Letters of Love (Lessons in Love) (9 page)

Oscar stepped out purposefully on to the open rooftop with Alex gingerly following behind. She glanced around, wondering why he’d b
rought her to the roof. There was nothing but tarmac and darkness, but then her heart froze in her chest in elated glee.

In the center of the roof a blanket had carefully been placed out, surrounded by candles
, which flickered in the faint breeze. On the blanket were two pillows, upon which lay a solitary rose.

“Oh
, Oscar,” Alex gasped, barely able to speak.

“Don’t get all girly on me,” Oscar warned, unable to completely drop his tough exterior. He took Alex by the hand and led her over to the blanket, instructing her to lie down next to him, both their heads resting upon a pillow. She instinctively nuzzled in close to him
, and Oscar planted a soft kiss upon her forehead.

“I b
rought you here because I want you to look up,” he whispered.

Immediately Alex cast her eyes towards the heavens and le
t out a soft breath in awe.

“It’s beautiful.”

It was a clear night, and above them there was nothing but stars. It was like a magical tapestry hanging above their makeshift bed.

“I come up here sometimes to think,” Oscar explained in a rare revealing moment. “Looking up at the stars helps me focus, helps me understand things.”

“They seem so close,” Alex uttered, bewitched by their beauty.

“They seem even closer from the roof of a twenty
-seven-story high-rise,” Oscar mused.

“Is that where you live at home, in a high
-rise?” Alex turned briefly to look at Oscar, who was still gazing upward. His mouth tightened when he heard her question. He was always cagey whenever she asked him about home. It was clearly a topic he didn’t enjoy discussing.

“I thought you’d enjoy seeing them,” he said after a long pause, ignoring her question. “I wanted to share this spot with you because it reminds me that there is beauty and good in the world. That’s how I feel about you.”

Oscar turned to look at Alex, his gaze intense.

“Am I going to sound like a complete tool if I say that I’m falling for you?” Oscar asked, his openness making him seem irresistible to Alex. The starlight shone down favorabl
y on his features, making his eyes seem dark and intense and his cheeks chiseled to perfection. Reaching up, Alex ran her hand through his dark curls.

“You don’t sound like a tool
.” She smiled seductively at him. “Besides, I’ve already fallen for you.”

Oscar broke the distance between them in a heartbeat
, and they began kissing passionately. Alex, beneath him on the blanket, murmured in pleasure as their tongues danced together in their mouths.

Alex felt her heart compelling her to take things further, unable to restrain her desire for Oscar. She reached up and navigated her way to the zipper of his jeans and then gently, carefully began to undo them.

Understanding the gesture, Oscar kissed her even more passionately, leaning back briefly to take off his T-shirt. Alex followed suit and hurriedly cast aside her own T-shirt as Oscar skillfully undid her bra and threw it aside. His warm hands cupped her breasts, and he groaned in delight.

Within a few more moments they were completely naked together, though Oscar wrapped the blanket around them, cocooning them together in their own nest. At the point of no return, Oscar paused, looking deep into Alex’s eyes.

“You’re so beautiful,” he told her sincerely.

“I love you,” she admitted simply, certain of the feelings she felt for him, the feelings they were now expressing physically.

And there, beneath the stars, they made love for the first time, and it was the most erotic moment of both of their lives.

****

“So how are things with lover boy?” Ashley asked teasingly as Alex entered their bedroom, freshly showered with her hair bunched up in a towel.

“Good,” Alex answered but couldn’t stop herself from blushing.

“Oh my God, you guys totally did it last night!” Ashley declared, grinning widely. “I guess I can therefore forgive you for missing the Primadonna party.”

“How was the party?”

“Don’t you dare change the subject!” Ashley warned. “I want details!”

“There are no details
.” Alex shook her hair loose and began rummaging for her hair dryer.

“Don’t hold out on me,” Ashley whined. “I live for this stuff.” Sitting cross-legged on her own bed
, Ashley gave her best friend puppy-dog eyes.

“There’s not much to tell. But
, Ash, I have fallen in love with him.”

“Oh my God, oh my god, oh my god!” Ashley bounded over and embraced her friend, squealing with excitement as she did so.

“My little Alex is all grown up and in lurve!” she joked. “Seriously, though, I can now forgive you blowing me off all the time since this thing with Oscar is the real deal.”

“You got his name right!”

“Well, now you love him, I’ve got to take him seriously.” Ashley smiled fondly.

“Have I really been overly MIA?” Alex asked, looking sadly at the carpeted floor.

“It happens to us all when we meet a guy who stops us being able to see straight,” Ashley said understandingly.

“But you’re my best friend. I don’t want to stop spending as much time together because I’ve met someone.”

“Well, you’ve already overcome the initial hurdle: acceptance. You’re aware you have a friend-neglect problem, which means I don’t have to arrange an intervention.” Ashley laughed.

“Seriously, Ash, how do I make up for being a lousy friend?”

“You could start by coming to the party over at Delta Sig with me tonight,” Ashley suggested.

“Delta Sig
.” Alex frowned, trying to recall if she’d been to that particular fraternity house before.

“Isn’t that over on the other side of campus?” Alex queried.

“Yup.”

“The house where all the brothers are on academic probation?”

“Not all the brothers.”

“Ash, who is he?”

“His name is Tad, and he drives a motorcycle!” Ashley explained excitedly.

“He sounds like trouble.”

“Well, we’ve all got to get ourselves into some trouble sometime.” Ashley raised her eyebrows suggestively.

“Behave!” Alex smiled.

“You can’t be the only one getting in trouble around here.” Ashley laughed.

“Okay, okay, I’ll go.”

“So how much trouble did you get into last night?”

“Stop it.” Alex raised a warning finger, citing that she wouldn’t disclose any details of the previous night.

“Just give me ballpark. Was it mild misdemeanor or a felony?”

Alex was silent.

“A felony, then. That good?” Ashley giggled.

“I didn’t say anything!”

“You didn’t have to!”

“Is that the time?” Alex glanced at the pink neon clock on the bedroom wall.

“Nice try changing the subject.” Ashley pursed her lips in mocking disapproval.

“No, seriously
, Ash, I’m late for class again. Dammit!” Alex began racing around her room, shoving items she’d need into her backpack.

A few minutes later she bustled out the door, her hair still wet from her shower, and almost knocked over Cindy Mayhew, a fellow sorority sister.

“Sorry, Cindy!” Alex called back to her, already running down the central staircase of the house.

“What’s her hurry?” Cindy directed her question to Alex’s roommate
, who was back on her own bed, picking up a magazine to browse through.

“Late for class.”

“Again? Isn’t she already on probation?” Cindy enquired, leaning against the door frame, her eyes regarding Ashley with interest.

“She’ll be fine
.” Ashley waved a dismissive hand at the nosey sister. “Alex is a smart girl. She’ll sort it out.”

“She’d better,” Cindy chirped.

****

Alex ran across the main courtyard, desperately trying to make up lost time. She was already half an hour late for her morning class. She’d overslept following her rooftop encounter with Oscar, coming in late and forgetting to set her alarm.

Shaking her head as she ran, Alex berated herself for the hundredth time for not being organized. Since she’d met him, it was like her head was up with the stars she’d been gazing at, no longer present in the moment. She struggled to think straight, to focus. Though she doubted the academic board would appreciate her explanation.

“Sorry I’ve been late so much, I fell in love.”

She resented herself for letting her feelings get in the way of her studies. Determined to turn a corner, she finally arrived at her classroom and let herself in as stealthily as possible. Miss Dunne was in full flow at the front of the room, and thankfully there was a desk near the door that Alex could ease herself in to.

A few heads turned to look her way
, but most people were disinterested in her late arrival. It had become a regular occurrence and lost the element of spectacle. Laying out her textbooks, Alex suddenly felt self-conscious about her disheveled appearance. Her hair was still wet and sat flatly on her head, her clothes thrown on in a state of panic. Looking down, Alex groaned inwardly when she spotted her sweater label sticking out at the front. In her haste she’d put it on back to front and inside out. Lowering herself into her chair, Alex wanted the ground to just swallow her up.

****

The class concluded, and Alex thought she had safely redeemed her tardiness, so she collected her things together and prepared to leave, but Miss Dunne made her way over to her desk and stood before it forebodingly.

“You were late again.” Her voice was cold.

“I’m so, so sorry,” Alex groveled. “My alarm didn’t go off, and I was running late.”

“You’re a mess.”

“Yeah, I didn’t get a chance to get myself together,” Alex explained her shabby attire and ran a regretful hand through her still-damp hair.

“Well
, I suggest you get yourself together and quickly,” Miss Dunne warned. “You’re better than this, Alex.”

“Yeah, yes
, I know.”

“Start being the woman you want to become.”

Miss Dunne’s instructions resonated in Alex, and she found herself thinking of Mark. Remembering how much he’d believed in her, how he’d risked everything to get her to Princeton, how much he’d supported her, how much he loved her. What would he think if he could see her now?

Burning with betrayal
, Alex rose up and nodded emphatically at Miss Dunne. “I promise that I’m going to get my act together.”

“Good, make sure that you do.”

****

“I can’t believe that all your classes are early,” Ashley moaned beneath the covers as Alex pottered around their bedroom, getting herself ready. “You are so unlucky,” Ashley murmured sleepily.

“Yeah, it sucks,” Alex agreed as she threw on a hooded top and shoved her textbook into her backpack.

“Next semester I’ll have to follow your lead and only take afternoon classes!”

“It’s the only way to do college,” Ashley said, her voice muffled by the bedding that embraced her.

“Sure is
.” Alex sighed, glancing longingly at the bed she’d previously vacated after only four hours’ sleep.

“Aren’t you tired?” Ashley asked, yawning on cue.

“Just a bit,” Alex admitted. Her limbs already ached with fatigue, her mind struggling to be alert, the lure of more sleep preventing her thoughts from having complete clarity. “It was worth it, though.”

Ashley finally emerged from the duvet and sat up to look directly at her friend. Ashley’s dark locks were tangled madly around her head
, and the makeup from the previous night was strewn wildly down her cheeks, making her look like a demented clown.

“You’re a mess!” Alex laughed fondly.

“I feel a mess,” Ashley croaked, her voice hoarse.

“I’m not surprised. I lost you halfway through the night
, and you weren’t here when I crept in to bed at three. I began to wonder if you’d even make it back here.”

“Well, ta-dah, here I am,” Ashley tried to sound dramatic but lacked the energy to do so.

“So what happened with Tad?” Alex asked, glancing briefly at the clock to make sure that she still had time to stand and gossip.

“Urgh,” Ashley groaned and fell back into her bedding.

“Guess you didn’t see his motorcycle, then?” Alex teased.

“Let’s just say that I’m still looking for my Oscar
.” Ashley sighed sadly.

“Oscar isn’t so perfect.”

“Isn’t he?” Ashley propped herself up again with her right arm, yawning again as she did so. “You’re totally hung up on him,” she continued. “Whenever you think about him you get this goofy smile on your face.”