Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth!-Chapter 66: Game Of Dare

Alex's brow furrowed. "It wasn't always easy. Claire and I have had our share of fights especially when I first came and Margaret wouldn't let me be. But I get it. Family can be... complicated. My family is a living example."

Emma smiled faintly. "Complicated is an understatement. But even with all this chaos, I envy you and what you have with Claire. I miss my mom," she said softly.

"I wish I had met her," Alex said with a slight smile. "Judging from how good you are, I know she was a good woman and a good mother."

Emma nodded. "She was," she said and then took a sip from her drink.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the warmth of the wine loosening Emma's nerves.

Alex turned and cast a quick glance toward her and he couldn't help wondering what was on her mind and if she was sad remembering her mother's death.

Maybe he should cheer her up. But how? Would it be appropriate talking about their date?

Maybe he should. He decided, thinking about how much she had laughed.

"So," he started, a faint smile on his lips, "was this how you pictured tonight going?" he asked breaking the silence once again.

Emma chuckled, swirling the wine in her glass. "Not exactly. But it was... nice. Better than I expected."

"Better how?" Alex asked, tilting his head curiously.

Emma took a sip of her wine, her eyes darting away. "I don't know. It just felt... normal. Like we weren't pretending even though that was what we were doing."

Alex chuckled. "I felt that too."

"Do you think we should do that every time we go out? You'd be Beauty and I'll be Xander. It will be a time for us to live like two normal friends," he said and Emma shrugged.

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"Not a bad idea," she said, "as long as you stop flirting so much."

"I didn't flirt. I was only telling you what I thought," he said and her heart skipped a beat.

Did that mean he meant whatever he said during the date? She mused as she raised her glass to her lips and gulped down the whole content.

"Well," she said finally, setting her glass on the coffee table, "I guess I should head to bed."

Alex nodded, though his expression seemed reluctant. "Goodnight, Em."

"Goodnight, Alex," she replied, giving him a small smile before heading toward the staircase.

In her room, Emma changed into her comfortable pajamas and sat on the edge of the bed, her thoughts drifting back to the evening. She couldn't deny the shift between them. There was a newfound ease, a connection she hadn't expected.

To think she had almost ruined the friendship just last night. Although she didn't know what or how to describe how she felt about the whole thing with Alex, she knew it was doing her more good than harm.

She glanced at the wall that separated their rooms and wondered if Alex was thinking the same thing.

In his own room, Alex sat on the edge of his bed, his mind replaying the dinner and their quiet conversation afterward. He couldn't shake the image of Emma's smile or the way her eyes lit up when she laughed.

For the first time in a long time, he felt... something.

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Get a grip, Alex," he muttered to himself.

But even as he lay down, closing his eyes, his thoughts remained on her.

Emma couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, her mind refusing to settle. Finally, she threw back the covers and padded quietly to the kitchen.

She didn't expect to see Alex sitting at the counter, a glass of water in his hand. Why was he here too? Was he thinking about her like she was about him?

"Couldn't sleep either?" she asked, her voice soft as she walked up to him.

Alex looked up, a small smile playing on his lips. "Not really. Too much on my mind."

Emma nodded, pouring herself a glass of water and sitting across from him.

"About work?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Partly," Alex admitted, his gaze meeting hers. "And partly about us."

Emma's breath hitched slightly, but she forced herself to remain composed. "What about us?"

Alex shrugged, his eyes never leaving hers. "I don't know. Just thinking about how different things feel lately. How... natural it's starting to seem."

Emma smiled faintly, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. "It does feel different. But maybe that's a good thing."

"Maybe," Alex said softly, his expression thoughtful.

They sat in silence for a moment, the unspoken tension between them thickening.

"Do you need some wine? We need to sleep at some point and since we're finding it hard to sleep on our own, maybe some wine could help," he said and Emma looked at him thoughtfully.

A huge part of her screamed at her to turn down the offer since getting drunk with someone she was starting to like wasn't exactly a good idea but for some reason, she nodded.

"Let's do that. We can play some games too while at it," she said and Alex nodded in agreement.

Sitting there just staring at each other might be awkward for them so it was better they played some games.

"Sure. Let's go to the living room," Alex said, carrying two wine glass and a bottle of wine.

Emma nodded and followed him. When they got there, they both took their seats and after Alex had poured wine into one of the cups, he handed it to Emma before proceeding to fill his glass.

"So, what games do you have in mind?" Alex asked as they sipped their drinks.

"I was thinking you know any game," she said hopefully.

"Of course I do," Alex said and leaned back on the couch with a mischievous glint in his eye. "How about a game of dares?" Alex suggested, his tone playful but with a hint of challenge.