*************************************
CHAPTER TEN:
A few hours later, Alex pulled his car up in front of the Evans house, and walked Isabel to the door. She turned back to him and started kissing him again. He kissed her back, not wanting for the evening to end.
But they were interrupted by Max, who opened the door and found them on the porch. Alex and Isabel quickly separated in a reflex response to the surprise.
"Whoops," said Max. "Um, sorry. How are you Isabel?"
"I'm fine," said Isabel. "Alex and I needed to talk. Where are the others?"
"I took Liz home," said Max. "Leeana is with her. She was...pretty upset."
"Yeah," said Alex. "I need to talk to her. I'll go do that now."
"What about Mom and Dad?" asked Isabel.
"I told them that Rick had gotten drunk and turned into a jerk," said Max. "I also told them Alex came along, got you away from him, and you two were hanging out for a while. They're in the living room."
"I'd better go see them," said Isabel. She leaned over and kissed Alex gently on the lips. "Thanks again, Alex, for everything."
"I'll call you tomorrow," said Alex.
Isabel went inside, but Max stayed out on the porch. "So," said Max. "You two are together now, huh."
"Yeah," said Alex. "I never really stopped loving her, and she told me that she loves me. We talked, and....well, here we are."
"Are you sure Isabel is for real about it this time?" asked Max.
"I'm sure," said Alex, with a smile. "We've both done some growing up since last year. We're ready for each other now."
"I'm glad," said Max. "I know now that she'll be in good hands."
"Thanks," said Alex. "Look, I need to go and talk to Leeana. If Isabel needs anything, let me know."
"I will," said Max.
**
"Hi, Alex," said Liz, after opening the back door to the Crashdown and finding Alex standing outside. "How's Isabel?"
"Fine," said Alex. "Look, Max told me Leeana was here."
"Yeah," said Liz. "Maria and I brought her here. She was upset, and we didn't want to leave her all alone at the hotel."
"Is she still up?" asked Alex.
"She waited up for you," said Liz. "Come on in. She's in my room. I'll give you some privacy."
Alex walked up the stairs, dreading what was coming. He felt so great to be back together with Isabel, but at the same time, he felt horrible about the fact he was going to have to hurt Leeana's feelings. She truly cared for him, and he was going to have to break her heart. When he got up the stairs, he tentatively knocked on the door.
"Come in," said a tired voice from inside.
Alex came in the door, and found Leeana sitting on the bed. She looked exhausted, and her face reflected the fact she had been crying.
"Leeana," said Alex. "I...we need to talk."
"Is Isabel alright?" asked Leeana. "Liz and Maria told me that her date...um, what is his name?"
"Rick, and she's fine," said Alex.
"He tried to hurt her, huh," said Leeana. "Good thing you helped her."
"Yeah," said Alex.
Leeana looked up at Isabel, her eyes filled with resignation to a truth she had already formulated in her mind. "You love her," she said. "You still love Isabel."
Alex nodded his head. He couldn't respond in words at first. It was killing him to know that nod was shattering Leeana's happiness.
"And me," she said. "I was just...what you call it? A rebound romance, right?"
"I...I don't know," said Alex. "Its hard for me to explain. I wanted so much to let you into my heart. And I did, but...part of my heart still belonged to Isabel. My mind was keeping that part suppressed, but...tonight, when I knew that she needed me. That love came flooding back into myself, breaking the wall I had built to keep it suppressed. She told me she loves me, and I told her I still love her."
Leeana just stared at him, her eyes reflecting the loss she was feeling. Fresh tears flowed down her face.
"Leeana," said Alex. "Scream at me, yell at me, hit me. Whatever you need to do, you have the right. I've...been horrible to you, and I am so sorry. Please believe that."
She got up from the bed, and wiped the tears from her face. "Better I find out now, before I move hear to America to be with you, just to be dumped."
"I'm so sorry, Leeana," said Alex. "I never meant to hurt you."
"I know you did not mean to hurt me, Alex," said Leeana. "You have a good heart. Its why I liked you so much. That, and you are cute. But it still hurts. There is nothing you can do about it. It will take time, but...I will survive."
"Leeana, any guy in this world would be lucky to have you," said Alex. "I hope someday you find one who can truly love you, the way you deserve to be loved."
"I hope I can find someone like you," said Leeana. "I called airline, and got a new flight. I leave in the morning."
"I'll drive you to the airport," said Alex.
"No," she said. "Maria is going to drive me. I think its better if we say goodbye here."
Alex walked over, and took Leeana into his arms one last time. They hugged each other tight as they said goodbye.
"Be happy," said Leeana.
"You be happy, too," said Alex.
End of Chapter Ten. Epilogue is coming soon.
Story is almost over, just a final epilogue to wrap things up. Don't miss it. In the meantime, please keep the reviews coming. Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated.
CHAPTER TEN:
A few hours later, Alex pulled his car up in front of the Evans house, and walked Isabel to the door. She turned back to him and started kissing him again. He kissed her back, not wanting for the evening to end.
But they were interrupted by Max, who opened the door and found them on the porch. Alex and Isabel quickly separated in a reflex response to the surprise.
"Whoops," said Max. "Um, sorry. How are you Isabel?"
"I'm fine," said Isabel. "Alex and I needed to talk. Where are the others?"
"I took Liz home," said Max. "Leeana is with her. She was...pretty upset."
"Yeah," said Alex. "I need to talk to her. I'll go do that now."
"What about Mom and Dad?" asked Isabel.
"I told them that Rick had gotten drunk and turned into a jerk," said Max. "I also told them Alex came along, got you away from him, and you two were hanging out for a while. They're in the living room."
"I'd better go see them," said Isabel. She leaned over and kissed Alex gently on the lips. "Thanks again, Alex, for everything."
"I'll call you tomorrow," said Alex.
Isabel went inside, but Max stayed out on the porch. "So," said Max. "You two are together now, huh."
"Yeah," said Alex. "I never really stopped loving her, and she told me that she loves me. We talked, and....well, here we are."
"Are you sure Isabel is for real about it this time?" asked Max.
"I'm sure," said Alex, with a smile. "We've both done some growing up since last year. We're ready for each other now."
"I'm glad," said Max. "I know now that she'll be in good hands."
"Thanks," said Alex. "Look, I need to go and talk to Leeana. If Isabel needs anything, let me know."
"I will," said Max.
**
"Hi, Alex," said Liz, after opening the back door to the Crashdown and finding Alex standing outside. "How's Isabel?"
"Fine," said Alex. "Look, Max told me Leeana was here."
"Yeah," said Liz. "Maria and I brought her here. She was upset, and we didn't want to leave her all alone at the hotel."
"Is she still up?" asked Alex.
"She waited up for you," said Liz. "Come on in. She's in my room. I'll give you some privacy."
Alex walked up the stairs, dreading what was coming. He felt so great to be back together with Isabel, but at the same time, he felt horrible about the fact he was going to have to hurt Leeana's feelings. She truly cared for him, and he was going to have to break her heart. When he got up the stairs, he tentatively knocked on the door.
"Come in," said a tired voice from inside.
Alex came in the door, and found Leeana sitting on the bed. She looked exhausted, and her face reflected the fact she had been crying.
"Leeana," said Alex. "I...we need to talk."
"Is Isabel alright?" asked Leeana. "Liz and Maria told me that her date...um, what is his name?"
"Rick, and she's fine," said Alex.
"He tried to hurt her, huh," said Leeana. "Good thing you helped her."
"Yeah," said Alex.
Leeana looked up at Isabel, her eyes filled with resignation to a truth she had already formulated in her mind. "You love her," she said. "You still love Isabel."
Alex nodded his head. He couldn't respond in words at first. It was killing him to know that nod was shattering Leeana's happiness.
"And me," she said. "I was just...what you call it? A rebound romance, right?"
"I...I don't know," said Alex. "Its hard for me to explain. I wanted so much to let you into my heart. And I did, but...part of my heart still belonged to Isabel. My mind was keeping that part suppressed, but...tonight, when I knew that she needed me. That love came flooding back into myself, breaking the wall I had built to keep it suppressed. She told me she loves me, and I told her I still love her."
Leeana just stared at him, her eyes reflecting the loss she was feeling. Fresh tears flowed down her face.
"Leeana," said Alex. "Scream at me, yell at me, hit me. Whatever you need to do, you have the right. I've...been horrible to you, and I am so sorry. Please believe that."
She got up from the bed, and wiped the tears from her face. "Better I find out now, before I move hear to America to be with you, just to be dumped."
"I'm so sorry, Leeana," said Alex. "I never meant to hurt you."
"I know you did not mean to hurt me, Alex," said Leeana. "You have a good heart. Its why I liked you so much. That, and you are cute. But it still hurts. There is nothing you can do about it. It will take time, but...I will survive."
"Leeana, any guy in this world would be lucky to have you," said Alex. "I hope someday you find one who can truly love you, the way you deserve to be loved."
"I hope I can find someone like you," said Leeana. "I called airline, and got a new flight. I leave in the morning."
"I'll drive you to the airport," said Alex.
"No," she said. "Maria is going to drive me. I think its better if we say goodbye here."
Alex walked over, and took Leeana into his arms one last time. They hugged each other tight as they said goodbye.
"Be happy," said Leeana.
"You be happy, too," said Alex.
End of Chapter Ten. Epilogue is coming soon.
Story is almost over, just a final epilogue to wrap things up. Don't miss it. In the meantime, please keep the reviews coming. Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated.