Alex & Me

Alex & Me Ch.13

　

Alex & Me

　

Chapter 13

　

We had had a noisy dinner downstairs and we were currently sprawled on Amy's bed. I was feeling pretty good with myself. A happy full stomach. Linda was a great cook. I'm sure my face was dreamy and my stomach completely sated. Just then Amy decided to continue with the faux therapy session I'd endured before dinner.

"So like I said before dinner, it isn't over yet." Amy began.

I groaned. "I agreed to tell Ray how I feel. What more is there?" I asked, hoping she would just drop it.

"There is more. Off the back of my mind...why is it that you feel that way about Ray?" she said, pretending to be confused. I grimaced.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But you should, Zoey. This has been going on for too long. How long can you successfully pretend that you aren't in love with Alex?"

I cringed and sat up. "Do I make it that obvious?" I asked, looking at both of them desperately.

"To him, I don't think so. But to us, yes." Hayley said gently.

I buried my face into the pillow in my lap, mumbling to myself. Well, I guess I should be thankful that he doesn't seem to know.

"But we need to change that." Amy added, making my head snap up.

"What? No! Are you insane?"

"You've got to take a chance Zoey, otherwise you'll never know." Amy began, in a tone fit for someone mentally incapable.

"And what good will come off that? If he doesn't feel the same way then it would be too awkward later." I said, shaking my head, cringing when I visualised the awkwardness that would surely become a part of our interactions.

"Okay I'm gonna say it once and for all," Amy said her eyes flashing "You. Are. A. Complete. Thick-head." she said, emphasizing every word with a fist punch to the poor pillow. "How can you say that? Have you considered the possibility that he might like you back?"

"That's the thing. He might..what if he doesn't? What would I do then Amy? And as corny and cheesy as it sounds I'm seriously happier this way then I'd be if things were to go wrong!" I said, all in a single breath.

"I see where you're coming from Zoey. I really do. But what if things turned out right . You'd be so much happier and not pseudo-moping around all the time!" she said, gesturing wildly with he hands. I could see the pleading in her eyes, but I refused to let it sway me. It was too big a risk.

"Okay Amy you need to stop pressuring her now," Hayley said quietly and Amy, whose mouth was already open, turned silent, nodding.

"Sorry I didn't mean to get that...worked up. I just want to see you happy Zoey." she said.

"I know you do and I'm sorry I'm such a coward but you don't understand Amy...say for argument's sake he doesn't feel the same, can u really imagine how bad it would get then? I'd never be able to talk to him like I do now, not really. And as much as I want it to happen, I'd rather be happy now than miserable later." I said, emptying all the worry accumulated inside my head out into the air. It felt strangely comforting and disorienting at the same time, being so honest with them.

"We understand and you have our word that we won't tell him anything." Hayley said, ever the peacemaker. Amy seemed to have an objection but Hayley silenced her yet again, with another meaningful look. "But for what it's worth, even I agree with Amy though I still maintain that we wouldn't force you to do anything you aren't ready to do."

"Thanks?" I said, in a shaky voice. It came out like a question.

"Okay so now that Hayley won't let me pester you anymore," she pretended giving Hayley the stink eye, but that just made us laugh, "We are gonna keep up the sleepover tradition by watching chick flicks since you would bail out on any horror movie."

"What about your phobia of clowns huh?" I shot back. Amy paled. She was deathly scared of clowns, like run-away-screaming-with-your-hands-on-your ears scared. Her elder cousin, Ron had played a prank on her when she was little and since then she developed the phobia. Of course this piece of information didn't come from Amy herself. It was her mom who spilled the beans at one of our previous sleepovers.

"Low blow, Smith, low blow." she recovered, shaking her head.

I, being the mature, grown-up almost-woman that I was, just stuck my tongue out. Hayley laughed loudly at our antics and then got up and walked over to where Amy was standing. She took the three DVDs from her. She closed her eyes and picked out one. It turned out to be Titanic. I squirmed uncomfortably on the bed.

It wasn't that I didn't like the movie or anything. In fact, I loved it. But after I'd seen it for the first time, I couldn't really make myself watch it again. There was this weird feeling of uneasiness that settled in my stomach. It was to do with the fact that it didn't have a happy ending. I didn't say anything though because Amy really wanted to watch it.

Hayley went to the DVD player and set it up while I snuggled back into the bed with one of the many pillows on my lap. The movie was about to start when Amy suddenly cried out.

"Wait! Pop corn!!" And with that she ran downstairs.

We cried at the appropriate times and then it was over. I for one was really grateful. That uneasiness was unnerving in light of our earlier discussion. Amy got up and turned off the lights and TV, bathing the room in the soft moonlight. My last memory was of Amy trying to knee me away before the stars in the window faded out.

　

***

　

The sound of the wind howling and lashing at the window woke me up. It was still dark outside. I turned and saw Amy and Hayley on the other side, their light snores made audible in the quiet of the night. My throat felt parched so I got up and out of the bed, deciding to go downstairs to the kitchen and grab a glass of water.

I managed to detangle myself from the mass of arms and legs without waking either of them and headed for the door. Closing it quietly behind me, I started climbing down the stairs towards the kitchen. The house was silent, as it should be. I didn't bother switching on the lights, the light from the fridge would suffice. And at this time of the night I was past using a glass. I opened the door and took out a bottle. I began to gulp it down.

Just as I looked down I saw a flash of white through the window. My hand froze mid-air with the bottle as I concentrated on the window to make out what it could possibly be. I wasn't planning to go to the window and actually check what it was. Half-asleep I might be, but the horror movies Amy had made me watch - at least in part because I refused to watch any further - had me convinced that all of them started the same way. The foolish oblivious protagonist would march right towards the danger while you'd be shouting "Look there, you fool!" and he or she never did. Well, I wasn't that foolish.

I just stood there, staring wide-eyed at the window, not moving a muscle when the white flashed again. My heart jumped a beat and then started drumming hyper-actively. I nearly dropped the bottle but saved it from falling to the floor just in time. As I looked up to the window, a face came into view.

　

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Okay so I tried the cliff-hanger thing for the first time...I need to be evil once in a while :D

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