Chapter One
High school wasn't a great experience for Scarlett, she was shy and awkward. She never knew what to say to anyone especially not the boy in her English class that she had been crushing on since she first set eyes on him 4 years ago. Little did she know he was crushing just as hard on her but he was too scared to approach her. Today marked her first day of freedom. She had finally done it, she finished school and now she didn't have to worry about talking to all those people everyday anymore. It was summer and all she wanted to do was spend the day with her best friend. She and Kimberly had been best friends for years and today they were going to be just like every other 18 year old fresh out of school for the summer, they were on the beach sun baking with drinks in hand. They had been talking about all the things they wanted to do that summer before they had to face their first year as adults. Just then her phone buzzed. It was a message from Alex. How did he have her number? she thought to herself, even better question why was he messaging her? Of all the girls they had gone to school with she was by far not the prettiest one their. She had always been thin but not supermodel thin like the other girls. She was sporty and her build reflected that, she had been doing gymnastics and ballet since she was three. But much to her distaste she had also always had a bit of a pot gut that had never gone away. As she lay there thinking of all the worst things that message could say, she hadn't noticed that Kim had already read it and was in the middle of writing back to him. Kimberly was one of these girls Scarlett had always aspired to be like, and maybe that's why they were such close friends. She was tall, thin and oozed confidence like no tomorrow. Scarlett kept thinking that if only some of her confidence could rub off on her maybe she wouldn't be so terrified to talk to the one person in the world she wanted more than anything. That was when she realized that Kim had already pulled her to her feet, packed up their stuff and they were walking to her car. "Where are we going?" Scarlett asked looking even more puzzled than she felt. "We're taking you home. Weren't you listening to me?" Kimberly smiled a smile Scarlett knew meant there was more to come, "You have a date!" She said as she hurried Scarlett along.
"What do you mean I have a date? With who? Kim are you crazy?" Scarlett may have been an 18 year old girl but she had never been on a date before. What was she meant to do?
"You look hot!" Kim said more exited than ever. "He's not going to know what hit him." She promised Scarlett when she had finished getting her ready for her date ... with Alex. "Why Kim? Why did you do this?" Scarlett asked as her stomach felt like it was tying itself in knots. She was going to be sick.
"I did it because you never would have Scar. I knew if you read that message you wouldn't go. You would have thought it was a joke. So I took it upon myself to accept on your behalf." Kim was looking so smug in this moment, somethings up. Scarlett felt like the whole thing had Kim's name written all over it. She was probably the one who gave him her number to begin with.
Scarlett and Alex were sitting in the theater next to each other. Her stomach was still tying itself in knots. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, she had left it on silent in case she needed to get away quickly so she could call Kim. Alex leaned in closer, "Can I hold your hand?" He whispered in her ear. She could feel herself blush as the knots in her stomach got tighter. She smiled as she nodded to him, giving him much needed relief from his own nerves. As they watched the movie Scarlett felt herself relax into Alex's grip on her hand. She felt safe. The movie finished and the pair walked back to Alex's car still hand in hand. As Alex walked Scarlett to the passenger door he turned to her, almost pinning her against the side of the car. He leaned in closer smiling as he placed his hand on the small of her back pulling her even closer to him, raising his other hand to rest softly on her cheek as she met him for their first kiss. Suddenly the nerves were gone. Scarlett felt a wave of calm rush over her as if this was something she had done a thousand times before. The kiss was gentle, his lips soft as they pressed against hers. As much as he wanted to push for more, to part her lips with his tongue and taste her, Alex knew he needed to take this slow if he wanted any chance of a relationship with her. He pulled away slowly both of them smiling to open the car door for her. As he drove her home she couldn't help but smile resting her head softly on his strong shoulder.
Their first date had played on both of their minds that night as they slept in separate rooms again. Everything had seemed so simple that afternoon, when did it become so complicated? I thought to myself as I made breakfast. Alex walked into the kitchen and grabbed the coffee I had made for him just second ago, as if he had been told it was there. I looked at him in his shirt and jeans looking way too put together for a Saturday morning. "How was drinks with the boys last night?" I asked as I looked puzzled by his outfit.
"Drinks were good, but I don't want to talk about the boys now." He hesitated a little before continuing, "Mum will be here in 30 minutes she's watching Emery for us. I'm taking my wife on a date." Ah, now the hesitation makes sense. He's worried how I'll go leaving Emery.
The grin that had been plastered across his face all morning wasn't budging when I came out of our bathroom ready for our date. "Scar, you look stunning." He whispered as his warm arms slowly slid around my waist. I suddenly didn't want to leave the house. All I wanted was in that moment was his touch, to feel his love around me. His lips grazed my neck as he teased me obviously knowing how much I lusted after him in that moment. And just as soon as he had started he pulled away. "Mum's downstairs with Emery, we should head off." He grinned as his words followed him out of our room and back down to where Emery was playing with his trains. We said goodbye and Alex practically pushed me out of the house. He's sure excited about something.
The Drive was short, I had no idea where we were going until I saw it. The waterfall was great, but the picnic he had set up was gorgeous. "When did you have time to do all of this?" I asked curiously as he helped me down the rocks to where he had arranged candles and blankets on the grass near the water.
"I didn't." He smirked back at me, "I got quite chatty last night with the boys and Ben decided we need a distraction from everything. So I told them everything I could think of that you might like and they came down this morning and set everything up for me. I was so nervous. I didn't know what you would think. You haven't left Emery since it happened."
"Since we loft our baby you mean?" I interrupted him. Even if he couldn't say the words I knew they finally needed to be said between the two of us.
"Yes, exactly. I'm so sorry that I put you through that. And I am even more sorry that I haven't been here to support you." He looked like he was going to cry now. I hate seeing him like this.
"Alex I wish I could say that I'm sorry as well. But I'm just not. I'm sorry that it happened, and that I had to go threw that pain. But I'm not sorry for anything that's happened since then. I don't under stand what I did wrong but I know that if you want to give it a go, I want us to be how we were before. It's going to take a hell of a lot of effort from both of us. And I know that I'm not going to let you treat me like I don't exist any more. We both need to talk to each other again." I was ready to let all my frustrations out now if he was ready to talk about it. It's been three months I'm ready for us to be a family again.
"I know." He was looking at me like I stole his beer or something. "I want us to be better. I mean it when I say I got chatty last night. Ben didn't realize how bad things were, I never let on. I hadn't told them about the baby until last night. I couldn't bring myself to say the words. I knew what he started asking questions it was gonna be a long night. I actually stopped drinking about 10 so that I would be able to function today. They all had a go at me and They told me you should have walked out on me by now for how I was treating you. Ben actually said that if he had been sleeping in the spare room Mel would have kicked him out after two weeks and I should count my lucky stars you haven't"
That got a giggle out of me. "Don't get me wrong, I am in no way saying that that very thought has not crossed my mind in the past few months. But I don't want to loose you and I think that is the only reason you weren't thrown out on your ass. But this is going to take more than just an I'm sorry to make things right again. We are both going to have to put a lot energy to this relationship. More than we ever did before."
"I know baby, and I'm starting today. I want this more than anything. I want you to give me another chance. I love you Scarlett." He sounds so sincere, I can feel the love in his words.
I shuffle closer to him on the blanket so I can snake my arms around his neck. Looking right into his eyes as I say, "I love you too Alex."
"Oh Alex, I don't think I told you how much I love this. It's beautiful!" My face felt flush as I could feel myself blushing, it had been so long since we had been alone like this. The picnic was wonderful and I enjoyed talking to my husband again, but his mates had more ideas than we bargained for as they rocked up with drink for us. Although to my surprise they didn't bother me. I was having fun, and Alex hadn't left my side all morning, something we hadn't done for a long time. Ben made sure the boys didn't push me to talk if I didn't want to and Alex made sure I was never alone. It really was a long overdue catch up with everyone. I was almost sad when we had to get back to the house but the thought of seeing my little man again ruled out any other emotion at that point. I was defiantly ready to get home and see him, I'm not used to leaving him with anyone anymore.