Lovefool, Pt. 2

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Content Warning: Strong language
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 "So, did you hear about Mr. Hot Lips? He got himself a date with a socialite tonight."

"What? Nooo! Mark?! Our Mark?" Alex nodded his head. "Oh my Creator, who's he dating?"

"Get this: Ella. Freaking. Cartez."

Alex and Michele stared at each other, attempting to keep a straight face. Finally, they began laughing hysterically at the thought of Mark dating a high-class socialite.

"H-how is that even possible? Wasn't she dating Eric Cromic?" she snickered.

"Not anymore, I guess. If I knew she was that easy, I would have tried for it myself!" he bluffed.

"Haha, no you wouldn't have! You're way too shy." Alex nodded in agreement, and changed the subject.

"So, I just have to ask...why is Mark staying with us again?"

Alex Camden and Michele Turner have been friends since high school and roomies since graduation, but he always felt something more for her and she never seemed to notice. Instead, she had eyes for Mark Filroy.
Mark was the popular guy in school, and a lady's man to boot. Mark would always make fun of Alex and push him into lockers, but Michele never noticed that either. When they headed off to college, Alex felt an air of relief when he could escape Mark and the "high school loser" life he had along with it.

Except now Mark's back, and so is all of Alex's insecurity.

"He was our friend in high school, remember? Friends have to stick together."

"Um...Mich? He was your friend in high school. If you can recall, he was a total asshole to me. Are you trying to get another shot at him or something?"

"What? Don't be ridiculous, Alex! I've outgrown that crush. Besides, seeing him in those worn-down sneakers completely killed the fantasy," she joked. "By the way, have you seen my mother's earrings? I was looking for them this morning, but I couldn't find them."

"Mother's..earrings? Come on, Mich. Guy speak."

"Right. Have you seen two red shiny things with the little black dangly bits on them?"

"Oh, those. I liked those on you," he smiled. "No, I haven't. Did you try looking under your bed?"

"Why would they be under my bed?"

"I don't know. Hey, maybe Mark knows where they are," he teased.

"Alex, stop!" she laughed as she playfully swatted him on the arm.

"I swear, I'm not crushing on him anymore. He's...just a friend. That's all."

"Yeah, okay...and pigs will dance on the moon tonight."

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"You know, I um...I don't usually woohoo on the first date," she giggled nervously. "Last night's date was so amazing that I just..let go, I guess."

"Well, I'm always happy to be a first."

"So, ah...um...wanna go downstairs for breakfast?"

"Ella, I'm not going to bite you. Not unless you ask me to, anyway." he joked. She didn't know why he made her so nervous, but it was simultaneously thrilling and frightening. She hadn't felt so awkward since the first night she spent with Eric when they were teens...

Ella was snapped out of her thoughts when Mark began kissing her passionately, probably trying to start another woohoo session. And the first words that came out of her mouth in response made her want to slap herself.

 "You remind me of my ex-boyfriend."

"...what? Is that a good thing?" he asked, mildly amused.

"Yes. Well, no. I mean, you make me feel the way he used to make me feel. It's a good thing. Can we just pretend I never said that?"

"Tell you what, I have somewhere I need to be in fifteen minutes, so I need to leave soon anyway. I'll be back either tonight or tomorrow night, and we can resume our 'conversation' from there. Sound good?"

"Sounds great," she chirped, forcing a smile.

"Okay, I'll see you later then, cupcake." He flashed a wide grin before grabbing his clothes and making his exit.

"Did you seriously just say that he reminded you of your ex?" she muttered to herself. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

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"Look who's decided to come back home, it's Mr. Hot Lips!" Alex said sarcastically without bothering to look up from his laptop.

"Yeah, poke fun at me all you want pipsqueak, but you could learn a thing or two from me."

"Like what? How to manipulate rich girls into dating me? No thanks."

"First of all, manipulation wasn't needed," he grinned naughtily.

"And secondly, you and I know very well that I wasn't referring to seducing hot chicks."

"Mark, please. I don't have time for this."

"I've seen the way you look at Michele. You've got the hots for her. I bet that maybe if you made a move, you'd finally know if she feels the same, instead of being in the romantic limbo of 'just friends'."

"Mark-"

 "But I bet you like it there, don't you? Sure there's a good chance she may not be interested, but there's an equally good chance that she is interested. That's the beautiful thing about limbo. There's hope in 'maybe', but there's no hope in 'no'."

"Don't even pretend to know how I feel about Michele, okay? That's none of your business. I don't need your stupid advice."

"You're right, who am I to give advice on these things? All I did was bang a wealthy socialite. Anyway, have fun following Michele around like a lost puppy, alright kid?"

"Ah, bite me."

"No thanks," he smirked, "You're not my type."

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 "Look who finally decided to join the land of the living," Jordan joked. After Ella's 'mouth diarrhea' fiasco, she went back to bed to try to sleep off the memory like a bad hangover. "You hungry for some brunch? I'm making autumn salad."

"Autumn salad? That's your favorite meal, you usually reserve it for special occasions."

"I know," he beamed.

"Well, what happened?"

"Guess who has two thumbs and might be getting a promotion in the near future....this guy!" The smile on Jordan's face grew wider and wider by the second as he danced around the kitchen.

"Congrats Jordy! I'm proud of you!"

"What did he do?" Bonnie asked while grabbing a barstool.

"He might get a promotion!"

"Finally! You've only had that same position for what, two years?" she joked.

"Hey, be proud of me."

"I am very proud." she purred.

"Oh Bonnie, have you seen my diamond earrings? I was wearing them last night and I think I may have...misplaced them." she asked, interrupting the love fest. Ella hated being the third wheel, and most importantly, she hated feeling jealous.

"How can you misplace your earrings?"

"Maybe they flew off her ears during that woohoo session last night," Jordan joked. He and Bonnie high-fived as Ella gave a pitiful sigh and a defeated look. "Nooo, I still had them on! I don't know where they are. I searched under my bed, in my clothes, in the pool...I checked everywhere!" she whined.

"Well, I don't know what to tell you, hon. Maybe they just got up and walked away."

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"Hey Alex! Are you ready for our movie night?" Michele asked excitedly. Every Friday, she and Alex watch old classics to help Michele dissect different acting methods and observe the habits of the greats. Alex was never really into it, or at least, not as into it as Michele, but he always relished the time that they spent due to their busy schedules. Well, her busy schedule, with auditions and whatnot. He just stayed at home and attempted to write novels.

"Alex, hellooo?"

"Oh, right. Yeah, I put in Rhubarb Knights, so it's ready to watch..."

"Rhubarb Knights? That old romcom? Wow," she laughed.

 "You know, I'm shocked. This movie actually isn't half-bad," she whispered. "Don't you agree?" Alex absentmindedly nodded his head, staring blankly at the screen. "Should I do it?" he thought to himself. "Maybe Mark was right. Maybe I'm stuck in romantic limbo because I'm afraid of her answer to my question."

And after admitting to himself that Mark was right, he felt an overwhelming urge to prove him wrong. An urge so strong, that it defied his own cowardly instincts. He discreetly moved closer to Michele, and tried to put his arm around her. It was going well until she caught him, that is.

 "Mark? What are you doing?"

"I-uh...it's...it's a half-hug. Yeah, it's a couch half-hug. I wanted to hug you, so..."

"Oh, okay. Continue then." she smiled. While he was cuddling her, she pulled herself closer to him and winked.

"I'm not that dumb or that gullible, Alex. I know what you're trying to do. All I want to know is what took you so long?"

"What?"

"Dude, I've crushed on you for the longest!" she laughed. "I just wanted you to make the first move because I could never tell if you liked me or not."

"What? I thought I made it obvious enough! The stuttering, the blushing...the nervous belching," he added with a smile. They both laughed while recalling his initial reaction to her in 9th grade. "I don't think I was ever that much of a wreck before you."

"Well, to be fair, you acted like that around everyone back then, not just me."

"True enough."

"Now stop talking," she whispered with an impish grin.

"Well I'll be damned," he mumbled with a small grin. "I guess he grew tired of limbo after all."

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