Beauty and the Gang Member--ON HOLD :(

Chapter 9-Brittany

Princesa: princess. Oh, come on. I wasn't a princess. I was far from it. Alex had crossed the line when he made that whole speech on how I didn't light a candle compared to his life.

I've been through plenty. I have my own version of hell, so I don't understand why he got  defensive. I mean, I get that he's had a hard life, and he was right; I do judge people. A lot. And Alex was one who I judged a lot.

But I'm glad that I walked out, because I lost it. But I forgot my purse and backpack. Even though I hated him right now, I hoped he picked it up so no one else got ahold of it. Just the thought of Alex Cruz having my purse and backpack made my stomach curl and my heart pitter-patter at once.

That kiss was intense, I do admit that. Alex Cruz knows what he's doing, but part of me wondered while we were kissing how many other girls he'd kissed like that.

I shook the thought from my head and concentrated on driving home. That was the first time I had ever left school like that.

I didn't know where to go, but eventually I found myself heading towards Sunset Avenue Nursing Home to visit Nana.

I went to the front desk and signed in. The nurses smiled at me as I walked down the hallway to room 12. Nana was sitting on her bed, knitting a pink blanket.

"Hello, Nana." I said, and she looked up.

"Hello, dear. Are you lost?" She asked calmly, patting the spot beside her. I sat.

"No, Nana. I'm Brittany. Your granddaughter." I told her.

She crinkled her forehead and for a minute I thought she was going to deny me again, like she did a few months ago.

But to my relief, she smiled. "Oh! That's why you look so familiar." She patted my hand.

I knew I had limited time before she left again, so I dove in. "Nana, I need advice."

She quickly became serious. "Okay."

"There's this boy...Alex. And I;m getting mixed signals from him. One minute I think that he likes me, and the next he hates me."

She shook her head and put her knitting needle down. "You musn't fret, dear. That's how I met Howard." Howard is my grandpa, who died two years before she got diagnosed with Alzheimers.

"Anyway, he was always confusing me. Then one day, he just up and proposed. Said he wanted to get married before he entered World War 2." She looked wistfully at a picture of him beside her bed. "I was 15."

"Did you love him?"

"Oh, heavens yes. But things were different back then. Today its so complicated. What did you say his name was? Andrew?" Uh-oh. She's slipping.

"Alex."

"Ah. Well, dear. You must always remember this: Never lose sight of what you want." She looked at her knitting and then back up at me. "Who are you again?"

"Just a visitor." I got up and walked over to the door.

"I love you, Nana." I told her.

"Same to you, sweetheart." She returned to her blanket. Once, I had asked her why she knitted so many blankets, and she said that no one deserves to go cold.

After I was done visiting Nana, I went home.

"Brittany! Where have you been?" My mother hollered from the kitchen.

"Out! Visiting Nana." I replied, and I heard silence. She didn't reply. I guess she was feeling guilty for not going to visit her own mother every now and then.

I couldn't shake that feeling that Alex Cruz gave me. I wanted to tell him everything already. Deep inside of me, I knew he wouldn't make fun of me, or anything to hurt me.

I turned back around and grabbed my keys, getting in my car and driving to Southside. I knew he worked at an auto body shop, I just didn't know where it was.

After pointlessly driving around for a few minutes, I came across it. I slowed down and parked, making sure to lock my doors.

"Alex isn't here, chica." Came a voice behind me. It scared the crap out of me and I swiveled around.

"Um, where is he?"

"At home. Its down there. Its the house with the red flowers in the yard." The boy who was talking to me looked familiar; I think I had seen him around school. I thanked him and drove to Alex's house. It didn't look like anyone was home.

I knocked on the white door with the knocker. I heard a muffled curse and footsteps, and then Alex flung the door open. He was wearing sweatpants and no shirt, revealing part of a tattoo. He was rubbing his eyes.

"What?"

"I, uh, came for my stuff." I said, nervously looking anywhere but him.

"What makes you think I have it?" He asked tiredly.

"I'm assuming you do, I mean, I hope you do."

He stepped back and I walked in the house, enveloped by cool air. The house was small, but cozy, decorated perfectly. The smell of cinnamon pierced the air; I assumed that there was a candle going.

"So...can I have it?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Sure. Wait here." He retreated down a long hallway. I walked around the living room, looking at the pictures. On the table beside the couch was a picture of a man and it was surrounded by candles. I picked it up. He looked so much like Alex. I wondered if it was his father. And why was it surrounded by candles? Was he-

"He's dead." I heard behind me and I jumped. I hadn't heard him come back in the room.

"Sorry, I was just looking." I sat it back down carefully as not to disturb the candles.

"I suppose you want me to tell you how it happened?" He sat on the couch, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I wasn't going to ask that." I said, sitting on the opposite side of the couch.

"So you didn't want to know what kind of personal hell I was talking about?" He looked at me.

I hesitated. "No."

"I'm so-" I started to say, but he swiveled his head around.

"'I'm sorry' is so impersonal, chica. Don't say it."

I scooted closer to him and placed my hand on his shoulder. "Then what can I do?" I asked, knowing the answer to that question.

He looked at me, and without saying anything our lips met for the second time that day. I could feel his tension melting away. I leaned back and put my hands on his face. His hands snake around my waist.

"Does this mean anythin'?" He asks me between breaths.

"Definately." I said, and meant it.

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Later, we were still sitting on his couch, curled together.

Alex tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. " Its the most comforting thing I've ever felt.

"I really have to go." I say, trying to untangle my legs from his.

"Same time tomorrow?" He asks, catching me around my waist and bringing my face down to his.

"Let's see..." I trace a finger over his lips. "I have cheerleading at 3:15 until 4:30. Can you pick me up?"

He takes my finger and kisses it, and then my lips. "Anythin'." And I believe him.