******************************
CHAPTER NINE:
All of Alex's friends were gathered at the bus terminal the next day, waiting for the bus from Houston to pull in. Mr. and Mrs. Evans and Jim Valenti were also there waiting to see the Whitman's make it safely home. As soon as the bus pulled into the station, Isabel raced towards it, wanting to grab Alex as soon as he stepped off. The bus halted, and people began to disembark.
"ISABEL!" called out a voice from the interior of the bus.
"HERE!" yelled out Isabel.
Then, Alex stepped off, and Isabel flung herself into his waiting arms. They held each other tight, as if they would never let each other go again. Isabel was shaking with sobs, as Alex stroked her long, blonde hair, and whispered into her ear that it was okay, he was with her and safe. Then, he brought her lips to his, and they shared desperate kisses, acting like they hadn't done so in years.
By this time, the others had come up to see Alex, and were all grabbing him and hugging him or shaking his hand. They also greeted Alex's parents and Mr. Weschler, welcoming them home after their harrowing experience. After the homecoming, the Whitmans just wanted to get home, but Alex wanted to hang out with his friends and with his beautiful girlfriend. The group of friends headed for the Crashdown for dinner, and Alex told them about all that had happened to him on the previous day.
"We didn't know anything," said Alex. "Not until the plane landed, and we saw on the televisions at the airport what was happening. It was so surreal, like I got on the plane in a normal world, and got off in the Twilight Zone."
"The whole day felt surreal," said Maria. "We were all SO worried about you, Alex."
"Max," said Mr. Parker, coming up to the table. "I said an hour. That's passed. Its time for you to leave."
Max quietly got up, and went to leave. Liz tried to get up and hug him goodbye, but Mr. Parker stepped in between them. "No, Liz," he said.
"Max, maybe I should..."began Isabel.
"No, stay here," said Max. He turned and went out of the diner. Liz sat back down, and Maria put her arm around her.
"I see that little drama hasn't changed," said Alex.
"My Father is still insistent that I don't see Max," said Liz. "He only allowed this exception because you were home, and we planned this welcome home get together for you."
"I guess September 11 hasn't changed everything, has it" commented Kyle.
**
Later that evening, Alex and Isabel drove out to Frasier Woods. They laid out a blanket, lay down on it together, and held each other closely as they stargazed and talked. Isabel was clinging tightly to Alex, her head resting on his chest, as he stroked her hair and rubbed her back gently.
"Alex, I had never been so scared in my whole life," she said. "I just couldn't bear the thought of never seeing you again."
"You don't have to worry about that," said Alex. "I'm not going anywhere. I love you, Isabel. We belong together, and I'm never going to let you go."
"I love you, too," she replied. "I'm so sorry I trivialized your paper and presentation. It meant a lot to you, and I just called it 'stupid'."
"You were scared, Izzy," said Alex. "We both said things we didn't mean because we were upset. I'm sorry for what I said, too. I think we should just put it all behind us and move on."
"Alex, before we do that, there is something I need to tell you," said Isabel. "I just don't know how to say it. When you and I were...not speaking. Well, when I wasn't speaking to you, when I was avoiding you because I was mad at you, I did something I regret."
"You joined a convent," said Alex, jokingly.
"Be serious, Alex," she said. "I did something...I'm afraid you may hate me for it."
"Never happen," said Alex.
"Alex, I went out with another guy," she said. "Twice."
"By went out, you mean what exactly?" asked Alex.
"We went out to dinner one night," said Isabel. "And to the movies another night."
"That's all," said Alex. "No kissing, no pawing, no horizontal mambo..."
"NO!" said Isabel. "Nothing like that. He was just a guy I was attracted to, and I was mainly just trying to get my mind off of you and how angry I was at you."
"So, you're saying that nothing happened," said Alex. "And the thing with this other guy is now history, I hope."
"There was no thing as far as I am concerned," said Isabel. "I didn't have any feelings for him, other than liking him a little. Nothing like the love I feel for you."
"Then there's nothing to fuss over," said Alex. "Just as long as you still love me, and it was only dinner and a movie, and that we are still together...that's all that matters to me."
They began to kiss each other gently, then more passionately. The passion grew between them, until Alex broke it off momentarily.
"You don't mind, I mean, out here?" asked Alex.
"Right here," said Isabel. "Alex, I want to make love to you. I love you, and I want you. Now."
"Wait, what about..." began Alex.
Isabel pulled out a small wrapper from her pocket. "I came prepared," she said.
"God, I love you," said Alex.
"I love you, too."
End of Chapter Nine. Chapter Ten coming soon.
This was a shorter chapter, but I hope you still enjoyed it. Be sure to tune in for the next installment, and please keep the wonderful feedback coming with those reviews.
CHAPTER NINE:
All of Alex's friends were gathered at the bus terminal the next day, waiting for the bus from Houston to pull in. Mr. and Mrs. Evans and Jim Valenti were also there waiting to see the Whitman's make it safely home. As soon as the bus pulled into the station, Isabel raced towards it, wanting to grab Alex as soon as he stepped off. The bus halted, and people began to disembark.
"ISABEL!" called out a voice from the interior of the bus.
"HERE!" yelled out Isabel.
Then, Alex stepped off, and Isabel flung herself into his waiting arms. They held each other tight, as if they would never let each other go again. Isabel was shaking with sobs, as Alex stroked her long, blonde hair, and whispered into her ear that it was okay, he was with her and safe. Then, he brought her lips to his, and they shared desperate kisses, acting like they hadn't done so in years.
By this time, the others had come up to see Alex, and were all grabbing him and hugging him or shaking his hand. They also greeted Alex's parents and Mr. Weschler, welcoming them home after their harrowing experience. After the homecoming, the Whitmans just wanted to get home, but Alex wanted to hang out with his friends and with his beautiful girlfriend. The group of friends headed for the Crashdown for dinner, and Alex told them about all that had happened to him on the previous day.
"We didn't know anything," said Alex. "Not until the plane landed, and we saw on the televisions at the airport what was happening. It was so surreal, like I got on the plane in a normal world, and got off in the Twilight Zone."
"The whole day felt surreal," said Maria. "We were all SO worried about you, Alex."
"Max," said Mr. Parker, coming up to the table. "I said an hour. That's passed. Its time for you to leave."
Max quietly got up, and went to leave. Liz tried to get up and hug him goodbye, but Mr. Parker stepped in between them. "No, Liz," he said.
"Max, maybe I should..."began Isabel.
"No, stay here," said Max. He turned and went out of the diner. Liz sat back down, and Maria put her arm around her.
"I see that little drama hasn't changed," said Alex.
"My Father is still insistent that I don't see Max," said Liz. "He only allowed this exception because you were home, and we planned this welcome home get together for you."
"I guess September 11 hasn't changed everything, has it" commented Kyle.
**
Later that evening, Alex and Isabel drove out to Frasier Woods. They laid out a blanket, lay down on it together, and held each other closely as they stargazed and talked. Isabel was clinging tightly to Alex, her head resting on his chest, as he stroked her hair and rubbed her back gently.
"Alex, I had never been so scared in my whole life," she said. "I just couldn't bear the thought of never seeing you again."
"You don't have to worry about that," said Alex. "I'm not going anywhere. I love you, Isabel. We belong together, and I'm never going to let you go."
"I love you, too," she replied. "I'm so sorry I trivialized your paper and presentation. It meant a lot to you, and I just called it 'stupid'."
"You were scared, Izzy," said Alex. "We both said things we didn't mean because we were upset. I'm sorry for what I said, too. I think we should just put it all behind us and move on."
"Alex, before we do that, there is something I need to tell you," said Isabel. "I just don't know how to say it. When you and I were...not speaking. Well, when I wasn't speaking to you, when I was avoiding you because I was mad at you, I did something I regret."
"You joined a convent," said Alex, jokingly.
"Be serious, Alex," she said. "I did something...I'm afraid you may hate me for it."
"Never happen," said Alex.
"Alex, I went out with another guy," she said. "Twice."
"By went out, you mean what exactly?" asked Alex.
"We went out to dinner one night," said Isabel. "And to the movies another night."
"That's all," said Alex. "No kissing, no pawing, no horizontal mambo..."
"NO!" said Isabel. "Nothing like that. He was just a guy I was attracted to, and I was mainly just trying to get my mind off of you and how angry I was at you."
"So, you're saying that nothing happened," said Alex. "And the thing with this other guy is now history, I hope."
"There was no thing as far as I am concerned," said Isabel. "I didn't have any feelings for him, other than liking him a little. Nothing like the love I feel for you."
"Then there's nothing to fuss over," said Alex. "Just as long as you still love me, and it was only dinner and a movie, and that we are still together...that's all that matters to me."
They began to kiss each other gently, then more passionately. The passion grew between them, until Alex broke it off momentarily.
"You don't mind, I mean, out here?" asked Alex.
"Right here," said Isabel. "Alex, I want to make love to you. I love you, and I want you. Now."
"Wait, what about..." began Alex.
Isabel pulled out a small wrapper from her pocket. "I came prepared," she said.
"God, I love you," said Alex.
"I love you, too."
End of Chapter Nine. Chapter Ten coming soon.
This was a shorter chapter, but I hope you still enjoyed it. Be sure to tune in for the next installment, and please keep the wonderful feedback coming with those reviews.