Untouchable (ON HOLD)

Untouchable Ch.15

Alex and Angie sat on some wooden stools they found leaning against the wall in Liam's basement. The basement was completely finished, and resembled a gym, minus the treadmills. Large blue mats were laid out all over the floor and two punching bags hung from the ceiling at two opposite ends of the room. A shelf loaded with weights lay against the wall right next to where Angie and Alex sat. Along one of the walls was a long staircase that lead into the basement, and behind the stairs stood a large mirror, like the one Alex remembered from dance class. On the way in, the two had a brief glance at themselves, only confirming their suspicions- they looked awful. Both had weary expressions and dark bags under their eyes, and Angie's usually meticulously styled hair was beginning to frizz inside its haphazardly styled bun, and Alex swore in the few days since Jason was missing, she'd lost weight. 

Alex let out a frustrated sigh as he leaned his head against the wall behind him and stared up at the ceiling. 

"I'm so sorry for all of this, Angie. It’s all my fault, had Jason and I just stuck together from the beginning, back at the Doctor's place, we would be alright.

"It’s alright. Don't blame yourself, I just had a feeling that with all this stuff going on with you guys, craziness would ensue." Angie leaned against Alex and he immediately looked down to meet her eyes. Despite feeling slightly uncomfortable and unsure of if the timing was right, Alex gently stroked her hair. He was so scared and tired and sad, but the warmth he felt for Angie brightened his spirits some. Alex felt slightly guilty about his feelings for Angie, because although he had never mentioned it, Jason likely had a crush on her. But Jason wasn’t here now.

God, Alex, what are you thinking? He thought to himself. Your friend is sitting in some hospital somewhere, probably dying... and all you want to do is come on to his girl?

"So how about this Liam guy?" Angie said quietly, startling him out of his thoughts.

"What, sorry? Oh the British dude." Alex let out a dry laugh. "I don't trust him."

"Me neither. I mean, he knew all this stuff about us, and the story he told us about the Doctor and everything... I feel like something's missing. And how did he show us Jason like that? I mean, can he tell the future or show us the present or... I don’t know Alex, I'm so confused!" Angie pulled her knees up to her chest and dropped her head to her knees in frustration.

Alex stood up from her chair and walked to Angie, draping his arms around her. “I know. But he’s the only hope we have right now. Of getting a hold of these abilities and finding Jason. I mean, if we have to fight these creeps holding Jason captive, I don’t want to get my ass kicked.”

Angie tearful giggle was muffled beneath Alex’s arms and she put her knees down and allowed him to pull her into a tight embrace. All the while, a mantra played in the back of Alex’s mind over and over: I’m a horrible friend, a horrible, horrible friend…

“Oh my goodness, were you lot about to have a little fun? Without me?” Alex and Angie flew apart from each other as Liam’s voice boomed from the top of the staircase.

“Oh please don’t stop on my account. I can leave if you needed to finish anything.”

Completely embarrassed, Angie and Alex sputtered out unintelligible responses on top of each other.

“We didn’t-“

“We aren’t-“

And after several moments the two yelled simultaneously- “Nothing happened!”

Liam laughed deviously, having obviously been trying to catch them off guard. “I was only joking. I figured you wouldn’t be messing around with me in the other room. Anyhow, sorry for the delay. I had a very important… conversation… to finish.”