The Road Ahead of Us

When morning rolled around, Alex and Isabelle didn't mention what had happened the night before between them. They were civil and tried to stay out of the others way as much as possible as they got ready to go.

"Hey, lovebirds. You two hungry?" Zack asked them as soon as they joined the group at the van.

"I'm starving." Isabelle spoke, rubbing her stomach. Everyone smiled and agreed to walk to the Denny's across the street before heading out to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"Let's go to the bathroom, Iz." Kara said, grabbing her hand and pulling her away from everyone else as they waited for their table in the basically empty diner, towards the small bathroom in the back. "Alright, spill. What's going on with you and Alex?" Kara pushed as soon as the door shut behind them.

"There isn't anything going on with Alex and I." Isabelle answered, going to sit on the counter in between the two sinks.

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean? What about last night?" Kara's eyes were full of concern. All anyone wanted was for the two of them to just be back together already. Everything had been so perfect when they were together, Alex was always so happy and carefree. They wanted them to have that back.

"I just... I can't be with Alex right now." Isabelle explained.

"And why on earth not? You were with him for four years, what's different now?" Kara pushed, leaning up against the wall beside the door.

"I want to be completely over Adam before I get with anyone, even Alex. I need to be sure that I'm not just using him as a rebound. And the same with him and Carrie. I don't want us to be just using each other to get over our last relationships." Kara rolled her eyes at Isabelle. Isabelle was her best girl friend but some times Kara just couldn't stand her, her decisions were always so stupid and she over thought things. But then, that's part of the reason that Kara loved her, too.

"Oh, Isabelle. You and Alex are meant to be together. Everyone can see that except you. Even Alex knows it and wants it. Yes, he cared for Carrie but I haven't seen him shed one tear over her leaving. He has been more concerned about you. Why can't you see that you are his world? You always have been and you always will be. He only got with Carrie because he just wanted to feel something again. He hated waiting around for you to return. Carrie was his rebound for you, there is no way you could ever be the rebound for her." Kara explained. Isabelle sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"That may be the case, Kara, but Adam wasn't like that for me. I love Adam and I am so hurt by what happened. I will not get with Alex until I am certain that I am with him because I want to be with him and just just be with someone to get over the pain. Do you understand?" Isabelle pleaded with Kara who sighed and nodded.

"Yes, I do. Alex though, doesn't. He may say he does but he's taking this as you want Adam more than him. It's the break up all over again." Isabelle looked down at her hands, picking at a lose thread in her ripped jeans.

"How do you know that?" She asked her best friend quietly, earning a sigh from the girl.

"I can see it in his face, Izzy. All he wants is to wrap his arms around you and never let you go. You heard him last night, he said that this was how it was supposed to be. He looks like a wounded puppy now." Isabelle jumped down from the counter, her boots causing a light smack on the tiles.

"Well I'm sorry, Kara. I did what I had to do. I care for Alex, a lot, it's impossible for me not to. I'm just doing whats best for me right now." Isabelle told her, making Kara nod.

"Alright, fine." With that the girls turned and exited the bathroom, finding that everyone had been seated. Isabelle took the open seat beside Alex while Kara took the seat next to her, Rian on Kara's other side.

"You two have a nice little chat?" Alex leaned over to whisper in Isabelle's ear.

"We just went to the bathroom." Isabelle responded, making Alex roll his eyes but smile none the less.

"Us guys aren't as stupid as you think. We do know that when two girls go to the bathroom together they are really going to talk about something." Alex told her, making Isabelle laugh. She reached up and pushed back a strand of hair that had fallen out of the updo she had done earlier that morning.

"Alright, so we were having some girl talk. So what?" Alex's grin widened.

"What did you talk about? Was it about Rian?" Alex pushed. Isabelle rolled her eyes. "Or was it about my sexy good looks?"

"More or less the second one. Kara is in love with you, she just can't resist. She wanted to okay it with me before she jumped your bones." Isabelle got some satisfaction when Alex's eyes widened a fraction before he laughed.

"Why would she have to okay it with you? Not like we are together, right?" Alex grumbled quietly turning to look back at his menu as Isabelle bit her bottom lip, looking down as well.

The rest of breakfast was spent in awkward silence between the two. They talked only when needed, like when Alex needed the salt, which was to Isabelle's right and out of Alex's reach or when Isabelle needed a napkin, the pile of which was beside Alex.

When they got back to the van, Isabelle offered to drive. She figured Alex would sit in the back, away from her but he climbed into the passengers seat, smiling at her softly while everyone else climbed in behind them.

About five hours after they departed, Isabelle stopped for gas, everyone else apart from her and Alex were fast asleep.

"Do you want anything to drink or snack on?" He asked her while she pumped the gas. He had come around to her side of the car, leaning up against the drivers side door.

"A sprite and some chex mix would be amazing right now." She told him, making him laugh and nod.

"I'll be right back then." She nodded and continued to pump the gas. When she finished, she ventured inside to pay for the gas, finding that Alex was still browsing the isles.

"You take forever." She said, stepping up behind him. He hadn't heard her so he jumped about a mile in the air, dropping the bag of MnMs he had in his hand.

"Fuck, Iz. Way to scare a man." He told her after seeing that it was her. She laughed and picked up his dropped candy.

"Sorry, Lex." He smiled down at her.

"I forgive you, on one condition." His smile turned into a cocky smirk, one that Isabelle once knew very well.

"Oh yeah?" She questioned, making him nod and reach forward to place his hands on her waist while her arms went around his neck. "And that condition would be?"

"You go out to dinner with me tonight. Just the two of us." He answered, pulling her close.

"I think I can deal with that." She hated what he did to her. She was like putty in his hands. Whatever he wanted, all he had to do was put his hands on her and give her that smirk and she was his.

"Good." He quickly leaned down and pecked her lips before stepping back. He took the candy from her hand, turned to grab the bag of chex mix she wanted and went to grab the drinks while she stood there, her hand going up to her lips. He made her knees weak with just a peck on the lips.

Oh the things he did to her....
She hated him for it. But felt herself falling for that charm all over again...