Time Bomb

I was woken up by the sounds of Alex talking to someone on the phone, he sounded like he was trying to keep calm, and the person on the other line seemed aggravated, or mad. I began to stir, and yawned loudly to let Alex know I was awake, then he quickly disconnected the phone call. I sat up and stretched out, then looked over at Alex with a wide smile, only to get nothing in return. He was shaking his head, running his fingers through his messy hair.

“What's wrong Alex?” I asked, reaching out to grab his hand.

“The papz, that's what's wrong.” I grew wide eyed.

“What do you mean?” I asked again, growing concerned.

“The paparazzi were following the both of us, and caught us arguing and kissing in the snow, along with us running back to my house.” My eyes at this point were bugging out of my head, I was fucked.

“Pictures or video?” I asked, he sighed.

“Both.” I cursed under my breath, and pulled the sheets to cover me up, and wrapped them tightly around me.

“What do we do?” He shrugged. I sighed, and began checking my phone. I had numerous missed calls and unread text messages from Nikolai, demanding that I talk to him immediately. I knew I was fucked. My phone had been on silent the whole night.

“What's wrong Sophie?” Alex asked, rubbing my back.

“Nikolai, that's what's wrong.” He growled a bit, and stood up, taking my phone from me.

“Hey! Give that back!” He held my phone above his head, a teasing smile on his face.

“Come get it shorty.” I glared at him and stood up, one hand securing the sheets around my naked body and the other reaching towards Alex's hand, trying to get my phone.

“C'mon, you can reach it.” He was taunting me, and it was getting on my nerves. He was waving the phone in the air, and hopping side to side on his feet, making it harder for me to get my phone.

“Alex! Give me my phone!” I screeched, and he shook his head.

“No, no phone. You're fiance keeps messing with you, making it less fun to be home. The only time you're allowed to use your phone is to call your publisher, your editor, or your manager.” I frowned, then nodded.

“Fine,” I looked at him for a moment, and finally took in his appearance. Since I had been asleep, he had showered away the smell of sweat and sex, then pulled on a pair of jeans that showed the top of his boxers. I was glad he atleast stayed half naked for me.

He took my phone, then shoved it in his jean pocket, then kissed my forehead.

“Now, I know you have a book signing today, so I had someone bring over some clothes. You can go shower and get ready, because you leave in an hour.” I sighed and nodded, then kissed his cheek before going over to his bathroom for the second time today. I was quick with the shower, and once I got out and I blow dried my hair, and used Alex's straightener to style my hair. I went into his bedroom, and found my bag from the night before and grabbed my make up bag and went back into the bathroom and put on some foundation, blush, mascara, and eyeliner. I didn't bother with lip color, I decided to wear my Burts Bees chapstick instead. I went back into the bedroom, and found my clothes neatly folded on the bed, which had been sloppily made, and noticed Alex had left the room. I smiled to my self, and looked at the clothes that had been picked out.

It was a red flannel shirt, with a white tank top to go underneath, and a pair of light gray skinny jeans. I smiled and quickly got dressed, I put on my underwear, then started pulling the jeans up to my hips and buttoning and zipping them up, then putting on my bra from the night before and slipped into the white tank top, and buttoned up the flannel shirt. When I started looking for my shoes, I smiled when I found my black UGGS. I smiled and put them on over my jeans, and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked okay, but I felt better than ever. I was smiling a lot, I felt pure joy inside. Maybe it was because I had slept with Alex? But we weren't together, and soon enough I would be going back to California, back to Nikolai and I would have to tell him the truth.

But, what would happen to Alex and I? I was unsure, but nonetheless I went downstairs, a skip in my step and saw that Alex was talking on the phone again. I snuck up behind him, and covered his eyes with my hands.

“Guess who?” I whispered into his ear. He spun around quickly, his eyes wide and his face full of shock.

“What's wrong Alex?” I asked, and he sighed.

“Nikolai is on the phone.” I grew wide eyed, and stared at the phone for a bit.

“You've been talking to him?” He nodded.

“What did you say?” I asked quietly.

“Nothing yet, just that you were taking a shower.” I nodded and took the phone from him, and once I said hello I got a bunch of yelling on the other line. I had to pull the phone away from my ear so I wouldn't bust an ear drum. He was telling me that I was a fuck up, that I would never amount to anything, and that I needed to come home.

“I can't come home,” I told him. I reminded him that I had duties up here, and he just started yelling at me. Telling me I must be cheating on him, because of 'that Alex dude' answered my phone instead of me, and that I hadn't texted him back or returned any of his calls.

“Nikolai, nothing's going on. Last night I was just at my brothers show. I was at a bar, I got drunk and my phone was on silent. I'm sorry okay? Just calm down.” He didn't calm down, he only got angrier. He was threatening to come up to Maryland to watch over me, to make sure I wasn't whoring around.

“I'm not a fucking whore okay! Just shut up!” He was yelling at me, and I was yelling at him. This was normal for me, but it obviously wasn't normal for Alex.

“I saw those pictures of you and Alex, you are cheating on me. They're all over the internet.” I growled.

“Yeah, I'm cheating on you. You know why?”

“Why?”

“Because, I don't love you. You don't love me. You're a bad kisser, you suck in bed, and I've never once had an orgasm with you. I learned to fake it so you would think you were good. But you're not. But you know what? I love Alex.

And he loves me, we love each other. And guess what else? He's an amazing kisser, and he's fucking amazing in bed. I actually get off with him. You suck Nikolai. You're an annoying, fucking sadistic asshole. We're over.” I hung the phone up, and turned it off with a loud annoyed, aggravated scream.

“Wow, what a speech.” Alex clapped his hands, and smiled at me as he sat against the back of the couch, his legs slightly crossed and his arms resting behind his head.

“And, I'm an amazing kisser?” I rolled my eyes.

“Come on Alex, I need to get to my book signing.”

-----

After the book signing, and talking with some fans we decided to go out to eat. Of course the paparazzi were following us, but we didn't care. We held hands, and we walked into our favorite Mexican restaurant, and got a table by the windows, just so the paparazzi could see. We wanted them to see almost, just so they could get what they wanted. Jack Barakat's baby sister with his best friend. It was a great story to them, it was a great story. We ate and talked and laughed. We held each others hands, and feed each other samples of the different foods we ate, and once we were finished with dinner we split some fried ice cream. It was the greatest thing in my life, spending time with Alex like this.

“Alex?” He looked up at me, and smiled.

“Yeah, Sophie?” I sighed.

“What are we?” I asked, and he grew wide eyed.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, are we fuck buddies or are we, like. Together?” He twisted his face, seeming disgusted. I looked down, disappointed.

“I guess we're just fuck buddies.” He squeezed my hand, and I looked up at him, holding back tears.

“No, we're not just fuck buddies. I would never want you to be that to me.” I cocked an eyebrow.

“So then, what are we?” He shrugged/

“I guess we're together.” I grew wide eyed.
“We are?” He nodded.

“But, first I have to ask you something.”

“What?” He grabbed my left hand, and took the ring off and set it on the other side of the table.

“Sophie Leigh Barakat, will you be my girlfriend?” I laughed, and nodded.

“Of course,” He leaned over the table, and kissed my lips. The paparazzi went crazy, snapping photo after photo. I was so excited, this was the best thing ever.

I had gotten the boy I had wanted for years, and I couldn't have been any happier.

“And Sophie?” I looked up at him, and smiled.

“Hm?”

“I love you.” I smiled wide, and kissed his lips.

“I love you too.”

It was in that moment, that I had remembered the song he had played at the bar. Time Bomb, their new song. I felt like we were a time bomb, destined to explode. We exploded, again and again and again. Every time we kissed, every time we touched, every time we looked into each others eyes we exploded. But, that's what it was like. We were like a time bomb.