Who She Is

~13~

Alyx's POV

"Oooh! Let's stop at this gas station. I really want some candy!" Amaya squeals, bouncing in her seat. She's kind of like a child when she's drunk. Not in an annoying way but a cute way.

I carefully turn and pull into the parking lot. I push the gearstick to park, and she unbuckles. Is she going in? Drunk?

"I can go in for you," I offer.

"That's okay. I don't know what I want," she laughs. She hops out and starts skipping to the door. Oh my god. I haven't skipped in years. There's no way the employee is going to think she's sober.

I hurry and get out, catching up with her.

"You have to act normal," I tell her.

"Why?"

"So they don't know you're drunk."

"I don't give a shit if they know. Plus, if they do have a problem with it, you're my getaway driver." She points at me before pushing the door to the store open and almost tripping on the floor mat. I grab her hips to steady her and blush when I realize what I just did.

I let go of her, dropping my hands back down by my sides. "Are you okay?" I ask.

"Woah." She suddenly bursts out laughing, slightly bending forward and holding her stomach. "I almost fell on my face!" I cant stop my laugh that slips out. She's so silly. I really like her...

I can hear the sound of someone's throat clearing. I look up to the guy behind the counter staring at us, his face laced with judgment and displeasure. Yeah, he knows. Most of the time, when someone sober trips, they get embarrassed and leave. Not burst out laughing.

I give him a sheepish smile before looking back at Amaya. "The cashier is staring at us," I whisper

She looks at me and blinks. "So? C'mon, let's get candy. I really want some gummies."

She staggers to the candy aisle and grabs two different bags of gummies. She asks if I want anything, but I decline since I don't have any money on me. We walk up to the cashier and set the stuff down on the counter.

The man looks at her, skeptically, but Amaya isn't paying any attention to him. He scans the candy and bags it. He tells her the total, and she grabs a five dollar bill out of her pocket and gives it to him. She takes the bag and cheerfully smiles while walking to the door.

She cracks up once were in the parking lot. "Do you think he noticed?"

"He did kind of have a look on his face like he knew," I tell her. She starts laughing even louder. She's so cute. I really like her laugh. And luckily, I'm getting to hear it a lot tonight.

We climb back in the car, and I crank up, heading in the direction to my house. Amaya fiddles with the radio and suddenly says, "I'm really glad you're hanging out with me." She's going to have to stop saying things like that so bluntly. My heart can't handle it. I haven't laughed this much in a while.

"Half the stuff isn't even funny. You're just laughing at nothing most of the time," I say, jokingly, a smile pulling at my lips. I'm starting to be a little more comfortable around her, especially since she's drunk and won't remember it.

She puts her hand on my arm and laughs some more. She's touching me again. My heart rate picks up once again. "Still."

I don't say anything else until we get to my house. "I'm going to park down the street some, okay?" Just in case Mom comes home early. She nods, and after I park it, we get out and walk down the sidewalk to my house. I unlock my front door with my keys and step to the side, gesturing for Amaya to come in. I walk over towards the stairs, and she follows. I stop midway, thinking about my room. Shit! It's not even clean. I would hang out with her downstairs, but I'm scared Mom will walk in any minute. She'll freak out if she sees a girl here this late.