Thanks to my beta werewolf666vampire and Jocelyn Torrent for proofing, and andtototoo for the feedback and other related advice.
Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi or any of its characters.
Chapter 9
Alex went to her tent and sat in the corner as she tried to reflect on what was happening to her.
'My name is Alex Nunez and I have just found out that I have a soft spot for the cheerleader. Boy, what an image killer, and why am I always the last one to know about these kinds of things? First it was the 'me being gay thing' and now this. If it weren't for Jay pointing out my lack of attraction to guys last year and my blatant crushes at countless girls at the ravine, I would've never figured it out.
Let's backtrack, so I know I always liked teasing her even though I thought she was a little cute. I knew she didn't like it and her reactions always used to make me smile after. I know I was okay with being around her after the elections once I found out she was not as bad as I thought she was. The girl did have a soul after all. I know that's when I stopped fighting with her and thought that her choice of dressing pink was even mildly appealing. I remember not being as angry with her as I pretended to be when she said all those mean things to me while waiting to get on the bus; and when Marco put her on my bus, I was even a little happy.
But earlier today, I was totally freaked out at the thought that she may have somehow found out that I was gay and that's why she was acting all weird around me. No, I can't let anyone know, especially after how I teased Marco about it. I have to stop going out of my way to help Paige like this or she'll surely figure it out.
'I should stop worrying about Alex so much. I'm sure she's fine.
She just hates me and doesn't want to be around me.
But I liked it when she was being all protective of me during the 'kitchen nightmare' and even earlier this afternoon. I can't explain it, but it felt nice. She seemed nice.
I can't believe I'm actually having fun on this camping trip despite the modern convenience and the worst food I've ever had. Who knew Paige Michalchuk was a wilderness girl… or is there another reason? Anyway, I only am here to escape from the Spinner drama. Gosh, I'm so over him. What did I even see in him? I haven't even once felt sad about us breaking up or maybe I'm just distracted with everything that's going on around me. What Alex says and what she does is all I seem to be thinking about lately, and when she goes all quiet thinking about something, it's so mesmerizing to look at her at that time.
Paige wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. She contemplated going inside the tent but then changed her mind. She had noticed that Alex was finally talking to her as if she was a normal human being and she had no intention of disturbing this equilibrium they had reached. Alex writing her name on the paper she had burned and then taking her side over Jay's were incidences that had made her happy and she wanted everything to remain this way. She decided to give Alex her privacy in the tent until the weather started to cool down.
It had gotten dark now.
Paige stayed out with Jay for as long as she could bear the cold.
Jay wasn't talking, nor was she in the mood for it. Jay had taken out his little harmonica now and, stretching in front of the fire, was playing a tune on it.
Paige listened to him play as she tried to warm herself up with the heat from the bonfire, but when the cold became unbearable, she stood up and walked to the tent that she was supposed to share with Alex.
As soon as Paige flipped open the door, her eyes instantly fell on Alex. The light from the bonfire flames were giving Alex's eyes an interesting glare.
'Alex looks so peaceful', Paige thought.
Alex was sitting quietly in the corner of the tent and contemplating ways of keeping her likeness of the same gender hidden from Paige when suddenly the door of the tent flipped open and Paige peeked inside.
"Uh, Alex, I didn't want to disturb you, but it's really cold outside…." Paige said, suggesting her need to be somewhere warm as she stared at Alex's warm looking sweatshirt.
"Oh, I was just sitting," Alex said as she looked at Paige.
Alex noticed that Paige was wearing a sleeveless shirt and was shivering. She hadn't realized that it had gotten that cold outside.
"Okay, I'll go out," Alex said, standing.
"No, you stay, you're not feeling well. I'll just figure something out…." Paige countered as she decided to turn around.
Now confronted with the situation, Paige had realized that not only it was going to be awkward to be in the tent with Alex; it was also making her nervous for some reason. She needed to analyze what was going on with her. She was never scared of Alex or their confrontations. What was this sudden fear she was feeling inside her? Her heart was racing, her skin felt warm, and she was having an urge to take a flight from being around Alex.
Alex couldn't understand why Paige was being so nice to her, but she decided to be polite.
"Wait," Alex suddenly started, "the tent is big enough for the both of us. Why don't you come in?"
"Are you sure? Because Jay is really good with the harmonica and I think I can enjoy it for a bit longer." Paige started blabbering.
Alex knew exactly how good Jay was on the harmonica. He wasn't.
"Paige!" Alex stopped her. "Come in before I change my mind."
Paige didn't say anything, but walked inside.
"Could you close the door behind you? I didn't realize it had gotten this cold," Alex requested as she crossed her arms to protect herself from the sudden chilly wind that had seeped in with Paige.
"Sure," Paige replied and after zipping up and completely sealing the entrance as best as she could, she turned around and sat down across Alex. The light from the bonfire was brightening the inside of the tent as well and they could clearly see each other.
"So how are you feeling?" Paige asked after sitting quietly for a couple of minutes.
"Okay, I guess," Alex replied as her eyes searched for something interesting, but not surprisingly, Paige was the only interesting thing in the little tent.
'Stop being so conscious, Alex,' Alex reminded herself.
Paige observed Alex, who had begun to look uncomfortable. Paige was aware that she and Alex were two opposites. She didn't think they had much in common to talk about, but she wanted to at least try talking to this tough girl, who for some reason didn't seem as tough as she was acting.
Paige knew that she and Alex weren't going to become friends overnight, but she was going to settle for them talking like civil people on this trip. The mystery of Alex was too complicated to solve in a day and it was going to take her a while.
Paige could not believe that Marco was the reason why Alex was so considerate towards her during this camping trip. The way Alex had avoided her after the conversation earlier and how she had not eaten at all, were the subtle clues that Alex was not being herself. Paige was sure that it had been only a front of Alex and the reason she knew it was because she herself had one. Alex intrigued her and this was a fact she had hidden from everyone including her best friend, Marco. Paige wished Alex had a similar secret, one that Alex had been hiding from everyone else too.
Paige had seen Alex's softer side ever since Alex had become the vice-president of Degrassi and she could never believe that the sweet person she had been witnessing lately was capable of hating her.
'.…but then, why the act?' Paige knew she was on to something and it gave her the courage to smile at Alex.
"Alex, do you know what time it is?" Paige asked cheerfully.
"It's almost eight," Alex replied, looking at her wrist watch. "Why? Is your favourite show about to start?" Alex asked sarcastically.
"No. I was just...." Paige replied sulkily.
'Alex isn't even trying, but why would she?', Paige thought. 'Gosh, why does she have to be so difficult?'
Every time that Paige had expected Alex to be rude, Alex had shown kindness and whenever she had expected kindness from her, Alex had shown her the acid tongue.
"You were what?" Alex interrupted Paige's thoughts and had surprised her at the same time.
'Okay, so now she wants to talk? She's such a contradiction,' Paige thought amusingly.
"I was just- forget it," Paige knew she had either gotten Alex's attention or maybe Alex was just in a flexible mood again.
"No, what were you gonna say?" Alex was insisting now.
Alex had understood that Paige wanted her to apologize for the crude TV remark. "Okay, sorry," she said quickly.
Paige smirked accepting her victory. "I thought we could talk or something, you know, to pass time."
"You mean, argue to pass time, right?" Alex mocked.
"We don't have to argue," Paige said suggestively. "I mean, there's no one here to see it so if we're accidentally civil, nobody would find out."
"Paige, what do you mean?" Though the idea was intriguing Alex, she still wasn't sure how she could let her guard down in front of Paige, the cheerleader.
"Alex, I…. I know that I'm not your favourite person, but I think if you try, you can be civil with me. I mean… we are kind of stuck with each other in this tent."
"Is this another trick of yours?" Alex asked suspiciously.
"Come on, Alex. It's as bad for my reputation as it is for yours. Why would I risk that?" Paige said, raising her eyebrows as she tried to satisfy Alex's paranoia.
"I guess you're right," Alex answered, considering her options.
"Heck, we can even be friends and no one has to know."
"Hey, now you're pushing your luck," Alex replied, nodding her head sideways.
"Oh, come on, Alex, I know..." Paige smiled.
'What?' Alex tried to hide her subtle panic. "What are you talking about?"
"What you wrote on the paper before you threw it in the fire. I saw you wrote my name, Alex."
Alex breathed easy. 'Not as bad as it could've been', she thought.
"Well, I know what you wrote on there, too," she countered, raising one of her eyebrows.
Alex's revelation embarrassed Paige but she controlled it. "Okay, so we both know, we don't want to fight anymore, right?" Paige asked.
"Right," Alex agreed.
"See, it wasn't hard at all, was it?"
"I hate to admit, but I think I agree with you," Alex said with a scorned face.
TBC
Have a Happy Kwanzaa and a Happy New Year!
