The Both Of Us

08- Come As Two, Leave As Three

Eight years ago

"Go with me." Alec has been following me along the diner as I cleaned the place up.

It was the start of Christmas break. Alec just found out a few hours ago that he and his family were going to Aspen for the holidays, and being the kind soul that he was, he asked his parents if it was cool if a friend of his could tag along.

He didn't specifically mention whether this friend of his was a boy or a girl, which probably was the reason why they easily agreed to it.  Nevertheless, that was way too much for me.

Alec's intentions were very much pure. He knew I spent holidays alone at home, being my dad was in jail and my mom was who knows where for the last sixteen years. He knew I was survived by myself for almost two years now, and he's been egging me on to take a vacation, a break from my busy life. That was easy to say when you have a trust fund to bounce back on when things didn't work out, or when your mom and dad would sweep you up and absorb you in whatever money making business they were in.

I, on the other hand, had none of those things. Work today to eat for today, work tomorrow to be able to eat for tomorrow.

"I can't, you know I can't" I wiped down the coffee stain on the table. "I can't afford a vacation, figuratively and literally."

"You don't have to spend a single dime on this." He continued to follow me, helping turn the chairs over on the table. "And besides, my mom already got us our tickets, including you."

I turned to look at him with an expression I couldn't even explain.

"She really want to meet my girlfriend." He said behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

The morning after my wine-induced bold move on Thanksgiving- which he brings up every chance he could,  he had asked me if I remembered what I did. Oh did I remember it alright, but I was too embarrassed to admit that I did, so I played dumb. He quickly figured me out after five minutes and proceeded to kiss me. He never really asked me to be his girlfriend, nor did we even bring up the topic about it, but we both knew. He has referred to me as his girlfriend quite a handful of times already.

His words made me blush, and shivers ran down my spine when he nuzzled his head in between my neck and my shoulders. 

I wasn't used to this, the affection, and boy, was Alec one to show it. I still wasn't used to it, but it had only been a few weeks.

"You told her?"

"She's my mother." I could sense he was rolling his eyes. I knew he loved his mother, adored her, so it was only normal that he would. "And she's excited to meet you."

"I don't know, Alec. I have work."

"I already asked Mrs. Sarmiento. She's fine with it, more than fine actually." He chuckled. "She said you really need the break."

"I need the shifts." I turned around to face him. "I'm saving up for college. I might not get a full scholarship right away, so I need the extra wiggle room. And I have bills to pay."

Alec frowned at me, how I still wouldn't agree to go to Aspen to meet his family. "Let me cover whatever you lose when you go with me, please."

Here we go again.

"I'm not your charity case!" I snapped rather harshly than I intended to which made him jump. When I noticed he was taken aback by my sudden outburst, I changed my tone. "I'm not a charity case you can throw money around. Go give it to an orginazation or something."

Alec looked at me bewildered. We had this conversation before multiple times already. I didn't have money, yes. I worked to be able to eat, yes. But my situation wasn't that bad. I wasn't homeless or starving.