"WHY DO YOU CARE SO MUCH?!" yelled Alex tearfully,
Paige threw her arms around Alex's neck, "Because you Idiot! I care so much that it kills me inside that you dont believe in yourself! she cried, holding Alex even tighter as they stand in front of the mall entrance in the pouring rain, "why cant you see that" she whispered intently.
This had taken Alex aback as she had never heard Paige say those words before. she pulled away slowly, looking down at the puddles beneath her feet. she took in a deep breath as Paige looked at her inquiringly. Still looking at the ground, Alex said softly in a sad tone, "its just that...this...us" she was looking at Paige now, "scares me...I've never known anybody to care what happens to me or my future. Paige wiped a tear from Alex's eyes, not breaking their gaze, but now smiling since now she understands why Alex has always been so stand-offish. she put her forehead to hers and whispered "you're my lucky charm".
The two continued walking in the rain, stopping to sit on one of the benches outside of the mall. They were already drenched as it was and they were so immersed in each other that they hardly noticed the rain.
During work tonight at the theater Paige kept pushing Alex to start making plans for the future, Paige afterall, had her eyes on Banting. They were both scared about the future, it didnt matter what for, just that they had that in common. The last couple of weeks had been a whirl wind of crazy activity; what with Paige coming out to her friends that she and Alex had been seeing each other since the Premiere, and Alex, unknowingly, was falling very hard for Paige Michalchuk.
Alex first knew she was falling for Paige when they were dancing together at the Premiere, then more so after she and Paige had their first kiss. Alex felt that even though the relationship wouldnt work out and that it was pretty much doomed from the start, she just had that intense urge to try. She wiped the last of her tears and gave Paige a smile, then jokingly said "you really know how to push my buttons you know".
The two continued walking. by this time they had missed the last bus to home, but they didnt mind, it gave them more time with each other.
"You know", Alex began as she lightly swung their entangled hands this way and that, "I thought if I just kept blowing you off about the 'future' thing, you'd eventually give up all together and leave it alone".
This time Paige stopped walking and sort of spun Alex around towards her, then said "you really dont see how incredible you are, do you?" she asked genuinely.
Alex shrugged her shoulers and pursed her lips then continued walking, breaking the gaze the two were sharing.
Finally Alex and Paige had made it to Paige's house first. Alex walked Paige to the doorstep, not wanting to leave her, still holding her hand lovingly. Paige pulled her close, "you're beautiful" she whispered before kissing her sweetly on the lips. the kiss lingered, making Alex want more, so she leaned in for a longer, yummier kiss. The two said goodnight before parting ways, and as Alex walked herself home, all she could think about were the uplifting words Paige has been saying all week. When she got home, she fell asleep to the thought of how incredible Paige is and how Paige keeps saying "you're pretty much everything"--words Alex had never heard spoken to her like that before. Who would have thought that somebody like Paige--complete opposite of Alex--could make her genuinely happy, but scared at the same time.
Paige had called Marco right after Alex walked her home, and she couldnt stop talking about how beautiful and inspiring Alex is. Marco loved his friend, especially now that she seems so happy and stopped worrying about what other people thought. as he says, you cant help what the heart wants.