Bonds and Attachments

Chapter 9

Alexa looks at herself in the mirror, smoothening some of her fly-a-ways and her dark red dress. Lynn is next to her, doing the same with her hair and dark purple dress. "You're the only one that has a date in this wedding," Lynn points out, pretending to be jealous, but there is a smirk on her face.

Alexa rolls her eyes at her sister but is smiling. "Come on, then," Alexa says to her sister, and they walk out of the room together to see Francis together with Brian and Lucas, all with black suits. Francis looks away from his conversation with Lucas and stares at Alexa with mouth open slightly.

"Wow," Francis breathes. He stares at her straightened smoothly kept hair, to her red and eye-lined eyes, her plump maroon lips, to her smooth and simple silk maxi dress with a deep v-neckline. Her high-heeled shoes are ankle-high, so she is now at his shoulder-length, instead of with her usually slightly above his chest.

Alexa beams at him and leans up to kiss the boy. "Thank you, handsome," Alexa and Francis turn to the others to see them staring back. Brian is watching with an eyebrow raised, Lynn has a small smirk on her face, and Lucas is looking at them like he expects a better compliment from Francis.

Lynn walks first with Lucas, in a half-hearted conversation, Brian right behind them, hands in his pockets and staring at his shoes. Alexa slowly becomes anxious, and Francis senses it so he reaches forward and holds her hand. She looks up at him and smiles gratefully. As they waited for the lift down, Francis turns to Alexa, holding each of her hands in each of his. "Just stay with me, if you want," Francis offers. "And handle the talking to me."

"Oh look," Francis says, pointing at one of the tables holding food. "They have regular brownies. Jay listened to my request."

"You requested for brownies?" Alexa asks, chuckling. "They're not even different than regular ones that anyone can make-"

"Did you just imply that brownies are not special?" Francis asks, pretending to be offended, a hand on his chest.

"Well, I mean-"

"Excuse me?" A woman with the bridesmaid's dress interrupts, and she looks guilty because she knows that she did. "Are you Alexa Greene and Francis Simmons?"

Alexa frowns, and Francis narrows his eyes slightly in suspicion. "Yes, we are,"

"The bride asked for all of you to his dressing room. Said that he wants a quick and urgent discussion about something. And prefers that no one knows about it."

Alexa and Francis exchange a look, then turn back to the bridesmaid. "Lead the way."

They enter the dressing room, and they see Jay sitting down in front of his vanity, staring at himself, and Lucas behind him, pacing back and forth.

"Alexa, Francis, thank God," Lucas immediately bursts.

"What happened?"

"Jay snapped," Lucas explains.

"I have not," Jay protests, looking at Lucas from the mirror and shoots the boy a glare. "I was just..."

"Second-guessing his decisions," Lucas blurts.

"Alexa, can't he ever shut up?"

"But we don't know whether to cover or leave the wounds on display," Now it's Lucas's turn to glare at the other boy. "Because he doesn't want me to be reminded that I beat him up yesterday. But at the same time, it's his damn wedding, so he shouldn't show every one of his guests that he was beaten up."

Unconsciously, Alexa walks to Jay and looks at his wounds through the mirror. "Do you want to cover it up?" Alexa asks the boy gently, with the tone of voice that Jay is all too familiar with, the same one she uses when she tends the wounded. "And does it still hurt?"