Ask For Alexis

4. Dear brain, you're the shittiest wing-man on the planet

ALEX'S POV

Sitting with Collin and Bree at a wooden table big enough for four, I begin to contemplate what it would be like if...

If there were a chance that the stories were true; that people did fall in love with your personality, that fate does exist and everyone finds love eventually.  

If I were desirable,

Attractive,

His,

Before entering an endless stream of devastating thoughts, Bree suggests an ailment that has always been able to distract the two of us. "Enough babbling, let's get to work." I quietly comply and open my backpack, ready to take my laptop out. "You girls come here...to study?" Collin asks, breathless. "I knew it. Listen, pal. If you're going to use your popularity trump card you might as well leave," blurts out Sabrina rather quickly, obviously irritated by her fair share of bullies for one day. "No... I didn't mean that," he says defensively. "It's just, aren't you exhausted?"

His question hits close to home, and I know he's only referring to schoolwork. Bree surprises us both when she agrees with him. "Alright, show us how to have a good time!" she dares him.

We actually did have fun; a lot of fun. Mostly it was the three of us arguing over climate change, politics and the financial crisis - which Collin expertly won us over. As it turns out, Economics is his favorite subject.

NARRATIVE

An hour later, Bree's legs are crossed on top of the wooden table; Collin has his arm slung behind his chair, while Alexis is resting her head on the palm of her elbow. "Lawyer," says Bree. "Stock broker," says Collin. "Journalist," says Alexis. It's the possibility of hope that has the three of them smiling like buffoons, anticipating their future selves and whether they'd be proud of them.

ALEX'S POV

"Alright fellow Clubbers," I say this in the most nonsensical manner. "Ready to hit the road?" "Lexy? A clubber? Maybe if we had a bat." Collin replies ever so wittily. "Her? She couldn't hit a fly!" Bree continues his train of thought.

"You two are hilarious." I hold my stomach, pretending to be out of breath from laughter. "Come on, it's 8:30 p.m.!" Collin and Bree get up as we walk to the door. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Sabrina," says Collin with an irresistible smile that gets even Bree's cheeks to heat up. "You too, Collin!"

Our walk back home is quiet, not in a morose way, just talked out.

Ask him, go ahead.

"So, Ross."

"Talk to me, Lancaster." His voice ever so charming. "What are you doing hanging out with us after school?"

"You invited me, remember? We were in front of the garden?" his tone is sarcastic.

"Speaking of the garden, Alexis wasn't there today."

"Since when did you give a shit about Alexis?"

Whoa, ouch.

"Since you publicly scorned her in the cafeteria and she wasn't at the garden today," I reply, matter of factly.

Collin looks at his shoes and says nothing. We're still walking but there's a palpable tension that wasn't there before. Amidst the cold air, I'm suddenly suffocating. "Well?" I ask persistently, knowing that his response is going to be ugly; but I don't care.

"I'm mad at her for being the opposite of who she was when I fell for her."

Trying to regulate my pulse from not going into overdrive, I pretend to listen intently. "Is it the first time she acts this way?"