It Takes More

“Alex?” I asked breathlessly when I saw his form standing in the doorway while Marla tried uselessly to shut the door.

“Elena! I need to talk to you,” Alex called into the apartment as he fought off Marla’s attempts to close the door.

“Marla, let him in,” I said slowly, my gaze still locked on his.

“Are you sure, Elena?” she asked, skeptical.

I nodded, still not breaking my gaze. “Yeah, let him in.”

“Okay,” she said slowly. “But I reserve the right to kick him out at any moment. And don’t think I won’t,” she said, turning to glare at Alex.

He nodded minutely his eyes still trained on my own. “What’re you doing here?” I asked, not making a move to step any farther into the room.

He tentatively took a step forward. “I needed to talk to you.” I remained quiet, waiting for him to begin. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed, no sound escaping his lips.

Finally, I broke eye contact, rolling my eyes. “Is that all?”

“Elena, I’m sorry,” he spoke. “I love you, I do. Can we start over?”

“I thought you said you couldn’t?” I asked, my eyes turning hard as he contradicted our previous conversation. “If you came here just to mess with my head, then you can leave,” I stated harshly, turning to retreat farther into my apartment.

“No, wait!” he called desperately. “I’m sorry I said that. I only did because Jack told me to stay away from you, to give you some space. That you’d be better off without me,” he confessed.

When I turned back around, his head hung, his eyes cast on the floor. “And you believed him?”

He looked up then, a ghost of a smile making its presence. “At the time, yes. You said that you were over me, that you didn’t love me anymore. And you had a boyfriend. So figured he had to be right. You had this whole new life out here. Without me.”

“I only moved out here, and created this life, so I could try to get over you,” I confessed. “I thought it was working, too. But then you showed up, and it all fell apart.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Maybe I needed to see you. Maybe I needed to realize once and for all that it was useless to hold on to you.” My eyes were now the ones downcast, focused on the rug at my feet.

“What if it wasn’t?” he asked, causing me to lift an eyebrow as I looked at him. “What if holding on finally brought us back together? I know I screwed up, more than once. And I don’t deserve you in the least. But I need you.”

“Alex, please don’t,” I sighed.

“Please just listen to what I’m saying, Lee.” He crossed the room, his hands grasping my own. “I love you, Lee. I promise never to hurt you again. I swear on my life. No, Jack’s life. Please, just give us another chance,” he begged, one hand reaching to lift my chin, making me meet his eyes.

“You promise?” I asked, my voice small.

He nodded, a smile overtaking his face. “I promise, Lee.” He closed the distance between us, his lips brushing over mine tentatively. “I promise,” he breathed.

I sighed into the kiss. It wasn’t mind-blowing or Earth shattering, but it was sweet and brimming with love and passion. I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck as I drew him closer still. “I love you,” I breathed between short, sweet kisses.

“I don’t hear screaming or yelling anymore,” Marla called down the hall. “You didn’t kill him, did you? ‘Cause, you know, blood is really hard to get out of a carpet. Not that I’d mind if you did. That fucker deserved it!”

“Calm down, Mar.” I laughed as she peeked her head around the corner. “I didn’t kill him.”

“Then what are you two doing?” she asked slowly.

I peeked at Alex, finding him smiling down at me. He snaked his hands around my waist, drawing my close again. “What we should have done a long time ago,” Alex answered, leaning down to capture my lips in his own. Pulling away, I wrapped my arms around Alex and buried my head in his chest.

I was content in that moment. I had my best friend back. I had Alex back. And the only words that made since in my mind in that second were an echo of my realization so long ago. I love him.