Last Heartbeat by T.R. Lykins

Alexia for anyone. I’m not missing a thing. I smile at Alexia and she smiles right back at me. I think my heart jumped a beat when she did that, and I love having her next to me. I just don’t know the reason for that yet.
    Jacob says another stupid drunken thing - that I am missing out and that he would take care of Alexia for me, so that I can go to Megan. I tell him that that isn’t going to happen ever. These drunken people don’t have feelings. If they did, they would see that I am already head over heels for this blue-eyed girl standing beside me.
    He is making me so mad that I grab him and tell him that he is to never touch Alexia and needs to apologize to her. He half-drunkenly does this, but I don’t believe him. I’m getting madder by the minute at him. Alexia touches me and reminds me that he is too drunk to know what he is doing and won’t remember his actions in the morning. Her touch automatically calms me and her smile melts the anger away, so I let go of Jacob.
    I turn to her, smiling back, and let her know that, with her batting her eyes, everything would be okay. I tell her that she is going to cause so much trouble with all the guys wanting to be with her and I am going to have to keep them away. She doesn’t believe me and says that she is just plain. How can she not see how wonderful and beautiful she is inside and out? Everyone around her lights up when she is around, but she doesn’t know this. She is perfect and not full of herself like Megan.
    Tyler comes over and says that he is tired, wanting to know if I was taking them home. He says the same thing Alexia does, about Jacob being drunk and he won’t remember a thing in the morning. I ask if he wants to stay in the guest room with Jacob. I know that no one can sleep with Jacob because he is like a bear wrestling in his sleep. I tell Alexia that I will help Tyler get Jacob in bed and be right back.
    We drag him to the room, and I turn the bed comforter back. We lay him down, and I take his shoes off because I will have to clean the sand out off the bed if I don’t. With him settled in the bed, I turn around and find Tyler lying on top of the other one. He still has his shoes on, and I take off his too. I’m glad to have these two here and not driving. They both know I don’t like them drinking and driving so they always call me to pick them up. Maybe one day I will tell them about my brother and how he died. Alexia is the only person here that I have ever told.
    I walk out the door and notice how late it has gotten. How did it get so late so fast? With all the excitement of the evening, time has flown by, and I feel guilty because now Alexia has to drive back to the dorm. That isn’t going to happen. She will have to stay and I’ll sleep on the couch. I look over at her collecting her books and see the biggest yawn. She is really tired, and I can see it.
    I walk up to her and she smiles at me. My heart beats faster every time she does. I ask her to stay, but she is hesitating. She yawns again and I know she will have to stay because she is too tired to drive. I tell her that I’ll sleep on the couch and she can have the bed. She says that the couch is too small for me. I agree but don’t want to offend her with asking to share my bed. I do ask and offer to sleep on top of the sheets. I’ll even let her borrow a t-shirt. Now that will be nice to see her my t-shirt.
    I show her that I have a king-sized bed and tell her that I’ll keep to my side. She says okay. I get her a shirt and I go to the bathroom. While I’m in there, I brush my teeth, wash my face and take my medication. I dig out a surprise toothbrush for her. I keep extra around in case I need a extra. I come out with my surprise and she smiles at me. She goes in and takes only a few minutes. Glad she was fast because I am tired.
    While she is in there, I change into pajama bottoms and sit on top of the bed. I start thinking more about Alexia and feel nervous about having