Aww not again! 3 reviews? In 2 days? Not something I liked. Thanks to krazykatey for always reviewing! :) Thanks to BrazilianPrincess, and Athenian Grace also, and is.just.a.simple.song, thanks for reviewing even though it was in chapter four.

Maybe no reviewing meant my chapters were getting all crappy, but that was because I had some busy-ness this week, so I didn't have my best writing skills. Anyway, I hope I'll be able to satisfy your reading minds from now on.

I don't own anybody except Steph. :D


Hidden Secrets

Chapter Nine

Nate's face brightened as Alex said that she would forgive him. "Really? You really forgive me?"

Alex looked at him. "No, I don't!" She said sarcastically. Then she gave him a small smile.

Nate swallowed. He wanted to ask about their... love relationship, but the last thing he wanted to do was to make her feel uncomfortable again. At least he could tell her about him breaking up with Steph. "Well, um, I just wanted to let you know that... I broke up with Steph after what... happened."

Alex turned her head to look at him. "Why?"

"Because I... realized that she was just another one of those girls that I loved for a short amount of time." Nate said nervously. He didn't want to bring up the subject of him and Alex together.

Alex's brown eyes kept looking at him, as if trying to figure out what he really wanted to say. Nobody said anything, nobody knew what to say.

"Okay, well thanks for explaining." Alex said. She, too, wanted to ask about their love relationship but didn't have the courage to do it.

Nate stood up and walked slowly out the door. Max met him on the other side, his arms crossed and his mouth was set in a straight line. Nate looked at him for a second, then headed for the stairs.

"Whoa, whoa!" Max said, blocking his way. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Uh... home?" Nate asked.

"No way!" Max declared. "You, my friend, have to get back together with Alex before you go home. And that's an order!"

"But... but I don't want to ask about that yet! She just forgave me!" Nate pleaded. He couldn't believe he was pleading to a 12-year old. Things like that just didn't happen.

"Go!" Max ordered, pointing at his sister's door. "Or else." He gave an evil smile and looked straight at Nate, making him shift around on his foot.

Sighing, Nate turned and walked back toward Alex's room. He reached for the doorknob but the door opened before he could touch it.

Alex came out and glared at Max. "What do you think you're doing, ordering Nate around like that? He doesn't have to talk to me if he doesn't want to!"

"Oh yes he does." Max nodded, then slipped into his room before he could hear any of Alex's insults that were gathering up in her head.

Alex groaned at slapped her forehead. She turned toward Nate. "Sorry about that. You can go if you want."

But Nate couldn't tear his eyes away from her gorgeous brown eyes. "No, actually, I want to talk."

Alex looked away. "You do?" She sounded kind of surprised, as if she wanted Nate to head home.

"I mean, if you want to."

"Well... okay." Alex led Nate into her room again, locking the lock.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he gathered up his courage to ask her the question. "What about our... relationship?"

"What do you mean?" Alex asked. "We're friends again, right?"

"No, I meant our other relationship. Not the friend one."

Alex looked at her shoes. "Oh. Well, I guess we could get back together... if you want to."

"Are you kidding me?" Nate yelled. "Of course I want to!" Then, realizing he just yelled something that was supposed to be private, he mumbled. "Oops."

Alex grinned. "Okay then. We're officially boyfriend and girlfriend again. That is, if you promise that you absolutely broke up with Steph. I don't want her to bother us anymore." She held up her pinky for a pinky-swear.

Nate shook pinkys with her. "I promise."

Both of them couldn't keep the big smiles off their face.


Alex skipped into the living room, where Mitchie was waiting for her. Seeing the big, happy expression on Alex's face, Mitchie knew exactly what had happened. She gave Alex a knowing look, and Alex responded with an even huger grin.

"Did you and Nate kiss and make up?" Mitchie asked, patting the spot on the couch beside her.

Alex sat down and bounced on the cushion. "We didn't kiss, but we definitely made up."

"Are you two back together?" Mitchie wanted to know.

"Maybe..." Alex replied with a mischievious smile.

"Oh you two are so together!" Mitchie said, clapping her hands.

"I said maybe." Alex reminded her. Mitchie looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Okay, okay!" Alex said. "We're together again! And this time with no Steph."


"So...?" Shane asked the minute Nate stepped through the doorway. He'd been sitting on the couch for an hour, waiting for Nate to come home and tell them that Operation-get-Nate-and-Alex-back-together had worked. Except that Nate didn't knkow what Operation-get-Nate-and-Alex-back-together was, so technically he wouldn't be saying that it worked.

"So what?" Nate asked, trying to keep the big grin off his face. He turned around so his back was facing Shane and hung up his jacket.

Shane got up and started poking Nate in the back. "Oh you know what!"

"No, I don't." Nate tried to convince Shane. "What are we talking about?"

Shane nudged him. "Did you get back with Alex or what?"

Nate turned to face him. "What does it look like?"

"Yes?"

"Obviously!" Nate said, slapping Shane on the back. "Thanks for telling me what to do, dude. I guess you're good with these relationship things."

Shane nodded. "Of course I am. So are we set for a double date tomorrow night? Me and Mitch, you and Alex?"

"When did you decide this?" Nate asked.

"Right now!"

Nate shrugged. "Sure, why not?"


So how'd I do? Better than the last crappy chapters I hope. :) Review and tell me what you think, kay?