Alexander was watching TV when he heard somebody knocked on the door. He checked and was surprised who was on the other side. He greeted the person when he answered the door.
"Charles, it's late. What are you doing here? Should you be in your honeymoon?" Alexander surprisingly said.
"Yeah, well I still have time to spend. I would like to catch up with Alex, if you don't mind." Charles casually said.
"She's in the shower. Would you like to come inside and wait for her?" Alexander suggested.
"I guess that will be fine but I would like to talk with her outside when she's done." Charles answered.
"Ok." A hint of disappointment crossed Alexander's face. He wouldn't expect his brother here in his wedding night but Alex was his friend after all. He was worried about what could happen between their catching up.
Alex heard a knock on the main door when she was finished taking her shower. She was about to take the hair blower when she heard Alexander greeted the person.
"Charles, it's late..."
When she heard the name, her world turned blurry. Her hand was hanging midway and she stayed like a statue when she vaguely heard the conversation.
"I would like to catch up with Alex..."
She breath heavily. Her heart rattled so fast that she almost fell to her knees while her hair is dripping on the floor. She heard Alexander let the person in and they both were waiting for the person inside the washroom. She was so nervous she made up an excuse that she did not hear anything. She called Alexander,
"Alexander, Will you turn around when I come out and change."
She just realized how silly her request was. She dreadfully blurted out her frustration, face palming her self and bravely started the blower to dry her hair.
Both men were stunned at her request.
"I think she knows you are here. She may heard our conversation." Alexander broke the silence.
Charles looked at him and said,
"If she request you or us to turn around, we must do it. Otherwise she will be embarrassed and Monique would not want that." Charles said.
"Monique does not know you are here?" Alexander curiously asked.
"She knows. I have a reason to be here." Charles said.
"And that would be...?" Alexander asked.
Both men stopped talking when they heard the bathroom door opened. They turned their backs and watched TV.
"Alex, I would like to catch up with you. Can you join me outside?"
Alexander started breathing heavily. He was so nervous he was not moving.
Alex stared at Charles back and said,
"Ok. I'm going to start dressing up and sorry if it will take long." Alex said.
"Take your time." Charles answered.
Alexander sat there like a statue. His nervousness heightened and his hands started to tremble. His thoughts running wild. His heart pounded so strong as if his eardrums will explode. As soon as he was feeling uneasy, Charles glanced at him.
"Alexander, are you alright?" Charles asked.
His thoughts were cut off when he felt Alex's hand tapped his shoulders. He glanced at her and she smiled at him. He felt touched at that moment.
"He's going to be fine, aren't you Alexander? Alex answered. She looked at him, reassured him with a smile and glanced at Charles. She felt the awkwardness from these 2.
"Let's go." Alex said. She glanced at Charles and she took Alexander's hand and said, "I will be coming back. You don't have to worry. I have your number." She smiled at him.
Her words brought warmth in his heart and her gesture says she cares for him. Alexander felt deeply touched. He looked at her face and smiled back.
"Please excuse us, we will leave now." Charles said.
"Ok. See you soon." Alexander said.
The door closed and Alexander remained glued to the TV while Alex' words echoed in his mind.
Outside...
Charles lead them to the dock and found a bench to sit in. He stared at the vast area of the sea. His eyes wondered through the darkness and his emotions started to pour in. He looked at Alex's direction and started to calm himself down. He saw Alex took a seat one foot apart from him and felt his heart ache. There was so many things he wanted to say to her now before everything turns sour for him. He needed to get it out of his chest rather than keeping it and end up harming himself more. His eyes started to form crystals but he tried to contain them and looked away so that Alex would not notice.
Seeing Charles in distraught was rather odd to her. She used to look at him and a smile will be painted in his face. He used to be so happy when they were playing as playdates and when they grew, he was always there for her. Until that faithful day, everything changed. He would not communicate with her and he let her out of his life completely in which she took the heartbreak and starting moving on. It was not easy since there was no closure of what had happened. She hinted that she professed it to Monique and he was there to witness it. It was rather awkward but she moved on because she saw him married today. She wanted to start the conversation rather than the screaming silence enveloping them.
"How was today? I am happy for you and congratulations to you and Monique." She said.
There was no movement from Charles. Suddenly he turned to her and looked into her eyes and gulped.
"Thanks. I never knew you would come. I was surprised you would come and you came with Alexander." He hid his pain and answered her.
"I am just happy to see you again considering 2 years has past. I'm sorry if I had done things to you. I distanced myself and never wanted to talk to you because..."
His voice trailed off and she was so flustered, she answered him back.
"No, I was the one who drove our friendship around. I know what happened was now in the past and I know my feelings for you had broken my heart this past years but I moved on. I was so happy when I saw how you looked at Monique." Alex's voice sounded hoarse. She could not contain her feelings anymore. She wanted to control it before anything happens.
"I am aware you are married but catching up with you after 2 years is such a delight. I am so happy you talked to me in such a long time. I wondered if Monique makes you happy." Alex pondered her thoughts to suppress her feelings.
"Oh, yes. She does make me happy. She really is a woman whom I can adore and pamper so much as she can be a wonderful wife." He looked at Alex and stared at her.
She felt his eyes staring at her. She sensed his words were so strong it hit her. Her eyes was really going to pour rain in a matter of seconds. The hurt was all going back at her at once.
'I thought I had moved on but why do I feel this way. It's so painful hearing him say those words. I felt a knife piercing through me with every word coming out from his mouth. Why does it hurt so much?'
Her eyes were going blurry when she was interrupted by Charles voice.
"Are you alright, Alex?" Charles sounded concern. He wanted to drew himself close to her and hug her but people might misunderstand him. He was married after all. Monique might catch them and it will make a huge commotion since they just exchanged vows today.
"I am here to tell you that..." Charles voice trailed off.
Alex looked at him and she did not let him notice her pain. She stared at him and smiled.
"I'm fine now but what are you going to say to me?" Alex innocently said.
"Don't take it the wrong way but I..."
Alex breathed heavily and she was about to pant. She was nervous and scared at the same time.
What will he say to her?