F O U R

ARABELLA. 

"Thank you. " I mutter to him as I stride inside while he closes the door. I wait for him to move before I follow him, and he stops in the middle of the living room. Without much thought, I allow my eyes to run across the room. It looks almost the same as mine, except this is dressed in white instead of the usual classic blue. 

"Stay here for a minute. " I hear Alexander say, bringing my attention back to him and I nod. He gives me one more glance before he turns away, and I don't fail to let my eyes follow him, shamelessly admiring the bare view of his back. After he disappears through the corner, I look down at myself and wipe my hand down my shirt. 

"Here you have it. " Alexander appears again, and when I turn my head to him, he's dressed in black sweatpants that hang quite low on his hips and looks too good than I'd love to notice, bare-chested with his hair falling over his head in curls and holding out a shirt to me. 

"Oh, you don't have to—"

"You're wet. " He says and my mouth drops. "Uh?"

"Wet. You're soaked. " He notes again and when I don't say a word, he nods his head to my body. I look down at my indeed soaked form and say, "Oh, right. Soaked. Wet. I am. "

He gives me a strange look and I let out an awkward chuckle. 

"So you need a change. " He states the obvious, and I look between him and the shirt he's holding out before I take it from him, "Thank you. "

He nods and walks past me to the couch, grabbing the remote by his side as he turns on the TV while I stand in front of him, waiting for him to turn to me. When he does, gazing down at me in silent questioning, I say, "I need a place to change. "

"Why can't you do that here?" He says and I stare at him dumbly. "Here?"

"Yes, here. Is anything wrong?"

"Of course. You're sitting right there. How can I change in front of you?"

His expression changes. I don't see a smile on his face, but the coldness in his eyes softens, and it's almost as if he's smiling? But through his eyes? 

"And why do you have a problem with changing in front of me? What are you trying to hide, Arabella?" With brows raised, one hand holding the TV remote, the other lifted to the edge of the couch and the tone at which he calls my name, the sound rolling off his tongue in an elegant way; I must be crazy because I find that extremely hot and I can feel warmth spreading to my cheeks. 

"Everything. " I answer with a clear of my throat, and that expression deepens. "You can't go into my room, but I can go as far as closing my eyes. "

"Closing your eyes and turning away. " I propose, and he glares down at my body, not bothering to hide the way he lets his eyes take every inch in and I suddenly feel naked under his intense eyes. I raise the shirt to my chest, and Alexander meets my eyes again, "The eyes only. "

"You have to turn back. " I state firmly, and he says, "Fine. I'll turn back. Satisfied?"

"You won't take a peek. " I tell him and he tilts his head, "Okay. "

I nod and wait for him to turn back before I start with my bag, then remove my shoes and my socks. My focus switches between Alexander and the clothes I have in hand. He's playing with the remote as I remove my shirt, wiping my chest with it before I throw his over my head. It swallows my body, covering half of my skirt and I proceed to yank the clothing down my legs, leaving it with my shirt. 

I leave them inside my bag and zip it close again before I straighten my back. "I'm done. " I announce and he turns back. 

He looks me down, his eyes staying on my bare thighs longer than the other parts and I pull at the hem of the shirt, "More comfortable than I thought. "

He doesn't say a word, and after a minute of standing awkwardly on the spot, I move to the couch and make sure to leave a reasonable distance between us. 

"Do you live here alone?" I break the silence after staring at the screen for too long and when he doesn't respond, I turn my head to him. He opens his mouth. "Yes. "

"Why? What about your family?" I ask and he locks his eyes with mine. "Is this your version of I won't disturb you?"

"Sorry. " I mouth and he looks away. In two seconds, he speaks again, "They don't stay here. They're back in New York. "

"Oh?" I mumble and Alexander surprises me by saying, "Ask. "

"Uh?"

"I can tell you want to ask more questions. Go on. " He says and I grin. Turning my body to his side, I part my lips, "Why are they there, and you're here?"

He takes a while before he answers. "I did something terrible and I was sent here as punishment. "

"What did you do?" I ask him and he looks back at me. His eyes go lower, before they meet mine again. "You truly want to know?"

When I nod, he edges closer and says, "Truly? You want to know?"

I lick my lips, my eyes moving to a place they shouldn't and I can't help, but swallow at the sight of his round, full lips with a natural slight pout. 

"I do. " I whisper, not removing my eyes from his mouth with no idea of what my words refer to any longer. 

Alex is silent, but I can feel him edging closer and my fingers are digging into the flesh of my crossed legs as I remain still. Not moving back or forward. 

"You want it, Arabella?" When Alexander speaks again, the tone is different. It sends an exciting chill across my body; one that shouldn't be there and as I lift my gaze to his eyes, I can't decide if he's making those words from the previous topic or something else. 

But I find myself saying, "I do. I want it. " His eyes don't leave mine and his hand is lowered over the couch as he brings his face closer and for some reason, my heart bangs in anticipation. 

The distance between our bodies is almost eliminated when the beep of a phone interrupts and he falls back to his side while I turn to grab my phone with heated cheeks and it's a text from Ashley. 

MY ANGEL: We're home. You should head back now. 

"They're back. " I let out as I start to move out of the couch. "My family. They're back. I should start leaving. "

He watches as I grab my stuff and slide my feet into my shoes before he raises to his feet and, walks me to the door. I hold out a hand to see the rain stopped, and I never noticed. 

I push a strand of my hair behind my ear and smile at him. "Thank you. For letting me stay, and for the shirt. I'll make sure to return it. "

He nods and slips his hands inside his pocket. "Night, Arabella. " 

"You too. " I whisper, the smile not leaving my face as Alexander shuts the door, his face disappearing. 

I bite down on my lips and drop my head, staying quiet to hear the sound of my name coming from him again before I start to move. 

The gate is opened when I arrive at the front and I stroll inside, making sure I shut it before I walk inside the house, and Sinclair is on the couch with Ashley coming down the stairs. 

"That was fast. I thought it'd take you longer. " Ashley speaks as she takes the last stair and I say, "I was right next to here. "

She lifts her brows. "Next to here? Alexander?"

My eyes widen at the mention of his name. "You know his name?"

"You were with Alexander?" Sinclair interrupts before Ashley can speak and I turn to my brother with a small smile, "Dex wasn't picking up and it was pouring. He was my only option. " I explain as I walk to him, and hug his neck. 

He rubs my hand and says, "That was all that happened?"

"Please, Sinclair. I have a boyfriend. " I swallow down the sudden lump in my throat and Sinclair laughs. "How do you know him, though?" I ask him and he turns his head to me. He looks behind me, and reaches out his hand, and I watch as Ashley takes his hand and walks to his front, settling on the lap. 

"I know his mother, sort of. " He answers my question and I say, "Really? So you know about him?"

"I know his mother, Arabella. Not him. Neither do I know his story if that's what you're trying to ask. But his mother did say to watch out for him. "

"You don't look like you're doing exactly that. " I tell him and he chuckles, the sound muffled by Ashley's hair as he presses his nose to it. When he pulls back, rubbing his hands down her arms, he says, "He's a grown-up. I'm pretty sure he can handle himself. "

"Was he good?" Ashley turns to ask me after Sinclair's words, her eyes running down my body. "That's his shirt?"

I drop my head in shyness and mumble. "Yes. Mine was wet so he lent this to me. "

"Sounds like he's nice. "

"Sounds like he's trying to get into your pants. "

They both say at the same time and Ashley is first to speak, "Sinclair! Don't say that. I'm sure he's just being nice. "

"We'll see how that turns out. " My brother says and I roll my eyes, looking around the room for a certain chubby kid. When I don't see Winnie, I look back at Ashley and she answers my question before I ever ask. "Sleeping. "

"She's always sleeping. " I smile. "How was the dinner party?"

"It was fun. Nice to bond with friends once again. "

"Was Uncle Vincent there? It's been a while since I last saw him. " I sigh and she smiles, "He said the same thing about you, and yes, he was there. I think you'll see him pretty soon. They're planning something. "

"What's it?"

"I'll leave it there, Arabella. " She winks and I hum with a smile. "I'll be in my room. "

"Alright, sweetheart. " And I turn away from them to walk up the stairs. I walk down the hallway and stop near Winnie's room to check on her before I leave to mine. 

Throwing my bag on one side of the room, I look down at the shirt on me before I pull it over my head. I spread it across my bed, and take a few steps back to gaze at it. My face stretches into a smile and I grab it again, falling back on the bed as I press it to my nose, inhaling the mix of my scent and his. And it's like orange blossom rolled in musk— clean and fresh. It's an addicting scent and I take a breath at the smell of it as I close my eyes to take another. 

"Arabella. " His call of my name echoes in my mind and his falls off my mouth with little to no deliberation. "Alexander. "

I'm brought back to that moment on the couch, and the images in my head only make my heart pound faster in my chest. 

What would have happened if Ashley's text didn't come in? Would he have— I shake my head, not allowing myself to think further on that impossible possibility. 

Only when I quiet down, the echoes of my heart beating loud in my ears do I realize what I'm doing — clutching a shirt that smells of him to my chest while thinking about him. 

I'm quick to sit up on the bed and leave the shirt by my side, rubbing a hand over my thumping heart. 

"What the hell are you doing, Arabella?"

I look at the shirt again, shake my head and move out of bed 

~

"Hey. " I turn around to face Peter, and he hovers over me, sandwiching me between the locker and his large body with one hand pressed to the side of my head. 

I look at his hand before I raise my gaze to him again and he throws me a small smile, "Arabella. "

When I hum, he continues, "I was worried about you. "

"Why were you?"

"You weren't talking to me. " He says with sadness evident in his tone, and when I don't give him a response, he proceeds to say, "I know you're mad at me for what happened, but will you forgive me?" His hand moves closer and grazes just slightly over my cheeks. "Hmm? Don't you think I've been punished enough?"

He mutters a curse when the sound of the bell goes off, and looks up to the spot before he meets my eyes, "Arabe—"

"I have to get to class. "

Peter shakes his head. "Not without an answer. "

"Peter. "

"Ara. " He drawls my name in the same tone, a mischievous look on his face and I roll my eyes. "Fine. We're good. Are you satisfied?"

He turns his head sideways. "I'm not. That doesn't sound sincere. "

"Peter, please—" I groan and he says, "Make it sincere, Arabella. Or you won't leave. "

Looking around us to see the hallway is almost empty, I move on my toes and press my lips to his. It's meant to be a short kiss, but Peter has something else in mind when he slips his hand to my head and presses harder against my lips, slipping his tongue through the space and tangling it with mine. 

A tiny sound leaves my throat when his other hand falls to my side, bringing me closer to his chest and the book I have in hand is the only barrier between our bodies as Peter kisses me slow and hard. The very first time he's letting it get this far. 

A whimper leaves my mouth when he finally pulls away and his smile remains on his face as he reaches out a finger to rub across my lower lip. 

"There you have it. " He speaks with a hint of proudness in his voice. "I'll catch you at lunch, yeah?"

"Yeah. " I respond and he winks, smoothing a hand down my hair before he turns to walk away. I watch as his frame disappears, a heavy sigh leaving my mouth before I turn in the other direction, flinching at the sight of Alexander standing only a few steps away from me. 

"Oh, hey—" he doesn't let me finish my words before he starts to move, and I furrow my brows as he walks past me without a word. 

I turn on my heels and watch his disappearing frame. When I turn away, I feel that all too familiar pang in my chest. 

And I do not like it.