Finally, the school day was over. Alex had been on the edge of seat since he heard about the shooting at the Crashdown during homeroom. Everybody gossiped about a gargoyle getting shot and he was as scared as all hell. He would have run right to the Crashdown when he heard, had it not been for the fact that Liz and Maria were in their stone sleep. That is if neither had been hurt the night before. He raked his hand through his red hair. He was worried sick about his two girls, especially since one rumor said Liz had been shot. Sighing, he relaxed his pace and stuffed his hands in his pockets. There was no use hurrying. The sun wouldn't be down for another 5 hours or so. He hoped nothing bad had happened to his gargoyle friends. They had known each other for as long as he could remember. He had wandered away from his parents and had gotten into the street. He couldn't remember much, he had only been four, but there was a loud honking and bright lights. Then, he was in two strong arms, feeling warm and safe. Liz had been twenty-two at the time, which was the human equivalent of eleven. He remembered seeing her soft feathered wings, looking her happily in the eyes, and proclaiming, "Angel!" They had been friends ever since. She started babysitting him when his dad and mom had to work at night. Liz introduced him to Maria and they remained the Three Musketeers minus one ever since.
It was odd though. Alex didn't have many human friends due to his relationship with Liz and Maria. They were like big sisters to him and yet in a year he would be physically older than them. He noticed them looking at him often and commenting on how much he's grown and yet they hadn't changed much. While he had to go through the toddler years, elementary school, middle school, puberty, and finally high school, he had only watched them mature. In a way, he was almost jealous. He squinched his eyes closed and sighed. As much as he loved the two, he could never get over the aging thing. Not to mention the long boring days. That was the downfall of having gargoyles as your best friends. Ok, so the fact that he was a computer nerd didn't help either, but that was beside the point. And then again, it could be the red hair. Somehow, at least in his mind, it never worked for a guy. Now, women on the other hand had it easy. For them, redhead equals hot babe that everyone wants. Just look at that Pack lady. What was her name? Fox, that was it. Ex-star of a hit TV show, married to a multi-billionaire, and coveted by anything male. It was the same with that new businesswoman, Dominique Destine. The redhead women had it. Him, however. For him, red hair equaled freckles and endless jokes. Maybe he should just dye his hair and end his misery. He began to open his green eyes, when he suddenly slammed into something.
"Ah, shit," he mumbled and hoped to God that it wasn't someone from the football team.
"Look, I'm really sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going and the shooting at the Crashdown…" He stopped in mid-sentence when he realized whom he had run into.
"Uh, hi Isabel," he choked out. Ok, he could have handled the football team, but the Aphrodite of Ulysses F. Olsen High School, that was another story. Long golden tresses, ice blue eyes, perfect skin. She had to be a goddess; there was no other explanation. Too bad every other guy in the high school craved her. She had any guy she wanted at her disposal and Alex knew he was not even in the running. Cheerleaders did not go for hackers.
"Do I know you?" She seemed flustered for a second, which was odd for her. What was it the other kids called her? Oh, yes, the ice queen. Cold, decisive.
"I'm in some of your classes. Let's see, Calculus, German, and Physics."
"Oh, you're Alex, right?" Ah, some hope, she at least knew his name. "The guy in the back of the class playing games on his calculator."
"Well, that's not what I'd like to be known as, but yes, that's me." Alex glanced around to keep from looking at her.
"Hey, Manes! You trying to add a human to your harem or did you just get tired of those gargoyle sluts?"
Alex cringed at the unforgettable voice of Kyle Valenti. That guy had the worst timing in the world and an even shorter temper. Sighing, Alex turned around slowly to face the brown-haired boy.
"Bug off, Valenti! Just because your dad is Sheriff around here doesn't mean you can butt your nose into other people's business."
"I just thought it was my duty to warn such a beautiful lady about a sicko like you."
"Get off of it. Just because Liz had enough class to dump you without giving you any does not give you a reason to make my life a living hell."
Alex had said that line a million times before, but it never worked. Being the Sheriff's son and head of the football team gave Kyle an ego the size of Jupiter. Which is exactly why he thought he could have a good romp with a gargoyle. However, after the truth came out that all Kyle was looking for was an easy ride, Liz dumped him and beat the crap out of him when he wouldn't take the rejection nicely. Now, Kyle had a grudge as big as his ego. Come to think of it, that probably didn't help Alex's rep either.
"A pretty lady like her deserves someone better than a gargoyle pimp."
"Oh, I suppose she needs a big strong man like you. Do you even now her name? Or is she just a pretty, shiny thing?"
"Ok, it is getting annoying being referred to while I'm still here," Isabel interjected. "Now Kyle, all this big, macho, 'I can beat up someone smaller than me' ploy is definitely not working in your favor. And secondly, don't you have football practice right now?"
Kyle shot Alex a sharp glare and then turned to walk to the football field. Alex relaxed a bit and looked at Isabel with a new respect.
"Hey, thanks for that. I'm getting tired of dealing with him."
"Tell me about it. I have to deal with him hitting on me at every game. Ugh, I despise scum."
She wrinkled her nose up in disgust. Well, they had at least one thing in common.
"Hey, I'm heading to the Crashdown to wait for my friends to wake up. Do you want to come and hang for a bit?" Isabel tensed a bit at the mention of the café, but Alex just ignored the reaction. She stood still for a moment. Here comes the rejection, Alex thought. Alex and Isabel jumped as a horn blared and a rag-tag jeep pulled up to the curb.
"Hey, Izzy. Hurry up! I have a job interview in fifteen minutes. If you don't want to walk all the way home, you better hop in now," the blond-haired, blue eyed driver muttered. That was her brother, what's his name? Max. Max and Isabel Evans.
"That's really sweet, but my ride is here. Maybe some other time," Isabel replied in that fake friendly voice as she walked over to a battered up jeep. She hopped into the front seat beside Max. Isabel glared at Max and then leaned against the door, staring around at the landscape. Great, she would rather be with a sibling in the middle of a family quarrel than walk with him. As Alex turned to continue to the Crashdown, the guy in the back seat of the Jeep glared at him. Ah, the school's rebel. Never at class. Never does homework. Always has a fight to pick with everyone. Alex really hoped that the glare was just a customary Michael greeting and didn't mean anything personal. He really didn't want to be on Michael's bad side. Alex looked at his watch and continued down the street. At least he'd get a lot of homework done before Maria and Liz woke up.