Alex seethed with an anger he had never experienced before, underestimating the depth of this sister's love for her younger sibling. He couldn't believe she had done this. The next day, as he arrived at the Johnson residence, anticipation raced through his heart. But his excitement quickly turned to concern when he only saw Deliah leaving the house. He searched for Sarah with anxious eyes. Where was she? Was she sick? Was she alright? Worry surged through him, and before Deliah could greet him with her usual cheerfulness, "Good morning, Alex honey!" he leaped out of the car and demanded, "Where's Sarah?"
Deliah seemed taken aback by his intense concern, hesitating before responding. "Sissy said she had some things to do at school, so she went ahead of us. I have no idea what it is, though," she murmured, scratching her head.
Alex's frown deepened, and he bit his lip in frustration. Was Sarah avoiding him just because he had refused to give up on her? Deliah climbed into the car and let out a soft sigh. "You know, when sissy left, I was still having breakfast. And I distinctly heard a car pull up outside our house as she was leaving," she said.
Alex immediately perked up, his heart pounding in his chest. "A car?" he asked, trying to mask his worry.
Deliah nodded, furrowing her brows. "I rushed to the door to see who it was, but the car had already driven off. And sissy was nowhere to be seen. I don't know if she got into the car or not, or who was driving it," she said, her confusion evident.
A surge of possessiveness coursed through Alex's veins as he fervently hoped that Sarah had asked one of the Aerospace boys to pick her up. He could handle it if it was one of his friends because he knew they wouldn't betray him, but if it was someone else...
"I'm sure sissy knows how to take care of herself," Deliah murmured, eyeing Alex with confusion. She couldn't help but recall the words of her friends who had warned her about Alex's possessiveness.
Alex started the car engine and pulled out of the driveway, eager to get to school as quickly as possible.
**********
"Nothing," he muttered in response to Deliah's question, concealing the truth beneath a veil of deception. It was the biggest lie he had ever told in his life.
"Alex, you're finally here!" Steve exclaimed with a sigh of relief, his foot tapping impatiently as he stood by the school's front gate. Alex blinked in surprise, swiftly parking his car and stepping out. Deliah, taken aback by Steve's presence, asked, "Is something wrong, Steve?"
"Terribly," Steve nodded, a pained and worried expression etched on his face. He turned to Alex, sensing the gravity of the situation. "What happened?" he demanded.
"You better see for yourself, the hallway. Hurry," Steve gestured urgently. Alex nodded, grabbing his bag and hastening after his friend. Deliah scrambled to keep up, her curiosity piqued by the commotion.
As they entered the school, an unsettling feeling washed over Alex. The air was filled with whispers and murmurs, and the boys he passed wore expressions of both disgust and disappointment. Even the girls averted their gaze, engaging in hushed conversations.
"I can't believe she chose him," one guy muttered to his friend as they walked past Alex. "She could do so much better."
"I know. She's beautiful and kind. She deserves someone better than that attention-grabbing bastard," his friend agreed.
Alex furrowed his brow, wondering who they were referring to. Steve nudged him, snapping him out of his daze, and they hurried to join the rest of the Aerospace boys.
"Alex," Philip's voice cracked slightly, a tinge of apprehension evident. Confusion filled Alex's eyes until Joe turned his head, directing his gaze in the right direction, and Alex's world shattered.
There, before him, stood Matthew McCall—his sworn nemesis—holding the hand of HIS girl, laughing amongst his friends.
Sarah looked extremely uncomfortable, her gaze fixated on the floor. She hadn't uttered a word the entire time.
Matthew grinned triumphantly at his friends and casually wrapped his arm around Sarah's shoulders. "Can you believe it? We're together now," he said, gripping Sarah's hand and planting a kiss on her fingertips. "Hmm, baby?"
Alex felt a surge of anger, a burning desire to unleash his fury on Matthew. He wanted to hurl something at him, or perhaps find a knife and teach that damn bastard a lesson. Who cared if he ended up in prison?
Without thinking, Alex forcefully pushed Matthew away from Sarah, causing her to stumble and fall clumsily to the ground. Wordlessly, he took her hand and pulled her along, disregarding her protests as he swiftly guided her into the nearest vacant classroom. He locked the door behind them, ensuring their privacy and shielding them from prying eyes.
Turning to her, Alex's eyes were filled with a mix of fury and disbelief. Sarah cowered, regretting her decision but realizing she had no other way to resolve this situation.
"What the hell are you doing?" Alex cursed, his words punctuated with raw emotion. "Why are you allowing that bastard touch you and kiss your hands?"
Sarah flinched, her gaze still fixed on the ground. "Matthew and I are together now," she whispered.
The ground beneath Alex seemed to give way. He had dared not believe the words that came out of Matthew's mouth, but hearing them from Sarah shattered him completely.
"What are you talking about?" Alex shook her, his voice laced with desperation. "Sarah, you can't do this! This is Matthew McCall! The bastard who tormented you throughout high school, and now you're with him? Damn it!"
Sarah bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes, as Matthew pounded on the door, demanding to see his girlfriend. Alex blocked out the commotion and stared at her intensely. "He said he was mean to me because he likes me and doesn't know how to show it," Sarah weakly protested.
"Seriously? That's a load of crap," Alex shot back, not skipping a beat. "If that guy supposedly likes you, what about me? Sarah, I'm head over heels for you. I love you to the moon and back, damn it! Why are you doing this?" Frustration etched on his face, he ran his fingers through his hair, still reeling from the shock.
In a barely audible whisper, Sarah replied, "I've already told you, Alex. It's just not meant to be between us. You should let me go and start loving Deliah."
Alex's eyes widened, and he stared at Sarah as though he was seeing her for the first time. "So, this is what it all boils down to? Deliah? Is your entire life revolved around Deliah?" he exclaimed, shaking her gently and leaning his forehead against hers. "What about you, Sarah? What about me? What about us?" he pleaded, his voice laced with desperation. "Please, don't do this to us. You can't shatter what we have. It's too precious, too extraordinary. We share something extraordinary. Please, don't throw it away."
Tears streamed down Sarah's face as she locked eyes with Alex. Deep down, she knew she loved him too, but she couldn't bear to inflict any more pain on him. "I'm sorry, Alex," she whispered, pulling away from him. "I have to go."
Helpless, Alex watched as Sarah walked away from his life, wondering if he would ever find love again. He knew, though, that his love for her would never waver. But for now, he had to gather the broken fragments of his heart and move on.
A lump formed in Sarah's throat as Alex begged her to reconsider. She wanted nothing more than to embrace him and confess her love, but she knew deep down it wasn't meant to be.
"Alex, there's nothing between us," she whispered, her voice trembling. "There never has been, and there never will be. There is no 'us'."
Alex flinched at her words. "You can't mean that," he choked out. "Sarah, your actions speak louder than your words. You wouldn't be acting like this if you didn't feel something for me."
He gently wiped away a tear from her cheek, and Sarah felt her resolve weakening. Yet she knew she couldn't give in. "You wouldn't be suffering like I am if you didn't love me back," he pressed on. "Those pained, soulful eyes of yours, the way you blush, the unconscious lean towards me when I touch you. Sarah, you love me. Please, don't run away from what we share."
Sarah's heart raced as she gazed up at him, feeling a surge of emotion. *I love you, I love you so dam*n much. But I can't be with you.* She said inwardly.
"I'm sorry. I think you've misunderstood," Sarah said softly, taking a step back, her eyes filled with a mix of sadness and determination. "I'm currently in a relationship with Matthew. It would be best if you respected that and kept your distance, Alex. I mean what I said before—don't hurt Deliah. If there's nothing else..."
Alex held her gaze for a lingering moment, his expression reflecting pain and disappointment, before he turned and walked away. Sarah watched him go, her heart breaking, yet knowing deep down that she had made the right choice.
She sidestepped Alex and made her way to the door, inhaling deeply and wiping away her tears before opening it. In stumbled Matthew, his eyes immediately fixating on Sarah and Alex, the latter lost in his own thoughts. Matthew's face contorted with concern as he took Sarah's hand. "Baby, did he hurt you?" he asked, his voice filled with worry.
"No," Sarah shook her head, determined to keep her composure. He never will, she thought resolutely. She forced a smile. "Let's go, Matthew. We're running late for class."
"Okay," Matthew replied, his gaze lingering on Alex with a hint of doubt before he followed Sarah, trusting her lead.
The group of Aerospace boys approached Alex cautiously, discreetly closing the door behind them to shield their conversation from the curious onlookers. "Alex, are you alright?" Joe asked, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.
Alex spun around, his features contorted with rage. "Damn it!" he exclaimed, delivering a forceful kick to the nearby table. "Shit! Asshole! Bastard! Rot in hell, Matthew McCall!"
Brad released a weary sigh, shaking his head disapprovingly.
Alex abruptly halted, his hands clenched tightly, and he struggled to catch his breath. "There's something she's hiding from me," he muttered. "I refuse to believe that any sister would sacrifice everything for her sibling like this, unless there's something she's keeping from me."
Alex nodded thoughtfully. "I've known Sarah for quite some time now. The way she talks, the phrases she uses when she's distressed... It's evident that she's concealing something from all of us. I need to uncover the truth."
"Only by discovering what's keeping her away from me can I compel her to reveal what she truly feels," he declared, a resolute gleam in his eyes.
"So, you're not giving up, huh?" David smirked.
Alex turned towards his friends, his expression resolute. "I wasn't lying when I said that," he stated firmly. "I will never let her slip away."