Chapter 10

Brother Bear

Alex paced her bedroom quietly, her phone in her hand. She was debating on how to tell Kerry and her and Raph were now actually dating instead of, how Kerry put it, fating. Should I just send a simple text? Should I call her? Should I invite her over to tell her? It was late though, so is Kerry even be up? Alex sighed, flopping down face first onto her bed. I'm making this more complicated than it has to be.

In the end, Alex decided to just call the girl. The phone rang in her ear as she flipped over onto her back. She pulled her legs up and shifted so that she could lean against her headboard.

"Good, you called." Kerry answered, not even a hello exchanged. "I was wondering what the fuck icing means in hockey. It's been bugging me, Tell me so I can sleep."

"Icing's when a player shoot the puck across both the center red line and the opposing teams goal line and the puck remains untouched," Alex explained. "Why? You were watching hockey?"

"Thank you! And trying to watch hockey is the right way to say that" Kerry huffed a bit. "Okay so whatcha need buttercup?"

"Oh, uh, I just wanted to let you know that Raph and I are dating," she muttered, running a hand through her hair.

"...Yeah and?" Kerry asked after a pause. "Anything else?"

"No, I mean, we're actually dating," she said.

"Yeah, heard you the first time." Kerry said slowly, as if she were not all there.

Alex sat up, and looked at her phone oddly for a moment. "And you're not in the least bit shocked?" Alex asked.

"Alex," Kerry sighed, sounded exasperated. "Literally everyone knew you guys liked each other, except for you!"

"Okay, I guess the way I should have worded it would have been 'Are you surprised I actually told him?'" Alex asked.

"Hmm, did I expect you to do it today and totally shove your tongue down his throat on kiss cam, no," Kerry said. "But I knew it was a short amount of time before you did."

"Huh, well, this was anticlimactic," Alex muttered.

"Honey, I am not the final boss," Kerry said lowly. "Elliot is."

Alex groaned, tipping over on her bed. "I know," she cried. "How the hell am I going to live through the night? How the hell is Raph not going to get murdered in his sleep?"

"...I got a picture of Esme in a bikini." Kerry offered. "She was going on vacation with her mom and needed a new one, sent me the pics to get an opinion. That help at all?"

Alex thought about that for a moment. "I don't know," she sighed. "He had his date with her tonight. He's probably all in that dream state he gets in when he thinks about her. Maybe when I tell him he won't even notice."

"The date actually went well?" Kerry asked sounding a bit shocked.

"I'm assuming so," Alex said. "He's not in a bad mood. He was all smiley and even more chipper than he normally is, which is really weird, if you ask me."

"Dude. I am not spending the night if he's like that ever again. Sounds creepy." Kerry chuckled. "Anyway, it's worth a shot, tell him when he's all school boy crushing."

Alex sighed. "Okay, I'll talk to you tomorrow then. When's your date with Don again?"

"This Saturday," Kerry mumbled softly. "We're heading to the museum to see the Deep Sea exhibit and the Ancient Greek one."
"That sounds like it'll be interesting," Alex said. "Just try not to scare the little kiddies by making out."

"Tch, we do have some decorum...well Donnie does." Kerry rolled her eyes. "And we might just geek out and forget the other is there." she joked.

"I don't think either of you could possible forget about the other," Alex muttered. hopping off her bed. "Well, wish me luck as I go talk to my doom."

"I'll come for your body in the morning, kay?" Kerry said.

"Oh thanks, that's greatly appreciated," she replied sarcastically as she left her bedroom. She hung up her phone and put it in her pocket as she made her way to the living room. She found that Marcus and Zack were sitting on the couch playing video games while Nathan was reading in the recliner. "Hey, where's Elliot?" she asked.

"He came in mumbling stuff and grinning before going to his room." Zack answered her.

"Uh, okay," Alex said, shaking her head. "Thanks," she turned down the other hallway to get to Ellie's room. She took a deep breath before knocking on his door. "Ellie?" she asked.

The door swung open and Alex was pulled into a hug. "Munchmallow!" he said spinning her around, now dressed in sweats and a t-shirt instead of his suit.

"Hi?" she gasped, trying to wiggle out of his hold. "Could you put me down, El? Can't breathe!"

"Sorry, I have the power of love flowing through me," Elliot said dramatically as she released her and collapsed onto his bed, arms flung out to his sides.

"Okay, well, that's good," she muttered, taking a seat next to him on the bed. I think. "I take it your date went well."

"I finally got her to not be so embarrassed!" Elliot grinned. "I got her to ramble on and on and it was adorable!"

"That's great, Ellie!" she told him. "I'm glad you two had a great time." She cleared her throat before saying, "And since you're in such a good mood because of love, I'd figured I'd share my news with you."

"The fuck did you do?" Elliot asked sitting up quickly. "Who's in the hospital?"

"Who's in the hospital? What the hell are you talking about?" Alex asked, getting distracted.

"You always wait till I'm in a good mood to tell me bad news or when you've gotten into trouble you need me to get you out of."

"No bad news. No trouble," Alex assured him. "It's good news, actually. For me, that is."

"Which means bad for me." Elliot sighed. "Lay it on me."

"Not really," she drew out. "It's, well, Raph and I are kind of, going out for real now. No faking."

"...Really?" Elliot blinked at her. "When did this happen?"

"T-Tonight," she told him. "At the hockey game."

"Gah, my good charity bites me in the ass," Elliot grumbled, thinking about when he handed over the tickets.

"Ellie," Alex sighed. "I mean, it's not that bad, right? We were basically dating anyway."

"Yeah, it's just...I don't like any boy dating you." Elliot grumbled. "That's something I can't protect you from."

"You don't have to, El," she said. "You've gotta let me live my life. I have to make mistakes and fall in love and pay extremely high taxes and everything else that comes with growing up."

"I know, I know. And it's be hypocritical to tell you not to date someone who made you happy...and he's better than Fred."

"Oh, not with the Fred thing again!" Alex groaned. "Seriously, I had no romantic feelings for the guy whatsoever!"

"I know, but he did for you. And where is he now? Awol just because it got a little harder for him," Elliot scoffed.

"Oh, be nice," she muttered.

"That was the nice version," Elliot mumbled.

"Fine, fine," Alex said. "Just, promise me you won't go and beat up Raph again?"

"Nah, Kerry chewed me out last time along with you. You might get Esme to chew me out as well. I don't need three psycho women coming after me."

"Only three? Huh, and here I thought all of the world's population of psychotic women were out to get you," Alex joked.

"They are, but you three are my favorite."

"Aw, you're such a suck up, El," Alex laughed.

"Best in the business." Elliot pretend to sniff pridefully.

"Got that right, how else do you think you got that date with Esme?"

"I'm charming and sexy as hell, of course!" Elliot protested,

"Puh-lease! You really think Esme falls for that?" Alex said.

"Umm yes?" Elliot said not really knowing the answer.

"Yeah, I don't thinks so," Alex muttered, getting off the bed. "She has to see that you're actually a decent human being under all that cheesy crap."

"...Can't I still be sexy as hell?"

"I am so not the right person to ask that," Alex groaned. "That's, it, ew!"

"I am not ew!"

"You're my brother, of course you're ew!"

"I am not! Stop saying that lie!"

"Are too!"

"Munchkin!"

"Dick!"

"Buttmunch!"

"Asshole!"