Heavy winds blast the school windows as we all sit around playing board games and drinking hot chocolate. It's the last day before winter break. Everyone seems to be in pretty good spirits—including David, a wiry, bespectacled transfer student from England who's in the midst of beating me at scrabble.
I notice Alex at the other end of the room wearing the ugliest Christmas sweater I think I've ever seen. I guess it's supposed to depict Rudolph, but it looks like the most deranged, terrifying reindeer you could imagine.
He sees me looking in his direction and turns towards me, making direct eye contact. I quickly look away, but it's too late, and he walks over.
"Hey, dude."
"Hey..."
"Big plans for the winter break?"
"Not really, no."
"You want to grab some hot chocolate? I need a refill."
"Sure."
I leave my scrabble partner and join him in the kitchen area.
"I miss you, dude," he says.
"Yeah, likewise."
He fills up his mug with hot chocolate, drops in some fresh mini-marshmallows and sprinkles.
"I know I kind of flipped out at you over the Beth thing, but I think it'd be cool if we just put it behind us, you know. I'm seeing this girl Terry now..."
Alex takes a sip of his cup of sugar and looks back at the group he's playing Monopoly with. One of the girls in the group waves at him. She's pretty, blonde, has red streaks in her hair. I've seen her around, heard that she transferred from another alternative school.
"So, what do you say," he asks. "Can we put this behind us?"
"Absolutely, man."
I suddenly feel this sense of respect for Alex. He's acting so mature. It probably should have been me approaching him, but he's clearly the bigger man.
"I'm really sorry I didn't talk to you about it. That was wrong of me."
He takes a moment to fully absorb the apology. His eyes brighten.
"Thank you for saying that, man," he says.
"Yeah," I say.
"How's Beth doing by the way?" he asks. "I heard about what happened with her mom..."
"Yeah, doing her best, I guess..."
"Hey, maybe we could all get together and jam over the holidays or something... not to like get the band back together officially or anything... but I don't know, music always makes me feel better, you know. Maybe it would help Beth, too."
"Yeah, that's a nice idea, man. I'll see if she's up for it."
"Cool."
Before he walks away, I get his attention.
"Hey, Alex?"
"Yeah, man?"
"It's really good to talk to you. To know we're cool."
"Dude, we're bros. Bring it in."
We hug it out, which makes us both laugh, cause' it feels like the cheesy ending of that movie we watched, The Shawshank Redemption.
"Let's definitely find some time to chill over the break though, man," I add.
"For sure," he responds.
I feel a weight off my shoulders, and return to my game of scrabble.
YOU ARE READING
Alternative
Teen FictionTim's public high school experience thus far has been characterized by bad grades and the total absence of a social life; he's listless and needs a change. So, after grade eleven ends, his mom decides to enrol him in a bizarre, little alternative sc...
