A/N: So it's safe to say I probably won't ever finish this story completely, but I do still have a couple chapters left that I'm gonna put out there for everyone. This one, and the next chapter are the only two I have left that are finished, but I have a few more partly written ones I might get around to eventually. I'll try and get the next one proofread and out in the next couple weeks. But for now, let me know what you think, and enjoy! (and keep safe inside, watching tv and reading fanfics)
Alex woke up happy, genuinely happy. He couldn't remember the last time that had happened, if even at all. Yesterday him and Norma had finally gotten their acts together, admitting to each other what should have been said much sooner. He wasn't going to say it was love, at least not out loud. But that is what it was, he knew that for sure. They had both spent that last two months ignoring it, believing that the other person could never feel the same way they did. It was clear that they were both wrong, and luckily they knew it now so they could move forward together.
Once he was finished showering and getting dressed Alex started heading downstairs, reaching the end of the steps and looking out into the kitchen. At the dining table his father sat facing away from him with Norma sitting across from him, the two of them talking about some class project she was doing. He enjoyed watching the way her face lit up when she told him about a quilt she sewed together all on her own at school, clearly proud of her achievement.
Norma paused mid story when she saw Alex standing in the room, a smile on his face as he used his hand to urge her to continue her story. She grinned back, her face blushing from just the way he was looking at her.
David glanced behind him and noticed Alex standing there, just missing the smile Alex had dropped as soon as he saw his father's head start to turn.
"So, yeah. It was cool getting to make something by hand like that." Norma said, not knowing what to say now that she was flustered.
"If you really like doing that stuff there is an old sewing machine in the attic growing dust, you can use it any time." David said, as Alex finally walked into the kitchen and went over to make a cup of coffee.
"I'd love to use it." Norma said, excitedly. "My teacher said I have a real act for it, I don't quite believe her but I want to keep designing new things."
"If it is something you enjoy you should always keep doing it." David said, wiping his face with a napkin as he stood up. "I gotta get to work, if you have any trouble getting it out later Alex can help you." He said, saying goodbye to them before leaving.
Alex listened for the front door to shut then walked over and sat next to Norma, setting his coffee on the table in front of him. "Sorry I passed out last night, I was trying to wait to see you after Liz left."
"That's alright, you looked pretty wiped out when I peeked in on you." Norma said. "I know it had already been a long, very eventful day."
"You looked in at me?"
"I wanted to see you too."
"You should have just woken me up."
"I didn't want to bug you."
"You coming into my room and waking me up would never bug me."
"But then you would have just gotten wide awake and I was going to bed soon anyways."
"Well if I would have gotten wide awake you would have just had to stay and lay with me till I got tired again." Alex said, smiling over at her.
"You haven't even taken me on a proper first date yet and you are already trying to get me in your bed?" Norma said, smirking back at him.
"Proper date? I hope you aren't expecting to go anywhere we have to get all dressed up, my suit still smells of booze from all those idiots at the party who couldn't keep a firm hold of their drinks."
"It doesn't have to be anything fancy. I was actually thinking we could go somewhere with Lizzy and Rick."
"Like a double date?" Alex asked, not looking too thrilled about the idea of it.
"Kinda."
"Aren't first dates just supposed to be two people going out together and getting to know each other?"
"We already know each other way better than most people who go out for the first time."
"But we are a couple now, things are different."
"I know, I understand what you mean." Norma said, taking his hand in hers. "I wanna have a date with just the two of us too. But Lizzy is freaking out still about dating Rick and she asked if I would be there for her this Friday, it would be strange if it was just me tagging along with them. We wouldn't even have to call it our first date, it could just be us hanging out with our friends. A non proper first date, we'll save the proper one for Saturday."
"Alright, but just know that until you bring me on that proper date I'm not putting out." Alex joked, making Norma laugh.
"Really?" Norma asked, glancing at the table. "So if I told you to push everything off this table and take me right now you wouldn't?"
Alex glanced over at the table then back at Norma. "Could I move my cup of coffee first so it doesn't spill everywhere?"
Norma smirked, shaking her head at him. "You know with our first date coming up there is something else we need to talk about."
"What's that?"
"David."
"If you are planning on inviting my father on our first date that is where I draw the line."
Norma smiled. "No, I meant what do we do about him now that we are dating. Obviously we can't tell him we are seeing each other, so we should set some rules."
"You don't think we should tell him?"
"I don't know how he is going to react, I doubt he is going to like the idea of us living under the same roof while we are dating."
"I kept a lot of things from my father back in the day, but isn't this a bit too big of a thing to keep secret?"
"I think we could pull it off. David is never home, and it's not like either of us share much with him when he is."
"What about everyone else? Someone sees us together and it will be the talk of the town by the next day."
"We can go out of town when we go places together, and we won't tell anyone we don't trust about us so word doesn't get around."
"Are you sure you aren't just ashamed to be seen with me?" Alex said, mostly joking.
"You got me." Norma said, throwing her hands up like he had caught her. "I'm embarrassed that people might find out my boyfriend is not only super caring and really smart, but also devilishly handsome. I mean what girl wants all that in a man?" She said, earning a smile from him. "I do want to be seen with you, and I want people to know that we are together and that we are happy. But not yet, not while I can still be sent away from here if David isn't happy about it."
"Okay, for now we can keep it a secret." Alex said, placing a hand on her cheek and leaning in to kiss her softly.
Norma pulled back a little and looked at him. "You know I was kidding about the whole table thing? I've got school soon." She said and Alex smiled, leaning in again.
When Friday came around Alex picked both Norma and Elizabeth up from school, bringing them back to the house to get ready for the double date together. They had agreed that Rick would come over at five and all of them would ride together in Alex's car to their destinations. Because of the decision to keep their relationship on the down low they found a good restaurant a couple towns over to have dinner at, followed by a movie a few blocks down from the place.
At the theater they got four tickets to 'Campfire Tales', Alex offering to pay for them if Rick got the snacks and beverages. They got two large popcorns and sodas for each couple to share, along with a few boxes of treats.
"So what exactly is this movie about?" Norma asked, the four of them standing by the soda fountain getting their drinks.
"Something about kids getting stranded in the woods and telling creepy stories." Elizabeth explained as she filled up her cup. "I think Rick only picked it because he saw sex scenes in the trailer." She joked.
"That was not the reason." Rick said. "I picked it because horror movies are perfect for first dates, it ensures that even if the date is going terrible your girl will still cling to you when she's scared."
"You should have checked into that theory a little more." Norma said, putting the lids on the sodas and opening up the straws. "We watched 'Intruder' a few months back when I slept over at her house and she ate a turkey sandwich through the whole scene where they were meat slicing the dude's face."
"I wasn't going to let a perfectly good sandwich go to waste just because of poor timing." Elizabeth said, everyone picking up their things as they started to walk to the screening room.
"Where do you want to sit?" Alex asked, looking around the room.
"Definitely the back." Norma said, pointing at some seats.
"Rick has to sit closer to the front since he refused to bring his glasses with." Elizabeth said.
"I didn't want to look like a nerd on our first date." Rick said.
"Yes, because you squinting through the whole movie isn't going to make you look dorky at all."
"Well how about Norma and Alex go sit in the back and we can find a couple spots in the middle. I'm sure they are tired of hanging around us the whole time anyways."
"You okay with that, Lizzy?" Norma asked.
"Yeah, we'll meet up when the movie is over." Elizabeth said, linking arms with Rick as they walked to their seats.
Norma did the same and held onto Alex while they walked to the back of the room, sitting in a couple of seats right next to the aisle. They used the seat next to them for their extra things, setting their coats and Norma's purse on it. The previews started up just as they got all settled, all the lights around them dimming.
"Well that didn't take them long." Norma said after they were a few minutes into the film, nodding toward Elizabeth and Rick who were making out.
"The boys got moves."
"I think that was all Lizzy's doing." Norma said with a chuckle. "So should I be expecting the whole 'yawn, stretch, and put your arm around me' bit during the movie?"
"No, I was thinking I would do the whole 'I didn't hear the last part of the movie so I gotta put my arm around you and lean in to ask you what they said' bit." Alex said.
"I've never seen that one done before."
Alex smiled. "It's an original." He said then glanced back at the movie before looking at her, wrapping his arm around her and leaning in closer to whisper. "Damn, I missed whatever they were saying. Did you catch it?"
"Very smooth." Norma said back, getting cozier in his arms as they went back to watching the movie.
Over half way into the movie Norma found herself paying more attention to Alex than to the film itself. Maybe she was being crazy but she didn't feel like he was enjoying being there, he hadn't made any reaction to any of the scenes and looked as though he was uninterested.
"Are they screening subtitles on my forehead?" Alex asked, looking over at Norma.
"No, what are you talking about?" Norma asked, unsure of what he meant.
"Oh, you kept staring at me so I figured they must have been." He said, smiling at her when she got his joke.
"Funny." Norma said, shaking her head at him.
"So I don't have butter on my face, or anything?" Alex asked, wiping his cheek.
"No, you're fine."
"Obviously you think so, otherwise you wouldn't be staring at me." He said in a cocky tone, smirking at her.
"I meant you didn't have anything on your face." Norma said with a smile, rolling her eyes at him. "And I was staring at you because you look like you are having a worse time than Valerie, and she just saw her dead husband dangling in a tree, full of blood."
"I'm not having a bad time."
"Are you sure? Do you not like the movie, or something?"
"The movie is fine."
"What is it then? I can tell you aren't really enjoying this."
"I don't know, it's just we watch movies together all the time at home. I guess I thought our first date would be different, that we could be alone and be able to have a conversation louder than a whisper."
"We are going to do that tomorrow."
"I know, I'm just being impatient." Alex said, smiling over at her. "It's okay, I promise I will try and enjoy the rest of our date."
Norma paused a moment, looking at him. "Grab our things." She said, nodding to their stuff on the seat as she stood up.
Alex wasn't sure what was going on but he grabbed both their coats and her bag, following her out of the screening room and into the hallway. "Norma, what are we doing?" He asked.
"We are going to have our own date, away from all the people." Norma said, taking her coat from him and putting it on.
"What about Rick and Liz? They are going to notice we are gone."
"They haven't detached themselves from each other's faces since we got here, I think we will be fine." Norma said with a smile, glancing back at the movie poster to find the running time. She reached out and grabbed Alex's arm and pulled it over to her so she had access to his watch, going to the timer and setting it. "Besides, we'll be back before it's over."
Alex glanced down at his watch, reading the time she put on it. "Where are we going to go that we will be able to be back here in thirty-seven minutes?"
Norma took her bag out of his hand and replaced it with her own hand, walking him to the back door and going outside. "Right here."
"It's cold out." Alex said, looking around the grass filled area as he put on his jacket. "And there is no where to sit."
"Unless you can think of anywhere close to go this is what we are stuck with."
"I can think of somewhere." Alex said, taking her hand back and leading her to the parking lot. He got to his car and unlocked it, opening the back door for her.
"You aren't even going to let me sit up front while you drive?" Norma said, looking at the open door. "You are my date, not my chauffeur."
"I'm not driving, I'm getting in the back with you."
"Alex, the first date and you are already trying to get me into your backseat." Norma said, fake scolding him.
"It's warmer than standing outside, and it's a good place to sit and talk."
"Talking, okay." Norma said sarcastically as she got into the back seat.
Alex climbed in beside her and shut the door behind him, warming up his arms with his breath. "Should I turn the heat on, or are you warm enough?"
"I'm fine." Norma said, setting her bag on the floor and getting more comfortable.
They sat in complete silence a few moments, both of them looking over at each other unsure of what to say first.
"Awkward silences, we are definitely on a first date." Norma said with a laugh. "This is stupid, we have sat alone and talked to each other a million times before."
"Yeah, we have." Alex said, nodding at her.
Norma paused, thinking a moment. "Okay, how about we play a game."
"Sure, I'll get the Monopoly board out of the trunk." Alex joked, making her smile.
"I meant like a question game. Sort of like a truth or dare, without the dare."
"So basically just talking?"
"You are making it sound less fun."
Alex smiled. "Okay, we will play truths."
"How about we ask each other three questions each, and we are both allowed to veto one of them?"
"No exceptions?"
"Nope." Norma said, shaking her head.
"You first."
"Hmm." Norma said, thinking of one to ask. "Favorite color?"
"That's what you are going with? You didn't want to ask something a little harder."
"I like to know what people's favorite color is." Norma said with a smile. "And don't get too used to the easy questions, next I'm asking if you can recite every number of pi."
"My favorite color is blue, just like your eyes." Alex said, putting a hand up and running his thumb across her cheek.
"Stop trying to sweet talk yourself out of more questions." She said then he set his hand on the seat behind her. "What was your first kiss like?"
"Well I was only eight, so it didn't have nearly enough tongue." Alex said then Norma playfully slapped him. "I was on the playground and I had just gotten the best swing, then Jamie Walters came walking over to me and shoved me right off the thing."
"Your first kiss was with a bad girl?"
"No, I never kissed Jamie. I ran over to the teacher who brought us out for reese's and I told her I fell and got hurt, then to make me feel better she kissed me right here." Alex said, pointing to his left elbow.
"Wow, that sounds like quite a kiss." Norma said with a chuckle. "I don't know how I'm ever going to top that."
"Well Missus Adams will always hold a special place in my heart, but you are much better kisser." Alex said, making her smile. "Alright, give me your last question, and make it as tough as you want because I still have my veto left."
"I'll save my hard ones to ask next round, that way you can't ignore them all." Norma said with a smirk. "How about what you always wanted to be when you were younger?"
"A police officer." Alex said, surprising her with his answer.
"Like you dad?"
"Not like him." Alex said, clarifying that point. "I just always wanted to be the person who took care of everything, everyone."
"I could see you being a good cop." Norma said, smiling at him. "You go now."
"There are just so many things I could ask you." Alex said, smirking at her.
"Remember that just because I run out of vetoes doesn't mean I can't slap across the face if you ask something I don't want to answer."
"I'll keep that in mind." Alex said, nodding his head. "Where did you grow up?"
"I was born in Ohio, and then we moved around a lot my whole childhood. My dad wasn't great at holding down a job so every time he got fired he'd find something new, and we had to relocate."
"That must have been tough never really getting used to a town, and having to say goodbye to your friends every time."
"I learned pretty quickly that I couldn't get attached to anything, it was easier after I accepted that. This town is the first place that has ever felt like home to me, and I don't have to worry about ever losing it. At least I hope I don't have to worry about that."
"You don't, I'll make sure of it." Alex told her, making her smile. "Who was your first crush?"
"Jacob Phillips. I was in second grade and he was in fifth, but I saw him one day at an assembly and I couldn't get him out of my head for weeks."
"You were always going after the older boys, even in elementary school."
"What can I say, he had more to offer than the boys my age."
"Better snacks?" Alex joked.
"That, and a BMX bike with pegs on it."
"What a catch."
"Well I wouldn't know, he was too busy giving rides to that brat Trisha Burke's."
"You seem like you are still a little upset about that."
"She was in middle school so there was no reason she had to steal my man." Norma said, the both of them laughing. "Alright, give me your last question."
Alex thought about it awhile, wanting to make it a good one. "Have you ever been in love?" He asked. "And I'm not asking about with me, I mean like before we knew each other."
Norma sat quiet a moment. "Veto."
"Okay." Alex said with a nod. "Your turn."
"Have you ever been in love before?"
"Are you allowed to ask me a question you vetoed?"
"I didn't see anything against it in the rule book."
"With Jennifer I thought maybe I was, but I think I was wrong." Alex said, thinking about what he felt for Norma was something he never felt before.
"And what is your favorite memory?"
"The day I met you."
"It was not." Norma said with a laugh. "You barely paid any attention to me, and you made fun of my cooking."
"Yeah, but the annoyed look on your face was adorable."
"It can't involve me, it has to be before we met."
"You are changing the rules of the game, you should have said before we met in the initial question."
"Come on Alex, answer the question." Norma said, smiling at him.
"Okay, favorite memory." Alex said then thought for a moment. "It was the Christmas when I was seven years old. There was a lot of stuff going on with my family at home, and I had a really bad year. I didn't expect that day to be any different, but in the morning I came downstairs and right out in our living room was this big tree we pulled out every year, and underneath it was filled with presents. When I looked over at both of my parents sitting on the couch next to each other smiling I could have sworn I was dreaming, they actually looked happy. We spent the whole day together and it felt like the old days again. Of course that didn't last long, it wouldn't be like my father to go more than one day without ruining things."
"Why do you and David have some many problems?"
Alex stared over at her, looking hurt just at the idea of telling her. "Veto."
"Did whatever he do that made your relationship so strained involve you specifically?" Norma asked, wondering if he could be upset with his father for the same reasons she had problems with Caleb.
"I thought it was my turn?"
"I'm done with the game, now I'm just asking."
"You're asking if he beat me like your dad did to you?"
"Yeah." Norma said with a nod. "That, or anything else like it."
"I know what your father did was a whole lot worse, so I don't want to say it was like what you went through. But sure, he'd hit me."
"Why'd he do it?"
"Different reasons, some I don't want to get into. I think having a family was too hard for him, like it would just get overwhelming and he couldn't handle it. The only reason he has been doing fine with you is because you take care of yourself, he doesn't need to put his work second with you."
"Did your mom need a lot of looking after?"
"When she was in her really bad spells she went to facilities, and when she was home having trouble I'd look after her."
"Weren't you too young for that?"
"I wasn't doing anything too extravagant. I would just keep her company so her mind didn't wander to all the bad things, and I made sure she took care of herself."
"David never helped you?"
Alex shook his head no and saw Norma's expression turn to disappointment. "I know the things I tell you about my dad are never going to be all that nice, but that's my past with him. You don't have to change your opinions of him, the two of you get along well and that's all you need to care about."
"You're a much better person than I am."
"How so?"
"If it were me in your situation and you were getting along with my dad I would want you to hate him."
"I'm sure I would hate him without you telling me to. But I'm a person who is fine accepting someone is bad, while you still try to find the good in people. You could have written me off the second I mistreated you, but you didn't."
"You were worth sticking it out for, and it was the best decision I ever made." Norma said, setting her hand on the arm he had resting behind her.
Alex scooted in closer to her and put his arm around her, his eyes went right to her lips as she wet them. Looking up he stared into her eyes, getting lost in them the same way he had a million times before. There was a whole list of things he wanted to say back to her. About how glad he was she had ended up in his life, or how happy she made him. Instead he put his words into action, leaning in and kissing her softly. Each kiss only lasted a few seconds, but immediately followed by another. With every one they increased the intensity, their lips parting further apart to grant each other's tongues access.
Their moment was cut short by Alex's watch, screaming a loud piercing sound that made them both jump. Alex quickly let go of her and shut it off, the both of them smiling at each other after the sound stopped.
"You used sweet talk to get me out of answering my questions, and I counted like five extras you added in." Alex said.
"Next time we play you can ask me eight questions, and I won't distract you with any hot make out sessions." Norma said, opening her door to get out of the car.
"Wait, no hot make out sessions? I don't want to agree to that." Alex said, climbing out of the car after her.
They managed to sneak back into the theater and get back to their original seats just before the end credits began to roll. The lights came back on and the whole crowd started to stand up, grabbing their things and walking out.
"That was some movie." Alex said, standing up and walking beside Norma.
"And Lizzy and Rick were none the wiser." Norma said, noticing their friends waving them over once they got to the hallway.
Elizabeth smiled as they got over to them. "Did you guys enjoy the movie?"
"I liked it." Alex said.
"Yeah, it was pretty good." Norma said. "Did you both like it?"
"Yup." Rick said.
"Me too." Elizabeth said. "I think my favorite part was the ending, can you believe that it turned out they were aliens the whole time?"
"I couldn't believe it either." Norma agreed.
"Yeah, that was crazy." Alex added. "I never saw that coming."
Elizabeth smiled over at Rick then looked back over at them. "So, are you two love birds ready to go?"
"We're ready." Norma said.
The four of them left the theater and headed outside to the car, Norma getting into the passenger side next to Alex. They all got their seatbelts on and Alex turned the key to start the engine, getting ready to leave.
"Hey Norma, you left your purse back here." Elizabeth said, picking it up off of the floor and handing it up to her.
"Oh thanks." Norma said, taking it from her. "I must have left it in here before we went into the movie."
"No, you had it when we went into the theater. You must have left it when you two snuck out here and didn't think we would notice."
Norma looked back at them, both of them grinning ear to ear. "They weren't aliens the whole time, were they?" She asked.
"No, they were not." Elizabeth said then Norma glanced over at Alex, smiling when she noticed him trying not to laugh.
"None the wiser, huh?" Alex joked, grinning over at her.
"Just drive." Norma said.
After they got back to the house they said their goodbyes to their friends, Elizabeth getting a ride home with Rick afterwards. They went into the house and took off their coats, hooking them onto the rack then kicking off their shoes.
"It's too bad we don't get to do the traditional end of the date by the front door." Norma said, looking over at him. "You know, with the possibility of the neighbors seeing us. Not to mention how stupid it would be since we would both be coming into the same house after."
Alex reached over and grabbed a hold of her hand. "Come on, let me walk you home." He said, walking her up the stairs and down the hallway. He stopped right in front of her bedroom door, glancing over at it. "I think this is you."
Norma smiled. "It is."
"Well Norma, I had a really great time tonight."
"Me too, it was an amazing non proper date."
"Actually, I think it was good enough to call a proper first date."
"What about tomorrow?"
"We'll call it a second date, as long as you want another one." Alex said then Norma put her free hand on the back of his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. "Is that a yes, or?" He asked as they parted, Norma pulling him right back in for another.
"Yes." Norma said, letting go of him.
"Well I'd say I'll call you, but we only have the one phone."
"How about you just say you will see me in the morning."
Alex smiled. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Night, Alex." Norma said, giving him one more kiss.
"Night, Norma." Alex said then she turned and opened her door, walking inside and shutting it behind her. He smiled to himself as he walked over to his bedroom, thinking about how this morning wasn't going to be the only day he woke up happy.
