To the bathroom,” I replied. He smirked suggestively.

“Oh, so my little princess wants to have a shower together? Didn’t know you were that bold,” he teased.

“Stop it, you pervert. We’re going to clean your wounds, not take a shower together,” I scolded him, feeling a blush creep onto my cheeks.

He chuckled, and I rolled my eyes playfully. “Just be quiet for a few minutes,” I instructed, leading him to the bathroom. Once there, I helped him sit on the counter.

Carefully, I cleaned the dried blood off his knuckles and then noticed something unusual. “Wait a minute,” I frowned, puzzled. “This isn’t your blood. Whose blood is this?” I glanced at him, expecting an explanation.

He avoided my gaze and seemed uncomfortable. “Nice bathroom, huh?” he deflected.

“Don’t change the subject, Felix. Did you get into a fight?” I asked, my concern deepening. He sighed, realizing he couldn’t avoid the conversation.

“Yeah, I did,” he admitted reluctantly.

“Why?” I inquired, my voice gentle.

“Because,” he replied vaguely.

“Because?” I raised an eyebrow, demanding an explanation.

“Yeah, just because,” he said, evading a direct answer.

I let out a frustrated sigh before softening my gaze. “Are you hurt anywhere else?” I asked gently.

He looked surprised by my question but nodded. “Yeah, I have a bruise near my ribcage,” he confessed.

“Does it hurt a lot?” I questioned, my concern growing.

“Not too much,” he reassured me.

I applied some cream to his bruised area, focusing on being as gentle as possible. When I finished, I offered him a smile, relieved that I could help in some way.

“All done,” I said, my smile widening.

He smiled back, appreciating my care. “Thanks, Alexa.”

He leaned in, capturing my lips in a sweet kiss. “I love it when you’re being bossy,” he said playfully, causing me to blush and giggle.

As he went in for another kiss, his phone rang, interrupting us. He let out an exasperated curse before reluctantly answering the call.

“Yeah, Mom... Okay, Mom... Sure, Mom,” he repeated, his expression displaying a mix of frustration and amusement. He hung up and looked back at me.

“I’ve got to go. Grace is at my house waiting for me. But I’ll see you tomorrow, alright? Be ready at 7 o’clock.”

My smile faltered slightly at the mention of Grace’s name.

“Sure. Bye, Eli,” I said, using a playful nickname.

“Eli, huh? I like that,” he teased, giving me one last lingering kiss before driving away.

As I watched him leave, my heart felt full, and the doubts that had crept in earlier started to dissipate. The connection between us was undeniable, and I was excited about the upcoming date, ready to explore where our growing feelings would lead us.