Higher Than The Alpha (#Wattys2014) »ᴄɵᴍᴘᴌᴇтᴇ«

TWENTY

TWENTY – Grinning [Victoria]

I'd managed to persuade Lex into letting me go home. I hadn't seen my mum in days. It wasn't fair to her, no matter how much I wished I could stay with Lex and his family. When I had got home, mum, of course, had fussed, but I wasn't complaining. I would have done the same in her shoes.

"How are you feeling? God, I was so worried about you," she started. "Next time your feeling ill, come home, okay? You know I'll take care of you..."

She was like that for the rest of the night. Even during the movie where we snuggled on the sofa.

Back to school the next morning was an experience. Charlie kept watching me. As though he knew something was different.

"Hey, Skiver," Charlie said as he slid into the seat next to me at lunch, giving me a hug. It was the first real thing he'd said to me all day.

"Hey... are you okay?" I asked, sensing Lex walk into the room.

"I'm fine, why?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. You haven't spoken to me all day. Until now."

He sighed. "Sorry, Vic. It's just... I was really worried. Your mum had no idea where you were. You weren't answering you phone, and I had no idea where Lex lived if he'd taken you there. And then your mum got a phone call saying that you were ill but we still had no idea where you were..."

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I spoke to his shoulder. "Sorry, Charlie."

"Don't be, it wasn't your fault you got ill."

Unless you want Charlie armless... a growl entered my head. I wasn't sure whether it was Lex or his tiger.

Charlie's gay, I reminded him.

Charlie is male.

A gay male.

Vic, please.

With a sigh, I pulled away. "I'm still sorry I made you worry about me."

Charlie grinned at me, moving to the other side of table. "As you should be."

I grinned back, sensing that I was forgiven.

Moments later, Lex slid into his seat next to mine, placing an arm around my waist, pulling me closer. Rick appeared then with four bowls of warm cake in hot custard, and four spoons. I thanked him as he put a bowl in front of me.

"Oh, and can you tell your mum to let me have the second cake she made?" Charlie asked me as we started on our puddings.

I stared at him. How did he know about the second cake? "What second cake?"

"Come on, Vic. I'm a spy, do you really think you and your mum could keep it hidden from me?" he grinned.

I frowned at him. "Well we tried. How did you know mum made a second cake?"

He mock sighed. "I've told you before, keep your nose out of my secret spy ways. That information is only for those who need to know, and you," he grinned. "Do not need to know."

"You suck," I growled back.

I felt my eyes widen as Rick suddenly started choking and Charlie started laughing so hard he had to clutch his stomach.

"What happened this weekend?" I asked, looking from one to the other. I could feel the same confusion coming from Lex as he looked at the pair.

"Nothing happened," Charlie said as he started calming down. "Just a couple of games."