Alex closed her eyes and yawned, leaning her forehead against the cold metal of her locker. The first morning back to school had been brutal.
Half of her classes each had a pop quiz. She hadn’t been well prepared for them.
Thankfully, she had done the homework yesterday night. She could only pray that she knew enough to get an A—especially when she had stayed up late to finish them all.
If she didn’t get it then, she may need to ask for extra-credit.
Gods, did she hate getting sick. Her entire schedule just went out of proportion. Not only did she need to catch up in school but also her mother also wanted to sneak in some quality time.
A part of Alex felt grateful that Logan was sick but she also felt a slight guilt for thinking like that.
Maybe she needed a painkiller to survive the rest of the day. She had gym in the afternoon. She might as well lessen the pain before that happened.
“If you ask me, you still look really sick” A voice said from behind her.
Alex didn’t bother to move an inch. She snapped at the intruder, “I didn’t really ask you, did I?”
“See? You’re crabby. That’s a sign that you lack rest.”
Alex rolled her eyes behind her eyelids, “What do you want, Max?”
Another thing that made her morning difficult had been Max. Who exactly created the class schedules in this school? Why did they both have the same one? Before, after, during and in-between classes, Max stayed close to her.
The first time, she asked why but he didn’t answer. The times after that, she didn’t bother to ask. She knew that he wanted to say something but contrary to Max’s normal behavior, he had been quiet as a mouse.
Alex almost wanted to accuse him of being Max’s doppelganger. It was that bad.
“Nothing” Max raised up his hands in defense, shooting down her assumptions, “I’m just being a concerned friend.”
Alex dramatically turned around. She had a skeptical look on her face, her eyebrow raised and the corner of her lip pointed downwards.
Max stepped back. Somehow he found it hard to face Alex. The guy’s back had been fine. At least, he couldn’t see Alex’s face. He didn’t expect anything less from Alex. His eyes looked exactly the same in gym class when he had to step up to the plate in front of the whole class.
Max remembered the loud crack of a baseball bat that day, imagining what if the ball had been his head.
He gulped.
Before he could chicken out, Colin’s plan came to mind. Somehow Colin thought the best way to get Lauren’s forgiveness was if he got Alex’s forgiveness first.
What kind of baboon of an idea was that?
“Like how you were concerned about my sexual drive?” Alex asked bluntly. Max thought it almost felt like a baseball bat to the head.
“Listen, Alex…” he cleared his throat. Unable to take the glare aimed at him, Max looked at his feet, “I… I’m really sorry about what happened. I know being drunk is no excuse. I shouldn’t have questioned your sexuality. I had only been concerned about Lauren.”
Alex’s eyes squinted. How did Lauren fit in this equation?
“You see… I saw you walk her home the other night. I thought you guys had a thing going on and I just wanted to give you a little push like the double date. I know you said you have a girlfriend but Lauren is a great girl. I wanted her to be given a chance—even if it led to nowhere. Ever since the presentation we had in English, I had my doubts about you with your sexuality and your honesty… I didn’t want her to later find out that she never stood a chance from the beginning because you turned out to be—”
“You like her” Alex gasped quietly. Max met her wide eyes with a pair of his own. That was enough to confirm Alex’s speculation. She could see it in his hesitation and in the blush rushing up his neck.
For the first time since she met Max, she saw him stumble in his words.
“I… I… I—I have no idea what you are talking about” he denied.
Alex let out a quick breath. Shaking her head, she stepped closer to him and inspected his face.
Max had never had a laser aimed at him—but being under Alex’s gaze must be a close comparison. How Colin found out about it made sense but Alex? What did Alex see to think this way?
“Is that so?” Alex scoffed, leaning back.
Max finally released all the air he held in his lungs. This conversation didn’t turn out the way he expected it to.
“If Lauren is so great, why don’t you date her?” Alex continued to say. She crossed her arms over her chest, her back resting on the locker door.
“Alex, come on” Max snorted, “Lauren with me? That is impossible.”
Alex pressed her lips together and briefly looked down. Then, she smirked at Max.
The smug smile on her face felt so good, “So you do like her.”
“What gave you that idea? I just told you that we wouldn’t work out as a couple” Max pointed out.
“If you didn’t like her, shouldn’t your answer be because you weren’t interested in her that way or that you saw her as a friend?”
Max’s brain disconnected from his lips. That should be the only reason why he couldn’t move them.
“What? Cat got your tongue?” Alex teased, tilting her head to one side.
“Don’t tell anyone—especially not Lauren” Max replied to her. His shoulders slumped in defeat. As an honor student in school, Alex clearly outsmarted him by a mile. His dodging skills had no effect.
“Why not?” Alex demanded, “Doesn’t she deserve to know the truth?”
Max slammed a hand against the spot next to her head. He bowed his head until he covered all her vision. His violet eyes crystallized like sharp gemstones.
Yet, Alex didn’t cower in fear.
“That may be true but it’s my secret to tell her” Max whispered. Alex could feel his breath because of their proximity, “Now, I just came here to say I want to make it up to you guys on the double date. What I feel about Lauren and what I should do about it is my business, alright?”
None of these words trampled on Alex’s curiosity. If Max liked Lauren then, why does he fool around with other girls? Why didn’t he make a move on her? Why is he trying to set her up with someone else?
“Fine” Alex huffed, “I won’t tell her but you need to give me your reason for all of this.”
“I will if both of you showed up at the double date.”
“I don’t think you’re in the position to make conditions, Max.”
“Have you ever liked someone? But you just couldn’t tell them for some reason? I’m asking this as a favor for a guy who wants to reconcile with the girl he loves.”
Love.
Alex tried to process how Max just openly admitted that he loved Lauren. It meant he confirmed that the stupid things he had done were out of his feelings for Lauren.
What was Alex supposed to do now? Could she say that she didn’t approve of him for Lauren? Did she have that right? But she didn’t know him that well to give a proper opinion. Besides, it’s Lauren’s opinion that mattered the most.
Alex bit her inner bottom lip, still at a loss, but Max waited patiently for her answer.
“Alright” Alex told him, “Lauren and I will be on the double date. Whether we forgive you or not will depend on how it goes. Is that fair enough?”
Max stepped back, adjusting the strap of his bag over his shoulder. He ran a hand through his hair. Silence surrounded the two of them while the rest of the students still chatted away. They sounded farther away than they really were.
“Thank you.”
Alex’s ears perked up. She opened her mouth but Max already left before she could say anything else.
