Chapter 25: Clown (Alex's POV) I looked around feeling extremely lost. As I should feel because I was lost. "Can I help you?" I turned around and saw Clark. "No thank you," I replied, resisting an eye roll. "You seem a little lost, Alex," he chuckled. "I'll find my way," I said, "Eventually," I whispered under my breath. "Looking for the bathroom?" I turned to shoot him a glare. "Zach will take you. That would be all right now wouldn't it?" I nodded hesitantly. Better than Clark himself. "Zach!" he called out. He walked over, excusing himself from a man whose name I don't remember and walking over. "Yes?" he asked. "Lead Alex to the bathroom, will you? And keep her company for a minute," he said. Zach nodded before beginning to walk while I followed him cluelessly. He turned down a corner which revealed a long hallway. He continued walking and stopped a few doors from the last one. "This is a guest room. The bathroom's in there," he said, turning to me. "Thanks," I mumbled before going inside. As usual, like I do at all these parties, I just sat down and kicked my heels off for a minute. Once I walked around, stretched my feet a bit, I went back outside. "So, where'd your boyfriend go?" he asked on our walk back. "He's talking to some guests," I answered. "You mean his father's clients?" I turned to him. "Everyone knows the real estate agents here love showing off their children." "Not all of them," I said. "Your dad doesn't?" "No, not at all." He nodded, "Good for you then." We walked back into the main hall and I could not see Carter anywhere. "You can wait for him at the bar. He'll find you easily," Zach said. I hesitantly walked and took a seat there, aware of Zach following me. I sat down and he sat down beside me. "You don't have to keep me company just because your dad told you to. I'll be fine on my own," I said. "I know, but you're fun to annoy," he shrugged with a smirk. I rolled my eyes while placing my clutch on the counter behind me, my eyes still scanning the place for him. "You really like him. Don't you?" My head snapped to him and I stared in confusion. "What?" "Carter. You really like him." "Yeah. That's why we hang out with each other," I deadpanned. "Funny," he said sarcastically, "But you're… it's deeper than that. Isn't it? That's why you don't want to let go of him. That's why the heartbreak is worth it, isn't it?" How did he crack that? "Whoa," he chuckled, "You're going to fall in love with him." "What makes you say that?" "The way your eyes have been scanning the room for him everywhere." I turned to face him once again to say something snarky but he leaned in. I gasped but he turned and whispered in my ear. "Even though he's standing right in front of you." He pulled back and pointed to the front. I huffed and grabbed my clutch before standing up and walking over while Carter did the same. "You okay?" he asked. "Perfect," I sighed. I ran my hand through my hair as we stepped into his room. Apparently, my mom wanted to leave the second she packed up her last box, so he went to drop her off and told me to stay with Carter tonight. "Did Zach say anything to you tonight?" he asked while taking his coat off and rolling up the sleeves before unraveling the bow tie and leaving it around his neck with opened buttons. "Not really, I mean… He was just being annoying, asking about you and me, and talking about me liking you." "What about you liking me?" he questioned. "Just pointing it out," I shrugged while sitting at the foot of his bed and leaning forward to slide my heels off. "I'm sorry I left you alone then. I should have just taken you with me," he said while kneeling in front of me and taking me heels off for me. "That's okay. You were just listening to your dad," I took the heels from his hands and put them on the floor. "Did Clark say something to you?" I asked hesitantly while he sat beside me. He sighed, running his hands over his face. "He was asking me if you're my girlfriend now." "What did you say?" I questioned. "I said no, it's the truth. Then he started talking about how he wants Zach to make you his girlfriend," he groaned. "Zach?" I scoffed, "That's never gonna happen," I rolled my eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked, "I know he's persistent." "Carter, he's not gonna try anything. He knows how much we like each other. Or well, how much I like you." He didn't seem all the way convinced. "And anyway, I'm not a clown. Nothing is going to happen between me and him. I promise," I said. "You would be a clown if you listened to him. It's just what he does, Alex. He talks his way into a girl's heart. And pants. And then leaves her. It's what he's always done." I watched as he stared at the door. "You sound like you've seen it happen. Or experienced it," I mumbled the last bit. "What?" he turned to me. "Did something happen between you two and another girl? Did he do something with a girlfriend of yours?" I asked hesitantly. "I've never had a girlfriend," he chuckled, "I've never brought a girl to this stupid family stuff. I never give them a chance to meet a girl I like because I know what he can do. And I know his dad always encourages it. But I also know he's not a bad guy. He doesn't do something if he thinks it's wrong. The only problem is, there's not much that he thinks is wrong in the first place," he huffed. "Is he the second youngest?" He nodded in response. "I just don't want him to try anything with you. Because I know his dad will tell him to." "Well, he can try. But he won't succeed. Carter, you trust me, right?" He turned to me and nodded. "Then trust me when I tell you, I'm all yours." "You don't think we're going too fast?" he huffed. "We'll slow down if you want to. Just say the words," I replied. I understand where he's coming from. It does feel fast, but it still feels comfortable. Like we both secretly know how this is going to end. With us together. Like we both have faith in that. "I don't want to say the words, I like how things are going. I don't want to waste time. If we're going to make this work, I want all in," he replied. "I am all in," I said. "Me too," he smiled. I smiled back before brushing his hair away from his eyes. "Great. We're together then." "We're together." "You're my girlfriend then." "Am I?" I chuckled. "Would you like to be?" "I would love to be," I grinned. He chuckled before leaning in, placing his lips on mine in a slow, tender kiss. He pulled away after a while and looked down at me. "God, I really like you." I raised my eyebrows, biting my lip to keep from smiling too big. "You are so-" "Please just shut up and kiss me." I laughed before leaning forward and kissing him again. He refused to break this kiss time, nor did he let me break it. I've come to notice he's good at that. Keeping my lips captivated in his. I pulled away after a while and stood up. "Can I borrow clothes? I should change out of this," I said, looking down at the dress. It was stunning, I was glad he chose it. "Of course, you can borrow clothes. Later," he said before pulling me forward as he stood up before he crashed his lips on mine. Harder this time, rougher. He walked forward, I walked backward until my back hit his door. He had me pinned against it, and it made me feel things I never have before. I stepped forward after a while and continued until his legs hit the bed and he sat down on the edge, his hands firmly planted on my waist. Leaning down was getting exhausting, I don't know how he does it, so I straddled him right there. I felt him smirk against my lips while his hand slipped under my dress and rested on my thigh. He trailed kisses down my neck while I bit my tongue and held back a moan. Too much. Not right now. "Wait, wait, wait," I panted. He stopped as soon as I told him to and held my waist with both hands. "You okay?" he asked. "Yeah, I'm okay," I chuckled, "Your dad is downstairs. Maybe another time," I said while climbing off of him. "Clothes?" "Do you really need them?" he asked. I rolled my eyes while he opened his closet and handed me a shirt and a pair of his boxers. I went into the bathroom where I just washed my face and took off as much makeup as I could once I had changed and threw my hair up in a bun before walking back out. He lay on his bed in nothing but sweatpants, his hand over his eyes. I walked over and straddled him again, only this time I didn't kiss him, just stared down at him. "Hello," he said, pulling his hand away and looking up at me, his hands holding my hips. "Are you ticklish?" "I know you are," he smirked. "Are you?" I repeated. "No," he shook his head. I narrowed my eyes at him before poking his sides. He tried hard to resist but he couldn't. He was ticklish. Who isn't? . . . . . Chapter twenty-five