I sat in the restaurant that Alex had picked nervous to see her. I had been dreading this lunch all week and now that it had actually arrived, I was even less excited. I looked around at the bits of American themed memorabilia hanging on the walls and then at the particularly British menu. It didn't all make sense as a place really, but Jared had reassured me that it was a nice place when I had told him where we were going. That was the only thing that was getting me through today, I would just constantly repeat the phrase 'for Jared' until the lunch was over. I looked at my watch again wondering where Alex was since she was now fifteen minutes late.

"Hi, sorry I'm late, Dean lives further away than I realised so I didn't plan out my journey properly." She said, not sounding very sorry at all, as she took her seat opposite me and picked up her menu.

"No worries." I muttered as I continued to look at my own menu. We did this in silence for a few minutes before she put hers down on the table, heavily. I glanced up at her as she stared intently at me, with an unreadable expression that put me on edge completely.

"So, since we're both here on JJ's request, I guess we should at least pretend to want to get to know each other." She asked me suddenly. I put the menu down and took a sip of the glass of water I had ordered before so I didn't say something rude that I would regret.

"I know you don't know me very well, but 'JJ' didn't suggest this. I did." I smiled sweetly, "But yes, getting to know one another is the point, and I do want to get to know you." Alexis let out a forced laugh.

"You don't want to get to know me, you've hated me since the moment you met me." I couldn't argue with this. It was fact and I knew how blatantly obvious I had been about it.

"Well, I apologise for that, I should have given you a chance." She looked taken aback by what I was saying, "I thought you had come back to take Jared from me... but since you have a boyfriend and I was evidently wrong, I have learnt my lesson and would like us to try and be friends." There was still something I didn't trust about the way she smiled at me. Before she could speak the waitress came over to take our orders and it was a few minutes later when she was able to respond to what I had said.

"You're right, it would be nice for you and I to get along. I didn't realise that JJ hadn't told you about Dean, they're old friends, he has known about him for weeks..." She said, shrugging her shoulders and taking a sip of her prosecco that had just arrived.

"Dean, that's your boyfriend?" I smiled, in the most friendly manner that I could manage for someone that I trusted so little.

"Yeah, he's great, we should all go on a double date next week." She returned a smile that I thought seemed forced.

"Sure, I'll speak to Jared and we'll sort something out."

"Perfect." She said simply as the food arrived in front of us, ending all conversation on the topic. There is something I just don't trust about that girl.

---

"How was it?" Jared asked as I climbed into his car after Alex and I had finished our meal.

"Yeah, it was ok, I guess..." I answered hesitantly, as I pressed the seat warmer button on the dashboard. I looked out the window, thinking, choosing my words and tone carefully before I spoke, "She told me about her boyfriend, you know about Dean, right?" I said quietly and glanced at him out of the corner of my eye.

"Oh, yeah! She mentioned him to me this week, sounds like a nice guy..." He said casually, as he slowly began to brake at the traffic lights. The hair on my neck began to prickle a little as I thought back to what Alex had said. I turned to face him properly.

"This week? She said she had told you about him weeks ago?" I asked, trying to sound like I didn't care as much as I did.

"Nope, definitely this week, Tuesday I think it was." He said, not noticing my sudden unease. Why had Alex lied to me about Jared knowing Dean? "I'm glad that she has someone though... hopefully this was the beginning of you guys putting whatever it is between you, behind you?" He said, hopefully with a smile in my direction. I mirrored his expression and nodded gently.

"Yeah... maybe." I said quietly, "She wants us all to go on a double date next week."

"Oh, cool, I'll text her later and set something up! Anyway, what do you want to do this afternoon? Bowling?" I nodded as he pulled away and began driving toward the bowling alley, seemingly unconcerned about our previous conversation. I did my best to push it from my mind as well, but something about Alex's new boyfriend made me uncomfortable and I couldn't shake the feeling for the rest of the afternoon. Maybe I would feel better after next week, when I actually got to see Alex with Dean.

Notes

Ok, shortest chapter ever, but it's important!

Let me know what you think!

Lots of love Lola xo