ZaneAlexis - Never Let You Go
Buzz! Buzz!
I sighed, flopping onto my side as my phone rang in the drawer I had shoved it in a few hours ago. With a glare ready for whoever was calling me at one in the morning, I stumbled over to my desk and pulled out the urgently vibrating mobile.
It was Zane Truesdale, the number one student at Duel Academy. For some crazy reason, he wanted to meet me at the dock in five minutes. If it were anyone else, I would have told him or her to get a life. But it was Zane, the one person who never gave up on me and always made time in his busy schedule to listen to my stupid antics. So, I pulled on my uniform and headed to the pier as fast as my legs would carry me.
When I arrived, he was seated at the edge of the dock, his feet hanging in the calm water. It was unlike him to be so defenseless, lounging with his back exposed to the open. Zane was usually very careful not to let his guard down, but he was now. And even though I did not know why he was acting this way, I decided that it was a good thing. It meant he trusted me, right?
"Alright, this better be important," I grumbled, coming to a stop a few feet away from him.
Zane made no effort to move, but he did say, "I hope it's important to you."
I rolled my light brown eyes. "Zane, it's one in the morning. Stop being cryptic and spit what you want to say out." I had not intended to be so crabby, but I was running on four hours of sleep. It was bound to happen.
He slowly pulled himself to his feet and walked over to me. My heart did its usual flutter; as Zane's natural air of confidence seemed to engulf me like an aura of golden light. It was one of the many things that made him attractive. He was always so self-assured that it made everyone around him feel the same. If it were not for this wonderful trait, I could not have done so much in my short life.
"Alexis, when I graduate in a few weeks, I want you to come with me," he said quietly, his eyes lighter than usual as if they should have belonged to Jaden.
"What? No! Zane, I still have two years left. I can't quit now!"
"You don't have to stay here. Once I'm in the pro-league, I'll just take you with me. We'll go up in fame together."
"For what? Just so you can leave me one day with no high school diploma or future at all? No thanks, Zane. I've worked too hard to get to where I am now. I'm not going to let it all go to waste." I could not believe what he was asking of me! How in the world did he think I was supposed to make a living if he ever left me?
"Oh, come on, Lexi. You know me better than that," he murmured quietly, walking close and placing one warm hand against my chilled cheek.
I inhaled slowly, trying to soothe my hysterical heart. "That's cheating," I grumbled.
"What is?" Zane asked, placing firm lips against my neck. His arms wound around my waist and pulled me tightly to him.
My mind reeled. Was Zane right to ask me to come with him? Did I want to go? Why had he just now decided to ask me? How did I know he was not going to change his mind later? Did I care?
"So, what do you say, Lexi?"
I looked up into his gorgeous eyes, searching for any hint of truth. "But what if I don't make it? I mean, what if I'm not good enough?"
"Don't be silly. You're one of the best duelists here. You're going to go miles in the pro-league," he scoffed, pulling away just enough so that he could see my face.
"But I could always get better! That's sort of the point of Duel Academy, isn't it? I could train, and get better and-" I was babbling, I knew, but it all seemed so unreal. Me in Zane's warm embrace, my hands on his chest...
He sighed, keeping one arm around me while he fished around in his pocket for something. "I suppose, but I sort of knew you'd say no. You're not one to give up on something so easily. So, I came up with a back-up plan."
I wanted to snort and tremble at the same time. Typical Zane, always staying three steps ahead of everyone else (But that also meant that he expected to win me over. Now I wanted to tremble even more).
What was not typical was the rectangular, black box that he pulled out of his pocket. After handing it to me, I slid my nail between the slits in the box and popped it open.
"Holy cow!" I yelled as my eyes took in the beautiful pearl necklace sitting in the velvet box. "Zane Truesdale, where in the world did you get this?"
With a smug smile in place, he took the strand out of its wrappings and fixed it around my neck. "I had a friend of mine ship it in from Domino City. Do you like it?"
"Zane! I can't accept this!"
"Alexis, you're over-reacting," he sighed, calm as ever while I was totally freaking out. "This is just a small reminder for you that once you graduate, you can come with me. If you still want too, that is."
Eyes still wide and heart threatening to beat out of my chest, I nodded.
"Good," Zane murmured before leaning down and capturing my lips in the sweetest kiss ever. And although I was still stressing over how much the necklace that now sat around my neck cost, I decided to put it on hold for a while. After all, why do today what you can always do tomorrow?