Chapter 13

They'd all decided to go to the food court to get something to eat before heading to the shops; despite all the popcorn and snacks bought for the movie, not a lot was actually eaten.

They sat around a group of tables; Steph opting for Alex's lap rather than a chair. There'd been an odd silence between everyone, and no one was making any real eye contact or conversation. Finally Steph got jack of the silence, "Ok, so good movie then? We all had a great time yes?" she couldn't stop the smile creeping over her face and began giggling. Alex poked her in the ribs as the others looked somewhat suspiciously at each other. Silence again. Steph threw her arms up in defeat, "Oh geez, come on guys, Alvin and Britt got hot and heavy in the back row, Theo and Ellie made something pop up in the middle row, Simon and Jeanette were being romantic in the front row and we" she gestured to Alex "and we simply...deepened our relationship" She smiled at the end of her summary. She looked around; everyone was one or another shade of red; Theodore was pretending to be reading the milk bar menu as Eleanor looked at her shoes; Simon rubbed his neck as Jeanette looked mildly interested in a loose thread on her jumper; Alvin smiled a little to himself and kissed Britt on her shoulder as she rubbed her arms. Steph stood up and walked round the group as if interrogating them, "Guys c'mon, we're seventeen, we're allow to explore our hormones right? Sh*t, ain't nothing wrong with it, don't be ashamed. Hell I'm not" Simon muttered under his breath, "Clearly" but only Jeanette heard him. Alvin took a deep breath and stood up, "Well now that that's all out in the open, who's up for milkshake?" Everyone shot their hands up, as Theodore stood up, "I'll come with you" Alvin nodded and the boys walked off. Simon soon quickly stood and followed, "They might need some help carrying those drinks back" Alex looked around, "Hell I ain't sticking round while you girls chat, wait up Si" he too left suddenly and followed the boys.

Steph sat in an empty chair and smiled at the others, "Soo, who wants to go first?" Jeanette looked back at her loose thread; Eleanor back to her shoes. Brittany looked at her sisters, then back at Steph, "Stephi, really, we're not gonna kiss and tell" Steph laughed, "Oh from what I could see there was way more than kissing happening between a couple of you guys" Brittany blushed and shook her head, but she was smiling, "Geez really?" Steph smiled and nodded, "You betcha...although I missed the bit in the middle...i was, uh, a little preoccupied" The girls winched back, "Oh Steph, no!" Eleanor now had a smile on her face, but a somewhat disgusted face.

Steph shook her head, "No, we didn't" she made 'bunny ears' with her fingers "do it...but lets' just say we're reached a new level in our relationship" she laughed.

Brittany piped in, a little shy and soft in her voice, "Yeah, I almost thought we would for a second" the girls all met her eyes; Jeanette reached over to Brittany, "No you didn't!" Brittany quickly shook her head and replied, "Oh no, gosh no, I couldn't do that. Ew, not at the movies" Eleanor was a little relieved, but Jeanette was shocked, "But you'd...you know...go all the way?" Brittany looked around then gave a slight nod to Jeanette, "Yeah, well I mean not now, but I hope one day. When the time is right and all" Steph put her arm on Brittany's back, "Good for you, with your time is right and sh*t. Hell I screwed my first time..and second...and third...but I'm not gonna screw this one up. I really, really like Alex" Eleanor giggled, "Aww and I think her really, really likes you too" Steph laughed, "Yep saw proof of that" They girls shook their heads and laughed. Steph gave a gentle push on Eleanor's arm, "AND I saw you and Theo, and woah girl you can lay some moves on him" Steph pretended to fan herself. Brittany grinned and slapped her hand in front of Eleanor, "Ellie, oh my goodness, seriously?" Eleanor shyly smiled and said, "I know what my man likes" Steph nodded, "Yeah you do!" She layghed again. Jeanette looked a little shocked at her baby sister, "Ellie?" Eleanor looked at Jeanette, "Oh Jeanette, please don't be shocked, I mean I think its beautiful what you and Simon have" Steph smiled and came round to Jeanette, wrapping her arms round her shoukders, "Yeah I mean, gosh here were are spilling what base we're up to, honey you have nothing to worry about. Ellie's right, you and Simon have something beautiful going on. Hold on to that" Jeanetter smiled and thanked Steph, who moved back to the seat next to Brittany. She craned her neck round, "Now where are the guys with our shakes?"

Alvin walked from the table only to be quickly united with Theodore, "Phew heavy conversation huh?"

Alvin gave a sly smile at Theodore and punched his little brother in the arm, "You're a machine bro" Theodore went red, "Yeah well I'd kinda be happy if it didn't happen in a hurry, I mean...crap" Alvin laughed and put his arm round Theodore's shoulders as Simon, and then Alex caught up with them.

"So we shutting up or boasting out?" Alex asked.

Simon looked at him and gave a cough, "Please, I don't want to hear of all your antics"

Alex shrugged, "Hey that's cool, I can respect that. Nice to see you and Jeanette getting romantic too" he punched Simon manly in the arm. Simon rubbed his arm and rolled his eyes, "Was anyone watching the movie?" The other guys shook their heads, when Alex replied "Not really, there was enough action" he looked at Alvin, "Uh, comedy?" he gestured toward Theodore "And Romance" he pointed to Simon, "in the theatre, that movie didn't quite cut it" Simon took his glasses off and rubbed his shirt on them, "Oh good grief" Alvin just laughed and joined the line up for milkshakes, then took a step back, "Wait what do we all want?"

The guys all looked up at the menu. In the end, after about 10 minutes they'd decided; Simon would share a strawberry banana shake with Jeanette, Theodore and Eleanor both wanted a large double choc shake; Alex was going a protein shake with wheatgrass shot and a mango smoothie for Steph; And Alvin was getting an iced coffee with a double shot and a skinny mocha frappe for Brittany. Alvin shouted the drinks, and paid the total on his card (which he said he'd claim back for tax purposes, although Simon shook his head and asked how that was supposed to work. Alvin said networking). Then they all stood back and waited til their order was up.

Alvin struck the conversation up again, "So you could say we all jumped up a base then huh?"

Simon shook his head, "Alvin, please is this all we're going to talk about?"

Theodore smiled, "Well we can't talk about the movie, since most of us kinda missed it" Alvin laughed, "Oh! Burn Si!" he leant and offered a high five to Theodore, who reciprocated, albeit slightly less enthusiastically than Alvin. Simon rolled his eyes and stared at the ceiling. Alex patted him on the shoulder, "S'all good man, you did well" Simon looked at Alex's hand, then at Alex; who picked his hand up, "Whoa, ok dude, we're cool, no more chatting 'bout you and your girl, got it"

Simon smiled a little and shook his head, "I just don't need to know about what you're all doing, and I don't think we need to share it around do we? I mean respect the girls in all this right?"

Alvin raised his eyebrows and folded his arms, "Simon I bet you those girls are sharing every detail...and if not, Steph will be helping them remember. Which brings me to you, Alex, what's the go dude?"

Alex held his hands up defensively as their order was called. They collected their shakes and walked back toward the tables as Alex continued, "Look I'd like to think I was a gentleman and stopped our raging hormones before things got outta hand, ok?"

Alvin nodded approval and took a sip of, what he thought was his shake, to which he quickly sipped the other straw, "Oh sh*t I dunno how Britt drinks this crap, yeuck" He set the cup in front of Brittany when they arrived back at the tables, "Here y'are babe. Some skinny mocha choca frippy frap crap thing" She smiled and took a sip. The others gave their girlfriends their drinks and then after sipping for a while they made a joint decision to walk round the shops for a while.

Simon and Jeanette led the group sharing their milkshake; but Simon had his hand round Jeanette's waist and walk whispering sweet nothings to her every now and then, which made Jeanette either blush and smile, or stumble over her feet and then blush and smile.

Theodore and Eleanor, along with Alex and Steph walked a few steps behind them. Alex had his arm draped round Steph's shoulder, hsi protein shake in that hand, meaning to take a sip he'd twist to walk in front of Steph (so walking backwards), take a sip and give her a kiss, then twist back to walking beside her. He made her laugh each time, "Just hold it in the other hand, ya goofball" she laughed. Alex laughed and snuck a sip of her smoothie. Theodore and Eleanor would look over and laugh at them. They were holding hands, the opposite holding their shakes. Every so often Eleanor would sneak a kiss, or smile or wink at Theodore, making him blush.

Alvin and Brittany stroll behind. Alvin had his arm draped round Brittany's shoulder, much like Alex had his round Steph's, except he had his shake in the hand near his pocket. Brittany sipped quietly on her straw and had her arm round Alvin's waist. He kept looking at her and smiling, looking away every time she'd look at him. She finally asked, "What?" Alvin smiled and bit his lower lip, "Nothing" Brittany looked sideways at him and smiled a cheeky smile, "What is it? Tell me" Alvin smiled to himself, "You're just gorgeous thats all, and I love ya" She smiled, "Aww" and kissed him. Alvin smiled, "Yeah that I can't help but think of what happened in the movies" Brittany blushed and brushed a stand of hair from her face, "Alvie, don't get any ideas" Alvin's voice rose a little, excitedly, "How can I not get any ideas? I tell you it is gonna be hard to sleep tonight...actually getting up tomorrow is gonna be hard...i mean" but it was too late, Steph had overheard the conversation, "Yep it probably will be" and she began laughing out loud, making a few passersby stop and stare. Alvin gave his shake to Brittany and smirked at Steph, "You're dead" he started running at her. Steph squealed, thrust her shake at Alex, who thankfully grabbed it; and began running away from Alvin, dodging passersby and objects like bins and benches. Alvin squared her up and attempted to charge her, ready to grab her round the middle and tackle her to the ground. What he didn't expect was for Steph to stop short and twist her shoulder into him, as she braced herself. They both grunted upon contact and fell to the ground. Some older ladies shook their heads at them as they continued to laugh. Steph rubbed her back, "Owww, oh sh*t, my back, you're a nutcase Alvin Seville" Alvin laughed and propped himself up on his hands, leaning over Steph, "Hey I was lucky, your boobs cushioned my fall, ooh, 'cept ya shoulder connected with my chest, ahh" he rubbed it before twisting and sitting next to her.

The others came laughing over and Theodore helped Steph and Alvin up, "What the heck was that about?" Steph laughed, getting to her feet, "Shouldn't be too hard to explain hey Alvin?"

Alvin smiled and shook his head at her, "You're gone Xanatos" She blew a kiss at him, "Love ya too Alvie boy". Simon looked at his watch, "Well what are we doing? Are we just wandering or shall we head back home?"

Alvin checked his phone clock, "Ahh yeah I s'pose we should huh, see what ole' Davey's cooked up for dinner"

They all headed back towards their cars and piled in; Simon and Jeanette, Eleanor and Theodore went back in the Seville's car, while Alex and Steph took Alvin and Brittany back home.