Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Liam. Everything else belongs to Dick Wolf.
This is an AU fic about when Alex was in high school, and even though it revolves mainly around Alex, it does have a bit of E/O. Olivia is Alex's best friend and they're juniors in high school.
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The bell rang for the next class and sixteen-year-old Alex Cabot jumped out of her chair. She had been studying in the library over her lunch hour and now it was time for her law class.
"Shit!" she cried as she dropped her books on the ground.
"Hey," said a voice behind her as she started to gather her things. "Alex, right?"
Alex turned around and saw a tall, handsome boy with dark hair and brown eyes standing over her. It took her a moment to place him before she remembered that he was a senior, and a jock at that. She didn't remember which game he played – either basketball or soccer. Olivia was the one who cared about jocks, not her, even though it was only because her boyfriend, Elliot, was one. He was on the basketball team. His name was Laird or Liam or Landon – something like that. Why was this boy talking to her? She wasn't his type – she was serious, studious, scholarly. Once, she and Olivia had gone to one of Elliot's basketball games and Alex had congratulated him for scoring the final goal.
"It's basket, not goal," he had corrected her, hiding his smile.
Alex had blushed and Olivia and Elliot had both laughed.
Alex turned to the boy. "Yeah, it's Alex. Hi."
The boy bent down and started to help her gather her supplies. "Hey, I'm Liam."
"Hi, Liam," said Alex, balancing her books with her right arm as Liam handed them to her.
"You know what?" said Liam. "You come here every day with that girl – Stabler's girlfriend. Olivia, right? Where is she today?"
"Not feeling well," replied Alex. It wasn't true; Olivia was at home taking care of her drunken mother, but Liam didn't need to know that.
"Well, I've been watching you for awhile," he said.
Alex gave him an uncomfortable smile. "That's kind of creepy."
He laughed. "Not like that. I just noticed you coming in here every day, studying. It's not often that you see a girl who's smart and gorgeous."
She grinned at his smooth flirtation. "Thanks."
"Can I walk you to class?" he offered. "You have, what, law?"
"Yes. How do you know that?"
He shrugged. "I've just seen you around."
"I'm going to be a prosecutor someday," she told him.
Liam smiled. "And put away all the bad guys?"
"Yes."
"You'd be good at that."
Alex smiled. "You've known me for all of five minutes."
He shrugged. "I can just tell. I'll walk you to class."
* * *
The next morning, Olivia met Alex in the cafeteria before class.
"How's your mom?" asked Alex.
Olivia shrugged. "Hung over. But I didn't feel like missing another day."
Alex smiled. "Glad you're back. Guess what happened yesterday?"
"What?"
"Do you know Liam DeMarco?"
"Yeah, he's on the basketball team with Elliot. Why?"
"He was flirting with me yesterday and he asked me to go out for dinner and a movie on Friday. He's actually kind of smart, for a jock – and really hot."
Olivia smirked. "He is. Elliot says he's a good guy."
"Well, I have a problem, Liv. What am I supposed to wear?"
"Are you going out for a fancy dinner?"
Alex nodded.
"Then wear your black dress."
Alex smiled. "Which one?"
Olivia rolled her eyes. "You have too many clothes, Cabot. The one you wore to that play we went to with the school."
"Oh, that one. Yeah, that's a nice one. Okay."
* * *
On Friday at 6:00, Alex was waiting anxiously in her bedroom. She reapplied her lipstick for what must have been the eighteenth time and ran her fingers through her long blonde hair. She had curled it and let it flow over her shoulders, long and beautiful.
The doorbell rang and Alex's heart stopped. She started to run downstairs, but then caught herself and made her way to the door with decorum, standing straight and tall in her heels. She opened the door and greeted Liam.
"Sorry I'm late," he apologized. "You look beautiful, Lex. Not that you don't look beautiful naturally, but you look especially beautiful tonight."
She smiled at the nickname. "Thanks."
"You ready?"
"Yeah."
She followed Liam to his black Mercedes. He held open the door for her and she climbed in. "Nice car," she commented.
"Yeah," he agreed. "It is."
She smiled at his lack of modesty as he turned on the car and drove them to the restaurant. He held the door open and ushered Alex in first. "Table for two," he said to the hostess.
"Right this way," said the hostess, and led them to a table with a white tablecloth and a candle, next to the window.
Liam held out Alex's chair for her and she smiled at his courteousness. He sat down across from her.
"So, Alex," said Liam. "Tell me about yourself."
"I thought you already knew everything about me," she replied, mildly amused.
"Well, I know that you're gorgeous," he said, ticking off each thing on his fingers. "I know that you're smart. I know that you want to be a prosecutor when you get older. I know your family is well-off. I know that this term you're taking math, English, English literature, and law. I know that Olivia Benson is your best friend. And that's pretty much it, so tell me more."
Alex smiled. "Why don't you tell me about yourself? You seem to know quite a lot about me."
He shrugged. "I'm a basketball player. Handsome, smart, kind, witty, charming. And very modest, as you see."
Alex chuckled. "Very."
The waitress came up to their table. "Are you two ready to order?"
"Oh, um, I'll just have the penne rose," said Alex.
Liam laughed. "No, you don't want that. Why don't you try the sirloin?"
"No, thanks," said Alex. "I think I'll stick with the penne."
Liam turned to the waitress. "I'll have the chicken and the lady will have the sirloin."
Alex started to protest but the waitress had already left. "I don't like sirloin," Alex told him.
"Try it," said Liam easily. "You'll like it if you try it."
She sighed and didn't say anything as Liam filled her in on his basketball stats and his family and their beach house. Finally he said, "But enough about me. Tell me about your family."
She shrugged. "I'm an only child. Typical trophy daughter."
Liam grinned. "I know the feeling."
"They dress me up like their doll," complained Alex. "Ever since I was a little kid."
"When your mom goes out for lunch and makes you come along, does she brag about you?"
"Yeah, for about ten minutes, it's 'darling Alexandra this' and 'darling Alexandra that'. 'Darling Alexandra got perfect on an English literature exam.' 'Darling Alexandra volunteered at the local animal shelter last weekend.' 'Darling Alexandra'"
He laughed. "Same here. And then it's like you're not even there for the next decade."
The waitress arrived and gave Alex and Liam their food. Alex smiled politely and took a bite, even though the steak tasted weird in her mouth. She really didn't like steak but she ate it anyway. It was their first date, after all.
* * *
After dinner, they went to a movie. Liam ordered them popcorn and they sat down in the theater. It was a romantic comedy that Liam had chosen because he thought Alex would like it. Every few minutes they would reach for the popcorn at the same time and they smiled at each other as their fingers touched. Alex felt a spark every time.
Review if you want chapter two!