Maybe You Can Owe Me
Disclaimer: No, I don't own Degrassi, unfortuantly. I do own the made-up character of Alita.
"Alita, I'm home!" Kicking off her boring black work flats at the door of hers and her girlfriend's apartment, Alex tossed her long black hair behind her and took a large inward breath that even the deaf could hear. It felt to her as if University could be the death of her but, she reminded herself constantly, like a record playing on loop, it would all be worth it soon. "Alita?" She called again for her girlfriend of eight months. She followed the gleam of light coming from the one bedroom down the hall and slowly made her way in. Exasperated, she just plunked down on the unmade bed on her stomach and shut her eyes.
"About time you got home." Alita, usually as sweet as her blonde hair would lead you to believe she was, hissed down at Alex. Alita worked as a check out girl at the Safeway two blocks away from their place and she didn't have a whole lot of ambition. Alex had fallen for her because she was always supportive, like her own personal cheerleader. Plus, it didn't hurt that Alita kissed so smoothly that she was sure if everybody kissed her there would be world peace however, Alex didn't like to share her significant others.
However, as sincere as their relationship had started with the pressure of school consuming Alex along with a part time job telemarketing and Alita's very hungry boredom, they were headed to the grave and at full speed.
"I thought your last class got out at four." She huffed.
"It did but, I had a lot of notes to edit and I went to the library to study."
"Well, you told me four so, I made sure I was off at four."
"Alita, I have midterms coming up and biology is kicking my ass."
"Whatever, I know something else is up." Alita hit her legs against the bed from underneath the sheets and whined.
Exasperated, Alex rolled over on her back while her eyes rolled as well. This wasn't the first time they'd had this arguement and Alex knew somehow, it wasn't going to be the night that Alita decided to understand how busy and stressed out Alex was. Alex just kept her lips shut and said nothing. She was too tired and there was nothing that she wanted to say that would please Alita.
"You aren't going to say anything back? You aren't going to defend yourself?" Alita's voice was so sharp, it could slice through Alex's thick skin.
"What's the point, Lita? You've got your mind made up."
"Come on, you're never here! You never call me, you never even send me a God damn text message. What should I believe?"
"I don't know. Just trust me." Alex fluttered her eyes like a butterfly would it's wings. She just stared up at the bare ceiling above their bed that had never looked so appealing before. It used to just be a boring and lackluster peach kind of color but, the more Alex concentrated on it the further Alita's complaining felt.
"Sure, i'll just trust you. Easier said then done, Alex. If you're bored with me, say so. If you're too busy for me, tell me but, don't go sneaking around behind my back!"
"Put some ice on it!" Alex loudly let out. She sat up in one big motion that shook the bed. She sprang onto her feet and pushed her midnight colored eyes into the thin pupils that Alita had. "I am busting my ass in University and picking up as many shifts as I can down at Keelsen's to pay for this place. I know you don't understand because you don't want to go anywhere and you have no plans but, I do! I want to be someone better than this!"
Alex couldn't believe it. She had just paraphrased the same thing Paige had yelled at her back in their senior year of high school. She had changed drastically in the last two years, it was strange to try and fathom for anyone.
Alita didn't say anything. She was stunned, she stared through Alex and attempted to wait for an apology but, it was pointless and she knew it. She sucked back both her lips to keep the tears behind her eyes and just pulled herself from beneath their bedsheets. Alita didn't even glance down at Alex as she glided by her and entered the bathroom. She slammed the door behind her to make sure the entire apartment building heard and within seconds, Alex could hear the tub running.
Suddenly, she wasn't tired. Alex grunted and stretched out her arms. There was no way she was going to stick around and wait for round two of Alex vs Alita to commence. She pulled on a large hoodie over her thin tee shirt and left the apartment to check out what was going on down the block at the nearby pub, Walkaways.
She'd been a patron of Walkaways many times before. It was a good place for Alita and her to meet up back when they were stuck in the blissful honeymoon period or at least not as busy as they seemed to be now. They used to shoot pool or catch up with mutual friends from the neighborhood and simply hang out. Alex missed simplicity desperately, like a junkie wanted a quick fix.
"Alex, long time!" The bartender, who was friendly face to Alex, raised his hand and gave her rough high five. "Where have you been hiding?"
"Midterms." She grunted. She decided it would be best for everyone's sake if she left out the arguement she'd just had with her girlfriend.
"Mmhm, School can be a bitch. What can I get you to make it better?" He dried the large mug in his hand with a thin wash cloth and awaited her request.
"Whatever's on tap." She shrugged. She wanted a beer and fast.
"Coming up." The bartender moved away from her in order to grab her drink.
"That a girl. Drown those sorrows." A voice bellowed from behind her. She could hear shuffling feet coming closer and closer. A smirk crept over Alex's face, she knew that voice like she knew how to hotwire a car. She didn't even have to look behind her.
"Jay Hogart, I should've known you'd be what's stinking up this place." She said without even acknowledging him. He just slid up on the seat next to her and flashed her his devilish look.
"What's got you down here tonight? Felt like slumming?" He lifted a single brow and interogated her.
"It's none of your business."
"Let me guess..." Jay tapped his hungry lip with his index finger and sized her up with his eyes the way he always did when they were younger. "Girl problems."
"I guess you'd know how to identify them. You were always up to your ass with girl issues."
"But, I thought you liked my ass." He hissed, teasingly.
"You never will change." She shook her head and took her first sip of her beer.
"Me too." He waved down the bartender and ordered himself a third beer. "Probably not. So, what's going on? Paige Michaelchuk break your heart?"
"It's been over a year since we...since she...I'm not seeing her anymore." Alex put her lips back on the rim of her mug and drank as much as she could while Jay spoke.
"I should've known. You two are like the New Kids On The Block's rap album. A bad idea."
Alex wasn't sure what insulted her more being compared to a boy band or Jay passing judgement on her relationships.
"Don't even start, Jay. I've got way to much to use against you."
"Alright, I won't go on."
"Oh, gee, thanks." She finished up her pint and let out a large sigh. "Owen, another, please!"
"Whoa!" Jay chuckled from the bottom of his gut and backed up. "You really are pissed."
"Yep."
"Don't feel like pacing yourself?"
"Not tonight."
Once Jay and Alex matched each other drink for drink, it was as if they'd forgotten all the history and animocity between the two of them. Alex was leaning her whole upper body on the bar and laughing like a hyena would, at least a cartoon hyena would. Jay's eyes were fluttering into the back of his head while he used every bit of energy he had to finish his sentence.
"That's when I said...I looked straight at him and just...I told him so..." He shook his head from side to side, his hands grazing through his hair. Alex just kept giggling like a school girl would at recess time. "I don't even know what we're talking about."
"Me neither. I think...something about gas prices, maybe, I don't know, I'm not sure." She snorted and cackled. Jay joined right in. "Jay, Jay," She slapped her hand against his chest as she slid off her bar stool and sat closer to him, their knees knocking. "Do you know Alita Kilborne?"
"No, I wish." He scoffed. "Hot hot name." He reached for his pint but struggled to get the sip into his mouth. Beer drizzled off his lip and streamed down his chin.
"She's my girlfriend." Alex yawned and crept closer, innocently kissing the beer off his chin and then she pecked his lips. Drunkenly, she straddled his lap and let his tounge find it's way between her mouth.
The two managed to stumble into the back of Jay's car and found themseleves not even centimeters apart, breathing bitter breath over one another and sweating out the alchol while they kissed and helped one another out of their clothing.
"Why did we ever break up?" Jay asked, pulling his mouth away from Alex's neck for half a second.
She didn't say a word, just slithered around him, touching him, tasting him, letting him be.
Like high school kids would, they passed out while entangled in one another. Jay's face was pressed onto the backseat window like paste on paper, his mouth open and smearing drool down the pane. He had both arms around Alex's naked chest while his neck was kinked and sore. Alex had just curled up on his chest like a baby kitten, snoring softly instead of purring like a motorboat.
"No effing way." She rubbed her head and placed her hand over her swollen eyes to shiled them from the sun that was screaming through the window. She couldn't believe that she was lying naked over top of Jay Hogart. She could hardly remember meeting him at the bar, let alone getting into his car.
"Shush." Jay murmered. He didn't even open his eyes. He just assumed he was in some stranger's bed after another one night stand.
"Jay Hogart, help me find my bra or I'll beat the shit out of you." She slapped his chest violently and tried to climb off him. She didn't even think about the passer byers that may have seen them both, she just awkwardly crawled into the passenger seat and tried to cover herself up and get out as quick as she could.
"Alex Nunez, I guess it's true what they say." Jay was immune to hang overs but even through his exhaustion, he could make jokes. "Old habits die hard."
"How am I going to explain this to Alita?" Alex asked her under her breath while trying to dance back into her jeans.
"Who?" Jay watched her, enjoying ever single moment.
"My girlfriend."
"What? After last night, you're going to go back to your girlfriend?"
"Jay," She rolled her eyes and hooked her bra clasp up behind her. "When will you move on? Things are so different now. You've got to go out there and find a new girl, make a new life."
"Lexi, it's always going to be you and me against the world. Why don't you get that?" He handed her her baggy sweatshirt.
"I'm not yours anymore. Last night...last night shouldn't have happened."
Even after the time that had passed. It still killed Jay to hear her say that and to realize the truth. She didn't even say goodbye or give his cheek a kiss. She just gave her head one last rub, slipped her flats back on her feet and took off down the street, past the pub, around the corner and back to her place. Jay yawned and held the thin tee shirt she'd left in the backseat under his chin. He wanted to and he knew he had too but, he wasn't ready to let go of every piece of Alex Nunez.