A/N: And the eighth part begins! This was fairly easy for me to write (avoiding homework does that to you), and although it shows a darker side of Alex's life, there is a funny bit at the end that you might like:)
Just so we all know, Alex's last name is pronounced (Geye-mee), the "Geye" sounding like "Guy".
IMPORTANTE! We have a short contest, IBD and I! We decided on Lissa's real name a while back, and have since forgotten it. We are very sad and droopy, because it was awesome (of course it was awesome: I thought of it). As a result, we turn to you, readers, to pick an interesting, unique name (unlike 'Allyssa', or other variations of the name, for example) and send it in your reviews. We'll need it in a chapter or two, so the faster you review, the better. Oh - the prize? Not big, but the best we could come up with: you will get a name of your picking (we would prefer that you use your real first name with a fake last name, but whatever) and stick you in the story. Not a minor character who's named once, either. The character might not appear this story, but will be a big part of the sequal. I would enter, but that's just me.
On the way there, I probed his mind to no avail.
Why won't you tell me? I gave a low whine, and he rolled his eyes.
It's complicated, he relented at last.
If it's bugging you, you should talk about it; sound like anyone you know? I mocked.
He growled.
He skidded to a halt outside his home. Oh, no. He started prancing backwards, to the woods.
What? Is that him? I stuck my nose in the air. It had a different taste…
We can't do this! I know you don't understand, and I'll explain someday, but right-
He phased. He phased, yet I still spun around to bark at him, and boy did I get an eyeful. Stupid move. At least his back was to me.
I phased and quickly slipped into my shorts and cami. He turned his head and snorted at my top.
"It's less embarrassing then carrying around a bra," I muttered and stomped of towards the house.
"Really, we can't go in there!" He grabbed my arm in his strong fingers.
"Like hell we can't," I exclaimed, opening the door, having reached the porch at last. "Morning, Mrs. Ghaimi."
"Good morning, dear," She called over her shoulder from the kitchen.
"Mmm… Smells like roast," I noted as I wafted toward the oven.
"Correct. Ready in about half an hour, if you'd like to stay?" She ended in a question, noticing the look on Alex's face.
"No, we've got-"
"That'd be great, Mrs. Ghaimi," I interrupted. He sighed. I was getting really anxious to learn why we weren't supposed to be here, and if Alex would not spit it out, I would stress it out of him until he could take no more.
"Why don't you show Lissa the house, hon?" Alex's mother commanded; we both knew that it was not a question.
"Sure," he grumbled. Frowning so deeply it was almost comical, he took my hand roughly and started for the hallway.
"This is my dad's office on the right, and my parent's room-" he tapped a door on the left. "My room is at the end, and here's Gavin's room." He pushed the door open and the music stopped.
"Do you know how to knock?!" a man yelled. The owner of the voice soon emerged, holding a guitar by the neck. "Oh… hello," He grinned at me.
"Hi," I offered my hand. "I'm Lissa."
"Gavin," He shook my hand with a firm grasp. "You must be Alex's girlfriend."
I shrugged an affirmative, chancing a look at Alex. His face showed no amusement.
"Well, come on in; let me entertain you with a song or two!" He had yet to release my hand, and pulled me inside the small room.
"Actually, we have to get going-" Alex began, but I grabbed his arm and dragged him in as well.
Gavin's voice was not anything to be astonished with, but his guitar skills blew me away. "You're good."
"Thank you kindly," he chuckled, leaning the guitar in the corner of the small room.
"We'd better get going," Alex repeated, pushing lightly on the small of my back.
"Thank you for the song!" I called, struggling back into the hallway. "What's your problem?" I murmured to Alex.
"Problem? I don't have a problem!" He whisper-yelled.
"Then why are you whisper-yelling?" I growled back.
"I'll tell you later," he replied softly in my ear, taking hold of my hand and squeezing it.
"Yes, you will," I agreed, pecking lightly on his cheek before continuing on to his room.
We sat on his bed and played Mario on his Gameboy until Mrs. Ghaimi called for dinner. We sat in silence; the only noise was the sound of forks on bowls and Alex and I scarfing down the meal. Until that evening, I never would have thought it possible to wear a frown while eating meat. Alex proved me wrong. Afterwards, we stepped outside to leave.
"Come back again soon, dear," said Mrs. Ghaimi on the porch.
I looked back and saw Gavin behind his mother. "Yes ma'am!" I waved.
As soon as the door shut, Alex turned to me. "Remember you said that the house smelled weird?"
I nodded: when we had arrived at the house, I noted a funky, sweet odor to it.
"Gavin just got out of jail for possession of marijuana," he explained grimly. "By the looks of it, he hasn't stopped."
"Is that why you didn't want me to go in? Because, what - you think that I'll get addicted, or something?" I inquired.
"No, no!" he replied hastily. "He tends to get violent when he's high. He's also got a track record of luring in girls with his 'charm', then destroying them when they least expect it. He's been charged for rape before," Alex admitted. "Of course, the girl thought that they were in love, so she begged her father to let it go, telling the judge that it was a misunderstanding; that she'd consented. Gavin didn't need to give jail time." Alex hung his head. "He's sort of the black sheep. I think that's why my dad stays away from home so much: he's always sleeping at the station. My mom thinks it's her – that she doesn't 'satisfy him'. Gavin's clueless."
I stuck my hand into his oversized pocket and held his. "I'm sorry. I know that you don't want it," I added when Alex began to scoff. "But my apology is the only thing that I can give you right now, besides this." I kissed him softly, hoping that I was correctly expressing my sorrow for him. He pulled his hand out of mine and set it behind my neck, deepening the kiss. It was when we both stopped for air that we decided to strip and phase before things got too heated.
"…On his way back up, he nuzzled his face to my chest, and wove his arms behind my back to the hooks of my bra, unlatching it, but not quite letting it fall from my front…"
Woah, what is that?Cried Embry. Damnit. Stupid boys, listening where they shouldn't.
S'not our fault, Lis, laughed Paul. Were you two doing something that the rest of us should know about? he thought with suggestive humor.
Absolutely no- started Alex, but I interrupted.
Yeah, Paul – you want to hear all the gory details? Or, better yet, see them?
He cringed. No. I felt a wrinkle in the air, and he phased.
I'll take you up on that offer, Lis! Embry quailed when Alex growled. Not now, of course, he rephrased. Only if I ever need something to shut Paul up with.Embry left.
Ahh, the quiet, I reflected.
Lissa? asked Alex warily. Was that a part of the sex dream?
Sex dream?!We heard a throaty laugh a mile to our left. What is that about?Quil chuckled.
Ugh! If I wasn't intent on making sure Lissa got home, I would be at your throat, Quil! If Alex wasn't so intent on making sure I got home, I would be letting Quil in on all that had transpired, and laughing my ass off.
A/N: Yes, hannahroo, he was a junkie. Loved your idea. I think that was subconsiously embedded in my mind when IBD and I were discussing the plot, lol.
Like it? Yes? No? 1.77... Just kidding: I had to stick it in there:) Don't forget about the contest, loves!