"I told you I just felt really weird and I couldn't stay in school."

"But you were with Alex? See that doesn't make sense because you were fine before you left in the morning." Dad picks up his menu, shaking his head.

"Mom," I look at her for help across the table.

"A, it's wrong if you skipped school and there was nothing wrong with you, but it's understandable after what happened with your head."

"Thank you." I smile, looking down at my menu. This is surprisingly my first time being at this diner, but everyone from school hangs out here because they apparently have great milkshakes. My parents wanted to take me out this weekend because they still feel bad about what happened with Johnny. I'm just praying I don't see people from school though.

"Hi, Amelia," I look up, seeing Montana. At least she's not a random bitch from school.

"Hey, do you work here?"

"Yep," she looks down at her uniform and I feel stupid for asking such an obvious question.

"You two know each other?" Mom asks, shooting a friendly smile at Montana.

"She's Val's friend."

"Nice to meet you; I'm Montana. Are you guys ready to order?" Once we've ordered and have our food, we are in deep conversation about Dads job when I spot Val and Jace come in with another guy who's name I don't know. Oh lord. Why did we have to eat here?

They sit in a booth and I curiously watch as Montana goes to them and they laugh about something. Val puts his hand on her waist, saying something up to her. They two are adorable together, but it's a shame they're such close friends. I can see from here that they're flirting, but that's normal for them I guess.

Leaning closer into the window, I hope he won't see me because I hate talking to teenage boys around my parents. Especially ones like Val and Jace who throw innuendos around like it's their first language.

When they get up to leave later, I sink even lower in my seat so they won't see me. Val goes to Montana while the others walk outside and he hugs her, excitedly lifting her off of her feet. Does putting their bodies against each other like that not bother Val? Maybe not because they're close like family. Even from here I can hear Montana say his name angrily and he puts her down. Her hands go to her stomach quickly as if she's about to be sick, then she turns around and Val walks out awkwardly.

Why are they so interesting to watch? I need a best friend like that.

"Can you take me to Alex's place?" I ask while we're driving home.

Dad sighs. "Why? You can see him tomorrow."

"His court date's tomorrow and he's worried so I want to be there tonight."

"Your eighteen year old boyfriend is going to court for selling drugs and doing other illegal things. Great."

"Dad-"

"He knows it's not as bad as it sounds. He also knows Alex is a great boy," Mom assures, shooting Dad a look.

"I just hope he treats you right, Amelia."

"He does."

"We know that. He looks after you, which I know because he took you home after that bad night you had and carried you to your room."

"He carried me upstairs? When we weren't together?"

"Did he not tell you?"

"I only knew that he drove me home."

"Well, I think he's lovely. Isabella did a great job raising him."

"You should be nice to him, Dad. He cares a lot about what you think of him." Dad raises an eyebrow when I say this, stopping the car outside the Fuentes's huge house.

"I'll pick you up later," he says and I agree, getting out of the car after saying bye.

I walk inside to find Jace dressed in different clothes from the sporty ones I saw him in earlier, and Yasmin rummaging through a hand bag on the floor.

"Heya," Yasmin greets me, standing up with the bag. "We're just going out but the loser is upstairs."

"Okay, don't drink too much," I joke and Yasmin drops her jaw, pretending to be disgraced.

"I'd never." She passes the bag to Jace.

"I told you i'm not carrying this."

"Grow up," they start walking to the door. "See ya, 'Melia."

"Bye," I walk up the stairs, seeing Ray coming down.

"You again? You're here more than I am."

"Maybe we could swap and you can live at my house."

"Funny."

I laugh, "You're so moody."

"Sorry, ma'am. Should I plaster on a smile when i'm around you?"

Alex comes round the corner and slaps the back of Ray's head. "What'd you say?"

"Nada," Ray rubs the back of his head and walks down the stairs. I shout bye to him but he doesn't say it back.

"Ray," Alex says with a warning in his voice.

"Goodbye, Amelia," Ray says, annoyed.

"Why does he hate me?" I ask, walking into Alex's room that is messier than usual.

"He doesn't. He'd be a million times worse if he hated you."

"He just doesn't like me then."

"He does like you, he just sucks at showing it." Alex falls down onto his bed and closes his eyes. "C'mere."

I sit beside where he's lying and look around his room while he plays with strands at the bottom of my hair. "Do you know what you're wearing tomorrow?"

"Yep."

"Set your alarm?"

"Yes."

"Are you nervous?"

"Quite."

"Whatever happens will be okay, even if your Dads sentence doesn't get reduced, at least you won't go to jail."

His hand runs over my bra strap and down lower to my leggings. "What's annoying is that if I ever wanted to be a police officer or something, I'd never get in."

"You could."

"For dealing class A drugs? I don't think so."

"You helped get Caligari and his business down. And you sold drugs and did the other stuff against your will – that's gotta count for something. And since when do you want to get into law?"

He shrugs with his eyes still shut. "I've been thinking about what i'm gonna do when I leave school. I wanna have a good job and stuff, you know."

"Being a cop probably only sounded appealing to you because you know you can't do it," I laugh. "We want what we can't have."

"You said I could get in?"

"Maybe."

"Ugh. Life sucks."

"Are you just realising that?"

"I wish I could just stay with you all day tomorrow." His hand runs under my shirt and I shiver from his touch.

"Sleep. You're obviously tired." I stand up and Alex tries to open his eyes. I pull his covers over him and he gets comfy, sighing.

"Love you."

I smile wide, looking at his adorable tired face. "I love you."

"Lay with me."

After lying down beside Alex for a while, playing with his fingers out of boredom, I start to hear moaning coming from the room beside his.

"Ignore that," Alex mumbles. "Just Val."

"Obviously not just Val."

After a few minutes of uncomfortableness, Alex groans. "Valentino!" He screams at the top of his lungs, giving me the fright of my life. "I'm trying to sleep!"

+++

"How did it go?"

He shrugs and falls down on the couch. I look at Isabella for help.

"He's not going to jail," she assures me. "And his Dad's sentence got reduced to ten years."

"That's amazing! Oh my god!" I sit down, taking Alex's hand.

"Except I have a shit ton of community service and they put me on probation which is so fucking stupid." He looks at his Mom, "Didn't mean to swear."

"I'm proud of you, Alex," she puts her hand on his shoulder. "Why don't you two go out and celebrate?"

"I'm beat," he sighs.

"Come on, you should be happy," I cut in.

"I'm not in the mood."

"Alex, be respectful and take Amelia out."

I smile and Alex just sighs again and stands up. "Fine. I'm gonna change first."

"So enthusiastic to be spending time with me, I love it." I shoot him a sarcastic glare and he blows me a sarcastic kiss while going up the stairs.

"I'm not sure what's wrong with him," Isabella sits down. "Maybe the community service, or just seeing his Dad there. Anyway, I hope you can get him into a better mood."

"You should come out with us."

"Oh, no it's okay. I'm ready for a relaxing night with a half empty house."

I laugh, "Well, have fun with that. I'm sure a problem with one of them will come up."

"I know," she laughs too. Alex comes running back down stairs after changing like the flash or something.

He goes straight to the door. "Let's go. Bye, Mom."

"Excuse me, Alejandro. That's not the way to say bye to the woman who gave birth to you."

Alex sighs over dramatically then walks over, kissing the side of his Mom's head. "Goodbye, Mamá." He puts his arms around my waist and tries to life me up, then makes a painful noise and sets me back down. "Oh, nope."

"I told you to be more careful!" Isabella scolds while Alex simply takes my hand this time and touches his stomach with the other.

As soon as we leave the house Alex pushes me against the door and kisses me passionately. I grip his hair, forgetting where we are for a moment until we pull away, breathless.

"Can't be fucked driving far so we're going to Sand and Shakes diner."

I remove my hands from him. "Way to ruin the moment. What's up with you?" I get into the drivers side of his car and he gives me a what the fuck are you doing look and opens the door.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"Driving."

"You ain't driving my car. You'll run it into a street light."

"No I won't – shut up." I pull the door shut and Alex angrily stomps round to the passenger side. "I'm a good driver."

He pulls the seatbelt on. "You're an annoying driver."

"How?" I start the engine and put my foot on the gas and it jerks forward.

"What the fuck was that?"

"I'm not used to driving rich people cars, give me a break." I push the gas pedal more carefully this time and drive smoothly, but slow, trying not to jerk the car again and give Alex the satisfaction of saying i'm a bad driver.

"Speed up," he complains, rubbing his temples.

"Shut up. You're stressing me out."

The car goes too fast then I accidentally make it stop suddenly and Alex groans from the seatbelt hurting him as we're jerked forward in our seats. "Amelia!"

"That was your fault!" I take a deep breath, trying to focus again.

"Oh yeah, you being shit at driving is all my fault."

Losing concentration, it goes bad again so I don't respond and just try to get to this damn diner without smashing into a wall on his side of the car.

"This is so pointless. You're obviously not in the mood to celebrate." I sit down in a booth and cross my arms over my chest.

"No, i'm not. There's not much to celebrate. I didn't go to jail, yeah! Great! Amazing!" He says with a thick ass layer of sarcasm laced in his tone.

"I'd be celebrating if I were you. I'd even send Christmas cards out to all my relatives that say 'Merry Christmas! Btw I didn't go to jail!'." Montana says, standing in front of our booth with a notepad, laughing to herself.

"That's 'cause you're a freak."

Montana is taken aback by this and looks at me. "What's his deal?"

"No idea. He likes to be mysterious and act as if you're the bad one for him being mad," I state and Alex rolls his eyes.

"Do your job and take our orders." Montana doesn't seem to hear Alex as she's looking at something out the window. Go figure, it's Val stumbling in with two girls and his friend Sam.

"I swear he's gonna get me fired one day," she shakes her head and takes our orders before Val spots us and comes over.

"Heeeellllll oooooooh," he smiles, slinging an arm around her shoulder. "How'd did da thingy go, Alejandro?"

"He's not going to prison," Montana clarifies and pushes his arm off of her.

"That's great. Congrats on that shit. Prison would suck. Maybe literally if nasty ass dudes forced you to suck their dicks."

"Take your friends and leave," Alex demands, looking down at his menu.

"You don't own me."

"I definitely do."

A guy from behind the counter shouts Montans's name. "I gotta get back to work."

When she leaves Val slides into the booth beside me and puts his arm around me. "You look hot today."

"Thanks, Val," I laugh.

"You always look hot though. Gotta admit, I fantasise about fucking you all the time."

Well shit.

"Go away, Val. Now," Alex tells his brother, glaring hard at him.

"Fine," he sighs before standing up and going back to his friends who are being the loudest people in here.

"Jealous, Alex?" I smirk.

"No; possessive."

"Right. So are you gonna tell me why you're being a dick?"

"I'm not being a dick."

"You are."

"No I'm not."

"You are though. Tell me what you're thinking."

He runs his hand through his hair, thinking. "I have a criminal record. That sucks, okay? I guess I deserve it for the shit i've done but it still fucking sucks. I'm eighteen and I already have a criminal record."

I reach to his hand across the table. "I know it's not ideal, but it doesn't change the way the people you love think of you, and they're all that matters."

"I know, but it's more myself that i'm battling with over this. And my Dad... I just hate seeing him in that stupid prison outfit and handcuffs. He doesn't need handcuffs."

"I know." I squeeze his hand. "At least he'll be out of there soon."

"Ten years isn't soon."

"Sooner," I correct.

He pulls his hand away from mine and uses both his hands to cover his face. "I hate the way life worked out for my family. Why us? Why did it have to happen to us?"

"Shitty things happen to good people all the time. The world is just cruel like that for no reason."

He takes his hands away and looks into my eyes for a moment, then stands up and sits beside me. Instead of him holding me, I put my arms around his shoulders and pull him closer so his face is against my neck and I try not to shiver like a crazy person from his breath.

"I love you, Amelia Miller."

"I love you, Alex Fuentes." He pulls back, looking at me and I look into his sad eyes. "You're a good person, you know that, right?"

My words seem to mean a lot to him as his eyes flash with happiness and his pupils dilate. "I hope so." He touches my cheek gently and closes the space between us, our lips touching and moving together slowly. I will never get enough of how perfect his kisses are.

"Alex Fuentes, stop that PDA immediately!" Val yells then goes back to making out with one of the girls he's with.

I giggle, the noise coming out weird from how happy I am. My arm goes around his neck again and I rest my head against his, looking around at the happy people in the diner and feeling so overwhelmed with happiness myself.

The stares from school girls doesn't even bother me anymore, despite them looking at Alex with lust and me with hatred. Alex is mine, and I am his. Their petty stares won't change that.

+++

teaser: amelia finally helps chrissy out with something and alex tries to play nice

the last real chapter is next, then the epilogue woooo and the first chapter of Yasmin's book is out 💗

vote, comment, follow

ly

-e