Who She Is

~20~

Alyx's POV

She softly gasps. Her eyes widen, and her cheeks turn a rosy pink. Woah, she's super cute when she blushes! I made her blush! Her brows furrow, and she says, "If that's what you want."

"It is," I mumble while staring down at my bed.

She doesn't say anything. She gets up and walks to the door. What the hell? Is she leaving? I get up and stop her right when she gets in the hall. She looks surprised when I grab her wrist and says, "What? I need to pee." Oh I forgot she's still drunk. I wait in my room for her to come back.

It takes her longer than I expected, so I step back out the door to check on her. I see her staring at a picture frame hung up on the hallway wall. She turns her head when she hears me approach her. "Is that you?" she asks while pointing to the little boy who did happened to be me. It was a picture of me and my mom on a horse carousel. I was only three, so I don't remember it. My mom has the biggest smile on her face. She did say this was one of her favorite pictures before.

"Yeah."

"You were so adorable. I'm guessing that's your mom, too?" I reply with a nod, and she gives me a genuine smile. "She's really pretty. You look like her."

I've never really heard that. Before my grandma passed, she used to tell me that I was the spitting image of my father. That was when I was younger, though. I wonder if I still do. Doesn't matter. I don't care. In fact, I wish I didn't look like him at all.

Her cheeks begin to turn a shade of pink again. "Do you think... she would like me?"

"I do. There isn't anything to dislike," I let slip out. Heat spreads on my cheeks once again. Why does she want to know that, though? Does she plan on meeting my mom?

"You just haven't learned any of it, yet." You won't let me.

We return to my room, and I feel her hand grab my wrist. I turn my body towards her, and she takes a tiny step forward. "I have a question... You can say 'no'."

"What is it?" I ask, curiously.

"God, I feel like I'm taking advantage of you." She closes her eyes and rakes her fingers through her hair. "Could I possibly crash here tonight? Like I said, you can say 'no'. I'll completely understand."

Holy shit. Amaya wants to stay the night with me? Wait! Where will she sleep? I don't know when my mom is getting home either. How could I possibly say no to this opportunity, though?

"Uh, is that okay?" I ask. I don't want her to get in trouble with her parents.

She rolls her eyes and says, "Alyx, soon, you'll learn that not many people care about me. Yeah, it's okay."

What's that supposed to mean? Of course she has to have people that care about her. I do. What about her parents? I know Lexi made it seem like she has issues with them but still. I reply, "Y-you can stay." She doesn't need to drive anyway. I'm not letting her walk home again, either. Especially not without a phone.

"Thanks, Alyx."

"You can take my bed. I'll sleep on the floor." I shower and wash my sheets regularly, but I hope they don't stink to her. She pulls the covers back and sits down under them. I excuse myself to go to the hall storage closet and grab a blanket and pillow. I come back and set me a spot up on the floor.

"Do you have a shirt I could wear?" she asks.

"W-what?" She wants to wear my shirt?! Why?!

"Can I wear one of your shirts? This tank top is getting uncomfortable," she says, tugging on her shirt.