Chapter Eleven
Alex and Justin were silent over dinner. Neither spoke to their parents, or their younger brother, or to each other. Justin didn't know whether to be worried or confused – did Miranda see them? Should he erase her memories of seeing them together?
Alex was worse – she wanted to hold Justin's hand, or rest her head on his shoulder or throw peas at his face when he wasn't looking but she just…couldn't. After the bible quote and the apparent Miranda-gate only showed that things were getting worse every day. It was simple really – Alex and Justin, brother and sister, are in love with each other but hide it from their family simply because it's taboo. And the more days that went by the more Alex and Justin began to evaluate their relationship. There was love. There was sex. There were hormones. They were in love.
So what was the problem?
Everything else. That was the problem.
Alex actually walked into the abandoned-myth that was the 'school library' at Tribeca prep the next day because she needed information on Salvador Dali, a famous painter, and the information she needed could only be found in a specific book. She found the book and sat by one of the tables to write down her notes. Miranda was also in the library trying to find a Biology book, and instead she found Alex. Miranda was overcome with the images of two days ago – and suddenly she felt sick to her stomach, but not repulsed. She felt bad for Alex. It was simply a case of a 16 year old girl not knowing whether or not she could love – and instead found love with Justin, her brother. Miranda had also been experienced in the inexperienced world of love – or well, teenage infatuation – with Dean Moriarty. A boy she had once dated, before he had tried to force her into sex. What made it worse was that at the time, Miranda was just known as that 'new girl' and no one would've believed her if she told. She had contemplated telling Justin if they had gotten into a relationship – but that chance was gone. He was with Alex.
Alex.
They were siblings – how could they not think of it as wrong? Miranda believed that love did things like that – they blinded people. It would either go two ways – good or bad. Miranda was only concerned for Alex's safety as she was just a kid. But so was Justin – and then there was their family. She knew it was none of her business but still – what would their parents think, or what would they do?
Miranda swallowed her pride and approached Alex at the table. "Hey Alex." She said.
Alex looked up at Miranda, and she held her breath. "Uh…hey, Miranda."
Miranda pulled out a seat beside her and sat down. "How are you?"
Alex closed her book and stopped writing notes. "I'm fine. What's up?"
"I was just wondering if you – well – uh…" Miranda stammered, not knowing what to say or what to say or where to go. Alex grabbed her books.
"Listen Hampsen, I really need to go. I'll tell Justin you came by. See you." Alex said, getting up from her chair instantly, she quickly ran out of the library and let the double doors slam on her way out.
Miranda blinked. Oh. Alex knew.
Family Game Night couldn't have come any faster, or gotten any worse. Alex was completely distracted and on edge about Miranda. She felt foolish for not telling Justin but he didn't want him to confront Miranda or get involved. Alex believed she was difficult that way – she wanted to solve things and prove she could do it before Justin or Max helped. Justin had tried talking to Alex, but she always seemed distracted about everything. He frowned, and realised that something was up. Was it Miranda? Did she confront Alex? Was that why she was so quiet all the time?
It started on the roof. Alex kept her distance from Justin and it was badgering him. Teresa observed them carefully. They rarely made eye contact and what made it worse was that when Jerry tried pairing them together they only ended up arguing. Justin was reciprocating Alex's nasty behaviour, which only made her more upset.
"You can't use a three letter word for this, idiot." Alex murmured to her brother.
Justin shot her a look. "Sorry when was the last time you got an A in English Literature?"
Alex's blood began to boil. Even though they loved each other there were still hints of sibling rivalry and it drove her insane. "When was the last time you managed to pull a girl in bed?" She spat at him.
Teresa gasped, covering Max's ears. "Alex!"
Justin's face had never looked so astonished. He couldn't tell if she was just doing that for show or if she was doing it for real. The determined look on her face showed that she really wanted to piss him off. "Come on, Justin – tell us – when was the last time you went out with Miranda? When was the last time you actually kissed a girl?"
He really just wanted to shout at her and shout at everyone else – he wanted to scream to the rooftops that he was sleeping with Alex – that he was the first person to bed her – that she was the first person to go into his bed – but he couldn't. Justin simply clenched his fists and remained silent.
"Hey dorkus – did you hear me?" She jeered, keeping a distance on the chair. "Justin –"
"Alex…just shut up! Shut up!" He yelled. "Just shut up – for once in your life shut up!"
Alex fell silent and so did everyone else.
"Justin…" Jerry said angrily, taking a look at Alex's eyes that were now filled with tears. "What is the matter with you? Apologise to your sister at once!"
Justin, for the first time, was at a loss of word. He looked at Alex, whose face was actually brimming with tears. "Alex –" He began.
"No. Don't talk to me." Alex sniffed, shoving her brother away; she stood to her feet and ran out of the balcony and back into the apartment. Justin immediately got up to run after her, but Jerry held his son in place.
"No. You stay. Give her time." Said Jerry, and as Justin sat back down, he went in to find his daughter.
Teresa simply blinked at her eldest son – and she knew. She knew that the repercussions were destroying them.
Justin approached Alex's bedroom door after dinner. Teresa told him not to go check on her, but he wanted to anyway. He pressed his ear against the wood of the door and fell silent almost immediately – he could hear her sobs from inside the room. Justin's mood plummeted. He wanted to apologise for what he had said but at the same time he was sick to death with Alex's maniac behaviour, whether it was for show or not in front of their parents.
He knocked on the door.
She ignored him.
"Alex." Justin said. "Alex, I know you're in there. Can I come in?"
He heard her sniff, but she said nothing else. "No."
"Alex, seriously, open the door."
Nothing.
"That's it – I'm coming in." Justin put his hand on the doorknob, but he couldn't turn it. Cursing under his breath, he tried again. When it failed the second time, he took out his wand and took off the anti-locking charm. He opened the door, but before stepping in the room he heard a creak of bedsprings, Alex's sobbing, and the bathroom door slam shut. He stepped into her empty bedroom and stared at her bed – her sketchbooks were scattered all around the place; and as Justin drew closer he noticed that the sketches were the same – all pictures of eyes. His eyes.
He heard Alex's choking sobs on the other side of the bathroom door. He banged on it loudly. "Alex, open the door!"
"Go away, Justin!"
"Open the door! I need to speak to you!"
"Go away!"
"That's it!" He growled, and with a flourish of his wand the door unlocked, or rather unhinged out of pure anger, and kicked it open. When he looked inside, Alex was nowhere to be found. Only when he heard a pop, and a pair of angry footsteps walking across the floorboards did he turn back and grab Alex, preventing her from leaving. She was hysterical. "Let me go! Let me go, Justin! Let me go!" She cried, hitting his chest and pushing him away from her, but he didn't let go.
"Alex, stop! Please!"
"No! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you, Justin Russo! Let me go! I never want to speak to you again!" She reached over, pulled Justin's arms off her, and raised her hand – slapping him across the face.
The blow echoed through the room. Alex retracted her hand, her face fuming – but the look on Justin's face was worse. She couldn't see the distinction between hurt and anger. It seemed to be a mixture of both.
So Alex did the only thing she could do – she turned around and made her way to leave the room.
But Justin grabbed her arm, and yanked her back. It was a little more roughly done than she thought he was even capable of.
"Don't you dare." He whispered hoarsely. "Don't you dare turn away from me."
"Justin –" She began, but he cut her off by pulling her face into a kiss. The kiss was searing, heated and rushed. It didn't take long for Justin's hands to find her shirt and literally, with all the strength in his 16-year-old-body, ripped it apart, leaving Alex in only her bra.
"I don't care." He gasped between kisses. "If you hate me or not." He gasped again. "I love you. And that is that."
When Teresa found them it was way after 11pm. She had gone to Alex's room to check on her and instead she found Justin covering Alex's half naked form in a duvet cover. He had no shirt on, but just boxers. Teresa stepped out of the doorway before he could notice and left quickly.
A few days after that, Max found Alex lying on top of Justin, sweaty, panting and naked. Justin was beneath her, also naked, and very much stimulated. He simply glared at them for a few seconds, before giving a nonchalant shrug, and stalked off after bed.
Max Russo was not stupid for an eleven year old. He knew the repercussion were there long before they acted out.