Justin held Alex as she sobbed. He felt horrible that Alex's graduation was ruined by this drama.
Once Alex's sobs had subsided, Justin spoke. "Alex, we need to get out of here. I don't want to think about what Dad will do if he sees us still here."
Alex looked at Justin like he was crazy. "Where are we going to go? We don't start school for 2 months, we have no money. Oh god Justin, how are we paying for school? Oh Justin what have we done?"
"Come on Alex, I'll explain later, but for now just trust me. Lets go."
Justin half dragged Alex away from the sub station and into a near by hotel. It was a nice hotel, one Alex often looked at longingly on her way to and from school.
Justin released Alex's hand and went up to the woman at the front desk. "I need a room for at least 3 nights." Justin told the snobbish looking woman.
"Our cheapest room is $200 a night." She told him in a snooty voice.
"We don't need the cheapest, thanks.." He told her smiling and pulling out a credit card. The woman looked at him for a second then started typing in the computer.
"You'll be in room 5487. Let me call the bell boy to take your luggage."
"No need, it hasn't arrived yet. Thanks again." Justin took Alex's hand and let her away from the woman.
"Justin! We can't afford this!" Alex whispered as Justin steered her towards the elevator.
"Hush Alex. We'll talk when we're in the room. The lady is already suspicious about us."
"So we're gonna sleep here and run out on the bill later?" Alex asked, confused.
"Can you please just wait?" He asked again. Alex waited impatiently as the elevator went up to the fifth floor. She jumped out when it stopped and dragged Justin to their room.
She tapped her foot, irritated as Justin fumbled with the key to their room. "Will you hurry up!" she snapped. The second he got the door opened Alex pushed her way in and crossed her arms. She looked expectantly at Justin. "Explain. Now."
Justin signed and went to sit on the bed. "I'm sorry this happened today of all days. With Graduation and stupid wolf boy coming back."
Alex rolled her eyes. "Justin. Stop stalling. How can we afford this room? What are we going to do now that Dad threw us out?"
"Don't be mad ok?" He pleaded.
"Great way to start a conversation. That means I'm going to love this. Spill it."
"Well, I kinda figured that Mom and Dad wouldn't exactly give us their blessings so I went to Kelbo a while back for help."
Alex looked at Justin, speechless. "Kelbo? What could he possibly do to help?" She asked when she found her voice at last.
"He was freaked out at first, then he thought I was pulling a joke on him. I told him we were dropping out of the wizard competition to be together. I think that's what finally proved I was telling the truth. He told me Dad would freak out and that no matter what, he'd always be our uncle." Justin explained.
"Then? What Justin? We go live with Kelbo?" Alex was five seconds from throttling the rest of the story out of Justin.
"Then two weeks later I got a check from Shakira." Justin told her. Alex just looked at him. "A check. From Shakira. Who is in fact our Uncle. Our Uncle is a world famous musician. With lots of money." He spelled it out for her.
"So Uncle Shakira sent us money? That's great. Can we put the money towards an apartment near Stanford?" Alex asked, finally understanding what Justin was explaining.
"Alex. Our Uncle, who is a confirmed bachelor with no children sent us a check. Don't you want to know how much its for?"
Alex rolled her eyes. "What's the big deal? it's a few thousand right?"
"It was a check for three million." Justin told her.
She stared at Justin, stunned.
"Alex, say something." he pleaded.
"So you're saying we're millionaires?" Alex asked, in awe.
"Well, technically yes. But since we have to save for taxes, school and living, lets not think like millionaires. We just don't have to worry about money." Justin corrected her.
Alex lay back on the bed. "Way to be a buzz kill Justin. Man. Three million. Why did Kelbo do that?" she asked. "Wont Dad be mad if he finds out?"
Justin shrugged. "Kelbo said the money was going to be ours eventually, so it's like an advance on our inheritance."
"Yeah, this is just too much. Can we go to sleep? Please?" Alex whined.
"No, we still have to get some clothes for the night and we have to talk to Harper. She probably wont want to go home after this. Plus, you have a date tomorrow." Justin grimaced.
Alex looked confused. "I'm too exhausted to go on date Justin. How can you even feel romantic after everything today?"
"Not me," He kissed the tip of her nose. "I was referring to the Dog."
Alex groaned. "I forgot about him. What do I tell him?" she asked Justin.
Justin shrugged again. "Tell him you love someone else. Tell him you hate him. It doesn't matter now, because you're mine."
Alex got up and put her arms around Justin. "You're cute when you're insecure." She teased him. "You go talk to Zeke and Harper, I'll go get us clothes." she demanded, giving him a kiss.
"Here, this is yours. Be careful with it." He handed her a credit card with her name on it. "and Hurry back" he told her as she left the hotel room.
Sighing as he got off the bed, Justin headed wearily to the door. He felt like he was fifteen years older thanks to the endless day.
Alex made her way back to their hotel room, her arms full of bags from various stores. She didn't know how long they'd be in the hotel, so she went a little nuts. She was excited to try on some of the new outfits. When she opened the hotel door, she saw Justin wasn't back yet. She decided to hop in the shower. It felt nice to wash the stress off from the day. As she shut the water off, she heard the door open. She wrapped a towel around her and went out to greet Justin.
"Oh! What's all that?" Alex cried out. Justin's arms were full of bags too.
"Hello to you too." Justin said, kissing her quickly. "How'd it go with the shopping?"
"Ok I guess. Kind of boring. I should have waited for Harper." Alex told him, pulling boxes out of the bags. "Cell phones?" she asked, confused.
Justin nodded. "I figured Dad would cancel our lines. Have you tried to use your phone?" he asked. Alex shook her head and grabbed her purse. She rummaged around for the phone, and tried to dial once she found it. It was disconnected. " I opened new phones for us while I was out. I talked to Harper and Zeke too. Harper didn't want to go home, she's mad at Mom and Dad, so she's staying in the hotel too." Justin told Alex.
Alex didn't say anything, she just got up and pulled on a pair of panties and one of Justin's t-shirts, then crawled into the large bed.
"Justin, honestly my head can't hold any other news. Can we please just sleep?" Alex pouted and patted the bed next to her.
"I couldn't agree more. This day has seriously been insanely long. Its hard to believe everything that's happened." Justin stripped down to his boxers and slid into the bed next to Alex. "Do you realize this is the first time we're going to sleep in the same bed, and we're not going to have to worry about being caught?" Justin asked. Alex didn't respond. She curled up against Justin and was asleep a minute later. Justin fell asleep soon after.
Alex woke up with the sun blinding her. They went to bed without closing the blinds and now it was shining through, irritating Alex to death. She nudged Justin, trying to wake him up.
"Justin. Light. Curtain. Close." She mumbled. Justin groaned and turned to look at Alex.
"Seriously? Its just light. Ignore it."
"You suck!" Alex told him as she crawled out of the bed. She looked at the clock and realized it was almost noon. "Ugh. I guess I'll wake up. Mason is waiting for me after all." Alex stood to go towards the bathroom, but Justin grabbed her and pulled her back into the bed.
"Don't you dare leave me yet." He told her, "Not until I've had a good morning kiss."
Alex laughed. " You really are a big girl." She teased him as she planted a kiss on his lips. The kiss turned heated as Justin's hands began to roam under Alex's shirt. Alex giggled as the shirt came off. "I guess I can be a little late to meet Mason." She said as Justin's mouth began exploring her body.
An hour later, Justin walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. Alex was laying in the bed naked, completely relaxed.
"Alex, as much as I like seeing you in bed naked, we still have things to do." Justin told her, turning towards the clothing bags. He found some jeans and a t-shirt and started throwing them on.
"You're a buzz kill, seriously." Alex got up and threw a dress on. "I'll be back"
"I'll miss you." Justin told her. She smiled and walked out. It bothered him that he wouldn't be there to protect Alex if something went wrong with Mason, but he was sure Alex would be ok. He knew she still had her wand on her, even though she swore she didn't. He didn't mind her lying about it; it meant she had extra protection when he wasn't around.
Alex walked to the park where she was supposed to meet Mason, passing by the sub shop on the way. The windows were dark, they were closed because that day was supposed to be a party for the graduation. Now Alex was sure her parents were upstairs, burning any pictures of her and Justin. It made Alex angry and sad. She wanted to go up there and yell at them but she couldn't. They'd probably changed the locks already.
'Well they're being stupid! If this is how they react when their kids find love, then I don't want to be around them anyway!' Alex tried to convince herself as she ran away from the place that was no longer home. As she turned the corner, she saw Mason, sitting on The Bench, the bench she always had deep conversation on. Alex knew this wasn't going to be easy and she wished Justin could be with her. She touched the ruby necklace at her throat and walked towards Mason.
"Ello Love." He said, standing up. He leaned in to give her a kiss, but she turned her face way.
"Mason, we need to talk." Alex told him, sitting on The Bench.
"Oh no. This isn't good." Mason teased her. "Are you about to tell me how you're running off to college, and you're worried about our future?"
"No Mason. I'm about to tell you how I'm running off to college and you aren't in my future." Alex told him.
"Very funny darling." Mason dismissed her announcement with a laugh. "I know I'm in your future, you have my necklace. It proves we're true loves. Hence, future."
Alex rolled her eyes. "Have you always been this annoying? I'm not your true love. You're not mine. I've found mine. And it isn't you."
Mason finally realized Alex was serious, "How can you say this after all I went through to get back here to you? All I could think about was seeing you again, kissing you again. Now you're telling me that was pointless? That I'm stupid for believing true love over comes all?" he asked angrily.
"Mason. Look, I have a theory on the necklace. Maybe my magic broke it. Every time I had the necklace on, I was thinking about him, not you. Maybe that's what it picked up on." Alex tried to explain.
"I don't believe you. Prove it." Mason pulled the necklace out of his pocket.
Alex looked at it, shocked. "How'd you get that? I buried it in my boxes!"
"I was walking by your place, and it fell from the balcony." Mason told her. "Put it on and prove you aren't my true love."
Alex looked at the necklace. She wondered how it could have possibly made its way to the balcony.
"Put it on Alex." Mason ordered.
"Seriously, I must have been blind before, because you're irritating the hell out of me." She snapped as she grabbed the necklace. She threw it around her neck and they both looked at it. Alex thought only of Mason, both good memories from before, and this annoying , irritating Mason, and the heart stayed silent.
Mason grew more angry after each minute passed, until finally he yanked the necklace off Alex.
"Stupid thing is probably isn't working right." He looked at the necklace and tapped the heart a few times.
"Try it again."
"No." Alex stood up. "I'm leaving. We're done Mason. I did love you, but my life is with him now."
Mason stood too. "Who is this guy?"
"No one important to you. Have a good life Mason. I'm glad you're not a wolf anymore." Alex turned to walk away but Mason grabbed her.
"One last hug? Before you walk out of my life?" He asked. Alex rolled her eyes and gave him a quick hug.
"Bye Mason." She told him, walking away. Mason sat back on the bench, confused. The only other scent he could smell on Alex was Justin's.
' If she was dating someone else, shouldn't she smell like him?' he thought. He sat on the bench a long time pondering this.
Alex practically ran away from the park after she turned away from Mason. She wanted to get back to Justin so they could figure out what to do next. She headed back towards the hotel, hoping Justin would be there as well, when she heard someone calling her name. she didn't look back, she figured it was Mason.
"Geez Alex wait!" the voice called. Alex paused. It didn't sound like Mason. Turning, she saw it was Max, jogging after her. "I didn't know you could move that fast!" He told her.
"What are you doing out here Max? Wont Mom and Dad freak out when they find you missing?" Alex asked puzzled.
Max shrugged. "I saw you walking by so I figured I'd come say hi."
"Max, its been like 12 hours since you've seen me. Really?"
"Fine Fine! I wanted to make sure you're ok!" He told her defensively. "and I wanted to make sure Mason got the necklace back."
"You dropped it on him? Why Max? How'd you know we'd need it?" Alex asked him.
"I dunno, I found it when I was looking for my lizard, and I wanted to see how the heart looked in the sun, then it fell out of my hands when I was leaning over the balcony." he explained. Alex just shook her head. It couldn't have been that big of a coincidence. "Oh by the way, Mom and Dad cancelled your phones."
Alex wasn't surprised. "Yeah, Justin got us new phones." she gave Max the new numbers.
"and I'm forbidden from speaking to you guys forever." Max continued.
"I kinda figured that much. I guess they wouldn't want us corrupting you." Alex laughed.
"and when you guys come to get your stuff from the house, Mom and Dad are taking me to the movies. And to eat. And to Coney Island." Max told her.
"Seriously? How long do they think we're going to be there? They can't keep us apart, its not right. We're family." Alex told him, her eyes flashing in anger.
"Yeah, I know. Um, I better get back before they ground me. Keep me posted on what happens. See ya Alex." Max gave Alex a quick hug before he wandered away. Alex stood starring after Max. He had never hugged Alex out of his own free will before. It scared her to think that might be the last hug she'd ever get from her little brother.
