Chapter Thirteen: What Am I Supposed to Say?
Alec was nervous. Sure, Zack was a nice guy and all, but all bets were off when it came to Max. Alec was positive, he could tell by the glint in the blonde's eye, that whatever it was that they were going to talk about, it had to do with Max. Alec had now gotten into the habit of looking into people's eyes and really reading them. It seemed to be a new craze going around. 'New and Improved - Understanding! Brought to you by '09er and various commercial sponsors.' Alec had bought in on the product and it seemed to help. For example, Zack was obvious when he wanted to talk about Max. His eyes would have a predatory, protective spark to them. So, seeing that look as he said, "We gotta talk," was not exactly good news.
Did he decide he wants Max for himself and doesn't want me to talk to her? Did Max hear about the whole ordeal and tell them both to fuck off? Did the emotion in Max's eyes evaporate and disappear? Alec was racking his brain for the reason of the meeting about to commence, but nothing seemed to fit perfectly. Once Zack had concluded that they were far enough away, he began to answer Alec's mental questions.
"Okay, have you told her yet?" Zack wanted to double check before he blew up and gaveAlec a lecture.
"I...well...I was.... I figured I'd... wait awhile." At Zack's glare, he blurted out, "All right! So I was nervous! Jeez." Zack sighed and took a deep breath; this would take a lot of air.
"You've had five hours to know if the girl of your dreams – Max -- likes you! If she loved me, I wouldn't be here right now! I'd be with her. Sure, I'd be nervous. I'd be nervous as hell, but this is Max we're talking about. You'll know if she doesn't feel the same. She'd think it was a load of bull and ask who paid you. But if she loves you too, the rewards will be huge. She'll get that warm smile on her face, look into your eyes..." Zack trailed off, smiling at the mental image.
"What have you got to lose? Hope and a bit of dignity maybe? With your cocky ego, it will always return. What could you gain? Well, you've got eyes, you know."
The question, 'What have you got to lose?' repeated in Alec's mind. Not anything you can't afford. There was always the possibility that he'd lose Max, but he was confident that wouldn't happen. He was important to TC, or so Max had said. Plus, he could always tell her he was just messing with her later.
"Okay. I'll talk to her. But...who's the blond?" Zack rolled his eyes. He had the most amazing girl in the world – except for Maggie -- and he was still looking at other women!
Before Zack could open his mouth to shame Alec at his actions with yet another lecture, Alec broke in. "I'm just wondering because she looked very into you. I think you should do something about it."
"I can figure things out. I can get her when I want."
"What are you, her CO?" Zack knew his next line.
"No, but I care about her."
"How much?"
"A lot."
"Does she know?"
"I think so."
"Really?" Alec was surprised.
"Yep." Zack smirked to himself.
"Does she reciprocate?"
"Yep." His smirk only grew.
"Damn, you work fast!"
"Yep." The smirk turned into a full-blown grin.
Alec cleared his throat. "Why are you still here? If she loved me, I wouldn't be here right now! I would be with her! What have you got to lose?"
Zack only smiled at his friend's impersonation. "Thanks for the speech. I think I'll take you up on that." Zack glanced back at a temporarily stunned and confused Alec before going back to find Maggie.
Alec, finally registering the previous events, called, "Hey! That's not what you're supposed to say!"
Zack turned around and replied, "No, that's what you're supposed to say!" Alec could only frown and trail after him, contemplating what exactly he would say to Max.
Alec was nervous. Sure, Zack was a nice guy and all, but all bets were off when it came to Max. Alec was positive, he could tell by the glint in the blonde's eye, that whatever it was that they were going to talk about, it had to do with Max. Alec had now gotten into the habit of looking into people's eyes and really reading them. It seemed to be a new craze going around. 'New and Improved - Understanding! Brought to you by '09er and various commercial sponsors.' Alec had bought in on the product and it seemed to help. For example, Zack was obvious when he wanted to talk about Max. His eyes would have a predatory, protective spark to them. So, seeing that look as he said, "We gotta talk," was not exactly good news.
Did he decide he wants Max for himself and doesn't want me to talk to her? Did Max hear about the whole ordeal and tell them both to fuck off? Did the emotion in Max's eyes evaporate and disappear? Alec was racking his brain for the reason of the meeting about to commence, but nothing seemed to fit perfectly. Once Zack had concluded that they were far enough away, he began to answer Alec's mental questions.
"Okay, have you told her yet?" Zack wanted to double check before he blew up and gaveAlec a lecture.
"I...well...I was.... I figured I'd... wait awhile." At Zack's glare, he blurted out, "All right! So I was nervous! Jeez." Zack sighed and took a deep breath; this would take a lot of air.
"You've had five hours to know if the girl of your dreams – Max -- likes you! If she loved me, I wouldn't be here right now! I'd be with her. Sure, I'd be nervous. I'd be nervous as hell, but this is Max we're talking about. You'll know if she doesn't feel the same. She'd think it was a load of bull and ask who paid you. But if she loves you too, the rewards will be huge. She'll get that warm smile on her face, look into your eyes..." Zack trailed off, smiling at the mental image.
"What have you got to lose? Hope and a bit of dignity maybe? With your cocky ego, it will always return. What could you gain? Well, you've got eyes, you know."
The question, 'What have you got to lose?' repeated in Alec's mind. Not anything you can't afford. There was always the possibility that he'd lose Max, but he was confident that wouldn't happen. He was important to TC, or so Max had said. Plus, he could always tell her he was just messing with her later.
"Okay. I'll talk to her. But...who's the blond?" Zack rolled his eyes. He had the most amazing girl in the world – except for Maggie -- and he was still looking at other women!
Before Zack could open his mouth to shame Alec at his actions with yet another lecture, Alec broke in. "I'm just wondering because she looked very into you. I think you should do something about it."
"I can figure things out. I can get her when I want."
"What are you, her CO?" Zack knew his next line.
"No, but I care about her."
"How much?"
"A lot."
"Does she know?"
"I think so."
"Really?" Alec was surprised.
"Yep." Zack smirked to himself.
"Does she reciprocate?"
"Yep." His smirk only grew.
"Damn, you work fast!"
"Yep." The smirk turned into a full-blown grin.
Alec cleared his throat. "Why are you still here? If she loved me, I wouldn't be here right now! I would be with her! What have you got to lose?"
Zack only smiled at his friend's impersonation. "Thanks for the speech. I think I'll take you up on that." Zack glanced back at a temporarily stunned and confused Alec before going back to find Maggie.
Alec, finally registering the previous events, called, "Hey! That's not what you're supposed to say!"
Zack turned around and replied, "No, that's what you're supposed to say!" Alec could only frown and trail after him, contemplating what exactly he would say to Max.