Chapter 3

Present Day…

Alex POV

I was still lying in bed thinking about the past few days. The incident at the beach was what had started everything.

I figured I should get up, since it was almost lunch time, and staying in bed all day wasn't getting me anywhere. I almost crashed into my dad when I entered the kitchen.

"Alex you should be more careful! Watch where you're going!" My dad snapped at me.

"Sorry dad…"

I continued into the kitchen to grab something to eat. I opened the fridge, and the first thing I saw was pizza, which made me think of the next incident that happened between Riker and I. It happened the day after our fight at the beach.

A Few Days Earlier…

Alex POV

Riker had be completely careless and randomly shown up at my house wanting to talk. Luckily for him, my parents had gone down to the beach to go on their boat.

"Riker! What are you doing here? And what happened to knocking on someone's door when you want to come in?"

"Alex, I couldn't wait any longer. After what happened yesterday, that's been the only thing on my mind. I really don't want to break up. I'd miss you way too much."

I sighed.

"Ok… Well there's still more we need to talk about. Oh, hold on. I need to take this pizza out of the oven."

I carefully took out the pizza and set it down on top of the stove to let it cool.

"You made pizza?"

"Yeah…?"

"Looks good…"

"Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"YES!"

Of course he would…

"So do you want to talk about everything while we wait for the pizza to cool?" Riker asked.

"Uh yeah, I guess…"

I sat down at the kitchen table across from Riker.

"So, first, is there any possible chance that you'll still be my girlfriend?"

"Well, I guess there's a chance-"

"GOOD! Ok, now what exactly was it I did that made you upset?"

"I told you yesterday! You hardly ever texted me back! I live right across the street from you. It's literally 100 feet away! Even if I could've seen you for 5 minutes, it would've been better than nothing!"

"Alex, I'm sorry!"

"Ugh! Stop saying you're sorry!"

"But I am!"

"Ugh Riker!"

Riker looked back at me with his hazel eyes. His cuteness was definitely not making this any easier.

"Alex, look. I'm really sorry for barely talking to you and everything. I made a mistake. Please just forgive me."

"You made the same mistake every single day for weeks, Riker."

"I know. I was really busy though, and I know that's no excuse, and I'm really, truly, sorry. But I promise I'll never do anything like that ever again if you'll still be my girlfriend."

"Riker, after weeks of getting no replies, it's going to take a lot more than just an apology. Look, I can't talk about this any longer. Having to relive the pain I went through is really hard. I just can't talk about this anymore today. I think you should go home."

"Ok…"

"Thank you for understanding."

"Wait. Can I have some pizza first?"

"Riker."

"Please!?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Fine."

Present Day…

Alex POV

Ugh. Why did I have to be in love with him? If I wasn't, this would be so much easier. I could just break up with him, and never see him again, and that would be the end of that. But no. He just had to be adorable…

After I finished my lunch, I decided to walk down to the beach. It was my first day of summer vacation, and I wanted to be at the beach. I didn't feel like swimming. I just wanted to walk on the sand and feel the cool breeze there always was.

I walked out the front door, and hurried down the road until I was past Riker's house. I really didn't want him to see me leaving my house, and then follow me. It was my first day of summer vacation, and I really didn't need it to be ruined.

Once I had gotten further down the road, I came to the bend where you could finally see the lake. Luckily, it was empty. No people. Not only did I not want to see Riker, but I didn't want to see his siblings or Ellington either. Riker had probably told them about everything, and I don't need to be questioned about it. It wasn't their business anyway.

After walking along the beach for a few minutes, I sat down in one of the chairs, and closed my eyes. I could feel the warm sun on my face. I felt really good. I eventually fell asleep…

Riker POV

"No, I don't know what I'm going to do! She hates me!"

"Wait. Riker, slow down. What are you talking about?" Rydel asked me.

"Alex hates me."

"Why would she hate you?"

"Well, a few days ago, I kind of… threw her in the lake."

"Riker, you what!?"

"I… threw her in the lake…"

"Why would you do something like that!?"

"Well…"

A Few Days Earlier…

Riker POV

"Alex wait!"

"No! Riker, I don't want to talk about this anymore. I need some space!"

"Alex! Wait! Please!"

I chased Alex all the way down to the beach and out to one of the docks. She suddenly turned around in the middle of the dock, and I almost crashed into her.

"Why are you still following me? You obviously don't trust me, and I don't want to talk about this anymore!"

"When I said I didn't trust you, I didn't mean it like that!"

"Then how did you mean it?"

"I don't know, but not like that!"

"Riker, I know you don't trust me anymore. You can't just take back what you said and expect me to believe you. I really think we shouldn't get back together, Riker. Please can you just understand that?"

UGH stop breaking my heart!

"Alex, I trust you, I promise!"

"Ugh, I'm going home."

"Alex wait!"

"I've waited long enough!"

That's when it happened. Something in my brain went crazy. I picked Alex up, and jumped off the dock with her, all while she was screaming loudly right next to my ear.

"RIKER! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!? I'm not even wearing a swim suit! I'M SOAKING WET!"

"I needed you to believe me."

"What are you talking about!? You think throwing me in the lake will make me think you trust me!? What is wrong with your brain!?"

"No. I'm going to swim in to the shore with you. Just like the other day. I trust you. You won't let anything happen to me. Come on. Let's go."

"Riker-"

"No Alex. I keep making stupid mistakes. I need to fix them all, and then maybe I'll have a chance with you. But this is how I can prove to you that I trust you."

"You know what? Fine. I'll swim to the shore. But no stopping. No breaks. No going to the raft. We go straight from here, to the shore. Got it? And then when we get back, I'm going home. Don't you dare follow me."

"Ok. Got it."

"Ok. Let's go."

I pushed off as hard as I possibly could from the dock to get a head start. I needed to conserve my energy somehow if I wanted to make it to the shore. I tried cupping my hands like Alex had shown me. Surprisingly, it helped a lot. I went farther and faster. But by the time I was about 50 feet away, I was practically dying.

"Alex, I know you said no stopping, but what if I can't make it?"

I was barely able to get the words out, I was so tired.

It was almost like she ignored me. Oh who was I kidding? She was ignoring me.

"Alex!"

I was starting to get really annoyed now. The anger seemed to make me stronger though, and I just barely made it. I didn't even have enough energy to get out of the water. I laid on the ground with my head on the wet sand, and the lower half of my body still in the lake. My arms were outstretched on the sand. I couldn't believe I had made it. Just barely though.

By the time I had enough energy to even look up from where I was laying, I noticed Alex was gone. She must have gone back to her house. I wiped some hair out of my face, forgetting my hand was covered in sand. Whatever. My hair was already sandy. Ugh. I must look like such a mess. And I don't think I helped the situation either…

Present Day…

Riker POV

"I messed up again. How do I fix things?" I asked Rydel.

"Riker, I really don't know. You can try talking to Alex again, but I'm not sure there's anything you can do. Sometimes, you can't fix things."

"I really hope that's not true for us."

"Well good luck."

"Thanks. I'll need it."