Chapter 12

Marissa entered her apartment to find it quiet, as usual. Taylor was still on air-flight duty. She couldn't wipe the silly grin she had on her face and she had every reason not to. Not only did her first Thanksgiving with Alex went well with her parents, and even her sister, minus the greenhouse incident which Kaitlin will never live it down. They confessed their feelings for one another. But it wasn't the cliché settings that she always saw in movies, when the lead said 'I love you' and the music starts playing simultaneously in the background, or how there were fireworks and birds chirping. None of that. Instead, it was at the most unconventional place and time. It was a run down motel with bad air-conditioning, holes in the carpet, and the room didn't even provide cable. Usually, she would be pretty fussy about it, but just lying down on the bed after a post-sex bliss, and having Alex close to her, everything fades out. It was just the two of them and it felt right to say it.

Then came the intruder, and whooshed, it became outrageous. Of all the places and time, what were the odds of having a cockroach sneak up on her? It kept replaying in her head, how she freaked out and shriek like her friend Taylor before scramming out of the bed and to the farthest corner of the room. What really annoyed her was Alex's behavior. Not only that the blonde doubled over in laughter, she had to do the unthinkable and meanest thing. Alex grinned slyly at her before proceeding to capture the mean looking brown creature with bare hands, and darted across the room to where she stood. Marissa thought she was going to pass out when Alex unclasped her fingers and how the roach flew off and was that close to touching her cheek.

She spent two hours in the shower. Enough said.

Marissa went over to the phone and checked her voicemails. A beep sound was heard in the apartment before a cheerful and lively voice greeted her. She couldn't help but chuckled at Taylor's chirpiness.

'Hello! Happy thanksgiving!' It was followed by a loud whistling sound. 'Just wanted to call and checkup on you, but I should have known you're still probably gallivanting around with Alex or maybe, who're just in the apartment doing uh uh hmm, which would be a total mood breaker if you're hearing my voice right now. Or maybe, I'm just thinking too much, maybe you're conjugating Latin verbs to one another…erm, okay whatever, just want to wish you a happy thanksgiving. Buh bye.'

Marissa smiled while she shook her head at her friend's peculiar behavior.

Beep.

'Hey, it's me…' The brunette felt her heart just fluttered upon hearing Alex's voice. The grin on her face widened. 'I know, it has only been like two seconds since I dropped you off just now. But I just can't help it…' If she was there, Marissa knew she'll be seeing Alex blushing, biting her lips looking sheepish. '…I missed you already…' The brunette smiled fondly. 'Uh, that's probably it.' There was a change in Alex's voice. It sounded playful. 'Oh, make sure you check your apartment thoroughly. Especially your bed, a roach could be there, waiting to sneak up on you. You wouldn't want that to happen right?' Her giggling before she hung up followed it.

Marissa groaned.

She stopped fishing out the clothes from her duffel bag and headed for the phone and began dialing. Seconds later, a familiar voice was heard from the receiver.

"Hey baby," Alex greeted.

Marissa huffed. "Don't you hey baby me!" She rolled her eyes when Alex giggled over at the other line. "And stop that, it isn't funny."

"So, I'm assuming you got my message?"

"Damn right I did. When will you stop making fun of it?"

"The day Niagara Falls stopped flowing," Alex deadpanned.

It took her a while to register what the blonde had just mentioned. Marissa felt like bashing her girlfriend's head into the wall, but she couldn't help but crack up a laugh. "So I'm assuming that will never happen?"

"Pretty much. Or maybe when the Nile River dried up, I'll stop."

&&&&

"Target is within the range, over."

"Copy that Po. We'll proceed with Operation Seize The Girl. Over," Seth spoke into his walky-talky.

"Tinky Winky did you copied that? Over." Summer saw Alex talking animatedly on the phone. She slipped on her black aviators as she waits for the right moment to lunge for her boss.

"Tinky Winky inform us about your bearings. Over," Seth whispered into the walky-talky while the ding sound was heard as the lift halts when it reached the ground floor. He waited for the door to slide open before he pokes his head out of the lift to spot Alex nearing the main lobby entrance.

Zach parked the car near the curb as he notices Alex from inside. He brought the walky-talky near his lips. "Dipsy, I'm at the designated area. Target is within view, over."

Seth trailed Alex from behind. "Po, get ready to pounce, over."

"Copied that Dipsy, roger and out." She flings the walky-talky carelessly to the ground as she stood outside the main entrance.

&&&&

Meanwhile on the sixtieth floor of the Harper-Nichol building, Marissa Cooper giggled at what Alex mentioned on the phone. Kirsten wasn't in office; away on another trip over to Paris, she could effort to chat on the phone. Anna had been giving her the death glare, but Marissa was indifferent. She has learnt to tolerate the spunky blonde's bossy, haughty attitude. In fact, she has begun to taken a liking towards the senior assistant.

"Okay, I'll see you later," Marissa said sweetly. "Bye."

"Who was that?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"No one you know," Marissa casually answered. "And I believe it wasn't any of your business."

&&&&

The blonde's lips curled into a small smile as she hung up the call. Slipping on her sunglass stepped out of the building; what was about to happen next, Alex wasn't prepared for it. Two bodies crashed into her, holding her in a tight bear hug. It took her aback – knocked the wind out of her. Too dumbfounded and dazed, she couldn't register that she was literally dragged across the walkway and into a black Mercedes sedan.

"Tinky Winky, start driving now," Seth ordered as he let go of the bewildered blonde who was gasping for air.

"Wha…What was that all about?" Alex asked, exasperated.

"I believe it's called kidnapping," Summer answered cheekily before surprising Alex with a series of slaps on the poor girl's right forearm.

"Oww…gosh, for fucksakes why are you hitting me for?" the blonde questioned as she tried ducked away from Summer's blows. She snapped her head to her former stepbrother. "Wha-"

Seth began pinching her arms as Summer hit harder. "How could you have not told us?"

"Told what?" Alex yelled as she seized her left arm away from Seth's grip.

"That's Johnny's gay!" The trio said in unison. Seth and Summer looked expectantly at Alex while Zach kept glancing at his rear view mirror. Alex cringed.

Silence bestowed over them.

Alex opened her mouth, trying to say something only to have close it again, unable to find a reasonable excuse or someway to elude that idea off their minds.

Then came a sudden hubbub. Everyone started yelling at the same time.

"I thought we're like siblings? Siblings share everything together!" Seth hollered.

"No they don't! I can't share everything with you…"

"Johnny's gay? Johnny's gay! No wonder you haven't done it yet" Summer screeched.

"…I'd share everything with you Alex!"

"…. Your underwear won't fit me. And mine is just too cram for you…"

"… Omigod! You're each others beards!"

"… I told you everything about me! How could you…"

"… Telling me that High School Musical is your favorite movie or NSync is your favorite band is nothing close to coming out…and Summer, you just said the Lord's name in Vain…"

"… So what if I said the Lord's name in vain? You kept things from me…Huge!"

"… HSM is a big thing! I did share a big part of my identity! And why didn't you tell me you're gay, I would have accepted you!"

"… I did wanted too! But Johnny didn't! He isn't comfortable being outed…"

"… Really? Then frenching a male stripper isn't 'out' enough? Tell me…"

"… Define out! Because that in my books…"

"… How the hell…"

"… Omigod I flirted with him once!" Summer look like she was about to pass out. She reached for her inhaler.

"Everybody! Calm down!" Zach cried from the driver's seat as he maneuvered a left turn.

No one heard him.

"… I love you Alex. I wouldn't care about your sexual orientation. Hello! Me!"

"… It wasn't my decision alone…"

"… I…" Inhaled a large amount of air. "… almost…" Inhaled again. "…Kiss him…"

"What?" Alex and Seth yelled in unison.

"Everybody! Shut up!" Zach yowled.

And this time, they heard him as the car halted to a sudden stop. Zach turned to face them. Seth showed him a sheepish grin. Alex appeared flustered while Summer busied herself fixing her boss's top, unintentionally snapping Alex's bra.

"Ouch!" the blonde yelped.

Summer ducked in embarrassment. "Sorry," she apologized.

Alex just waved it off. "It's okay. No Biggie."

"Now, you can start addressing your concerns, thoughts pretty much whatever to each other." When Zach saw Seth and Summer starting to speak at the same time he added, "In an orderly manner. Let's start with…" he trailed off, "Eeenie Minnie Mo…Alex." His finger stopped in front of the blonde.

She took a deep breath, glancing at her assistant and Seth. "I'm gay," she professed.

"We know," Seth and Summer said in unison.

Alex shifted in her seat, rubbing her palms against her jeans. "I've known it since high school. Freshman year to be exact," she paused. "I've only had a couple of girlfriends, both happened to be long-term relationships. One that ended in my senior year and there other lasted through college before we part…"

"Why?" Seth questioned.

"It wasn't their fault. It was me, I wasn't ready to be out. I was afraid…still afraid of my mother finding it out – I know she won't tolerate me liking women. So I broke up with them. Then came Johnny. We knew each other since elementary school, I've known him longer than you Seth." Alex looked up to see the stylist, who nodded and signaled to continue. "Me, Johnny and Lily, we used to be inseparable. When we were fourteen, one summer Johnny came back after vacationing for three long months and told me and Lily, he was gay and made us swear to keep it to ourselves. And I did, because I knew his parents would freak out and start sending him to rehab kind of like they did to his brother. Then a year later, I started seeing girls differently. I was confused at first, scared even. I confided to Johnny cause I know he probably went through similar stuff, and he helped me realized that I was gay."

"So…okay, when did this whole beard issue come about?"

Alex breathed out a sigh. "After college. Johnny wasn't ready to tell his parents, and I know how my mother would react…not to mention how suspicious people will be if we were to remain single so… I proposed that idea to Johnny and he accepted. Only Lily knows and now, the three of you."

"See, it wasn't that hard was it?" Seth sent her a reassuring smile. "You could trust us Alex, we'll never judge. And we'll keep your secret until the moment you are certain to tell the World. You're our Laa-Laa, Teletubbies will always stick to one another through thick and thin."

Alex returned the smile. "You watched way too much Teletubbies reruns."

"Aww…I sense a group hug moment coming," Summer chimed in. The foursome laughed as they reached out for one another and hugged affectionately.

"I love you guys," Alex said sweetly.

"We love you too, munchkins."

Untangling herself from the group hug Alex started, "I have another thing to share."

"What?" They stared expectantly at her.

"I'm seeing someone…"

"Aww… who?" Summer asked.

"Marissa…"

"Really?" Seth questioned, clasping his hands in excitement. "Babycakes and you?"

Alex nodded with a grin. "Um hmm…"

"When? How long?"

"Probably little over a month."

"That's great. I'm so happy for you guys," Zach said. "So, how serious are the two of you?"

Alex's face turned crimson. "I love her," she confessed.

"Awww…" The three coed in unison.

"We're each other's first," Alex revealed as she bit her lips, looking sheepish.

"Awww… aren't you guys cute," Summer added. "No wonder I've been noticing this weird vibe between you and Marissa. You're in love." She brought both her palms to her heart. "I heart it."

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A/N: Hey, thanks for all the comments. And thank you for being patient, and giving this little fic a chance.