Alex called me exactly a week later. I had started to think that he was one of those jerks that got your number, promises to call, and then never does, but seven days after the wedding, my phone rang.

I was anxious, the way any girl feels when a cute boy calls her. Most of my fears were based on the fact that Laney knew him. Her husband had managed their band since high school, and they all were close to each other. I didn't know exactly how my sister would react, but I could assume that she wouldn't be too pleased with the older man due to show up at my door any minute.

She had never been pleased with any boy I had brought home; especially Dean Piper, but he was a different story. The point is, Laney didn't like the boys I liked. even if she liked the boy, as soon as she knew I was interested she hated him.


I had chosen a pair of black skinny jeans and a white button up. I paired it with a cute black hat and a cross necklace, my makeup was done, and my ankle boots were on, but I still wasn't ready. I had spent the last ten minutes tucking, and untucking my shirt. I was in the middle of untucking my shirt for the seventh time when I heard my name. The front was still tucked in but I decided to leave it, at least until I could get Laney's opinion.


“Well, don't you look cute.” My older sister greeted me at the bottom of the stairs with her hands propped on her hips. “Date?” I felt a blush rise to my cheeks and she got excited. “Oh my god, my baby sister is going on a date! With who? Do I know him?”

“Oh, I don't know, you might.” I rolled the question off.

“Aw, you've grown up so fast. You look adorable!" She motioned to my shirt and I smiled.

“Thanks.” Then we heard a knock I on the door and my eyes widened. “I'll get it.” I said in a panic, but she was already running out of the kitchen.

"Aw, do you not want me to embarrass you?" She laughed and sped up. By the time I sped out of the kitchen she was already at the door. She opened the door with force while she looked at me with a smug smirk on her perfectly pink lips, perhaps for the sole reason of rubbing it in my face. Alex looked surprised and instantly found my eyes. While my sister was still looking at me, out of the corner of my eye I watched Alex jump behind, or rather into, the bush behind the railing of the porch just as Laney turned around.

She looked confused, glancing around the porch before looking back to me and closing the door. "Must've been those stupid teenagers again."

"Laney, I'm one of those stupid teenagers." I said with a raised eyebrow. She pretended to groan.

"I know." See laughed and I grinned at her.

"Well, I've gotta go. I'll see you later, bye!" Before she had a chance to react I was out the door. I paused when I was off the porch and saw Alex dusting off his jacket as he walked up to me. I spotted a leaf in his hair and smiled as I picked it out. I showed it to him briefly before flicking it to the side.

“I thought you would've left. I voiced truthfully as we walked to his car that was parked on the street.

“Why? We still have a date to get to.” He nudged my shoulder with a grin on his face.

“Well, Lane can kind of be a handful. She's likes to call it spontaneous, but I just call it crazy."

“Yeah. I love it. It makes me wish I had a sister like her.”

“You don't have sister?” I climbed into the passenger seat and Alex got into the driver's side.

“Nope. Only child.” He explained and I nodded.

“Lucky. I have two brothers back in Texas. That plus Laney… Yikes. You can imagine my childhood.” My heart dropped a little when I talked about my brothers, but I pushed it to the back of my mind. I made a mental note to call when I got home.

“Youngest?”

“Yeah, my and my twin brother Nick.”

“Nice, A twin. If he looks anything like you, I'm sure he's a beautiful man.” I laughed a little as he stumbled over his words. “That was supposed to be a compliment.” He covered quickly.

“Yeah, I assumed.” I chuckled again.

“Well, we're here.” I looked out the window. ‘Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens’ was written in big bold letters above the door. The walls were covered in growing vines. I followed Alex inside, where he paid and lead me through another set of doors. I was amazed. The entire building was made of the clearest glass. Walls of flowers covered almost every inch of the space in the most beautiful colors, butterflies filled the air.

“Oh, wow.” Was all I could get out.

“Yeah, I had a feeling you'd like it.” Alex smiled and grabbed my hand to drag me though the building. I was surprised at how forward he was, but he didn't look like he was thinking too hard about it, he just did it. I liked that about him.


About two hours later we left to grab some food. The drive was silent, but I liked it. It gave us both time to just soak in each other's company, and I feel like that is necessary in any relationship. Weather its romantically or just as friends, the realization that the time you spend together won't always be filled with activities is important. If you're always doing something, you'll eventually run out of things to do and you won't know what to do with yourselves when all that's left is silence. So we sat in the silence, and I enjoyed it.

“Olive Garden, my favorite.” I smiled at him. We had just ordered.

“So, you have 3 siblings, a twin, you’re from Texas, and you like Italian food.”

“Um, yeah?” I said as I took a drink from my ice water.

“Well, first dates are supposed to be about getting to know each other.”

“Oh, alright. Let's do this, then.” I smirked at him and he returned it with a grin. “I dislike the color pink, I’m not a huge soda drinker, I do most of my shopping online so I can avoid going outside, Star Wars is literally my shit, I’m from Texas and the only tea I can stand is basically just flavored water, I have a thing for frozen yogurt, and I hate hearts. You know, the heart shape that everyone glorifies. They just make me cringe. Like, you're not 6 anymore, get over it! And I hate jelly beans.” He laughed.

“Okay, my turn. I was born in England and thus am not a citizen of the U.S., I can probably name all 151 original Pokémon, I can cook and not burn down the house, Star Wars is also literally my shit, and I have a thing for Dunkin’ Donuts. Oh, and I am in an amazing, super famous band. But it’s no biggie.” He added sarcastically and we both chuckled.


After we ate we walked. We had no destination, we just walked. Alex held my hand and I was sure I was blushing the entire time, so I thanked the darkness for covering my tomato face. We made small talk, but most of the walk was spent admiring Baltimore. We passed small shops and bars and restaurants, but I was occupied with the lights and the sky. The stars shined brightly above us, twinkling something I didn't understand in Morse Code. The street lights and shops illuminated the sidewalk for us and created the dark shadows around us.

Eventually we made our way back to the Olive Garden and he drove me home.

“This was fun.” I said as I turned to face him. He had walked me to the door.

“That it was. We should do it again sometime.”

“I agree.”

“When are you free?” He asked.

“Weekdays after 4. Starting next week.

His shoulders sunk and a small frown made its way onto his face. “Oh yeah. I forgot about the whole school thing.”

“Is it that much of a problem?” I asked and my heart dropped a little at the thought of him not wanting to continue this because I was still in high school.

“No, it just means I have a time limit on dates. Can’t hang till after 4, gotta get you back before curfew, yadda yadda.” He explained and I chuckled softly.

“So you’re saying there will be future dates?” I asked, masking my hopefullness.

“Definitely. Wait, just to make sure, it’s a green light from you, right? You want to go out with me again?”

“Yeah.” I laughed again. I kissed his cheek softly. “Night, Alex.” I smiled at him before disappearing into the house. My heart was beating out of my chest. I watched him through the peephole as he stared ahead in shock, a blush rising to his cheeks. I grinned and he blinked a few times before going back to his car and driving off.

I let out a shaky sigh and nearly reenacted the ending of The Breakfast Club. My heart was still racing and my body was filled with adrenaline from my 'raging teen hormones'.


Once I had calmed down a bit,I climbed the stairs up to my bedroom. Minutes later I was sitting on my bed in my pajamas. I pulled out my phone and dialed a number I hadn’t called in a while.



“Hello?”

“Hey Bubba, It’s Shelby.”

“Shell? Why are you calling? I haven’t talked to you since February.” I remembered our last call. I always called him on our brother’s birthday.

“I just wanted to check up on you.” I lied. I just missed his voice. I wanted more than anything to tell him everything about my life, but I knew I couldn’t talk to him for too long. At least not this time. “How are you?”

“I’m good. I got a new job the other day. Shit people, but good pay.” We laughed and just like that all the tension evaporated. We chatted for at least an hour before he asked me something.

“What made you decide to call tonight?”

“Well, I went on a date tonight and we started talking about my siblings. He’s an only child, and it just hit me how much I miss seeing you every day. I mean, it’s always there in a constant ache, but just thinking about you and Laney and W-” I stopped. “Thinking about not having you guys made me miss you. A shit ton.”

“I miss you a shit ton, too. Well, I have work tomorrow, so I’d better go.”

“Okay.”

“Shell?” He said softly.

“Yeah bubba?”

“I love you.”

I smiled and felt my eyes water up. “I love you too.” I choked out.

“Shelly belly, are you crying?” He chuckled, but I could hear him sniffling, too.

“No.” I laughed with him. “That would be stupid. But I’ll let you go. Have fun at work tomorrow.”

“Yeah, right.” He stopped and turned serious. “Call me more, okay? I miss your voice.”

“Will do, Nicky. Talk to you later.”

“Night Shell.”

“Night.”

Notes

Okayyyyyyyyyy

I had the main parts of this chapter laid out for a while but I wouldn't filling the details for the life of me. Until tonight. I'm really picky about what I write and how I write it so this took longer than I expected.

Plus I start school tomorrow so that's great :/

P.S. Sorry if I misspelled some things, my computer doesn't catch all of them :( And also her sister's name is supposed to me spelled Laney but it keeps autocorrecting to Lainey. So there's that.


Lmao Alex when Shelby kisses him :3