Chapter Forty-Three

She tried the lock again, but it didn't work. Taking her key out, she stared closely at it. She pressed the doorbell and waited for a while, but nobody answered. She pressed the doorbell repeatedly but there was still no answer. She peeked into the windows beside the door, cupping her eyes to get a look inside.

Everything was dark inside. Nobody was home.

She sighed, then removed her phone from her pocket. She dialled Keanu, who picked up on the first ring.

"Hey, this is Hell, how may I help you?" he said.

She laughed. "Geez, Keanu."

He laughed too. "What's up, Alice?"

"I've been locked out of my place. I mistakenly took the wrong key with me out to work, and nobody is home. I can't get into my place. Can I go to yours for a while?"

"Sure, come on over," he said.

"I'll be there in a sec," she said, and they hung up. Putting her phone back in her pocket, she hailed a cab to his place.

When she reached, Keanu opened the door with a kiss to her forehead. She hugged him tightly and lifted her head to kiss him a few times on the lips. He stepped aside to let her in and she entered his home, following him to his bedroom.

"Movie night?" Keanu asked her, getting onto the bed.

She climbed onto the space next to him. "Yes, please! What are we watching?"

"We still need to continue Californication."

"Let's watch that then," Alice said and Keanu pressed the buttons on the remote, putting the show on. As the show played, he put his arm around her shoulder, and pulled her into his embrace.

They watched the show in silence, engrossed in what was happening on the screen. Keanu rubbed her shoulder every now and then, occasionally placing a kiss on her temple. As time passed, the show shifted from one scene to another, and a sex scene started.

She smiled, picked up another piece of popcorn from the bowl sandwiched between them and threw it in her mouth. She gazed at him and he returned her look.

"Keanu, I have a question," she said.

"What is it?"

"Tell me," she said. "What's the best way to cheat on your girlfriend?"

He stared at her, a bewildered look on his face. "You're asking your boyfriend what the best way to cheat on your girlfriend is?"

She giggled. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Well, that is a good question actually. You might be shocked to hear the answer."

"Oh no," she said. "What's the answer?"

"You might want to prepare yourself for this."

"Go on."

"How about…" he said, trailing off. "You don't?"

She laughed.

"You don't cheat," Keanu said. She continued laughing. "That's the best way."

"I love you so much," she said. He lifted her chin with a finger and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"I have one question for you," Keanu said.

"What - " she said but her phone rang in her pocket. She took it out and looked at who was calling. It was Katrina, probably calling about something related to work. "Wait a moment, I have to get this." She picked up the call. "Yeah, Katrina?"

Katrina said hello and asked her if she wanted to meet up with the other professors to have some drinks.

"Where are you guys at?" Alice asked and watched as Keanu threw a popcorn into his mouth, watching the show. The sex scene was still on.

"At The Tap," Katrina said. "Are you with someone now? It sounds…"

"Yeah, I'm with someone now," she said and Keanu glanced at her.

"Who is it?" Katrina asked.

"Just a friend," Alice said and Keanu's head immediately snapped to her in surprise. A grin formed on his lips as he watched her. "Who's there?"

"Just Graham, Jace and Danica, plus some guys from IT," Katrina said. "Are you sure it's just a friend?"

"Yeah, it's just some random friend."

"Alice," Keanu said.

She tilted her chin up at him in question.

"Can it be 'best friend'?" Keanu asked.

She burst out in giggles. "Sorry," she told Katrina. "I can't go, I hope you guys have fun."

"Okay, bye," Katrina said, hanging up.

"Just a friend, huh?" Keanu said, smiling at her while he shook his head.

"Yes," she said, biting on her finger.

He put a hand on her waist and drew her in, pressing his lips on her collarbone. "Do friends do this?"

"Maybe?"

He tucked her hair behind one ear and nibbled onto her ear. "Do they do this?"

"I don't know."

Then he kissed the side of her neck. "Or this?"

"No, definitely not," she said, giggling.

He parted from her. "Yeah, I thought so."

"God, I love you so much."

"I love you too, Alice," he said as she laid her head on his chest.

"I swear I'm so happy right now," she said. "I finally have what I want, a supportive romance."

"It's only what you deserve, baby girl."

"This is perfect," she said. "Nothing can ruin it."

"Of course - "

A loud bam sounded from outside Keanu's bedroom. More slams boomed and Alice jumped on the bed.

"DAD, FUCKING COME OUT!"