The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 14: TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART

A whole month had passed without her. Alex was beginning to think that he would never see or hear from her again. He started failing his classes within the first week, but he was lucky enough to have Sally to help him back on his feet. He started seeing a counselor half way through. His name was Dr. Shepard. Sally had referred him. He seemed like a nice guy—possibly just as misunderstood as Alex was.

It was towards the end of that month that Alex decided to finally make things official between he and Sally. He didn't know what he had been waiting for—there was no one for him to wait for anymore. She was excited when he asked her. She nearly squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck and falling into him. It was one of the steps in coping with Alex's sudden feeling of abandonment. Sally was the stability he had searched for his whole life. He depended on her.

It was prom season now. Alex wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as everyone else. To him it was a waste of time and money. …It was. He stared at himself in the mirror as he tied his bowtie. If he was being completely honest, he was surprised he lasted this long. He often wondered how his mother had. But Dr. Shepard advised him not to think that way. The future was bright…only it didn't always seem that way.

He picked up a corsage from the florist on the way to Sally's house. She hadn't told him what color her dress was so white seemed like a safe choice. It was raining when he pulled up to her house. Alex cringed, glaring at the droplets of water streaming down his windshield and silently kicking himself for not bringing an umbrella. He nearly ran to the door, trying to catch his breath before ringing the doorbell.

A feeling of dread washed over him as he stood waiting. To his dismay, her father answered the door giving him a stern glare before cracking a smile. He seemed like a decent man. "So you're the Sheriff's boy," he chuckled, pulling Alex into a hug.

Alex just smiled politely, glancing behind him to search for Sally. She came around the corner, her bright blue dress simmering in the light. A pain formed inside Alex as he stared at the dress. The memory of Norma flooded back to him. The dress was the color of her eyes—the eyes that haunted him for years. "I got you a corsage," he muttered before his throat closed up. He shut his eyes, desperately trying to push back the tears that had risen. He didn't want to embarrass Sally in front of her father. He didn't want to look like a lunatic for crying, so he bit his tongue drawing blood.

She was by his side when he opened his eyes, the expression on her face laced with concern. "We should get going. I don't wanna be late." Alex simply nodded, slipping the corsage on her wrist before leading her to the door and waving goodbye to her father. She waited till they were half way there to speak up. Some sad part of her believed that if she upset him enough he'd leave—it wasn't entirely untrue. "Alex, what's wrong?"

Alex didn't bother to take his eyes off the road. He knew that if he looked at her he'd fall apart. "Nothing," he lied, grinding his teeth the way he always did when something was bothering him.

But she wasn't convinced. Alex wasn't a very good liar. "You seem upset. Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Not really," he muttered, his voice low and quivering. "Sorry."

She smiled lightly, her hand reaching for his thigh to comfort him. "I care about you a lot."

His eyes found hers as he mustered a smile. "I know."

Alex wished he hadn't gone to prom. He only went because he felt obligated to take Sally. He never wanted to dance. He sat like a bum at the table in the back. His eyes darting between couples on the dance floor until they finally landed on Bob and Sally. Bob had insisted on dancing with her since Alex refused to. He didn't mind at all; it was one less thing for him to worry about. His mind seemed to wander as Total Eclipse of the Heart played over the speakers. Norma surfaced in his thoughts. He wondered what she'd look like tonight. He knew she liked to make her own clothes; he couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she'd be. He would have danced if she was there—she would have forced him to, her weak frame pulling at him mightily. He would have held her in his arms a little tighter than before, his cheek gently brushing hers as the music swelled around them. He would have told her how much he loved her. And she would have known the truth.

They drove around for a while after the prom. The sight of the growing line of trees seemed to calm them as they drove down the highway towards the Sea Fairer. It seemed a little much, but Bob had insisted that it was the right thing to do. So Alex paid for a room for the night, grimacing at the haughty wink Mr. Summers offered him before handing over the key.

Sally didn't seem to mind at all. She threw herself down on the bed, sighing up at the ceiling. "Wasn't it beautiful?"

Alex glanced at her reflection in the mirror as he undid his cufflinks. "Wasn't what beautiful?"

"The prom." It was times like this that reminded Alex that she was only sixteen. She still held onto that dreamer's mentality.

Alex undid his tie and made his way over to the bed, throwing himself down beside her. They laid there in silence for a while. It always seemed to be like this; they were running out of things to say to each other.

"I had a good time," she told him after some time had passed.

He smiled simply, casting his gaze back to the smoke-stained ceiling. He hadn't taken his mind off Norma the entire night; he was surprised Sally had somehow enjoyed herself. Alex was a bit of a loser when it came to parties—he'd always had Norma to balance him out. But luckily Bob was there to step in when Sally needed him.

The feeling of weight pressing into his chest broke his daze. Sally had rested her head on him, her arms wrapping around his middle. "Don't you wish every night could be like this?"

Norma hadn't missed out on anything. She must have been showing by now anyway. He wondered if she was okay…if John was taking good care of her. She'd always taken care of herself; hopefully she'd let someone take care of her for once. He hoped she was comfortable and safe. She'd never been comfortable or safe her entire life. She deserved so much better. She deserved the world. He hoped she was happy. He hoped she knew how much he missed her.

"Alex?" Sally sat up, turning her body towards him. "What's wrong?"

He gazed back at her, desperately trying to disguise the fear coursing through him. "Nothing. I'm fine."

He knew he hadn't completely convinced her. But she seemed satisfied enough as she settled herself on top of him, her lips trying to remove the memories of the past. He spent the night with her that night. He foolishly thought he could forget the past through her. But every movement brought flashes of the past. The memory of Norma's face was burned into his mind. He could never forget.

It was still early in the morning when Alex had arrived home. He hadn't expected his father to be up—let alone find a woman sneaking out the front door. Alex watched her climb into her beat up convertible. He recognized her from the station…she was his father's secretary. Alex rolled his eyes at the cliché, stepping in the house to find his father passed out on the couch half-dressed.

The sound of the front door seemed to wake him. He grimaced as his eyes settled on his son and not the woman from the night before. "What?" he growled.

Alex shook his head, throwing his suit coat on the armchair beside him. "What was Sarah doing here?"

"Her name's Nancy." Her was Sarah. Alex used to talk to her while he waited for his father. She was too young to be fooling around with a widowed drunk; the thought of it made Alex sick. "It none of your business what I do anyway."

Alex made his way down the hall, stopping in the doorway of his bedroom and turning around. "You know, graduation is tomorrow. I'm leaving for the academy right after." But his father never replied. Alex sighed and shut the door behind him. He had packing to do.