Love Drunk: Chapter Fourteen

Dexter Maloney is in love with Lainie Robertson, that much is true! But when Alex Wilder came back into her life, Dexter was wary of him from the start. Over the past few days, Alex and Lainie have been inseparable. They have a history and Lainie did confess to Dex that Alex broke her heart over ten years ago! Dexter's uneasy feeling was very much backed up by the look of sheer evil that Alex shot his way after revealing Lainie's portrait. But can Dex get Lainie to see that Alex isn't all he appears to be??? Can Roxy help?

Dexter had gotten used to seeing Alex with Lainie practically everywhere she went, but when they started to get physical, it became more than he could take! After dropping off a painting at the gallery, all Dexter wanted was a nice cup of hot chocolate and a slice of Lainie's Victoria sponge...instead he got a floor show of Romeo and Juliet! Alex and Lainie wrapped in each other, it made him want to puke! Not because he was jealous, okay he was jealous, but because he knew Alex was no good!

Ever since he showed them the finished portrait, Alex had been extremely mean to Dexter. He would say nasty things to him under his breath, when Lainie wasn't around or when she was out of earshot. Dex wanted to tell her, but she would never believe him! She was utterly besotted with this guy!

As he turned to walk out, no longer having an appetite for Lainie's sponge, she noticed him and called out and approached him. "Dexy where are you going?" Dexter sighed and turned to face her with a smile painted on to hide his disgust.

"I was just going to get Drew from his lab, have a bit of cake with him, chill out!" she seemed satisfied with that as Alex kissed her headed for the exit.

As he passed by Dexter he muttered "You try anything when I'm gone Maloney and I'll cut your throat!"

"Yeah, you too Alex! Have a nice day!" Dexter smiled and answered him loudly.

"And stop calling her freckles, it's sickening!" he sneered and swaggered out the door.

"Yeah bye Alex!" Dex shouted after him, still smiling. Man that guy was a total creep! If only he could tell Lainie!

"Isn't he a sweetheart?" she gushed as Dexter fought back the gag reflex that threatened to rear it's ugly head right there in front of her.

"Yeah, he's a real prince!" Dex mumbled. He didn't know how much more of his taunts he could take! It wasn't because he was frightened of him, it was because he was frightened he'd smack him one in front of Lainie...and then she'd hate him forever!

Dexter sat down at the counter and gave Roxy a knowing look, she nodded and headed out to the back. 

Dexter followed her as Lainie was occupied with something on one of the tables.

"Okay Maloney, spill!" Roxy stared him down.

"How..."

"Alex is giving you a hard time isn't he?" How did she know?

"Yeah, he's being pretty brutal Rox!"

Roxy sighed and shook her head, "Listen, there's something you need to know. Alex cheated on Lainie at University. She still doesn't know to this day! She thinks the reason he left was to go on a gap year but the truth is I chased him away. I caught him with the answers to an exam as well and I threatened to dob him in if he didn't leave campus and leave Lainie!"

"What a creep!" Dex furrowed his brow and clenched his fists, feeling the anger begin to rise inside of him.

"Easy there pretty boy, he's a total jerk and she thinks he's perfect! She can tell me what a loser Kev is but if I try and down Alex, she bites my head off! And you do know he's staying with Kev?"

Dexter loosened his hands out the tight grip and rolled his eyes, "Wonderful! Look Rox if he doesn't stop giving me a hard time? I'll end up beating the crap outta him!"

"And that's exactly what he wants, he knows you're his main rival for her affections and he wants you out of the way!"

"Lainie and me? We're just friends!" Dex shrugged as his cheeks burned.

"Yeah sure gorgeous, you and I both know you're madly in love with her!"

Dexter shuffled uncomfortably on the spot, "What if I am, huh? What does it matter?"

"Dexter, just don't do anything stupid okay? This is a phase, she'll come out of it sooner or later. She did ten years ago! Just be there for her when it all ends in tears."

As Roxy turned to go back inside, Dexter called to her "Hey! Lainie doesn't know does she?"

"Know what?" Roxy gave him a confused look.

"That I love her!"

"No Valentino, your secret is safe with me...for now! Because I'm her best friend, I can only keep things from her for so long!" she winked and left him to worry over it!

Drew and Charlotte had hardly spoken since the kiss rebuff. But he felt it was time to clear the air. As she answered her door in her dressing gown looking rather down, Drew gave her a big smile, trying to reassure her.
"Hey!" he greeted her softly.

"Oh Andrew!" she sighed, "I'm so sorry..." Drew raised a hand to silence her and still with the big smile talked over her apology.

"No Char, don't be sorry! Listen, it's important that you come to our gig tonight!"
"Why?" she blinked in confusion.

"Just be there, please? It would mean a lot to me! Promise you'll be there?"

Charlotte let out another sigh, but this time it was with relief rather than worry, "I promise Andrew! I won't let you down!"

"Great!" Drew beamed, "I have a big surprise for you!"

Despite the encouragement and support from Roxy, the whole situation was getting Dexter down. He poured his heart out into some new songs, and as he tried them out for his friend and brother, he got even more depressed about the situation.

Later that night as they left for their big show, Lainie and Alex were in the diner getting cosy and it broke Dexter's heart. Although he knew that Alex was no good, he couldn't ever see Lainie coming to her senses!

The band played their set to a packed crowd as Charlotte cheered Drew on from the sidelines. At the end Dexter announced that they were going to sing a brand new song, penned by Drew, it was a special song for a special lady...

Ash spotted Erin in the crowd again, wanting so much to shout or wave to her but lacking the courage to do so...

"This is for Charlotte!" Dexter smiled at her. The song began...

Erin turned and walked out into the sea of people as Ash pounded his drums that little bit harder in frustration!

As Dexter began to sing, Charlotte thought he had the sweetest voice she'd ever heard, but Drew's guitar playing was the highlight. She listened to every word with excitement...

"Nobody knows what you mean to me!

You're the prettiest girl that I've ever seen!

You brighten my day, you light up my world.

What I would give to make you my girl."

"I'd stand in the rain.

I'd walk on hot coals.

I feel no pain.

For you make me whole.

You light up my life.

Like no one before.

Someday you'll be my wife.

My girl next door!"

Charlotte felt the hot tears stinging her eyes, it was the sweetest, most romantic thing she'd ever heard!

When the boys had finished their gig, Drew approached her and asked sheepishly, "Well? What did you think?" Charlotte stared into his brown eyes for a moment, her own eyes red and puffy...

...and kissed him!

"Wow!" Drew gasped as his cheeks flushed, "I guess you liked it then huh?" He laughed as Charlotte hugged him tightly.

"I'm very fond of you Andrew, very fond indeed!" Drew couldn't hide the wide smile that appeared on his blushing face, it wasn't

I love you but it would do for now!

Selena was hovering around the bar as Dex drowned his sorrows. He was fully aware of her presence but chose to ignore it this time, he didn't have the strength to argue with her tonight. "Hello Dexter!" She called to him with that annoying high pitched voice of hers.

"Hey, um...Sinita?"

"Close...Selena!" She replied, and slid even closer to him, her perfume wafting in his direction...overpowering but not unpleasant...not as mesmerising as Lainie's...but nice nonetheless.

"Sorry, Selena! I'm real bad with names!" He turned his head to get a good look at her, she was pretty...she was blonde! Dexter liked blondes!

"That's okay, um Dexter?"

"Yes Selena!" he smiled faintly at her, usually she was annoying him by this point, but tonight he just felt...numb.

"Do you mind if I sit with you for a bit?" Her big blue eyes pleaded with him, for just one moment of his time. Dexter gave her a sympathetic nod.

"Sure! Why not? Can I get you a drink?" Selena's eyes lit up and she smiled back at him,

"That would be...oh that would be lovely Dexter!"

Half an hour later, his mind in autopilot, he was sitting in a taxi with her...not a word spoken between them. They drew up at a block of flats, getting out of the taxi Selena took his hand and guided him into the building. Dexter had no idea what came over him as they reached what he believed was Selena's front door...

...pressing her against the wall he kissed her, deeply and meaningfully.

She responded, her hands wandering all over him as he kept his eyes closed and pictured Lainie in his head...

...everything happening in one big blur, before he knew it they were inside her flat and on her bed. Was he really going to do this??? 

"Dexter!" Selena mumbled in that annoying voice,

"Shh..." Dexter breathed in between kisses, "Don't say anything!" She was Lainie, she was Lainie, she was Lainie!!! The more he thought that, the easier this was going to be...

He woke up the next morning, head pounding and his mouth dry. 

As he looked over at the girl lying beside him, not Lainie, he felt sick. Had he really slept with Selena?

What was he thinking? He was in love with Lainie!!! Why did he do it? Because he was lonely, because he felt unloved, because Selena showed an interest in him! Because he couldn't have the woman he truly wanted, she was with some creep who was practically bullying him! Selena mumbled to him "Good morning handsome!" as Dexter got up and found his clothes.

Dressing as quickly as he could he replied, "Hey, listen I gotta go, my brother will be wondering where I am!"

"It's only 5:30 Dexter!" She pouted, motioning for him to come back to bed.

"I really should be going Selena, it was...you know...nice and everything but I..."

"Does this mean that I'm your girlfriend now?" She asked him in an annoying babyish tone.

Dexter felt his stomach churn and his head throb, "Uh...look Selena, this was just...a bit of fun yeah?"

"But..." She stammered.

"I really do have to get going, sorry..."

He headed for the door with his head down, "...I'll er, see you sometime okay?" And he was gone, leaving Selena feeling sad for a moment...

...then she latched on to the see you sometime part and her heart was all a flutter!

Oh Dexter what have you done you silly silly boy??? What will this bad move cost him? Next chapter, you'll find out! :/