The Road Ahead of Us

"What are you doing?" Alex asked his girlfriend when he stepped into her bedroom the next afternoon. The couple had come that morning to tell Kara the news of the engagement but the apartment was quiet and empty when they arrived. A text from Kara cleared up that her and Lisa had gone out for lunch. Kara had no idea of what happened with Lisa and Alex and Lisa didn't know that Isabelle knew. Isabelle had rushed to her room and was now ripping off the red sheets that Alex had bought for her when she had moved in.

"I plan on burning these." She told him, gathering up the pile of bedclothes.

"Um.." Alex started. "Why?" Isabelle stopped and faced him, her hands resting on her hips.

"You really think I can sleep in sheets that you fucked another girl in? Every time I see these sheets, even this room, all I think about is my fiancé with another women. I just can't deal with that so these sheets have to go." She explained.

"I'm sorry. I'll buy you new sheets." Alex told her but she shook her head. She gathered up the sheets and left the room, making Alex follow. She went across the living room and out to the back deck. "You are really going to burn them?" He questioned her as she stuffed the sheets in the barbeque grill. She simply nodded and reached for the lighter fluid, covering the sheets with it. "That's a little drastic, don't you think?"

"No, Alex," Isabelle told him as she reached for the matches. "I don't. I took you back, forgave you, agreed to marry you," She lifted her left hand to show the diamond ring glistening on her finger. "Let me deal with this how I want to. Burning the sheets you fucked her in is my first step." With that she turned back to the grill and lit a match.

She looked down at the sheets for a second before tossing the match onto the lighter fluid covered fabric which instantly burst into flames. Isabelle took a step back and watched the sheets burn, crossing her arms over her chest. Alex sighed and stepped over to her, sliding his arm around her waist as they watched the flames.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, pressing his lips to her temple. She lifted her head and gave him a soft smile.

"I know." She reached up on her toes to give him a soft kiss.

"So this is the first step, what are the others?" He questioned as they turned back to the dying flames.

"Beat the shit out of Lisa, is one. The next is kick her out of the apartment, and another is keep you on a very short leash for the next few weeks." She explained making him laugh.

"I'm oddly alright with all of that." He told her making her smile. He couldn't help but feel his heart speed up at the site of her smile. For a thankfully short moment he thought he had lost her but somehow, by some miracle, she forgave him. She easily could have done what she had with Adam after he cheated on her but she had faith in Alex. She needed him just as much as he needed her.

"Iz?" They heard Kara call from the living room as her and Lisa entered the apartment.

"Will you do me a favor, Alex?" Isabelle asked, turning to look at him.

"Of course." He answered instantaneously, making her smile.

"Can we mess with Lisa? I want to rub it her face that we are getting married." Alex laughed at his fiancées words.

"Babe, I had no idea you could be so mean." She simply shrugged.

"No one tries to take my man." With that she walked into the living room, Alex following.

"What were you two doing out there?" Kara asked as they all sat around the living room. Alex pulled Isabelle as close as possible to him and kissed the side of her face, making her grin.

"Oh, nothing." Isabelle answered. "We have news though!" She exclaimed, not able to keep it in any longer.

"Oh yeah?" Kara questioned, giving her friends a soft smile. Lisa sulked in the chair beside the couch, her arms crossed over her chest and her mouth twisted as if she had just sucked on a lemon.

"Very amazing news if I must say so myself." Alex said, grinning. He leaned over and connected lips with Isabelle quickly, making her smile.

"Well? What is it?" Kara pushed while Lisa rolled her eyes.

"Well..." Isabelle looked up at Alex who smiled down at her. "Alex has-"

"Cheated on you with me." Lisa cut the blonde off. Kara gasped and looked at Alex, her eyes wide. It shocked her to see both Isabelle and Alex still grinning as if Lisa hasn't spoken. "Did you hear me? Alex and I slept together." Lisa pushed.

"Yes, Lisa. I am aware. You see, a soon as Alex woke up beside you, horrified, he came to me. He told me everything, begged me not to leave him, pleaded for forgiveness, and then... he proposed to me." Isabelle explained, raising her left hand to show the ring. She watched with satisfaction as Lisa's jaw dropped open.

"He proposed?!" She exclaimed, making the couple nod.

"That's so amazing!" Kara yelled before reaching over to take Isabelle's hand and examine the ring closer. "The ring is gorgeous, Alex." She told him.

"I've actually had that ring since I was a senior in high school." Alex admitted. Isabelle gasped and turned to look at Alex.

"Seriously?!" She asked, making him laugh and nod.

"That's how long I've wanted to marry you." He told her.

"Oh, Alex." She gushed. She reached up and pressed her lips to his, bringing her right hand up to get lost in his hair as he kissed her back.

"So the fact that he fucked me means nothing to you? He cheated on you, Isabelle." Lisa's words made the couple pull apart and look at her.

"No, Lisa. It means a lot of things. It means that I just got done burning my sheets and need new ones, it means that I got engaged quicker, and it means that you need to get the fuck out of my apartment." Isabelle explained, giving the girl a smug smile. Lisa huffed and stood up.

"You just wait, he will cheat again. He cheated on me numerous times." She spat. Isabelle then too stood up, making the other two stand up as well, ready to hold her back if needed.

"I was with him for 4 years, Lisa. He never once cheated on me then and now I've been back with him for awhile and this is the first mistake he's made. I trust Alex, I'm sorry that he didn't care about you enough to stay faithful." Lisa's eyes narrowed at Isabelle who just continued to smile back.

"You are a bitch." Lisa spat.

"And you need to get out of my apartment. You are no longer allowed here." Isabelle told her but Lisa stood her ground.

"You know, Alex, as soon as you get tired of her and want someone who can actually have your children, give me a call." That tipped Isabelle over the edge, before Kara or Alex even realized what had happened, Isabelle charged at Lisa. She grabbed her by the neck and slammed her into the wall behind her.

"You little fucking bitch. How dare you bring that up." Isabelle screamed in her face. The two glared at each other.

"Why don't you just go back to California? It was nicer here without you." Lisa said. Isabelle's glare intensified.

"Why don't you go find another man to prey on? Mine doesn't want you."

"That's not what he said the other night. He said he wanted me, not you." Isabelle blood boiled as she remembered the voicemail message from Alex. He had spoken those words. "Oh, you know I'm right, don't you?"

"Shut the fuck up." Isabelle growled. She pulled the small girl away from the wall before slamming her straight back into it. "You are just a jealous little bitch. Alex wants to marry me, he begged me to marry him, not you."

"We'll see how long that lasts." Lisa said with a smile, struggling against Isabelle's tight grip on her neck.

"Get your shit and leave before I beat the shit out of you." Isabelle released her and took a few steps back. Lisa glared at her for a second before disappearing into Isabelle's bedroom. The three people stood in silence while they heard her gather her things. She appeared with her bag and gave one last glare before stomping from the apartment.

"Well that was interesting.." Kara finally spoke after another minute of silence. Alex laughed and walked over to Isabelle. He reached around to grasp her waist and pulled her back, dipped her towards the floor and grinned down at her.

"You sure are sexy when you are angry, love." He told her. She rolled her eyes before reaching up to kiss him.

"Thanks for the back up." She told him as he set her back on her feet but kept his hands on her waist.

"You handled yourself pretty well." He insisted. "And like I said, it was sexy."

"Okay, whatever." She told him, rolling her eyes once more. "Come on, you owe me a new pair of sheets." She told him, pulling him towards the door.

"You really burned your sheets?" Kara questioned.

"I sure did." Isabelle answered before walking out of the apartment, a laughing Alex following her.

"Alrighty then." Kara spoke to herself, shaking her head. "I have weird friends.."