Chapter three

"Keep the blood in your head

Keep your feet on the ground"

-Quiet things that no one ever knows: Brand New

"Why not!" Alex screamed at her mother.

"You're my daughter, that's why not," her mom replied.

"I don't see how I can't have a drink when I'm stressed out around here, but poor little Chady gets to pass out here every night drinking alcohol he bought with our money," Alex said angrily.

"Why don't you take it up with him then?" her mother asked.

"That's out of the question, he won't be conscience long enough for me to do so," she replied bitterly.

"Howdy," Chad said coming in the door. "Look who I found in an alley." Jay came out from behind Chad.

"Sup, Alex?" he said wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Alex bit the inside of her cheek like she always did when she was irritated.

"Oh look, mom, he brought us a rat. Please, can we keep it? I promise to feed it everyday," Alex said sarcastically.

"Still the smart ass, huh?" Jay said.

"You should know," Alex told her glaring at his smug face.

"We're going to watch the game and um…drink," Chad informed her.

"Then I'm out of here," Alex said making her way towards the door.

"Not so fast," her mother said. "Alex tried to take some of your beer today after school."

"Thanks for being a snitch," Alex told her mom.

"Beer?" Chad asked advancing on her. "My beer? The beer I worked hard to buy?"

"I'm not sticking around much longer so you don't have to worry about me stealing anymore," Alex told him.

A knock on the door made the whole room jump. Alex answered the door to find Paige standing before her.

"Time to go to work," she told Alex holding up her car keys. She saw the room full of people. "Bad time?" she asked quietly. Alex looked at her mom, Jay, and Chad. She suddenly felt the urge to tell them.

"No, perfect timing actually," she told Paige letting her in.

"Who's your friend?" her mom asked.

"Mom, this is Paige, she's my girlfriend," Alex replied.

"You mean like going to the mall girlfriend?" Chad asked looking at Paige with interest.

"Yes," Paige interrupted before Alex could say anything else. "You know Alex, shop till you drop. Come on, let's go." She grabbed Alex's hand and took her out of the apartment.

"What the hell was that, I was ready to tell them," Alex said once they were in Paige's car.

"Too bad I'm not ready," Paige replied. "Look, I know I have been opening up slowly…"

"Slowly, you're PDA is moving at the speed of Hazel on the track," Alex said.

"I'm sorry, Alex, but I'm not ready for it yet," Paige replied.

"When will you be?" Alex asked pressing her head up against the head rest. "Every minute I don't spend with you in my arms is like torture for me. I just want to hold you and I can't because there are people around."

"That's deep for a girl who failed Shakespeare one-o-one in English," Paige said smiling.

"Look, this is depressing me too much; let's talk about it tomorrow at school."

"Fine," Alex agreed bitterly.

The next day, Paige was bored out of her mind in Snake's class.

I know this stuff already, she thought angrily. God doesn't he ever shut up!

She saw Alex passing the classroom. She had a pass in her hand and looked like she was headed for the bathroom.

Paige raised her hand.

"Yes Paige?" Snake asked.

"Sir, may I use the bathroom?" she asked politely.

"But, I'm in the middle of discussion, can't it wait?"

"Sir, I wouldn't ask you unless it couldn't wait," she said sucking up to him.

"Very well," he said taking the restroom pass out and handing it to her.

As Paige had predicted, Alex was in the restroom washing her hands.

"Hey," Alex said happily surprised by Paige's sudden presence. "What are you…?"

But something came over Paige and she slammed Alex up against the bathroom wall kissing her hungrily. Alex growled not liking the fact that Paige was in control. She seized the sides of Paige's face and turned the situation around so that she was in control. She slipped her tongue into Paige's mouth and the door to the restroom opened…

"Fuck," Alex said pushing Paige away realizing their little deal from the begging, but the damage had been done.

"Oh, um, hi Paige," Darcy said. "Alex."

"This should blow over nicely," Paige said biting her lip. Alex ran out of the bathroom as fast as she could.

"Wait!" Paige called after her. Alex turned around to face her, her face was flushed and she was upset.

"I'm so sorry Paige," she said. "I knew you wanted to keep this a secret and all, but…"

"Hon, listen it's okay," Paige took a deep breath as if what she was about to say was going to be harder than she thought. "Reputation isn't everything."

"But you rule this school, Paige, I know it's going to hard for you…"

"Alex, I've been thinking a lot about this whole thing. I don't really care anymore. Ever since yesterday when you almost came out to your mom and your…Chad, I wanted to come out too."

"Really?" Alex asked surprised.

"Honestly," Paige replied. Alex took her hand in her own.

"Then we have some showing off to do, don't we?"

"Pardon?" Paige asked.

"We're too hot chicks who are officially off the market," Alex explained smirking.

"Sounds alright to me," Paige told her.