If Not For Her

Chapter 19. "I am here"

Annabeth got into his bike and watched them go, Alex went to drop off Chris while Adam and Emmalyn drove off. Nicolas and Annabeth stopped in front of her house. She saw the lights in their living room, her parents were home. She handed him her helmet. He ran his hand through his dark hair, he looked beautiful in the dark. "I had fun today, thank you for inviting me," he said. She smiled at him, "I had fun too and Alex would have called you anyway" she said.

He nodded as the silence between them stretched out, "I got to go" she said. "Sure," he said as she walked towards their house, "Bethy, Nicolas called after her. "Yes," she turned, he walked up to her, "if you would like to go again sometime, maybe just you and me" "I would love to," she said, quickly. His smile widened, "like a.." she trailed off, did he want to just hang out with her. "As in a date." He said. " Annabeth I know it is soon but would you like to go on a date with me?" He said. Annabeth was sure at that smile her smile was enormous. "I would love to," she said.

"Great, I will see you at school tomorrow," he said and she took a deep breath in and kissed him softly on his cheek, "I will look forward to it," she said, softly and walked up with a large smile on her lips, she had kissed his cheek and he asked her out on a date, a real date. In the room she sat at the dinner table with her parents when her brother came in, looking down. He put up a smile as he sat down, Annabeth noticed his shift.

She looked at him and he weakly smiled at her, something was wrong with him. Their father took out the chicken from the kitchen, and the siblings shared a look, their father rarely cooked and when he did it tasted horrible. Their mother looked at them and smiled with sorry eyes, they knew what they had to say, it tasted great. Dad was extremely excited, "kids and my lovely wife I want you to taste my chicken, wait what was it called, never mind have it and tell me how it is?" He said.

He tried to cut it, but the knife was stuck. She pulled out her phone and texted Alex under the table.

We are supposed to eat that?

He looked at the screen and texted back.

I have ordered pizza

You are an angel

I know

"No phones on the table please," their mother said as they put their phones down. In front of them was shredded chicken "taste it," their father said. Annabeth looked at everyone's expression. They put it in, it tasted shit. "Eat it, Dad," Alex said. "It is great, Dad," Annabeth said, "thanks honey" he smiled and took a bite. His face twisted, "it was a better idea in theory" he said.

"It was good love" their mother got up and brought out the heated pasta, "you made pasta," their father said. "It was a backup," their mother said as the door rang, "I will get it" Alex sprinted out and closed the door behind him. Their pizza was there, she knew Alex would get to his room from the back door. The dinner ended and Annabeth learned that the parkers were coming over to dinner for the weekend.

She texted Adam and Christina on their group chat,  Christina was not online so she texted Adam personally, before she could Adam called her, " is Chris ok?" He asked. "Don't know" she said," strange, she is not picking up her call" he said, "that is not like her" she said, "that was what I was thinking, it is probably nothing I will see you at school tomorrow," he said. "Bye", he hung up.

Annabeth started on her homework and by the time she was done, it was nearly 2 o clock. She felt hungry and tiptoed to the kitchen. There she saw Alex sitting at the table with a pizza slice. "Leslie," she said as she sat next to him, "oh hey, I didn't wake you up did I?" he asked. No, you didn't but what are you doing here?" She asked.

"Pizza he said. He was diverting the topic, he placed a slice of pizza in front of her. She picked it up, "You can tell me," she said. "Chris and I broke up, well she dumped me," he said. "Why?" She asked. Alex swallowed hard, "I don't know Ollie," he said. "It was something about Meg, I don't want to talk about it. It's fine" he said. Annabeth got up and hugged him, she slowly circled her hand on his back, "it's fine, I am here," she said.

She brought in two bowls filled with ice cream, and she dazzled chocolate syrup, "haven't you had enough of those, your throat is gonna hurt tomorrow" he said. She gave him one bowl, "when you have a breakup ice cream and old movies help," she said, pulling him up. That night they watched an old movie having ice cream