Flashback Two  Years Ago (Continued)

 

Drake returned home with a busted lip and an ugly bruise forming on his right cheekbone. His ma gasped seeing his condition. “Now who did you fight with? Hope it’s not with Nate?” Asked his ma with her hands on her waist. 

“Please ma, I don’t want to discuss this,” said Drake. 

“Let him be, I’ll talk to him later,” said Stuart. Drake was thankful for his older brother's intervention else his ma wouldn't have let this go. His ma nodded and went away. Drake smiled thankfully and dashed off to his room to clean up. He was very upset. After his blatant confession, Nate had just walked away, leaving him on the premises. Drake hadn’t wanted to admit his feelings to him but he couldn’t take in the game Nate was playing. He was using Alexis to get at him and Drake just couldn’t sit back and watch him break the young girl. 

After the incident, Drake felt angry at Alexis for accepting Nate’s proposal. Was she so much desperate for a boyfriend at the age of fourteen that she had to oblige to Nate’s demands. The whole day he fumed and burned at the day’s events and in the when he went to his club nearby to play tennis, he met Aries. All the brothers were regulars at the club.  While Denver practiced boxing, they mostly were into tennis and basketball. He had just finished a game when he saw Alexis walk out of her aerobics class. She usually arrived at the club with Sapphire, who was Denver’s wife and Iris, who was Nick’s wife. While Sapphire regularly played tennis at a professional level, Iris and Alexis attended the Aerobics classes. Drake had been waiting for her. He couldn’t stay away any longer. He was determined to ask her why she accepted Nate’s proposal. 

Seeing her walking alone towards the exit, Drake rushed after her.  However, halfway down the driveway, she tripped on a pebble and twisted her foot. Seeing that she was about to loose her balance and fall, Drake dashed forward and caught her just on time. Alexis looked up to see who had saved her and was stunned to find herself in Drake’s arms. 

“Thank y you,” she stammered nervously. 

“Shouldn’t you look where you’re going?” asked Drake rudely. Alexis regained her balance and looked ashamed of herself. 

“I didn’t see the pebble,” she said in a small voice. She had no idea how Drake had managed to save her. Was he watching her? Alexia felt extremely shy of him after hearing his confession of love. His words had been replaying in her head since afternoon and she couldn’t concentrate on anything else. 

Drake scoffed and released her reluctantly. He loved to hold her in his arms and burned with jealousy thinking of her and Nate together. 

“You should look before you leap,” said Drake angrily. Alexis blinked and looked at him. Was he implying at something else? 

“Excuse me?” she asked with disbelief. 

“Forget it. You’re not worth the effort,” said Drake angrily, walking away abruptly without a word more. Alexis stared at his retreating back with disbelief.  Was he crazy? He didn’t exactly look like he was in love with her. It seemed the opposite in fact. It was as if he hated her. Alexis sat down on a bench nearby as she was in pain after twisting her leg. She opened her shoe and tried to massage it but the pain was too much.

“Do you need help?” asked Drake’s voice impatiently. Alexis looked astonished to see him back. She shook her head slowly, hurt by his rude words and kept on trying to fix her leg. Drake stood there with a brooding look on his face, watching her with concern. He kneeled down in front of her. His fingers went to her foot and placed it on his knee. Alexis looked hesitantly at him.

“I’m f fine. I don’t need your help, thanks,” she said to him. Their eyes connected. 

“Let me see for myself, “ he said gruffly, his fingers stroking the soft milky white skin of her foot. The ankle looked a little swollen. “You have a little sprain. Come on, I’ll take you home,” said Drake. Alexis didn’t want his help but she was helpless. Drake helped her wear her shoes. Then he just picked her up in his arms, bridal style, as if she weighed nothing at all. Alexis blushed to the roots of her hair as Drake carried her all the way to her house. 

“I can hop all the way home, Drake, “ she whispered, her arm going around his neck for support. Drake turned to look at her, his eyes drinking her in. From so close, he was mesmerized by her beauty. 

“No Alexie. I’ll always be there for you,” he promised, staring deeply into her hypnotizing eyes. Alexis gazed back at him. There was something mysterious about him that attracted her to him. 

“Thank you,” she whispered. Drake smiled, his cheeks coloring a little as he felt her softness against his heart. It melted him, it made him crave to make her his girl. He had every right to. He loved her after all! A sense of indignation and a wish to revolt spread all over him. Just because he had lost a silly, childish bet, he wouldn’t step down any more. He would fight for Alexis. 

“Put me down please. We’ve reached home,” whispered Alexis shyly. Drake placed her down gently but held onto her waist to support her. 

“What the f*ck are you doing with my girlfriend, Drake?” yelled a furious Nate, as he rode his bike and came to a stop right in front of them. 

“Please Nate. Don’t start again. I twisted my ankle, so Drake’s just helping me,” said Alexis impatiently. She didn’t like this possessive nature of Nate. It seemed as if he was in a rush with their relationship. Instead of getting to know her, he was more into show off than anything else.

“I’m sure that you might have twisted your ankle to get his attention,” gritted Nate.

“Excuse me? Have you gone out of your mind? Who twists their ankle for attention? You might be the one doing it,” scoffed Alexis. Drake smiled, loving the fight between them. Would she break it up with Nate? Then he would woo her and make her his, for life. 

“I’ll help you to your room,” offered Drake with a smile. 

“Don’t you dare touch her, Drake. There’ll be war between us. I can carry my girlfriend to her room,” said Nate. 

“Where were you when she was hurt?” asked Drake accusingly. Nate looked a little guilty. 

“I was busy. Now I’m here, I’ll take over,” said Nate. 

“No Nate. No one has to help me. I’ll call Nelson or Anna,” said Alexis stubbornly. “Anna,” she yelled out for her sister. Just then Aries came out of the house and seeing her in pain, he came forward. 

“What happened now?” He asked his twin.

“I twisted my ankle, “ said Alexis. 

“What do you do all the time?” said Aries, coming forward and picking her up and carrying her inside, leaving the two brothers bickering amongst themselves, outside the house. 

“What was Drake doing here?” asked Aries with curiosity. He was too clever for his age and had a keen sense of observation. Alexis blushed at his direct question. 

“He brought me home, “ she informed him. 

“Hmm, I think he loves you,” said Aries. Alexis gave him an incredulous look. How did he know? 

“How did you know?” she asked hesitantly, her cheeks coloring profusely. 

“Even a blind man can see it. That’s the reason they fight. Simple logic,” shrugged Aries. 

Drake stomped away towards his house while Nate rode away in a huff. Their relationship had become irreparable and aunt Pauline and Annalise sighed seeing them from her window. 

“One of them need to step down, I think,” said aunt Pauline. Annalise nodded but didn’t know what else to say to that. 

“I think Alex should seriously concentrate only on her studies now, “ she said after much thought. "I'll talk to her."

The next whole week, Drake waited impatiently for news of their breakup but sadly they didn’t. He was more jealous and in a foul mood and more or less fought with Nate nearly every day at their school or the club. His attitude towards Alexis became more rude and although he didn’t talk to her much, the times he did was only to insult her or hurt her. Alexis was heartbroken and unable to figure out the reason behind Drake’s behavior towards her. She walked home all alone when Drake brushed past her, pushing her roughly in the process. Alexis looked up at him, staggering a little.

“I could have fallen, Drake. What’s wrong with you?” she protested. 

“I wanted you to fall. It’s better to fall to the ground than fall for every Tom, Dick and Nate, “ he shrugged and walked away. Alexis stared at him with disbelief. What was it with him who she fell for?

End Of Flashback