Busy, busy, busy.

~~~

I stared at the front door.

Why was I nervous?

Why was I so nervous?

It was just Van.

Just Van.

I felt Alex squeeze my hand.

"Don't worry." He said.

I looked over at him and stared into his eyes as he smiled gently.

I hugged him and he kissed my temple gently before hugging back.

I closed my eyes, taking in his scent with each breath.

He kissed the top of my head, running his hand gently up and down my back.

When I parted from him, I smiled, knocking on the door.

Alex kept a hand on my back as he pulled out a cig.

Soon the door swung open and Vans smiling face and bright eyes met mine.

"Well, hello beautiful! And handsome!" He said as his gaze went from me to Alex.

He cheekily winked at Alex, making him laugh.

"Alright." Alex nodded.

Van smiled, his bright teeth shining as he slipped his hands into his back pockets, stepping back.

"Come on in, then."

"Nah. I'm just here to drop her off." Alex rejected politely.

I looked to him and smiled.

"See you. See you." Alex said to me, then to Van.

"Awwh, alright. See you, mate." Van said.

Alex ruffled my hair before turning around, slipping on his Aviators as he walked away.

"So,"

I turned around, finding Van with his arms crossed, leaning against the door frame as he eyed me with a smile.

"That's a thing, then." He said.

"Y-yeah. It's a thing." I replied.

"A boyfriend/girlfriend thing or a sex thing?" He asked.

I flushed red.

"He's my boyfriend!" I replied, my voice rising in pitch.

Van raised an eyebrow before laughing.

He raised his hands up in defense.

"Alright, alright! I was just asking." He laughed.

After a moment, he pulled me.

"Get in here."

And he shut the door.

~~~

We were now sitting on his couch, cups of tea cooling off on his table.

It was while he was in the kitchen that the reality of what I was about to tell him hit me.

"You alright?" He asked after I hadn't said anything.

I glanced at his eyes, which were slowly filling up with worry before glancing back at my own tea, setting it down on the table, as he did the same.

"The... The night of the party..." I began.

"That... That girl. That you were with, uh, Arielle..." I began.

Her name alone brought a bad taste to my mouth.

"Oh yeah, shes banging, isn't she?"

I bit my lip.

Perhaps I should just say the big part?

"Van..." I looked down.

"What? What happened?" He asked, his voice dripping with worry all the sudden.

I reached forward, grabbing his tea and setting it on the table.

"I technically tried to kill myself after I ran out of your party."

He seemed frozen as he stared at me.

I looked up to see his face and water welled in the bottom of his eyes.

He was going to cry.

Just then, as a tear slipped from his eye, he launched forward, wrapping his arms around me as he pushed my head into his chest, under his neck.

He held onto me tightly.

I wrapped my arms around him and closed my eyes.

He was shaking lightly, but after a few minutes, he pulled back, eyes red and tear marks on his cheeks.

"Why?" He asked, one hand firmly on my shoulder and one brushing back my hair.

"It was about Alex." I admit.

Rage filled his face.

"I'll Fucking kill him,"

"Van!" I shouted, stopping him.

"Look, Arielle is one of his exes. If anyone should be killed for their stupidity, it should be me."

He opened his mouth to say something, but I stopped him.

"Let me explain..."

~
Over the next half an hour, I explained the whole situation to Van.

He sat back on the couch, his half empty tea in his hands, eyes blank.

"So... You're not... You're not..." He scooted forward, hands in his lap as he spoke in a hushed tone.

"Depressed... Or... Anything... Right?" He sounded genuinely concerned.

"No," I shook my head and chuckled.

"Are you sure?" He asked after a moment of silence.

I nodded.

"Yes, yes, I am sure." I said, placing a Hand lightly over his.

He bit his lip and looked down, gripping my hand.

"Just... Please, don't ever do that again..." He expressed.

I nodded.

After another moment, he spoke.

"Jus' Come 'ere." He pulled me to him and I hugged him again.

I felt bad for worrying him, but it felt good to explain it all and get it all out there.

I never wanted him to be in the dark about anything.

When we parted, he pushed my hair from my face, and sniffled.

He smiled.

"Let's move on to something happy, shall we?" He asks.

I nod.

"Are you hungry?" He asks.

I place my hand over my stomach.

"Maybe not at this moment, but..." I see his mischievous smile.

"I've got stuff to make those fancy butter cookies that you used to slip chocolate chips in." He smiled.

I bit my lip.

"Alright. You got me." I said, rolling up my sleeve.

"Let's do this."

"Throw on some Stones, yeah?" He asked, jogging away as he rolled up the sleeves to his black and orange sweater.

"Alright!" I replied, running to the Turntable in the room, and searching through his LP's for some Rolling Stones.

I found one that I knew he'd like, turning up the volume so that we would be able to hear it,and running into the kitchen, to sing and dance with Van as we baked, just like we used to do as kids.

~~~

A bag of chocolate chips.

Right infront of me.

Half eaten... But still there.

Oh yes.

Van turned around, washing his hands in the sink.

I bit my lip.

I grabbed them, opening them and slipping over to the dough, pouring a large amount in, before grabbing a spatula and stirring them into the dough.

"Sarah, what are you...?" The sink was turned off and he glanced over my shoulder.

"EVERY TIME!" He shouts, trying to grab the bag from me.

I laugh as I hold it from his reach, extending my arm and smacking his grabbing hand with the other as I try to run away from him.

He tried grabbing onto my waist, but I slipped from his grip.

I laughed and ran out into the living room, where the voice of Mick Jagger filled the room.

I threw the bag on the table just as Van tackled me, bringing us both to the floor.

We both laughed.

"You're such a goof!" He laughed.

"Shut up!" I smiled.

A while later, we had killed time by dancing and singing, doing our best impressions of Mick.

When the cookies were done, we -despite them being hot- picked certain ones, and ate them while laughing.

"Alex will love these." I commented aloud.

"He better. I'll kill him if he doesn't."

I smiled.

He would.