Misguided Truths: Part Two (Misjudged #4)

by Sarah Elizabeth

  “You’re not gonna give up?” Neil asks, and I know what he’s thinking. He’s thinking the same thing as Alexis, and I know they care, but they’ve gotta understand something here. I’ve already lost Holls because of these people, there’s no way I’m gonna let them take me away from Alexis. “Do you really think that’s wise?”

  “I’m never gonna give up until those assholes pay for what they did.” I keep my voice calm, but at the same time, I make it known that I won’t be persuaded on this.

  Everyone’s attention is drawn toward the main door when Alyssa comes running into the room, “I saw your car in the parking lot! You’re back!”

  “It looks that way,” Alexis smiles, and she takes a hold of my hand again. Yeah, it wasn’t the greatest time or place to tell her how I feel, but at least we’ve put an end to the discussion about getting the cops involved.

  Because I’ve been laid up for the best part of a week, and it’s gonna take me a little while to recover, it doesn’t look likely that I’m gonna be able to perform in the college show with the rest of the guys after all.

  When Alexis’ birthday is mentioned, I know I’ve gotta do something to make it special, and as Neil and Rye head out to meet with Corey and the other guys for band practice, I summon Alyssa out into the hallway.

  “What’s up?” She asks, her eyes wide.

  “Your father owns hotels, right?” I ask, and yeah, I’m a little nervous asking this if you want me to be totally honest. When she nods, I clear my throat before I continue. “Do you think that it’s likely that I might be able to get a discount on one of the rooms, say, in a couple of weeks?”

  “What’s wrong with our place?” Yep, she’s an airhead alright. “Oh!” I nod and smile when what I said finally seems to be sinking in.

  “Yeah, but you need to keep this between just the two of us, alright? I don’t wanna spoil the surprise,” I tell her firmly. I know Alyssa just as well as the rest of the guys do, and she loves to gossip. She can’t keep anything to herself. I sometimes wonder how she and Alexis get on so well.

  “I’ll call my father.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Alexis has been sick with a migraine for the past couple of days now. She doesn’t suffer from them all that often, but this one seems to have hit her pretty hard. Three times through the night I held her hair back for her while she hurled into the bowl. Yeah, it wasn’t so nice to watch. The vomit I can handle, but seeing her in that much pain? Well, that’s a completely different story.

  The over the counter drugs I got for her didn’t seem to help whatsoever, and so I just headed down to the drugstore and grabbed the medication her doctor prescribed when we called the clinic late yesterday afternoon.

  I push the door open as quietly as I can, and head over to the couch she’s been laying on for the past ten or so hours, “Hey.” I whisper when she opens her eyes.

  “Hi,” she whispers hoarsely back, and when she tries to sit up, she starts glowering from the pain and immediately rests her head back down on the cushion. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

  “You need to take a couple of these every four hours,” I tell her, and sit on the edge of the coffee table while placing my wallet and the bag of drugs beside me. “Have you been sick anymore since I left?” She grimaces and closes her eyes when she shakes her head to answer me. Leaning forward, I stroke some of her hair away from her face, and notice a small smile playing over her lips. “Do you need me to stay home?”

  “You’re already late for class and you’ve still got work to catchup on. I’ll call you if I need you back.” Thank God.

  “I’ll go and grab you some water before I head out,” I tell her with a smile, and head toward the kitchen. When I walk back through, I place the glass down beside her and lean down, lightly kissing her on the forehead. “I’d better get going.”

  Standing back up, I make my way over to the door, “Brandon?” I turn back around when I hear her call me. “Thanks for picking them up for me.”

  “No worries. I’ll see you in a little while.”

  Once I’ve closed the door, I head out the building, and grab my cell phone from out of my jacket. She’s right, my class has already started, but what she doesn’t know is that I don’t intend on being there today. I don’t think I can explain to you just how relieved I was when she told me that she didn’t need me to stay with her.

  It’s only a week until Alexis’ nineteenth birthday, and with being stuck in hospital and then having to rest for a while, I haven’t had a chance to buy her a gift yet. No, I know. I have only one week to try and make her birthday as special as I possibly can.

  Rach agreed to meet with me in the city at eleven thirty. I called her on Monday, and asked if she’ll come with me because I really need a woman’s opinion. I have absolutely no idea what to buy for her, and I don’t wanna make the wrong choice.

  She’s hard to buy for. Really hard. Theater tickets would’ve been my number one choice, but I’m unable to do that for obvious reasons, and flowers and chocolates just seem a little impersonal. I want her to know how serious I am about her. Scrap that. I want her to know how serious I am about us. Next Friday can’t be anything but perfect. But, don’t worry, I won’t be proposing anytime soon. You can breathe now.

  ***

  “Okay, so let me just be sure on this. You don’t want to buy her a dress, or theater tickets. You said flowers and chocolates are out of the question. Perfume is a no go, and dinner is just, how did you describe that one again? Oh, yes. ‘Blah.’”

  “Yeah, blah. We can eat dinner anytime. She smells nice without needing any help. Flowers die, and the chocolates will last no longer than a half hour knowing Alexis. I already got her a new dress a few weeks ago, and—“

  “I need coffee,” she says with a bored tone, and rolls her eyes while slumping her shoulders low. “What’s your budget?”

  “That’s where it gets a little bit trickier …” I wince, and go to take a seat on a bench just outside the mall. “I don’t really have a lot to spend. Maybe a hundred dollars?”

  Rach takes a seat beside me, glances around, and then I see her tilt her head toward the other side of the street, “How about we go and try over there?”

  I turn around to look in the direction she’s gesturing to, and see a jewelry store right up ahead. “Isn’t that a bit … predictable?”

  “You’re killing me.” She rests against the back of the bench, and closes her eyes while breathing out a deep and heavy sigh.

  “I thought girls loved to shop?” I lean forward, but keep watching her. I don’t get it. She looks bored. I mean, is that normal?

  “Women love to shop, but when we’re shopping with indecisive men who have absolutely no clue what they’re looking for, and to top it all off, when every suggestion we make isn’t the right one? Well, it gets tedious. It irritates the hell out of us and it’s boring and—“

  “Woo! Alright. I get it. Geez. Are you on your period or something?” The scowl that’s crossing over her face shows me she’s not gonna take any prisoners, and before I give her the opportunity to punch me, I stand up and retreat some more as she continues to glare at me. “I was kidding. I-I-I jewelry sounds like a great idea!” I think I just bought myself some time there.

  Once we get inside, we take a look around, and the clerk standing on the other side of the counter walks around to meet with us, “Is there anything in particular I can help you with?” She smiles between the two of us when I stare blankly at her.

  “We’re looking for something really special. Like completely amazing that’s gonna—“

  “I think I have just the thing you’re looking for!” she bobs her head up and down like a zillion times before walking away for a couple of seconds. When she returns, my mouth goes dry when I see the tray she’s holding out to us. “Now, do you know what ring size you are? Our engagements rings are—“

  “No. Nu-uh. We’re not, I mean, I’m not. Nooooo!” My eyes feel like they
’re about to drop out of their sockets, and all I really wanna do is head straight back through the door.

  “Oh. I’m sorry. When you said special, I just assumed you were looking for engagement bands. My mistake.” She smiles again, but I’m so not smiling. She just scared the crap outta me. Not only that, she thought that Rach and I … Nooooo.

  Rach steps forward, seemingly finding this whole scenario highly amusing, “It’s his girlfriend’s birthday next week, and he wants it to be something, I don’t know… unique?” She turns and looks over her shoulder at me while raising her eyebrows up high.

  “Yeah. It’s gotta be unique.” When I go to turn around to take a look at some of the things in the glass displays behind me, my cell phone rings out. Shit.

  I stare at the screen for a couple of seconds, and feel relieved when I watch the call end. Yep, you guessed it. It was Alexis. I should’ve answered. I really … and she’s calling again. “Are you okay?” Rach taps me on the arm while peering over my shoulder. “Is that Alex?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And you’re not answering because …?”

  “Because I lied to her. She thinks I’m in class.”

  “Yes, but you only lied to her because you’re trying to surprise her! Didn’t you tell me earlier that she’s sick? You’d better answer her call. What if she’s gotten worse and needs you home?” Too late. She already ended the call again. My hands are shaking. I seriously need to grow a pair. “If she calls again then you should— there you go!” She nudges my shoulder with hers when my screen flashes with Alexis’ name for the third time.

  ***

  Alexis has always been interested in my tats, but no, I didn’t get another one or book her in to get one either. It took a couple of hours for the woman at the jewelry store to work her magic, but the wait was fully worth it.

  I open the box for the tenth time, and look at the white gold necklace that’s resting inside. It’s in the shape of a Chinese symbol which means forever, and I had that very word engraved on the back. You wanna know why? Well, I’ll tell you. It’s because I intend on spending the rest of my time with her, that’s why. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. We haven’t been together very long, but, when you know, you just know. Me? Oh, I definitely know.

  “So, do you think she’ll like it?” I ask when Rach parks the car just down from the campus gates. It took a while for me to choose something, and it’s five o’clock already, but I think I’m happy with what I chose for her.

  “Like it? No, she won’t just like it, Brandon. She’ll love it. It’s beautiful. She’s extremely lucky to have someone who loves her as much as you do.”

  “I’m the lucky one,” I say, not once taking my eyes away from the gift I bought for her. Well, the one Rach bought for her. Because I’d been hurrying around this morning, I left my wallet back at the dorm when I dropped Alexis’ prescription up to her. Yeah, I know. I’m a dumbass. “Thanks for loaning me the cash, Rach.”

  She twists in her seat and smiles, “It was either that or have to walk around more stores with you again some other time, and if I’m going to be honest with you right now, I never want to be subjected to such stress in my life ever again! I think I should congratulate you because you’ve actually managed to put me off shopping for a long, long time!”

  “Was I really that bad?” I frown, risking a glance over in her direction.

  “Worse,” she answers, though I can see the amusement within her eyes. “Right, get out. I’ve got work tonight, and I’m already running late.” I lean over, and kiss her on the cheek before stepping onto the sidewalk.

  “I’ll call you soon.” I tell her, and she nods just before I close the passenger door back up.

  When I reach the dorm, I make sure the gift box is secure in my pocket, and then swing open the main door. Alexis looks over the back of the couch, and I notice her lips are formed in a tight frown. I smile as I make my way over to the breakfast bar, drop my keys down, and then slip out of my jacket before hanging it on the hooks by the door.

  “Hey, how are you feeling?” I ask, and walk over to her. I kneel down on the floor beside the couch, and stroke my fingers lightly across her forehead. “Have you been sick anymore?” She nods, and her eyes are starting to look a little glazed. Shit. I was really hoping she was gonna say no. “Do you need me to get you anything?” I ask as I move over to sit on the coffee table again. Knowing that she’s been sick again, and that I wasn’t here to look after her is making me feel guiltier. But, I’m hoping all the secrets will be fully worth it in the end. I guess that I’ll just have to endure this feeling for a little while longer.

  “No, I’m good. How was class?” Class? Right … class.

  I instantly take my gaze away from hers because I can’t look at her when I know I’m being untruthful. I know that it’s my idea to surprise her, but I hate keeping secrets from her. When I go to stand, I see my wallet sitting right beside me. Shit. The receipt from the hotel is poking right out the side. I grab a hold of it, and shove it inside my pocket, though I know the likelihood she would’ve seen it is pretty slim.

  You see, I went to Alyssa’s father’s hotel a couple of nights ago to try out some of the food. I wanted to be sure everything will be perfect for her next week, and at the same time, I met with her father to talk about hiring a room for the night, “Just the same as usual, you know …” I say, and head straight for the bedroom. My cell just vibrated in my pocket, and I know that I need to take this call.

  “Will you be going out again tonight?” I hear her call over the back of the couch, and I pause before slowly turning around to face her again. “I thought that maybe we could spend some time together.”

  Shit. I wanna. I really wanna spend some time with her, but I’ve already made plans. Damn, and there goes my cell again, “I already said I’d pop by the bar for a couple of hours. I’m sorry, Alex.” I say hurriedly, and then head into the bedroom before I crack.

  We haven’t spent a great deal of time together over the past couple of weeks, but that’s because I’m trying to get everything ready for next Friday. Where’ve I been? Back at my old dorm. I honestly don’t think that Alexis has any idea of just how much she’s helped me since the day we first met. I wanna give her something back; make everything really special. So, I’ve been writing some material. I’m gonna sing to her. Yeah, I’m that serious about us, about her, that I wanna do this. I told myself the day after Holly died that I’d never sing again, but I think it’s time.

  I close the door fully, and walk over to the bed while grabbing my cell from my pocket. Three missed calls from Alyssa. I dial her number, and she answers on the second ring.

  “Finally!” Drama queen.

  ***

  Wow. It even looks great from the outside. A smile beams wide over my face as I head up the lobby steps and toward the entrance doors.

  Alyssa arranged to meet with me here at eight, and I’m right on time. That’s why she was calling me so many times earlier. She wants to show me around the room that me and Alexis will be using next week.

  I made my way over to the desk in the lobby, and the clerk informed me that Alyssa is already somewhere in the building, but she gave me a keycard anyways in case she hasn’t managed to make it up to the room yet.

  The usual rate for the penthouse suite costs at least a couple of thousand dollars a night, but because the owner of this place is Alyssa’s father, I managed to get myself a good deal. Five hundred dollars. Yeah, I know. It’s still a lot of cash for only one night, but I’m hoping to make it the best night of her life. It needs to be really special, and she’s more than worth the cost a million times over. In seven days’ time, I’ll be kissing those lips again, right before I make love to her.

  I swipe the keycard along the sensor to room five zero seven, and push the door open, “Hi!” Alyssa comes bouncing over to me, her excitement evident. “This is going to be perfect!” Before I even have a chance to kick my shoes off, she grabs a hold of
my hand, and pulls me forward until we’re standing in the … whoa. I glance around the living space, and I’m damn sure my jaw just made its way back down to the ground floor. Yep. We’re on the top floor, so I’m sure you can imagine just how cool this place really is. “Well, what do you think?”

  “Yeah … yeah … it’s …” I knew that it was gonna be pretty amazing. I mean, I’ve seen these types of hotel rooms in the movies, but I wasn’t expecting it to be anything like this. Damn. There’s even a grand piano sitting in the middle of another room off to the right. “How many rooms are there?”

  “I know, right? She’s going to love it!” she squeals, and clasps her hands tightly together. I step around her, and head directly toward the ceiling to floor windows up ahead. “Well, there’s this one as your main room. The room over there is more for entertaining. It has a piano, a huge TV, and all that kind of stuff. Just behind you is the bar, down the hallway we just walked through is a luxurious bathroom, the bedroom is right on through …” She stops talking when she notices my eyes widen, and I’m sure she just saw my head snap up as I glanced over her shoulder when she pointed to the bedroom. “Bedroom!” She grabs a hold of my hand again, and leads me toward a closed door, this time with a little more urgency than before.

  Once I’ve peeked my head around the door to the en suite, I turn back around, and walk right back over to her. She’s standing in the middle of the room with a wide smile firmly placed over her face, “We have champagne, rose petals, the hot tub is enormous, and there’s room service twenty-four seven!”

  I let out a deep breath, and rake my hand through my hair, “This is just beyond all of my expectations. I know you said it was amazing, but this is perfect.”

  Her eyes brighten more if that’s possible, “How long do you have until she’ll expect you home?”

  “I have a feeling she already suspects something. I hate lying and keeping secrets. I’ve been really fucking off with her. I can’t wait for this next week to be over with, Alyssa,” I answer her, and the feeling of guilt tries to overcome me again, but I try my hardest to fight it back away. I guess it wouldn’t be so bad if she weren't sick, but then again, a lie is still a lie.