ALIVE - The Story of a Never-Could-Be

Chapter IX: [First Strike]

"What!?" Dery reacted.

"You heard me. Become my boyfriend." Alexa said again.

"Are you crazy? Is this some kind of joke!? Because if it is, it's a bad one!"

"No." Alexa simply answered.

"What do you mean "no"?"

"I'm not crazy, this isn't a joke. The only way to get out of this is this."

"It is but it massively involves me!" Dery pointed.

Alexa looked disappointed, with no hope left.

"You said... you would help me if you could... I guess, yeah, if it involves you that much... you have your reasons." Alexa said crying at every pause of her speech. "Maybe even close friends can't do miracles.. I'll see you around.."

Alexa got up and left.

"Wait." Dery stopped her. "I'll do it."

Alexa turned and started crying more, this time from her happiness.

"I knew I could trust you!" As she said those words she started running towards Dery.

"Yeah, but something is still unclear to- WAIT!" She continued running and jumped at Dery, hugging him, thus making him fall to the ground behind him, with her on top. "Ouch..."

It looked as if he had hurt his back.

"Are you okay?" Alexa asked.

"Obviously not!" Dery was fuming while still on the ground. "I think I got a scratch on my back."

"Ouch... let me see it," Alexa said and she started unclothing his t-shirt.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Dery was fuming even more than before.

"I was just going to see how bad your back is. Come on, don't be so shy. After all, we are on a relationship right-"

"Hey, hey! Let me get this straight. We are pretending to be in a relationship. We are not in one."

"Fine... But really let me see your back, I mean it..." Dery stared at her seriously. "Hehe, as a friend."

Dery took off his t-shirt and revealed his back. It really was just a slight scratch and nothing more.

"OMG!" Alexa was surprised.

"What?" Dery asked slightly feared of what was wrong.

"This is nothing. You said your back was hurting. Wait a minute... You did it so that I could get worried and put off your shirt. You perver-."

"YOU volunteered to take it off!" Dery's nerves were really being pushed to the limits."

"Ok, ok. I'm joking. Relax." Alexa said and started treating the wound.

Dery was finally calm.

"See, that's why I don't like your jokes. You can never be sure if they are a joke or reality. Look, the reason I didn't want to accept this was..."

"My mother?" Alexa interrupted. "Don't worry. She has been waiting for this day for years."

"What kind of people are your family, really..?" Dery thought comedically.

"And I'm certain your mother has been pushing you to do so too." Dery gulped. "See?"

"Th-that doesn't change anything. It's still up to me to decide. It's 2017, not 1017."

"Okay, okay Mr. Einstein, sorry."

"Man, how did you come up with this nickname..."

As soon as Alexa finished treating his wound, they left the coast and made their way home. Alexa and Dery lived in the same neighborhood, their homes being just one block away from each other. While Dery's house was uphill the neighborhood; almost at the top of the hill, Alexa's flat was downhill.