Miss, Do I Know You?

38 - Tuesday, April 20

Despite our shared inexperience with any of this, being with Alex was an experience that left an indelible mark on my heart and soul, an indescribable pleasure that exceeded all measures.

With our friendship as a foundation of our relationship, taking this next step, in a way, felt effortless. We already knew almost every corner of each other's lives, and whatever we were doing now seemed like the natural progression of it. There seemed to be no need for planning, no need for expectations. We lived our lives, as simple as that.

A call from Martha started my day, kindly asking me to open up the coffee shop. And when she arrived to take my place, I made a slight detour to Alex's classroom with some warm coffee in hand, knowing full well that she too had been up at the crack of dawn—the good morning voice message that had arrived at an ungodly hour of five a dead giveaway.

Time drifted by in familiar tasks and comforting routines. As the sun began to dip below the horizon, I once again found myself alone in the coffee shop, wiping down tables and preparing to close, and the familiar jingle of the door chime brought a smile to my face even before I turned around. Only when a pair of little arms clasped around me did I pretend to be taken by surprise.

"There's my two favorite people." I beamed, ushering Benji towards the counter. "Now tell me, how was school? Your hot chocolate is already waiting for you over there."

Benji giggled and grabbed the cup and then proceeded to seep his exuberance into the previously quiet space. As he regaled me with the details of his day, Alex sat patiently in one of the chairs and waited for me to finish up, eyes following my every move.

Finally, I put the apron away and grabbed the keys. "To Gabi's?" I asked, landing a quick kiss on her cheek before we stepped outside.

"Yeah, we grabbed some pizzas. That poor thing has been living on instant ramen for like three days."

As soon as we were in the car, her hand landed in mine. A simple gesture, but so sweet. Regardless of how demanding her own day was, Alex consistently put in the effort; even when there was nothing new to share, she would ask me about my day and hang onto every word. The feeling of being so cherished was still new to me, but I embraced it wholeheartedly.

Upon arriving, we were just about to enter the living room when Gabi sprinted over to us. "Oh, hey!" She tore us apart with a shove, causing us to stand a good five feet apart, shaking her head. "Didn't know you were coming over."

"Is that Lex?" a voice came from around the corner where Owen soon emerged, and I grasped the situation. His face lit up with a smile upon spotting her. "Looks like we have some company after all."

"Hey." Alex smiled, just as caught off guard. "What are y'all up to?"

"I came to watch the game with Tony, but he's not home, as it turns out, so we're just hanging. Hey, Ben—oh, okay, ignore me." He laughed, watching Benji bolt to his room. "Hi, Daniels."

A polite smile crossed my lips, though an uncomfortable sensation took root because all his presence did was remind me of the duplicity that we constantly engaged in. I wished to walk back out the door. But as soon as he disappeared into the living room, Alex put her hand on the small of my back and planted a kiss on the side of my head, as if promising me that there was nothing to worry about.

"If you want to get away, let me know, okay?" she murmured. "The safe word is, hm, I don't know. Let's go with apple."

I smiled. "Apple it is."

Because of her, I made the decision to put my discomfort aside, sank into the couch, and hoped that the three of them would chip away at the subtle tension that had settled in the air. And even though the evening eventually found its footing, I remained the odd one out. Alex and Gabi had become like family to me, but Owen only amplified the yawning chasm of our differences. In the way he looked at me from time to time, it was obvious he viewed me merely as his student and hadn't expected me to be there.