Disclaimer: I do not own Wizards of Waverly Place or Camp Rock.
Demi won her PCA! Yay! I squealed. This would have been up a few hours ago, but I watched the awards. I'm happy with the results, yes I was pissed they didn't present her award.
Two days after the New Year found Alex and Mitchie in Mitchie's apartment after their lesson was over. Usually they'd be at work, but the first few days after a holiday were always slow business days, so Mr. Russo had allowed the girls to come in later. This was perfect because today was the day Caitlyn was coming back from visiting her mom in California, and she wanted to meet Alex right away.
Alex was a bundle of nerves. She was finally going to meet Mitchie's best friend. Well, officially meet her. She'd seen her that day she'd come to Mitchie's apartment unannounced, but ran away as soon as she saw her. That was the day she'd come out to Mitchie and spilled the wizard secret. That seemed so long ago. Now, here she was, after having dated Mitchie for over a month, ready to meet the best friend. This was a big step.
What if Caitlyn didn't like her? Would that affect her relationship with Mitchie? She knew that if Harper didn't like Mitchie she'd continue to date the cute little brunette, but it would be in the back of her mind that Harper didn't approve. Of course, though, Harper did approve. Harper loved Mitchie, especially since she made Alex so happy. And as far as Alex knew, she made Mitchie happy. So Caitlyn should already like her just because of that, right? After all, it had been Caitlyn who sent Mitchie after her on that fateful day.
Alex bit into her thumbnail as she turned to start on her way back across the room for yet another round of pacing, which she'd been doing since Justin had left nearly twenty minutes earlier. She'd been staring at the floor, lost in her own thoughts. Now she looked up to see Mitchie at the opposite end of the small room, her eyes downcast. When Mitchie glanced up, the girls locked gazes.
Alex released her nail and took her hand away from her mouth. "Why are you pacing?" she asked confusedly, finally realizing her zombie-like walks across the room had been accompanied the whole time.
"I'm nervous," Mitchie admitted. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
What if Caitlyn didn't like Alex? What would she do then? She had a feeling Caitlyn would actually like Alex, but there was still that chance she wouldn't. And Mitchie was a worrier, so of course that was the thought that stuck in her head.
"You're nervous?" Alex's anxiety heightened. "I'm the one that should be nervous! You already know that she likes you!"
"She'll love you, Alex, okay?" Mitchie said, crossing the room towards her girlfriend and taking her hands in her own.
"But you said you're nervous!" Alex said loudly, somewhat frantically. "Why should you be nervous? You think she's going to hate me, don't you?"
Before Mitchie could answer, there was a knock at the door.
"Calm down," Mitchie instructed, giving Alex's hands a squeeze. "She'll love you simply because I do, okay?"
"Then why are you nervous?" Alex asked desperately. She'd never been this afraid of someone not liking her. She hadn't even been scared that Mitchie wouldn't like her. She'd been nervous to meet Mitchie's parents, but she wasn't about to have a panic attack when she met them, like she was now. What was wrong with her? She never gave a shit before if the friends of the person she was dating didn't like her. But maybe that was because those boys didn't really matter. Mitchie matter, though, Mitchie mattered a lot.
Another knock came from behind the door.
Not answering Alex's question, Mitchie let go of the other girl's hands and made her way to the door. She took a few deep breaths before putting her hand on the doorknob and turning it, swinging the door open. There Caitlyn stood, wearing what looked like a normal smile to everyone else in the world. But to Mitchie, it was a forced smile.
"What's wrong?" was the first thing Mitchie said. Not a 'hi,' or a 'hello.' She forgot about why Caitlyn was there, that she was supposed to be meeting Alex, who was standing in the room right behind her. She forgot her anxiety and fears. All she wanted to know was why Caitlyn was faking a smile, and why she thought she could get away with it.
Caitlyn's smile faltered, but only for a second. "Nothing," she said. "Are you going to let me in?"
Mitchie was about to protest and keep Caitlyn waiting in the hall until she told her what was going on, but when she saw Caitlyn's hazel-brown eyes flick to Alex, she knew why Caitlyn was faking a smile. She didn't know Alex yet, didn't trust her. There was something going on, but she didn't want just anyone to know about it. She'd tell Mitchie, but not until they were alone.
"Yeah, come on in," Mitchie said, taking a step back to let her friend in.
As Mitchie closed the door behind her, Caitlyn shrugged off her thick winter coat, resting it on the couch. As soon as she did so, she stepped towards Alex.
"Alex, right?" Caitlyn said with a slight smirk.
"Yeah," Alex said, her cheeks a little pink. Last time she'd seen this girl, she'd made a fool of herself. What must she think of her?
"Not gonna run off this time, are you?" Caitlyn joked, sticking her hand out for a shake.
Alex stood up tall and took the other girl's hand confidently. "No running. I'm here to stay," she said, not a slight tremor in her voice.
Caitlyn watched Alex's face carefully. It was determined and honest. As they locked eyes, an understanding passed between the two girls. They both knew that they were talking about something much bigger than just that particular moment. The running they meant was figurative, not literal. Caitlyn had been testing Alex, and Alex knew it. Caitlyn had, in a very sneaky way, asked Alex if she was going to leave Mitchie and hurt her. And Alex answered with what she felt was complete honesty. She had no intention of hurting Mitchie or leaving her. She was here for the long haul. And that's what Caitlyn wanted to know.
When Caitlyn sensed the genuineness of Alex's words, she gave a soft smile. "Good. It's nice to meet you, Alex."
"Nice to meet you too, Caitlyn," Alex said, letting go of Caitlyn's hand and letting out the breath she'd been holding.
She'd passed.
Mitchie, who had been watching the entire interaction, cleared her throat to get their attention. Her best friend and girlfriend both turned their attention to her.
"Well…That was weird," Mitchie said, not sure what had just happened.
Caitlyn chuckled slightly. "Would you expect anything less from me?"
"Or me?" Alex chimed in with a grin.
"Don't you two start ganging up on me already!" Mitchie said, pointing her finger back and forth between the two.
"We're not, ya crazy!" Caitlyn said, that smile coming back. It wasn't Caitlyn's smile, and that bothered Mitchie.
She locked eyes with her best friend, seeing right through her. There was a storm brewing inside of her, something weighing on her mind.
"Did you enjoy your visit with your mom, Caitlyn?" Alex asked to change the subject, going over to sit on the couch. She'd remembered Mitchie saying something about Caitlyn being with her mom for the holidays.
"Very much," Caitlyn said, sitting beside Alex, who was closer to the armchair.
"Where does she live?" Alex asked curiously.
"California."
"I've always wanted to go to California!"
Mitchie, feeling slightly dejected and left out, went to sit in the armchair beside the couch since there was no room for her on the sofa with the way Caitlyn and Alex were sitting.
"It's so nice there this time of year," Caitlyn said, actually smiling for real this time. She loved talking about her home. "It's not too hot, but it's not cold since it never gets really cold in Los Angeles, unlike here."
"Is it always sunny and nice?" Alex leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands.
"Actually, there's a lot of smog," Caitlyn admitted with a laugh. "But since you're from New York, I doubt that would bother you."
Alex lifted her head and shook it, smiling. "Smog is clean air to me. I get dizzy when I go anywhere with fresh air."
"Well you and Mitchie should come with me one time when I go visit my mom," Caitlyn said, patting Alex on the knee.
"That would be so awesome!" Alex exclaimed, smiling widely. "Of course, it would have to be after the baby's born." She glanced at Mitchie's stomach, then up at her girlfriend's face.
Mitchie was staring at the floor, her face somewhat sad. Alex frowned slightly, trying to figure out what was wrong. Then she realized what it was: she and Caitlyn were completely leaving her out of the conversation.
"Of course," Caitlyn said, then looking at Mitchie too. When she saw her friend's long face, she had the same realization as Alex.
Mitchie held back tears as she listened to her best friend and girlfriend talk without her, seeming to forget she was there. Funny. She'd been worried Caitlyn wouldn't like Alex, but now the problem was she seemed to like her a little too much.
Mitchie looked up when she felt a soft hand rest upon her own, which was on her knee. Alex was looking at her with gentle eyes and a kind smile.
"Mitchie, what do you think about us going to Caitlyn's house in California after the baby's born, once we can travel with him or her?" Alex asked softly.
"Sounds nice," Mitchie said quickly, giving a weak smile. She wanted to seem okay, but she wasn't. And she knew these were the two people that were able to see right through her, so she braced herself for questioning. But it never came. They already knew.
"Hey," Alex said softly when Mitchie went to look away.
Mitchie locked eyes with Alex. "Yeah?" she asked.
"I love you," Alex said, squeezing Mitchie's fingers.
"And I love you, too," Caitlyn chimed in. "Just not the same way she does," she said, pointing at Alex.
Mitchie had to chuckle. Her heart lifted, and she felt better. "I love both of you, too."
"She loves me more," Caitlyn said in a teasing manner while poking Alex in the shoulder.
Alex gasped. "She does not!"
"Does too!"
"I love you both the same amount, just in a different way!" Mitchie exclaimed with a smile, stopping the mock fight between the two girls whom were most dear to her.
"Well there goes my dream of a threesome," Alex said, taking her hand from Mitchie's.
"Alex, that's not funny," Mitchie said seriously.
"That's not a joke," Alex said, not taking her eyes from Mitchie. She held a disappointed expression for as long as she could before cracking a grin, soon followed by a round of laughter. "Okay, it's totally a joke," she said in between giggles.
Mitchie breathed a sigh of relief and punched Alex lightly in the shoulder. "Don't do that!" she said, smiling and trying to hold in her own laughter.
"Come on, Mitchie, it could be fun," Caitlyn said, grinning.
Mitchie stopped smiling and gave her best friend a look.
"Kidding," Caitlyn said, holding her hands up.
"Yeah, you better be," Mitchie said.
"Good joke," Caitlyn said to Alex.
Alex smiled, enjoying the praise. "Thanks."
Mitchie shook her head. "I take back what I said about loving both of you. I hate you," she said, slightly smiling to show she didn't really mean it.
"Oh you do, do you?" Alex asked with raised eyebrows.
"Because we can leave, you know," Caitlyn said, jutting her thumb over her shoulder towards the door.
"Yeah, just say the word." Alex nodded her agreement.
"Don't either of you dare," Mitchie said, narrowing her eyes playfully. "You know, I think introducing you two might have been the worst thing I could have done."
"Why's that?" Alex asked, tilting her head to the side.
"Because one of you is bad enough!" Mitchie laughed. "But the two of you together are too much. You're ganging up on me."
"We're only picking at you because we love you!" Caitlyn protested.
"Yeah right." Mitchie crossed her arms over her chest.
"We are!" Alex said. "Come sit here." She scooted a little, making enough room on the couch for Mitchie and patting the spot she'd just made for her.
Mitchie rolled her eyes, but went to sit in between Caitlyn and Alex. As soon as she sat, two sets of arms wove around her. Alex and Caitlyn sandwiched Mitchie between them, not squeezing her too tightly so they wouldn't harm the baby, but enough to convey how much they cared about her.
"We love you, Mitchie," Alex said in a stupid baby voice.
"Yeah, Mitchie," Caitlyn said, mimicking Alex.
"I love you guys too," Mitchie said, rolling her eyes again, but she was smiling.
Alex grinned and pressed her lips to Mitchie's cheek. Caitlyn followed suit, kissing Mitchie's other cheek. Mitchie laughed and tried to push them away.
"Stop that!" she said, shoving their shoulders and getting their lips off her face. "That's weird!"
"Once again, would you expect anything else?" Caitlyn quirked an eyebrow.
"No," Mitchie said, shaking her head. "And I wouldn't want anything else. You guys are perfect."
"Awe," Alex cooed. "Cheesy."
And with that, all three girls erupted into a fit of giggles because once again, there was no denying it. They were too cheesy for their own good.
"Okay, this place confuses me. Is it a sandwich shop or a subway station? Which one?" Caitlyn looked around the Waverly Sub Station curiously. She was sitting on a stool across from the register, which Mitchie sat behind while Alex walked around filling orders.
"It's a subway themed restaurant," Mitchie explained.
"I don't get it," Caitlyn said, shaking her head.
"Then stop thinking about it and just accept it," Mitchie said with a grin.
"Fine." Caitlyn huffed and put her elbows on the counter.
Alex came back behind the counter and grabbed another basket with a sandwich in it. "How many hours until closing?" she asked Mitchie.
"Two," Mitchie answered.
Alex threw her head back and groaned before stomping off in the direction of the tables.
Mitchie giggled as she walked her girlfriend sulk away. "She's so lazy." She shook her head amusedly before turning her attention back to Caitlyn, who was staring at the counter intently, her emotions showing on her face because she was letting her guard down. "So, are you going to tell me what's wrong?"
Caitlyn looked up, this time not bothering to fake a smile. "How do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Know when something's wrong with me?"
"Well how do you always know when something's wrong with me?"
Caitlyn shrugged. "I know you."
Mitchie nodded. "And I know you." She patted Caitlyn's hand. "Come on, tell me what's going on."
Caitlyn sighed, knowing Mitchie wouldn't leave her alone until she spilled her guts. "My mom told me something I wasn't prepared for when I went visit her."
Mitchie waited for her to continue, but when she didn't, she asked, "What was it?"
"Well, she asked me how my dad was. I said he was good, but then I started complaining about how he's so hard to talk to and how he doesn't pay attention to me. She started defending him, saying it wasn't his fault, like she always does. I usually just brush it off and let it go, but this time it really pissed me off. So I started yelling at her." Caitlyn stopped and swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing. "And that's when she sat me down and told me he has something called Asperger's Syndrome."
Mitchie blinked a few times. "He has what?"
"Asperger's," Caitlyn said quietly. "It's okay if you don't know what it is, I didn't know what it was either. I had to look it up. At first I didn't believe my mom, but once I learned about it, I don't know how I didn't realize there was something off about him before. I just thought he was a jerk. Turns out, it really isn't his fault."
"What is As…Asp…That thing?" Mitchie asked curiously.
"It's on the Autism spectrum, but isn't considered Autism, I think." Caitlyn shook her head. "I don't know, they don't make it clear on those websites if it is or isn't Autism. Basically, it's like a social disorder. People with Asperger's can't pick up on social cues, have a hard time making eye contact. My dad, he doesn't know how to act around people, so he just puts on this creepy smile because that's how he's been taught to look when he's around people. And he won't look directly at people. He'll look at their clothes, their shoes, anything but their face or eyes."
Mitchie thought back to the day she'd gone to visit Caitlyn. Yes, Mr. Geller had been smiling rather oddly for no apparent reason. And then she remembered he'd scanned her up and down, which made her uncomfortable. He'd never once looked her in the eye, though.
"He only has a mild form of it, be he still doesn't know how to show empathy or what he's really feeling," Caitlyn said. "You can't talk to him about anything he doesn't know a great deal about because he doesn't know how to have a conversation. For my dad, you have to talk to him about books or the stock market. He loves books, has them all over his study. And the reason we're as well off as we are is he made some pretty good investments in stocks and inherited some from my grandfather."
Mitchie nodded, recalling the bookcase she'd caught a glimpse of before Mr. Geller closed the door to his study. It had been packed with books.
"And people with Asperger's have a hard time dealing with change," Caitlyn said sadly. "He was so used to living alone. So when I moved in, it was just easier to stick with his routine of fending for just himself instead of changing his life to accommodate me."
Tears started to form in Caitlyn's eyes, and Mitchie's heart ached for her friend.
"All I've ever wanted was a relationship with him," Caitlyn said, a tear sliding down her cheek. "But I will never truly have one. He doesn't know how to interact with people his own age, let alone his teenage daughter. He isn't capable of it. No matter how hard I try to get close to him, it will never happen. My father and I are doomed to be strangers for the rest of our lives."
Mitchie couldn't stand seeing Caitlyn this broken. She was supposed to be Mitchie's rock. But her rock was crumbling. She needed something, some reassurance. Her father had Asperger's, but Mitchie didn't. Mitchie was capable of picking up on the emotions of others. She was capable of knowing what Caitlyn needed. And right now, what Caitlyn needed was a hug.
Mitchie slid off her stool and walked around the counter, instantly wrapping the curly haired girl in her arms. Caitlyn buried her face in Mitchie's neck, not really caring that she was crying in public. She'd been holding it in for too long, ever since her mother had told her. She'd wanted to protect Caitlyn, she'd said. That's why she took so long to tell her. Well, a lot of good that did. She was more hurt by the fact that she'd been lied to her entire life. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, right?
Alex was walking back to the counter to get some more straws for her apron pocket when she saw Mitchie holding Caitlyn. She didn't get jealous, which she was proud of herself for. She knew it was nothing. Well, not nothing, but nothing she needed to worry about. Mitchie caught Alex's eye and gave her a gentle smile, trying to show her that it was completely friendly, though Alex already knew that.
She okay? Alex mouthed, stuffing straws into her apron.
Mitchie shook her head no and squeezed Caitlyn tighter. She'd explain to Alex later, if that was okay with Caitlyn. Right now, though, her best friend needed her.
Alex nodded, understanding. She walked away to leave the best friends alone, knowing she'd want the same if it was her and Harper. Besides, a customer had just walked in and she needed to take his order.
"Welcome to the Waverly Sub Station. What can I get for you?" Alex asked when she got to the table. She didn't even look at the customer, keeping her eyes down as she dug for her notepad in her apron pocket.
"Well, I'm still waiting on that phone number, as I recall," a boy said.
Alex's head shot up and she was met with a somewhat familiar pair of blue eyes. The boy grinned at her, seeming to be amused by her surprise.
"Gabe?" Alex asked.
"That's me." And so it was. His black hair had grown a little since the first time he'd been in the sub shop, but Alex couldn't forget him, not after he'd failed miserably at hitting on her. "So how about that phone number?"
"I thought I told you in order to get it, you couldn't hit on me," Alex said, placing her hand on her hip.
Gabe feigned offense. "I haven't hit on you yet."
"That smile says otherwise." Alex grinned cheekily at him. She really did enjoy his persistence. It flattered her. He had no chance, but it was still nice.
"What can I say?" Gabe shrugged, grinning again. "Pretty girls make me smile."
Alex rolled her eyes a little. "Okay, you and I need to have a talk," she said, sliding into the booth across from him. "Look, I like you."
Gabe's smile widened. "I like you, too."
"No, not like that," Alex said quickly. "I told you the first time we met, and I'll tell you again: I can't offer you anything other than friendship. There's a reason for that."
"What, do you have a boyfriend?" he asked.
"No, a girlfriend."
Gabe started to laugh, but when he saw the serious look on Alex's face, stopped. "Wait, what?"
Alex sighed. "See that girl with the straight brown hair talking to the curly haired girl?" she asked, nodding towards the counter, where Mitchie had stopped hugging Caitlyn and was now speaking softly with her. "That's my girlfriend."
Gabe poked his head out the booth and looked over his shoulder. He frowned and looked at Alex again. "That pregnant girl?"
"What it, buddy, that's my girlfriend," Alex said dangerously through clenched teeth, her face flushing.
"Whoa, sorry," Gabe said, holding up his hands. "I didn't mean to offend you, I was just surprised." He put his hands down on top of the table. "I guess that makes sense, though. She came in last time I was here. You were talking to me, and then as soon as she showed up, you forgot I existed." He smirked.
"Yeah, well, she works here now," Alex said. "So if you keep coming in, you're going to be seeing a lot of her."
"You know, you could have told me you were gay the first time we met," Gabe said. "That could have saved me today's embarrassment."
Alex blushed a little. "Sorry. It's just not the kind of thing you randomly spill to a stranger. You don't know how they'll react."
Gabe waved off her comment. "Hey, don't worry about it. I understand. And for the record, I wouldn't have cared. I'm pretty open. My brother's gay. He goes to college at NYU."
"Really?" Alex asked, a little surprised. "Huh, small world."
Gabe smiled, nodding. "Yeah, small world… So that friendship offer…Is that still on the table?"
"Why are you so determined to be my friend?" Alex asked.
"Honestly," Gabe sighed, "I just moved here from Colorado. The day I met you was only my third day in the city. I'm here because my mom got remarried and my stepdad's job is here. We don't have a lot of money, so I go to this really crappy public school and all of the kids scare me. I haven't made a single friend. I'm going out of my mind with boredom in our tiny apartment. I need friends. I need something to do, to get out."
Alex stared at him for a few seconds before she started laughing. "That's the saddest story I've ever heard."
"It's true," Gabe said, laughing himself. He knew how pathetic it sounded, but it was his life.
"Sure it is."
"It is!" Gabe said. "I swear on my life." He put one hand on his chest and held the other in the air.
"Okay, I believe you." Alex chuckled. "Stop being dramatic."
Gabe grinned and put his hands down. "Once again, friendship offer…Is that still good?"
"If you want it," Alex said.
"Well, I'll take it."
"Great." Alex smirked. "Now can I please have your order before my dad kills me for not doing my job?"
Gabe laughed. "Give me a classic club, no mayo."
"Can do," Alex said, getting up from the booth.
"Wait," Gabe said, stopping Alex as she started to walk away.
"What?"
"When can we hang out…Ya know, as friends?" Gabe asked with a small smile.
Alex checked over her shoulder to see if Mitchie was still paying all her attention to Caitlyn. She was.
"January 26th," Alex said quietly. She took out her notepad and wrote down her phone number quickly, ripping the page off and handing it to Gabe. "Text me later so I have your number and can give you more info closer to the date."
"What's January 26th?" Gabe asked curiously, glancing down at the scribbled number in his hand.
"It's my girlfriend's birthday. I'm throwing her a party, and you're invited."
The thing about Caitlyn's dad: I feel the need to address it. Yes, I planned it from the moment I started writing about him. I am educated about Asperger's because a member of my family has it. It's actually hard to deal with sometimes. It affects the whole family. I made Caitlyn not know much about it because she is just learning. She wouldn't be an expert just yet. I know way more about it than she does. I just wanted to say that and point it out. If you want to know more about it, feel free to look it up.
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