・𝟑𝟏

                                    

                                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          

𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐨𝐧𝐞
✦　　˚　　　　　*　　 　　✦ .　　 .˚ 　.　 ✦˚　　 　　.　　˚　　. ✦　　˚　.　˚　　　. ✦ 　　　.   　 　　　˚　　　　　*　　 　　✦
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WITH A GORGEOUS VIEW TO THE TURKISH paradise in front of our hotel balcony, Alex and I had breakfast through giggles and a very immature game of footsie under the table. 
The glass was intact. No cracks. But a deliberating sigh from Alex was all that took for me to notice that the mood had changed. 
His hand began trembling slightly around the silver fork he held, the same way that it did whenever he was nervous before an interview or an event. 
"Alex?" I called out, lifting my eyes to his. He blinked twice before I was made aware that words were waiting to spill from his mouth. Unknown words.
"We should keep acting like we hate each other" He said so bluntly I almost choked on my coffee. 
I knit my eyebrows together and scrunched my face in confusion before deciding on an answer.
"But we don't hate each other" I said in a inquisitive tone, my eyebrows rising.
"No we don't, but we should act like we do in front of our friends" 
"Why?" I bit my lip afterwards, chewing on the skin nervous to his answer.
"Because, Elaine-" He began but something appeared to be holding him back. This, and his tone worried me more than they should have.
"Look, there's a handful of reasons why and dangerous factors that I'm trying to pull yeh away from. Most importantly because I don't want any of them to spoil something that we haven't even had the chance to enjoy" 
"Think of this as a way to not ruin what I want us to have. There's so many people that love to plot against us and I don't want to be tormented by having to carry the weight of another shattered relationship because of the media, which by the way has no business meddling in my private life"
"I want yeh, I really do, that's why I'm keeping yeh away from any force in this world of ours that can potentially damage what we have and what I hope we will have in the future"
The word future in that context coming from Alex's mouth, directed to me. It was unbelievable. Hearing that from him was something I believed I'd never hear, especially with that unreadable expression he'd put on.
"Just please pretend that nothing changed. Miles knows because... well he's Miles. But in front of everyone else, everything we use to feel was left untouched, yeh?" 
I nodded, the realization still coming down on me. He still didn't look pleased with my response. He wanted more and I could feel the greed vibrating in the air.