Gravity is a Bitch

9. Falling into the Unexpected

-- Elianna --

I knock twice on Alex's door before peeking my head in.

"Alex... are you in there?"

"Yes, come in"

She was lying on her bed, still dressed in her pajamas.

"Hmmm... what are you doing?"

"Nothing. Come on"

She patted the bed beside her, inviting me to join her. Since our conversation in my office, things had gone back to normal between us. We had even spent Christmas together at Albert's. At first, Alex was hesitant, after all, the only people she knew well were Ryan and me. But Albert insisted, leaving her no choice. He went out of his way to make her feel comfortable, constantly reminding her that she was family. He said it so much that even my mother and some of the guests started asking questions, who exactly was Alex Lane to the big boss? But I didn't have an answer. I wasn't even sure what connected them.

He even gave her a ridiculously expensive gift, which, of course, she flat-out refused.

"Can I ask you something? If it's not too intrusive?" I ask, turning my head toward her.

"Yeah, of course"

"Are you really not going to accept Albert's gift?"

"I can't"

"Why?"

She sighed, rolling onto her side to face me.

"Because... I wouldn't even know what to do with it"

"What do you mean? You could throw parties there, move in when you start college-"

"Except I'm not staying here. And I feel like that's exactly why he's doing this. To make sure I don't leave this town"

"Why? I don't even get why he's so insistent on having you in his business. No offense, but I don't see how you'd be useful to him in that department" I finish with a laugh.

"I'm highly offended. You basically just called me useless!" She pouts dramatically.

"I'm serious though, what's the deal between you two?"

"I don't know. A friend of my father's, I guess? I'd never even heard of him before Anya went to jail"

"That's weird. Maybe he was your dad's sugar daddy"

Alex gasps, her jaw dropping. "What?!"

I smirk. "You are gay, after all"

"Are you seriously implying that sexuality is hereditary?" She narrows her eyes.

I shrug. "I never thought someone as smart as you would say something so ridiculous, even as a joke"

"Hey!"

She suddenly sits up, eyes wide as she stares at her computer playing some movie.

"Wait, is that Emilie?"

I glance at the screen and, sure enough, Emilie is right there.

"Oh yeah, her mom mentioned she wanted to be an actress, but I didn't know she had already made it on TV. She made me promise to watch the movie"

Alex bursts out laughing at a line in the show, making me smile.

"I have to send her this line, it fits her so much. She was exactly like that when I first met her at school"

"You two seem really close now?"

"Yeah, I like her"

"Oh"