Take a Chance on Me

Nineteen

I'm awoken by the sunlight making its way through the shutters in Alex's bedroom, creating stripes across our entwined bodies on the bed. I turn over and see that Alex is still asleep, at peace in the world of his dreams. As to not wake him, I slowly lift his arm from its place around my waist and inch towards the edge of the bed. As I sit up, I feel the warmth of his hand on my back.

"Don't go," he whispers, caught between a sleep state and reality. He rubs the small of my back and I know that I can't leave now.

I slip back into bed and he wraps his hand around mine, pulling me close. I still shiver whenever I'm this close to him, unable to help the goosebumps that form all over my body, but after a few seconds the warmth his body exerts when it is pressed to mine makes them subside.

As we lie face to face, I take the opportunity to examine the features of his face while sleep pulls him under. His blonde hair is a complete mess from my hands pulling on it last night. It's almost perfectly out of order though. Like those guys who gel their hair into a mess because it is the latest trend. But this is natural. Caused by the two of us rolling around together. His usually clean shaven face has the tiniest of stubble, something I can't help but touch because it's something so foreign to the normal, every-day Alex. I trace my fingers over his jaw, feeling its sharpness beneath my finger tips, which causes a steel blue color to stare back at me. His eyes, something I've never been able to get enough of, are peering into my mind, contemplating which move to make next.

"Hmm, in my t-shirt again?" he asks, a conniving smile spreading across his face.

I move closer to him, making my hips press into his. "I thought you liked when I wore your clothes?" I ask, placing a kiss on his chest.

"I do." He presses his lips to my collarbone. "I love it." His lips graze my jaw. "But I think I like it better off," he breathes into my ear.

A shiver runs down my spine and I press my body into his. I feel his hands on my waist and he flips me onto my back, his body hovering over mine as he holds himself up on his forearms. I feel the heat from his lips as they press to mine, igniting a spark between us.

He grabs for the hem of my shirt, quickly lifting it over my head. He moves from my mouth, across my jaw, and down to my chest, lacing my body with kisses.

"Leah," he moans, "you're so-"

"Alex?"

A voice echoes from downstairs and I hear the front door close.

We look at each other wide eyed.

"Hello," the voice echoes again.

"Shit," Alex says nervously, putting on shorts and a shirt. "My mom is here."

I quickly follow his lead and pull on my clothes as fast as I possibly can. "What? Why? I would have left earlier if I knew."

"That's the problem." He's in front of his mirror, trying to make his hair presentable. "I didn't know she was coming."

Her footsteps are coming up the stairs.

I comb through my hair with my fingers. "What do I do?" I anxiously ask as I wipe the smudged mascara from under my eyes.

"Uhh, in here." He points to the shower.

Is he serious? "Alex I am not hiding in the shower."

He's nervously running his fingers through his hair. "I would never do this, but I am sort of supposed to be working right now and my mom will ki-"

"Hi Alex," Diane says as she appears in the doorway. "And you must be Leah." She looks me up and down, knowing exactly what was going on between us.

"Hi mom," Alex says, kissing her on the cheek.

"Can I talk to you?" she asks, leading him out of the room and giving me a final glare.

Compared to the way I met Diane last time, before this twist in time, at dinner with both of our families, this is a hopeless disaster. Instead of loving me like last time, her face showed her true feelings towards me this time: despise.

I take this as a sign to get the hell out of here, so I walk down the stairs to grab my purse from the kitchen. As I turn the corner, I see Alex sitting at a barstool at the island and Diane standing on the opposite side, clearly in a heated discussion by the way her hands and flying around with every word she speaks.

I press my body up against the wall so they can't see me and wait for their discussion to end so I can grab my stuff and go. Unfortunately, I can hear every word.

"Mom, it's not like that."

"Then what is it like? To me it looks like a distraction. While you are supposed to be working and expanding your business that I put a lot of money into, your playing house with this, this slut."

My stomach drops. I can't believe this what she thinks of me. I never wanted her to see me like that, with Alex in his bed, but I had no idea she was coming over today. She will never see me differently.

"She's not a slut! I really like her and you would too if you gave her a chance."

"I'm not one for second chances. You know that, Alex. Plus, you guys come from different worlds."

"And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"We have... money. Whereas she, how do I put this. Well she doesn't. It's as simple as that. She's not of the same caliber and for all we know she can be using you."

"I can't believe you just said that."

"I'm being realistic. When you get to my age, you'll have a lot more life experience and you'll see my side. I'm just warning you. I don't want her to hurt you."

And with that, she kisses her son on the cheek and walks out the door.

I walk straight into the kitchen, grab my purse, and find my way to the nearest exit.

"Leah, wait! Please!"

"I heard everything, Alex. Apparently I'm some whore that uses men for their money."

Alex blocks the doorway. "Please Leah. I'll fix this. I promise. She has a lot on her plate and she's not thinking clearly. I'll figure this out."

"She didn't even give me a chance," I mutter, a tear gliding down my face.

"She will. She will love you. Let me make this right."