Alex forgot about the bet, but someone is ready to remind him of it…
Chapter 4
Now Alex spent a great part of his spare time with Claire, he sometimes took her with him at the Gungellan Pub where he met his friends, but except these few times he didn't meet his old mates very frequently. He hadn't even noticed that Michael kind of disappeared for a whole month. Alex knew Michael had some family problems. His Mum sometimes sent him to his Grandparents' home, so it wasn't so odd not to see him around for a while.
An afternoon Alex came home and found Michael in the sitting room, waiting for him. No one else was at home, so they could talk freely.
Alex greeted him and sat down on the couch.
"Are you taking this bet very seriously, right?" Michael was the kind of person who come straight to the point.
"Could you explain?" Alex suddenly was dumbstruck, he didn't have a single clue about what Michael was talking about. After a few seconds he remembered the bet about Claire, but still he couldn't help but keep his mouth open in surprise.
Not hearing any answer Michael went on. "I didn't see you around for ages! It's more difficult than you thought…"
"Nope…" Alex stammered, tossing slightly on the couch. An uncomfortable feeling started to rise in him.
"So why it take you so long? Don't you think it's time to start stage 2?" asked Michael meaningfully
"Yeah…" Alex was still hesitant.
"If I didn't know you I'd think you're scared" stated Michael. Alex slowly looked up at him, and he saw something weird in Alex' eyes, something he couldn't read, but it was not a glare the old 'Alex Ryan' used to have. "Nooo! Are you really scared?" he carried on, eyes wide.
Alex grumbled something, then he changed his mind. "No, forget it! You can't understand. You don't know Claire…"
"Not like YOU do" replied Michael with an allusive look. "So, how far have you got with your… 'programme'?"
In the last 8 weeks Alex had never thought about the bet, not even once in a while. No one was aware of it except Michael, Nick and Alex himself. Nick was always at school and Alex' foolishness obviously wasn't his favourite subject, Michael had spent the last 6 weeks 200 km far away and obviously Alex's memory showed some lacks.
He had to find some kind of answer for Michael's question.
And he had to do it now.
He could tell him that he forgot their bet or that he didn't want to go on anymore, but Michael could charge him being a coward. He was not a coward! But how to explain that?
"Alex… Are ya still here? Earth calling"
Alex was not the best in thinking quickly, so he said the first thing that crossed his mind. His father once had told him that attack is best defence.
"I'll kiss her in two weeks" Alex said in one breath
"That's not our bet, SHE had to kiss you" Michael underlined
"I know!" sighed Alex "I mean, my plan is going on. I told her I'll kiss her at her 16th birthday. Then I have 2 weeks until the term. I can deal with it."
"How can you say you'll kiss her? Have you planned it?" asked Michael inquisitive
"A sort of." Alex grinned thinking about that talk.
It was about two weeks earlier.
He was out with Claire for their usual ride. They stopped and sat under "their" tree, they both absorbed in thoughts.
Alex was thinking about how Claire was different from his old girlfriends and he suddenly realized he didn't know if Claire had ever had a boyfriend.
He and Claire were so close… he should have noticed a boy hanging around her… He didn't know why, but the idea of someone dating or even kissing Claire made him feel slightly uncomfortable.
"Claire, have you ever been kissed?" Alex asked. His question was quite surprising, but Claire just glanced at him and nodded no.
"A 16 year-old lady must have kissed someone, it's a social duty." He added with a stupid grin on his face.
"I've never heard something like that" she replied laughing.
"But I did." He was attempting not to laugh.
"So, what's your suggestion?" asked Claire playfully.
"I offer myself to aid you. I'll kiss you on your 16th birthday, if nobody do it first. That's the only present you'll get from me" he concluded looking very seriously at her.
She decided to play along and put on a business face asking: "And why do you think I'd like that kind of present?"
"Because you're a girl and I'm a boy." He simply answered in a matter of fact way.
"That's funny! You actually noticed I'm a girl! I'm pleased you did." replied Claire tilting her head.
"You don't help dressing up always as a bloke! I wonder how do you looks like in a dress… I can't even imagine Claire McLeod in a fancy dress!" he said creasing his eyebrows, trying to strain his imagination, but it was useless, he actually couldn't even imagine Claire all dressed up!
"It isn't worth it" she said calmly, almost in a gloomy tone.
Alex noticed she was not having fun there and tried what he usually did for lightening her mood.
"Ahhh, I bet you're not brave enough to wear a dress at your birthday party!" he teased her.
"Do you really think I'm not brave enough for something?" she slowly said, pretending to be really hurt. "Ok, I'll do, I'll wear a dress!"
'Claire remembers? Maybe not. Maybe she will laugh at me if I just try to move closer to her.' Alex couldn't erase from his head the picture of Claire pointing her index finger at him and burst out laughing.
"What are you thinking about? What's the matter with you?" Michael's questions followed one another and Alex wasn't even listening. "By chance do ya wanna give up… Is Alex Ryan a loser?"
"Stop it! I'm just… I'm tired. Can we discuss another time?" Alex suggested standing up from the couch and hoping his friends will follow.
"Ok, as ya like. But you have to hurry up or someone else will slip her through your fingers…" Michael was not giving up. The chance to tease his mate, who was used to have everything he wanted in the very moment he wanted it, was too hard.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Alex asked quite annoyed.
"You didn't noticed? Will, Justin, Albert…" Michael was counting with his fingers, but Alex still didn't get it.
"You sometimes take Claire at the Pub…" continued Michael "and there are also other boys… our friends…"
"Yes, I wanted to show her I actually had friends besides her." replied Alex harshly
"Are you sure about it?" Michael said with a wink. Alex frowned.
"I'm not in the right mood for mind tricks" Alex replied. This boy sometimes could be very irritating.
"Two months ago you said she was the most boyish girl in the world…" eventually spilled Michael
"I said it?" Alex couldn't remember saying something like that, but he didn't ever remembered this all bet thing, so… it was possible…
"Sure you did. But for fifteen or sixteen year-old boys a boyish girl is somehow a girl."
A thought suddenly hit Alex. Was it possible? Did he heard correctly? "Are you telling me Will, Justin and Albert wanna date Claire?!?"
"If they had a chance, yes" confirmed Michael
"Are you joking? Nooooo, it's not possible… she's not 'a girl'… she's…" Now Alex was definitely tossing on the couch.
"They think she's pretty enough for…" Michael started, soon interrupted by Alex
"I know she is, but she is… she's a Claire!!"
"Competition is too hard for ya? Do ya wanna give up?" Sure Michael knew what kind of key he had to push to persuade Alex to do something…
"Are ya starting again? No…" Everytime someone provoked him Alex couldn't help but accepting the challenge. He had a reputation to keep on.
"Then hurry up, it's all I wanna say! You've only another month left. Besides I don't wanna win you horse when he's already dead." And saying this finally Michael stood up and walked towards the door.
"Dream on Michael" exclaimed Alex standing up too
"In a month all will be sort out and you'll can start dating every girl you meet again" He said winking. Now Alex was definitely uncomfortable and he only wanted to be alone. With a strained smile he leaded his friend to the front door, as kindly as he could.
When Michael was finally out of sight, Alex rested on the couch until he heard someone shut the door. He didn't want to talk to anyone at the moment, so went upstairs and locked himself in his room.
An hour later someone knocked at the door.
He heard his mother's voice from outside. "Alex, honey, the table is set"
"Mum, when are ya going to stop to call me honey?" answered Alex very annoyed. "I'm not a 3 year-old weeping boy!"
"Sorry, darling" And Liz came back to dining room.
Alex sighed deeply. 'Well, just in time' he thought. 'All this thinking made me hungry'