I hear a knock on my front door. I look at the time, 6.00 pm. 

Alice isn't back for two days. Sebastian wouldn't knock, and neither would my parents. So who could it be? 

I open the door and Theo stands there with a small white gift bag in his hand. 

‘Hey.’ I say with a smile. 

He steps forward and kisses me. ‘Hey. How was your birthday?’ 

I hesitate before answering. ‘It was good. I had dinner with my parents.’ 

He smiles. ‘Good. I’m sorry I missed it.’ 

I shake my head. ‘It’s fine.’ 

I step to the side to let him pass. He walks through the doorway. He stops at the counter and holds a bag out to me. 

'I got- Happy Birthday Lexi.' 

I smile at him and take the bag. 'Thank you.'

I open it up and see a small square box.

Again with the jewellery. 

I pull it out and open up the box. 

A necklace with a ring attached sits inside. I look at him. 

'It's a promise ring.' He says sheepishly. 

'What are you promising?' 

He looks away shyly and then looks back at me. 'That when the time is right, I will make you mine.'

I give him a smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes.  

I don't know why I feel disappointed that it's Theo who is promising himself to me and not someone else. 

'Do you want me to put it on you?'

My hand flies to my neck, where Sebastian's necklace is sitting. Theo’s eyes follow. 

‘Do you think I could just hold onto it?’ I ask 

‘Who gave you that?’ 

‘It doesn’t matter.’ 

He blinks at me. ‘What did you do on your birthday?’

I sigh. ‘I already told you, I had dinner with my parents.’ 

‘Oh so, you sat around all day in a restaurant till dinner.’ 

‘Theo…’ 

‘Alexis, it’s just a question.’ 

I stay silent. If I open my mouth, I’m scared I’ll say something that will break his heart. 

I move to pick up the necklace box and my sleeve rids up my arm, revealing the tattoo I got with Axcel. 

I pull down my sleeve way too quickly but he doesn’t say anything. Theo doesn’t say a word. 

He’s just looking at me with narrowed eyes, I know he’s trying to unpick my lies. I’m not stupid, and neither is he. 

When he finally opens his mouth to speak, he doesn’t ask me about my tattoo. He asks me about the bracelet. 

‘Who got you that?’ He asks, taking my wrist in his hand. 

He pulls up my sleeve. 

‘My parents.’ I say as I try to pull away. 

He scoffs. ‘My parents actually care about me and they would never spend thousands of pounds on a diamond bracelet.’ 

Okay, that was uncalled for. 

I wish I could figure out what’s happening in his head. 

His hand is still firmly wrapped around my wrist. 

‘I’m not lying Theodore.’ 

He releases me, ‘I didn’t say you were.’ He steps back. ‘What does your tattoo mean?’ 

I can’t keep doing this. 

He tilts his head to the side. ‘When was the last time you saw Sebastian?’

I think I probably look stupid now. I’m just staring and blinking at him. 

I gulp. ‘Ages ago. You know, when I was working on that piece for Lucia.’ 

‘So you haven’t seen him since you promised me you were choosing me.’ 

‘Yeah.’ I say quietly. 

He runs his hand through his hair. ‘So what are you hiding from me?’

‘Nothing.’

‘So who got you that necklace?’ He asks again.

My eyes flick away from his for a millisecond, and he notices. 

‘Because it obviously means more to you, than a promise ring from me.’

‘I-’

‘And don’t say your parents because they wouldn’t buy you a diamond bracelet and then buy you a necklace with metal at the centre.’ He continues.

My heart beat is starting to rise. 

‘Theo-’ I shake my head

‘I’m going to ask you again, and I want you to tell me the truth.’

‘The truth about what?’ I ask

‘How many times have you seen Sebastian since I asked you not to?’

It’s suddenly dawning on me that everything I’m trying to protect my heart from, I’m doing to Theo. I’m playing him, and using him just the way I would hate someone to do to me.

Do I lie? 

Should I lie?

‘Answer me Alexis.’ 

‘Why are you being like this?’ I ask

‘I’m asking you a question Alexis, a simple question. Is it so many times you can’t count it?’

He’s getting angry, or upset, or both. 

‘I don’t- I haven’t seen him.’ 

‘Don’t lie to me.’ He says

‘I’m not.’

‘You are,’ He steps forward. ‘I’ve known you for long enough to know when you’re lying.’

The muscles in his jaw tick. 

‘Alexis,’ He slams his hand onto the counter. ‘Have you seen him? Just fucking answ-’ 

‘Yes.’ I say. 

I clamp my hands over my mouth the second after I say it. My eyes widen. I shake my head. 

‘No.’ I say quickly.

‘You have?’ 

‘No, Theo, I swear-’

‘You have.’ He says firmly. ‘How many times have you seen him?’

There’s no point in lying anymore. 

‘I don’t know.’ 

‘You’ve seen him so many times, you don’t know.’ 

‘Uh- Well, you know, I saw him at the funfair… you did too,’ Theo rolls his eyes and shakes his head. I shrug. ‘And I saw him a couple times after that.’ 

‘Okay fine. Let me ask you an easier question. When was the last time you slept with him?’ 

I blink and look away. 

Lie?

Don’t lie.

‘My birthday.’ I whisper 

‘Excuse me?’

‘My birthday.’ I say louder. 

I meet his gaze. He’s glaring at me and his fingers are drumming on his thigh. 

He takes a deep breath. ‘Fine.’ He mummers under his breath. 

Then he storms off towards the door. 

I walk after him. ‘Theo.’ I plead. 

He slams the door in my face and doesn’t look back once. 

______________________

Idek what's happening in this chapter lol but I feel so bad for Theo

Who is ur favourite character?