I'm really sorry taking so long to update! I've been really busy! Anyway, this chapter has no real purpose other than I'm just setting the mood. It's just some Alex and Paige time. And it's a pretty long chapter.

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Chapter 28:

I next morning I found myself in the exact position I had fallen asleep in. I was sure I hadn't moved at all through out the entire night. It was also the first night I'd had in a while that I didn't remember dreaming. I felt as if I had just closed my eyes for a moment and eight hours had suddenly pasted. I glanced at the clock. It was 9:00 a.m. I laid my head back down on my pillow. I wasn't tired, but I wasn't yet ready to get up. Slowly I started to remember the events of last night. Kissing Ellie, sitting on the porch, Paige. Paige? I suddenly sat upright in my bed, rubbing my head. Did I dream last night? Was Paige back? I threw the bed covers over and hopped out of bed. Despite the fact it was summer, it was still cool in the house and the fact I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt didn't help. I opened the door and glanced down the hallway to Paige's room. The door was shut. I decided against knocking on it. One, for the reason that if I had been dreaming I would feel like an idiot and two, if I hadn't I had no reason to bug Paige and I would still feel like an idiot. I crept my way downstairs. I was sure Mr. and Mrs. Michalchuk were up already, but I didn't hear any voices as I made my way down to the kitchen. As I approached the kitchen I could hear laughing. I instantly recognized the laugh as Paige's. My stomach knotted. I didn't know if the feeling was good or bad. I debated running back up to my room but decided not to. I could feel my heart beating as I peeked around the corner into the kitchen. The first thing I saw was Mrs. Michalchuk leaning on the counter, a cup of coffee in hand. I peaked around a little more and I saw Paige on the other end of the counter. God, was she beautiful. Her hair was falling loosely but perfectly. Her skin was fair and it brought out her rosy cheeks. She was always extremely rosy in the morning. It looked as if Paige were going to say something when Mrs. Michalchuk suddenly took notice of me. She leaned up a little and greeted me with a smile. From the corner of my eyes I could see Paige leaning in a little over the countertop to get a better look.

"Well good morning dear!" Mrs. Michalchuk greeted me.

"Morning." I said trying to pretend as if I hadn't seen Paige yet. But I knew she watching every move I made.

"Sleep well?" Mrs. Michalchuk asked taking a sip of her coffee.

"Yea." I said. I rubbed my head trying to avoid Paige's gaze. I acted as if I wasn't fully awake yet.

"Oh," Mrs. Michalchuk put down her cup of coffee, "Look who came back to us in the dead of night!" She exclaimed.

I couldn't avoid Paige's glance any longer. I looked up to see her staring at me. Her face was relaxed and emotionless.

"Yea, she was up when I came in last night." Paige broke in, seeing the silence was about to turn awkward.

"Oh," Mrs. Michalchuk replied. She almost seemed disappointed that she wasn't the first person to greet Paige.

"Well then," She continued, "What can I get you for breakfast, sweetie?" Mrs. Michalchuk asked.

"Anything's fine, really." I said taking a seat on the counter a stool away from Paige.

"Alex, I was telling Paige about our little camping trip earlier." Mr. Michalchuk said from behind his newspaper. I hadn't even noticed him in the room until he spoke. He was sitting at the table with his daily paper and a cup of coffee.

I glanced at him and then back at Paige who was grinning.

"Yes he did." She smiled turning to her father and then back at me, "It sounds like you had an interesting time."

I couldn't help but chuckle thinking of the trip, "Yea. It was fun." I said, my throat was dry.

"Yes it was, despite all the complaining Dylan and I had to listen too." Mr. Michalchuk joked.

"Asking 'are we there yet' does not count as complaining." I corrected.

Mr. Michalchuk rolled his eyes.

"Those were some long hikes. And you both always seemed to fail to mention where we were going." I continued.

Mr. Michalchuk chuckled, "Ah, memories." He sighed before returning to his newspaper.

I shook my head and turned back to see Paige staring at me. Her expression was priceless. She was grinning but her face registered disbelief. I hadn't even realized that why Paige was away things had changed. She hadn't watched as I bonded with her parents. This was in fact, the first the time seeing how close I was with them. My actions towards them had obviously taken her by surprise. Though, despite her shock or disbelief, she seemed genuinely happy I was getting along well and I was glad for that. I don't think she had anticipated this open of interaction between us.

"Here you go dear." Mrs. Michalchuk said placing a plate of scrambled eggs and waffles down in front of me.

"Thank you." I replied cheerily as I grabbed my fork and dug in.

Mrs. Michalchuk took the empty plate that was in front of Paige and placed it in the sink, "Now, I have one of my children back. Just one more."

"I can't believe Dylan is finally graduating." Paige said gesturing insanely with her hands. I had ever noticed just how much she act like her mother. It was almost creepy.

"Oh, I know." Mrs. Michalchuk replied proudly leaning against the counter with on hand on her hip.

"What day is he graduating again, sweetpee?" Mr. Michalchuk broke in from behind the newspaper.

"Saturday." Mrs. Michalchuk replied blankly, obviously upset Mr. Michalchuk had forgotten.

I glanced at Paige who had caught on to her mom's passive anger too and we both exhaled a giggle. It was so good to see her again.

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Later on the afternoon I sat in my room while Mrs. Michalchuk took Paige out to lunch. I had been invited to go, but felt it was better for them to catch up privately. I wasn't sure how much Paige really wanted to see me and how comfortable she felt being around me again. We had spent the rest of the morning in small irrelevant chit-chat which I didn't mind. It was better than not talking at all. Though we were both going out of our ways to not be alone together. That was when I got the brilliant idea of hiding in my room for the rest of the day. Paige had no reason to be there. I had taken the weekend off work to study so I figured that's what I should be doing. Despite the face I already knew I had an A in photography, I decided to reorganize my portfolio. I felt it was all wrong. By late afternoon I was finishing up when I heard a knock on the door. I had been so wrapped up my portfolio I didn't even think twice when I responded.

"Come in." I said without turning my head.

I heard the door knob turn and the door pushed open so quietly and gently.

"Hey." Paige said.

I quickly turned around to look at her. No one had ever been able to command my attention like she could.

"Paige, hi. How was lunch?" I replied. She let of a little sigh, my shock must of been obvious. She took a deep breath and exhaled looking around the room.

"It was good. You should have come." She replied.

"Naa," I said trying to act like I wasn't regretting my decision to stay at home, "I had some things to do anyway."

Paige nodded. She glanced at me for a second before returning her gaze back on my room.

"So this is were you have been living all year." She said smiling. She took a few more steps inward to get a better look at everything.

"Yea." I replied. It was so great talking to her. My heart was racing.

She was strolling around now inspecting every little thing, "You haven't done much."

"No, Dylan prefers I don't touch anything." I laughed.

Paige crinkled her face, "You listen to Dylan?"

"No." I said suddenly, "Well, I mean, I just figured...since technically this isn't my room." I replied trying to sound cool.

Paige nodded and laughed. "Sure." There was a small silence but Paige quickly filled it.

"So, I see your getting along well with my parents." She smiled. She still seemed a little shocked by it.

"Yea, they've been really great." I replied choosing my words carefully.

"Yea," She said clasping her hands together, "Your uh, practically part of the family now." She nodded as she spook.

I wasn't sure how to respond, so I remained silent. Paige also seemed to be deciding if she wanted to continue speaking.

"You know, Dylan actually refers to you as his sister now?" She said. She spoke carefully.

"Really?" I questioned. I really hadn't known that.

"Yea, he says it's easier than trying to explain that situation." She said, Paige's tone was gossipy and playful. So I assumed she wasn't bothered by it.

"Well, it is a bit complicated." I laughed.

Paige smiled and focused her attention back on the room. The only thing I had done with the room was hang some of my best pictures up. It was only now I realized how many I actually had.

"So..." Paige began scanning my pictures on the wall and dresser. She was trying to find the word, "Photography?"

"Yea." I said, The way Paige has said it suddenly made me feel like my hobby was bad.

Paige continued to survey the pictures. She stopped at the one I took on the camping trip. It was the view I got up a four in the morning and hiked for over an hour to see. The one Dylan taken me to

"These are really great, Alex." She started, her tone had changed. She seemed to me reminiscing about something with the picture. "I recognize this." She said taking a step closer.

"Yea, Dylan took me there." I replied getting up from my chair and sitting down on my bed.

Paige looked up for a second smiling.

"What?" I replied, I could help but chuckle a little.

"I'm just trying to imagine you camping. Your not exactly what I would call an outdoors girl." Paige said.

"Hey, I was a girl scout." I laughed.

"Seriously?" Paige responded. She actually seemed shocked at my answer.

"Well, was being the operative word."

Paige gave me a hard stair and I took it as a sign to explain.

"My mom dropped me off drunk the first day. She got into fight with our group leader and my mom smacked her across the head," I paused, "With Heather Sinclair's new terrier poodle puppy, that she had brought to the group meeting."

Paige put her hands across her mouth to hide her sudden burst of laughter and shock.

"Our group lead Mrs. Beckman, only needed two stitches in her check. But I wasn't allowed to go back after that." I said trying to contain my laughter too.

"Oh, you poor thing." Paige said trying so hard to stop laughing.

"Don't feel bad, Heather Sinclair quit too and I think my mom traumatized her...and her poodle." I laughed trying to focus the attention off me.

I could see Paige searching her mind for something to say. When she could think of nothing she returned her gaze back to the pictures. Though she was still chuckling under her breathe.

"These are really good." Paige complimented as she examined them one by one, "These are all for your class?"

"Some." I responded, "Some were for pleasure." I smiled.

Paige rolled her eyes and gave off a small sigh, "Well, I'm glad to see you've been keeping busy."

I smiled, "Always."

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Like I said this chapter wasn't really important. I just decided to give everyone some nice Paige time since I know everyone has been waiting for it. Now, I just want to let you all know, that just because Paige is back doesn't mean the story is automatically going into her. Though, I am moving the story into Palex so don't worry, Paige is back full time now and she will be in it a lot. And there will be drama and there will be other things.