Friday morning rolled around, and Alex couldn't bear going to school. She'd have to see Justin in the hallways, have to hear him taunt her in his nerdy alien language that she secretly adored, and she wouldn't be able to take it. "Mom, I still feel sick. I don't have a test or anything important today. Can I please stay home?" Alex pleaded.

Theresa had pity on her daughter, knowing she'd been sick the night before, and allowed her request. "Your father and I will be gone this weekend, you know," Theresa reminded her. "I convinced him that he forgot our anniversary…Again."

Alex laughed lightly as her mother continued down the hallway. She retreated back into her room, closing the door just as Justin passed her room. The smell of his cologne whooshed in with the air, intoxicating Alex as the sweet aroma replaced the air around her. How could he affect her so deeply? Thank heavens she'd stayed home from school. She needed more time to think this through.

Justin descended the stairs after passing Alex's bedroom, proceeding to the kitchen island where his mother was slicing an apple. "Why isn't Alex up?" he asked.

"Oh, Justin, she still feels sick. I wouldn't make her go to school today, especially with her getting so sick last night," Theresa explained.

"Aren't you and dad leaving?" Justin asked, masking the happiness in his voice at the thought with concern. "Shouldn't someone stay here to look after her?"

"Well, I'd really like to, Justin, but we've had this weekend planned for a while now, and I can't afford to canc—"

"I could stay here," Justin blurted. He knew he had at least one test today, but he would much rather stay at home with his…sister. He gritted his teeth at the word, wishing it meant something other than family.

"Well, I guess that'd be okay. It's just a Friday. Don't get in a fight with your sister while we're gone! We'll back on Sunday." Theresa closed the door as Jerry honked the horn and shouted, "Hurry it up already!"

As soon as the parents were out of sight and Max had flashed to school, Justin made his way back up the spiral staircase to Alex's room. He knocked lightly on the door, and receiving no response, he opened it.

Alex, clearly not ill, was lying on her stomach with headphones over her ears, the music loud enough that Justin could still hear it from her doorway. Justin chuckled to himself. She was so convincing. He took advantage of this moment, examining her from behind as she lay faced away from the door. A moment later, he mentally slapped himself. Your sister, he repeated, over and over again. She's your sister. Even then, he couldn't help himself.

Alex glanced over her shoulder at her clock as a new song began, and jumped when she saw Justin standing there. She tossed her headphones onto the bed, suddenly disconnecting them from her iPod and abruptly stopping the music that blared from the device. "What are you doing in here?" she asked.

"I was coming to check on you. Mom said you stayed home because you were sick, and since she and dad are gone, she told me that I…" Justin trailed off as Alex aimed one of her infamous glares at him.

"I don't need anyone to 'check on me'. I would've been just fine by myself," Alex replied harshly. "Go play with your action figures or something, since you've already decided to play hooky."

Justin exited the room and closed the door without a word, feeling defeated. He'd tried to help, regardless of ulterior motives, and she'd yelled at him for it. Can't I do anything right? Justin wondered as he sat on his bed.

Alex tried to breathe evenly as she fell back onto her bed. He was here. She couldn't seem to get away from him, no matter what she did.

She had to tell him. Alex knew that telling Justin her feelings was a crazy and stupid idea, but it had to be done, regardless of the repercussions.