Chapter 11

Alex POV

"Go hide in my room! Quick!" I yelled.

"Why?"

"I want him to think that we're alone. If you're here he might not say the things he was going to."

"Ok."

I watched as Katelyn ran off to my room and shut the door to a crack so she could hear us. I looked out the window and Riker was almost here. I grabbed Katelyn's plate of half eaten pasta and shoved it in the fridge so it looked like I was alone.

*Knock Knock Knock

I walked over and opened the door.

Riker POV

I was so glad Alex opened the door. I was worried she wouldn't because she didn't want to talk to me. But she looked annoyed.

"Alex, can I please talk to you?" I asked.

"Riker-"

"No, please. It will only take a minute," I said.

"Go ahead," she said.

"I wanted to apologize for everything yesterday. I should've been honest and told you why we were checking up on you, and I didn't, and I'm really sorry. You're such a sweet person Alex, and I really just want you to know that I'm really sorry, and I won't do anything like that again."

"Riker, first, thanks for apologizing, but, I just need some time right now. Something's screwing with my head and I can't think straight right now. I just need time…"

"I completely understand. I just really hope you forgive me. I would miss talking to you. A lot."

Alex was looking at the ground. I knew I wasn't going to be getting an answer tonight.

"Thanks. Did your plumber ever come?" She asked.

At least she was talking to me…

"Yeah. The water's all fixed," I said.

"That's great. Well, I have a lot of homework I need to do still, so…"

"Yeah, I'll… See you tomorrow?" I asked.

"Maybe."

I walked out her door and back to my house. It killed me inside that Alex was mad at me.

Ellington POV

Riker walked in looking upset. He came and sat down in the kitchen next to me.

"So. What happened?" I asked.

"Yesterday you wouldn't tell me what you told her. You said you would tell me after I talked to her today. I'm not telling you what happened until you tell me what you said."

"I told her to talk to you," I said.

"And?"

"That's it," I said.

Riker looked so confused.

"Well what happened?" I asked.

"I told her I was sorry and she told me that she needed time to think, and then she asked me about the water situation and I told her it was fixed, and I left."

"Ok."

"Ok? What do I do!? She practically hates me and I…" Said Riker.

"What?"

"Nothing…"

"Riker, you like her don't you?"

"Why would you say that?"

Riker was getting defensive. I knew it was true.

"Riker, it's obvious. Normal people don't care this much about their next door neighbors! I heard you get up all those times last night. I know you couldn't sleep. The way you talked about her, the way you came home so happy that one night… The way it's ripping you apart right now…"

"Ok, so what if I do like her?"

"Then you like her. Nothing's wrong with that," I said.

"But she hates me. I just… I'm going for a walk…"

Riker looked like he was about to cry. I had only seen him cry once, since I met him. I knew this was really breaking him inside. I watched as he walked out the door and down the road.

Alex POV

"Wow. That was so intense!" Said Katelyn.

"I know. I think he's upset that I didn't give him a clear answer, but I need more time to think," I said.

"I think he understands that."

Katelyn and I finished eating our dinner. I was staring out the window at Riker's house. His light was on inside and I could see him walking around, talking to Ellington. All of a sudden, his door opened, and he came out.

"GET DOWN!" I yelled.

Katelyn knocked her fork off the table as she practically fell on the ground.

"What!?" She whispered.

"Oh, it's ok, you can get up. Riker came out the door, and I thought he might be coming back over here. I didn't want him to see you through the window," I said.

We watched as Riker walked down the street. He was looking at the ground.

"What is it?" Katelyn asked.

"I don't know. I think I upset him," I said.

Katelyn and I just sat there for a minute not saying anything… Thinking…

"So did I miss much school stuff?" Katelyn asked.

I was actually kind of glad she had changed the subject, even if it was school.

"I don't think so. We had a half day yesterday, so you didn't miss much."

"Well, I think I should go. I'm really tired and I need to unpack and stuff. I'll text you tonight."

"Yeah, ok. I'll see you tomorrow at the bus stop then."

"Yup."

I watched as Katelyn left. She went out the back door, taking a different way home so the Lynch's wouldn't know she had been at my house.

I was playing with my dog, Tank, for a little while, when I saw Riker walk back to his house. It was getting dark, so I took a shower and watched TV for the rest of the night.

The Next Day…

Alex POV

I had just gotten home from school and was walking to my house with Katelyn. We had decided that we didn't care if the Lynch's saw us, because they didn't have to know about what happened. Well, except Ellington. I wondered if he had told anyone what was going on…

"What's that?" Said Katelyn, pulling me away from my thoughts.

"What?"

"There's a note on your front door."

Katelyn and I both ran up my front steps to see what the note was.

"This can't be good…" Katelyn said after reading the note.

We looked at each other and knew we had a long night ahead of us.