Alex and Sarah's little routine continued for the next week. During their 45-minute lunch break, Alex could only see Deliah amidst a crowd of ten other people, which made it difficult to get some alone time. However, Alex didn't seem to mind the lack of privacy. Deliah, on the other hand, was disappointed that she couldn't spend more time with Alex. She longed to join her sister and her boyfriend at the library but didn't want to be a nuisance, so she stayed back.
After school, Alex and Sarah would head to the library together. As they walked past a group of fangirls who glared at Sarah, Alex would give them a stern look. Once they reached their usual table in the corner, they would start their research and work for a solid six hours, from 2 pm until 8 pm. Alex would then make sure Sarah got home safely before heading back to his own place.
Wow, studying for hours on end can really take a toll on you, right? It can leave you feeling exhausted and even embarrassingly hungry, just like Sarah felt when she heard Alex's stomach rumbling.
But lucky for him, Sarah had a secret weapon tucked away in her bag - homemade cookies! As soon as she heard Alex's tummy grumbling, she'd whip out a batch of chocolatey goodness and he'd be in heaven with each delicious bite. Before long, Alex had adapted to this new routine and even seemed to enjoy it, much to the surprise of his mom who couldn't believe he had no complaints.
When she asked her husband about it, he just gave her a sly smile and said, "Who do you think he's staying late at school with?" Mrs. James puzzled it over before guessing, "Is it Sarah Johnson, the older sister?" When her husband nodded, it all made sense to her. She couldn't help but feel a small smile form on her lips as she realized her little boy was growing up.
It was a mundane Monday, a week since they received their essay assignment. Sarah was making decent progress, with only a quarter left to go, while Alex was almost finished. They sat quietly in their usual spot, typing away at their laptops. Occasionally, Alex would message Sarah, causing her to lose her train of thought, but she couldn't help but find it endearing.
When she looked over at him, Alex would play it cool and shush her because they were in the library, but his cute smile made it hard for her to stay mad. She joked to herself that she would have slammed a book on his head if he wasn't so charming.
Suddenly, Alex looked over his laptop at her and whispered, "Sarah Johnson." She didn't look up, assuming he was just trying to distract her again. But then she reached into her bag, grabbed a paper bag, and tossed it to him. Alex's face lit up as he picked out a cookie from the bag.
"I've fallen in love with your cookies," he murmured.
Sarah shot him a playful look. "Looks like you're quite the hopeless romantic, Alex."
Alex took a big bite of his cookie and shook his head. "I wouldn't say hopeless, just a true romantic at heart. When I fall for someone, it's with everything I've got." He held up his cookie as if it were a sacred object.
Sarah couldn't help but stifle a laugh and bite her lip. *cute.*
Alex's phone vibrated and he stuffed the remaining bits of the cookie into his mouth, digging for his phone. His brows raised when he saw that it was Deliah.
To: Alex honey ❤️😘
Honey, are you free to come out now? Bring sissy along too. I'm just outside the library.
From: Deliah
Alex passed his phone to Sarah who read the message. What was Deliah up to?
Alex stood up and motioned for Sarah to come with him, but Sarah stayed seated. Should she go? Alex hadn't had any alone time with Deliah in over a week, and this was his chance.
If she went, she'd feel like a third wheel. But if she let Alex go alone...for some reason, she felt uneasy about it.
Despite her heart telling her to go, Sarah stuck to her decision. "It's okay, you can go meet her. If it's something important, just text me and let me know. I'll stay here."
Alex frowned. "Why? Come on, let's get some fresh air. We've been stuck in this air-conditioned room for hours." He gently tugged on her wrist. "Take a break."
Sarah swallowed nervously. "No, it's fine. You go ahead without me. Don't keep Deliah waiting."
Alex sighed and lightly tapped her head. "Alright, I'll be back soon."
"You don't have to rush. Take your time," Sarah murmured.
Alex halted abruptly and pivoted on his heel, his expression inscrutable. "Oh."
It was clear that he had grasped her intentions, and his demeanor immediately deflated. He spun around without a second thought and marched out of the library with purpose. He was determined to return to her side as swiftly as possible, whether she was ready or not.
"You made cupcakes for me?" Alex's eyes widened in astonishment as he accepted the container from Deliah's hands. "WOW"
Deliah giggled softly and blushed. "I should warn you, though, I'm not a great baker."
"Rubbish." Alex shook his head. "I remember those cupcakes you gave me back when we were just friends. They were insanely deli-," he paused as he lifted the lid.
As he peered at the four cupcakes in front of him, Alex couldn't help but notice that the one he could see was slightly burnt, with a messy smear of cream on top and hearts that looked like they had been drawn by a toddler. It was definitely a far cry from the delicious treats Deliah had whipped up for him in the past.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, Alex didn't want to lie and pretend that he loved the cupcakes when he clearly didn't. But he also didn't want to hurt Deliah's feelings. "Uhm," he started, unsure of what to say.
Deliah blushed and fidgeted with her fingers nervously. "I know they're not my best work," she admitted. "Where's Sarah?" she asked, trying to change the subject.
"Inside, glued to her laptop as usual," Alex replied, hiding a smile. "She's given us some alone time."
Deliah nodded, her eyes fixed on Alex as he picked up one of the cupcakes and took a big bite. But his expression quickly turned to one of disgust as he chewed and then spat something out of his mouth.
"What's wrong?" Deliah asked, looking worried.
With a raised eyebrow and a hint of amusement, Alex couldn't help but comment on Deliah's baking mishap. "Deliah, I think you're supposed to crack the egg and not include the shell," he chuckled.
Deliah's face turned red with embarrassment as she realized her mistake. "Oh no, I must have missed that," she muttered, biting her lip.
But Alex quickly reassured her, shaking his head with a smile. "It's still edible. I'll save a couple for Sarah later."
However, Deliah's discomfort was far from over as she decided to come clean about something. "Actually, honey," she began sheepishly. "Remember those amazing cupcakes I made you before? The ones that were perfectly baked and delicious?"
Alex's mouth watered at the memory, but then Deliah dropped a bombshell. "I didn't actually make them," she confessed. "It was Sarah who made them, and I just took the credit."
Alex was taken aback, but not entirely surprised. He looked down at Deliah's cupcakes and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
Sarah even helped Deliah make the confession letter, so why not mere
cupcakes?
Alex smiled. "It's okay, really." he muttered. "It doesn't matter."
"It does!" Deliah slumped guiltily. "I felt really bad but at that time, I couldn't tell you about Sarah yet. And I just....I wanted to get into your good books. I'm so sorry Alex honey!"
Alex ruffled her hair like a big brother would to his little sister. "It's really okay." he smiled, genuinely this time. "Don't worry about it. Just learn from Sarah and some day you'll be able to bake as well as her."
Deliah broke into a small smile. "Hehe I'll try honey. Someday I'll bake heavenly cupcakes for you and sissy!"
Alex smiled. He didn't know why he suddenly felt like a father who felt the satisfaction when his daughter announced that she loved him and his wife. He must be going mad.
*************
"Ugh, the library again? Princess, you know how much I dislike it. It's so quiet," Brad grumbled, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
Nancy couldn't help but chuckle as she linked her arm through Brad's. He tried to shake her off, but instead, he ended up pulling her closer, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Come on, Cupcake, I need to find a book for my assignment. Don't you want me to do well?" she teased.
Brad playfully twisted her nose. "You always know how to twist your words, don't you?" he said, giving in. "Fine, let's go find that book."
As Nancy scoured the shelves for the perfect book, Brad plopped down in a chair and picked up a car magazine. He flipped through the pages, stifling a yawn.
The library just didn't suit his taste. It was too quiet, too chilly, and just didn't have the right vibe. Brad hoped Nancy would find what she was looking for quickly so they could leave. As he idly flipped through a magazine, he noticed a couple outside the library saying goodbye. Deliah smiled as Alex waved, and Brad couldn't help but think they were adorable. *Aww, cute couple,* he thought to himself, grinning.
As Alex walked past him on his way back into the library, Brad couldn't help but watch him. However, he quickly hid his face behind the magazine when he realized Alex wasn't paying attention to him at all. Alex was focused on Sarah Johnson, and Brad watched as he stopped and opened a container that Deliah had given him. Brad could see a mischievous grin on Alex's face as he flicked some cream onto his finger before closing the container.
Brad was captivated as he watched Alex sneak up behind Sarah and playfully attack her with a smear of cream on her cheek. Sarah let out a surprised squeal and Brad couldn't help but chuckle as Alex helped her back into her chair, thoroughly enjoying himself.
But then, something unexpected happened. Alex leaned in without hesitation and wiped the cream off Sarah's cheek with his thumb. Brad's interest piqued as Alex used a tissue to wipe away the remaining cream that his thumb couldn't get to. Sarah gave Alex a half-hearted glare, but he just smiled back, happily cleaning her up.
As Brad observed the scene, he couldn't help but wonder why Alex didn't just use a tissue from the start. And if he had tissues, why didn't he just give them to Sarah to clean up herself? With a sinking heart, Brad realized that there may be more going on than meets the eye.
Sarah's gaze was fixed on the container that Alex had brought with him, a mixture of curiosity and excitement in her eyes. Brad could tell that she was eager to find out what was inside.
But Alex, the same guy who was infamous for his awkwardness around girls, held the container out of Sarah's reach and said something that made her kick his leg under the table. Alex stumbled in shock, but quickly recovered and pouted in a joking manner before passing the container to her.
As Sarah eagerly opened the container, Brad couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He watched as her eyes lit up with delight at the sight of two messily made cupcakes from Deliah. It was clear that Sarah was overjoyed that her sister had made something for her.
As Brad continued to observe, he couldn't help but notice the content expression on Alex's face. He didn't make any moves or say anything, but simply watched as Sarah enjoyed the cupcakes. His lips were curved in a small smile, and his eyes were soft and tender. It was the same way Brad looked at Nancy, and that realization made him feel even more uneasy.
"Cupcake?" Nancy's voice broke Brad's concentration and he almost tumbled from his chair. He had been leaning in so far, trying to catch every detail of the unfolding drama.
Brad stuttered, "Y-yes, princess?"
With a soft laugh, Nancy helped him up.
"I'm finished, cupcake. Let's go."
Relieved, Brad absentmindedly pecked Nancy on the temple
"Just register the book with the librarian and I'll meet you outside."
Nancy nodded and left, while Brad stayed behind, his gaze fixated on Alex and Sarah.
His stomach tightened, *Please, let my suspicions be wrong.*
Watching Alex closely, He felt a lump form in his throat. "Because if they're true, Alex, you're in some serious trouble," he muttered under his breath.