Chapter 7
Max was finally glad that she and Alec had somehow worked out their sudden differences. Finishing her last run she sat between the lockers and started eating the pop tart she had grabbed in her rush to leave that morning. Not usually one to eat pastries but they were starting to grow on her. Slowly she started nibbling on it. Inattentively eating she noticed her body finally made it back. With a grin, she watched as her smaller form biked into the building and hung up her bike.
Alec noticed his head of dark blond hair between the lockers and saw she was eating a pop tart the way he had shown her and smiled to himself. Walking towards her, he sat facing her with a smile. Making sure there was no one around to eavesdrop he whispered "tomorrow we're going to have to switch lockers. Normal was a little jumpy this morning."
She finished her first pastry and nodded her head, "yeah kinda went psycho on me too."
"So where were you this morning?" he inquired with a grin.
Embarrassed she felt a blush creep on her cheeks, "I slept in."
Chucking he nudged her playfully and winked. "I think you like it in there a little too much there Maxie."
Almost nudging him back she refrained herself. "Yeah right and don't call me that, especially now." She tipped the subject away from how comfortable she truly did feel. If he found out he would never let her forget it.
"Well you know what we can do about that right?" He grinned slyly and she frowned.
"Forget it pretty boy, once I'm out of this skin I'll never go anywhere near your bed again." She gave him a cold stare that meant she was serious but he simply laughed glad that their playful banter was back.
"You say that now," he quirked his eyebrows playfully. "You'll come running later, mark my words."
She rolled her eyes at him and sighed. She finished the last of her food and licked her fingers. She was still hungry and her stomach grumbled.
Getting up he went to his locker and took out his lunch. Looking at her with what could only be called a sweet expression he reached in his bag and pulled out a sandwich. "This is for you."
Eyeing the ham and cheese sandwich hungrily, her stomach grumbled again and he chuckled at her expression. "Yeah I think you forgot that being me you would end up with a bigger appetite," he said simply, "I didn't"
Surprised and touched that he had actually thought of her she took the sandwich and ate it quickly. She was famished. Done with the sandwich she glanced down to his lunch again. "That was good." Taking out another sandwich he started eating it slowly and watched her line of sight. Reaching in, he took the other half with a smile and gave it to her, "here."
"Thanks." Chewing this one slowly she bid her time and enjoyed it all the while thinking that again she was glad that this happened with Alec and no one else. She didn't really know why but he was starting to grow on her. Until now, she never really realized how sweet he could really be when he wanted to. She smiled secretly.
"We need to talk," he said softly. He had given it a lot of thought and he figured that morning's conversation had put them on the right track. If they wanted to switch bodies they would have to do a little more of it. "I'll stop by my place later and meet up with you." Grabbing his chocolate milk he took a drink.
His green eyes suddenly got round and she almost chocked on her sandwich.
"What's wrong?" he asked seeing the nervous look on her face. "Don't want to talk?"
"No it's not that," she began chewing again. "I'm going out tonight..." she said distantly.
Eyebrows furrowing he watched her, waiting for the rest. "Where?" saying the word slowly as if he was literally pulling the answer out of her.
"Fine you're going to find out anyway. I kinda promised to help Sketch 'score some hunnies."
At her words Alec did choke on his sandwich. When he managed to recover her brown eyes were now rounder than his green ones had been, "you what?"
"Hey his words not mine," she said defensively ignoring the stricken look on her mirror image.
"You can't!" he said sharply and she jumped at his sudden high pitch squeal.
"Will you chill out?" Reaching over she grabbed his chocolate milk without asking and took a sip. "It's not like I'm really going to walk away with any of them; that's just sick."
He didn't even notice her taking his drink. To anyone watching the two of them eat, they appeared like a couple, eating together, completely engrossed in the conversation.
"I'm shocked, what happened to leading them on?" he said in a low voice and looked around to make sure no one heard him. He looked back at her with what could only be described as alarm on her face. "That's exactly what you're setting out to do!"
"What could go wrong? I just flirt a little and he's got himself a girl. No problem," she offered the explanation quickly. It was more in an attempt to convince herself. "It's easy," she said nonchalantly, "I mean for crying out loud I can tell them I'm gay and they still fawn over me." She pointed to the length of her body and then frowned and corrected the action doing to his body instead, "well you."
Now her brown eyes got as wide as they would go. "Don't even joke about that," he said in a chocked voice.
"Ohh come on trust me will you," she finally managed to hit the lower sexy hue of his voice and grinned as she did it.
"You don't understand." He shook her head furiously, "that's a major no. You can't!" Dry washing his hands he leaned into her. "You think the other night was bad, this is Sketchy we're talking about. You have no idea what he's going to make you do."
"Oh please how hard can it be? Okay so I was caught off guard last time but this time I'm prepared," she said sounding completely resolved to do this.
His hand reached out quickly and took her arm. "You'll never be prepared enough, I'm coming with you."
"Will you relax? You're starting to sound like me," she actually stopped at her own words and her mouth dropped open, humph.
"Only because I know what kind of night is ahead of you. I'm coming with you," he said again and was surprised by O.C.'s voice.
"Nah boo, Original Cindy has a surprise fo' you so technically you coming wit me." She put her hands on her hips and gave him a look that brook no argument. He looked back at his face in shock. He hadn't even realized Cindy was there.
"Will you just trust me?" Max groused and took her arm away.
"I do, it's them I don't trust," he replied quickly ignoring Cindy who was listening to the exchange of heated words.
Finally Cindy spoke up with a snort, "you two need to get yo' act together you 'bout to combust." She turned to go through her locker leaving a stunned Max and Alec watching her.
Alec tried to ignore Cindy and shot Max a look and she just smirked back at him.
"You're not going!" he said sternly.
"The hell I'm not!" Finishing her half of the sandwich she got up and tugged on her jean jacket. It wasn't that she really wanted to go that had her annoyed. It was the fact that he thought he could control her. "Thanks for lunch, I'll see you tomorrow." This time she was the one that gave him the characteristic Alec smirk and a wink to go along with it.
"C'mon boo, beauty waits on no one. Tonight you going ta get some well needed relaxation." Cindy grabbed who she thought was Max's jacket and pulled her away from Alec who was grinning.
"What?" Alec asked her confused. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm talking 'bout a long hot bubble bath, facials, nails, and da whole cucumber dealio. Name it the whole nine yards and you'll be a whole new woman when I'm done wit you." She was smiling now at the revelation of her surprise and Alec whimpered. Trying to walk in the other direction Cindy caught his jacket again. "Nah uh…you need it suga' and Original Cindy not taking no fo' an answer."
He turned around to glance at his face and gave her a pleading look. Noticing she was now laughing at him. Suddenly the grin on his face was eerily frightful, "come on Max you need it, you're looking a little tense." She repeated the words he so often threw at her.
Max gathered her courage and her wit and opened the door to Crash. Sketch was supposed to meet her there. Looking around the dim room she spotted him near the end of the bar by himself. Trying to do her best impression of Alec she sauntered over to the bar and slapped Sketch on the shoulder. "Hey stud, you ready?"
"Alec!" Sketch turned around beaming at his friend. It had been a long time since Alec had agreed to help him. He had been extremely shocked to hear him agree to be his wing man for the night. "They're not here yet man" he said disappointed.
"That's okay, I'm sure there are plenty others out there." Max looked around the room and back to Sketch. "Just pick one." This is going to be easy just flirt flirt flirt. Repeating the litany in her head she felt a little better about the entire joke of being a "wing man". What the hell does being a wing man entail anyway? Maybe she should have asked Alec before leaving him to his Cindy makeover.
Chuckling at the thought she ordered a beer. He would learn that it just wasn't easy being a woman, especially one who was best friends with Cindy. She naturally insisted on treating her like Barbie every once in a while.
Taking his beer Sketch nodded towards the back and she followed him to a table. "So uhm you pick one?" she asked a little annoyed.
"Pick one?" Sketch just laughed. "Nah man, I'll just let you do your thing. Always works better that way."
Rolling her eyes she took a drink, "of course it does." What the hell was his thing? Just sit here and sit pretty or hit on the first girl I see?
As soon as Alec walked into the apartment he went to the washroom and locked the door behind him. He leaned on the door and looked around the room for a means of escape. Someone help me! There was no window, he didn't care how high the building was he would have gladly scaled it if it meant getting away from Cindy and what she had planned for him.
"Max?!" O.C. called for him through the door and he flinched. "Uh…yeah?" he croaked.
"You coming out boo?" Cindy asked wonderingly.
Panicking he wiped his mouth with his hand and tried to think of an excuse to get out of the apartment. "Just give me a minute," her voice was more strained than usual. Shit shit shit!
"Well it'll take a while fo' tha water ta boil anyway." Informing Max who had locked herself in the washroom again she started filling pots with water and set them on the burners. Girl gotta stop doing dat.
After a few moments Max finally came out of the washroom but she looked like a deer caught in headlights. "You okay?"
"No!" his voice rose shrilly and then he cleared his throat, "yeah." Her brown head of hair glanced around the room and back to her. "Look I don't really feel up to this, can we do it some other time?"
"I told you I wasn't taking no fo' an answer plus you never needed it so much, trust me when I'm done wit you, you be a whole 'nother person."
"I am a whole 'nother person," he repeated her words sarcastically and cringed at the look she shot him.
"You buggin' on me?" Putting her hands on her hips she shot Max a withering look and he swallowed.
"No just a little tense that's all," he rolled his shoulders in emphasis.
"Well good now go take yo' clothes off and put on dat robe we got work to do." For the first time in his life being told to take off his clothes suddenly scared him. Everything about Cindy at the moment scared him.
Slowly backing up he made it to Max's room and paced the carpet. "I can do this," he whispered to himself. "It can't be that bad. Max does it right?" He chanced a glance back to the kitchen where Cindy was taking out nail polish and cutting up cucumbers and making some strange creamy concoction. He whimpered low in his throat, "forget it, I can't do this."
Finally filling the bath with warm water and bubble bath it was ready. Cindy smiled as she lit some candles around the room and then went to check on Max.
Peeking around the doorframe of Max's room, Cindy noticed the open window and her best friend's foot on the window ledge. She stopped rigidly, "what you doin'?"
Alec had almost made it free from his impending hell but she caught him. Turning around slowly he tried to give her his sweetest smile. Only it wasn't working because he was in Max's body and Cindy didn't look impressed.
"You betta not be doin' what I think you doin'" O.C. said sternly with her hands on her hips. Walking into the room she pulled Max away by her shirt and shut the window.
"I was just getting some air," he tried but the look she gave him froze his words in his throat. "Okay… but you know there's a nice view from here right?" he lamely tried again.
Ignoring Max she simply pointed to the washroom. "It's ready fo' you. Ya betta hurry before it gets cold." Cindy turned around and left her to it.
Passing his hand through his hair he bit his lip. Forcing himself he took off his clothes and took the robe. Walking down the hall he went to the washroom and was facing the bathtub. He must have stood there watching it for a good five minutes. It wasn't the fact that he was taking a bath; that he could deal with. It was simply the fact that it was Max's body and he was just going to sit there the entire time staring at it. Torture!
Looking back down the hall he could see O.C. Shit! Closing his eyes he took off the bathrobe and quickly got in the bath. Immersing himself in the warm water he actually sighed at the warmth and closed his eyes momentarily. OOhhh this does feel nice. The bubbles actually covered his body and he sighed with relief. Nothing like getting turned on by your own body or the one you just happened to be in.
Resolving himself he leaned his head on the back of the tub and smiled as he felt his muscles relax. The soft light from the candles helped too. It's not so bad.
Dipping his head in the water he wet her long hair and his head popped out. Sitting there for a long time he eventually began to relax. Taking the shampoo he squirted some into his hand and smelled it. Mmm strawberries no wonder she smells so good. He started washing the long wet hair. Piling it up on his head he felt completely ill at ease. Did he lather it enough? How long did he have to leave it in? Did it even matter? Was he even supposed to wash her hair in a bath? What was the real purpose, just to relax? Dipping his head back in the water he washed out the shampoo and sighed once the task was done.
"I left your razor in the soap dish." Cindy's voice came from the other room. Now Alec's eyebrows rose in confusion. Razor? he mouthed the word as he looked around. Then his eyes found it and his voice left him. Ahhh hell no. Lifting his leg out of the water he noticed that she actually did need to shave and he closed his eyes at his bad luck. Why me? His eyes looked up to the ceiling in silent plea. Of course if he didn't do it Cindy would notice; the woman was like a hawk. Cursing he picked up the razor.
"How hard can it be?" he asked himself again. Looking around for soap he noticed two bottles by the side of the tub. He grabbed the first bottle, opened it and smelled it. It said 'Shea butter body wash.' "What the hell is a shea?" Smells good though.
The other said 'Moisturizer' that's when he peaked over further and noticed about three more bottles on the ground. "What the…"
His brain just couldn't understand why there were so many bottles. Shampoo, soap, water, done. It was simple in his world. "Now I have body soap, moisturizer…" He reached for another bottle. He read out loud in puzzlement, "to Exfoliate?" What the hell is exfoliating?"
He threw the bottle back on the floor and picked up the next, "foot scrub," ewww. Opening it he smelled peppermint and closed it putting the bottle back with the other one. Women are crazy. Who needs all this? Grabbing the last bottle he found shaving cream, "finally!"
Applying a good amount of shaving cream he started rubbing it along her leg and the amount of cream just kept foaming until there was way too much. "What? I barely put any!" With an extremely deep sigh he positioned the razor above his leg. With or against? He re-enacted the shaving of his face to remember. How high do I go? Closing his eyes with a crazy laugh he looked up at the ceiling in thought. This is NOT happening to me.
He took a gander and went against and started running the length of the leg with the razor and hissed as he cut himself when he reached the knee. Starting again a little more delicately. He hissed a few more times. "Okay note to self, never shaving legs again. She can walk around looking like Joshua for all I care." He chuckled at the crazy thought of her and Joshua with hair and continued shaving.
Finishing the grizzly task of shaving both legs he finally sighed but then remembered her armpits. Ah hell…I'm going to kick her ass! She's probably out picking up left and right and I'm stuck here with her hairy legs and armpits.
Finally done he threw the razor in the soap dish. He never wanted to see the thing again. Taking this funny looking ball hanging on the side he squished it and realized it was the equivalent of a cloth. Squirting a large amount of 'Shea butter body wash' he washed her body.
Done with the whole ordeal he climbed out of the bath and wrapped himself with her robe. Grabbing a towel he tried to dry off her hair but was having no luck there was just too much of it.
Cindy was standing in the doorway watching Max with her head upside down as she tried to wrap the towel around her head and kept cursing every two seconds. "Need help?"
Alec practically jumped out of his skin. Too busy with the stupid towel, he never noticed her creep up on him. "I'm going to cut it all off I swear!" shouting in frustration he raised his head and the towel fell to the side and he pouted.
Cindy could only laugh "wow you worse than I thought. Come here."
Unable to believe the way his night had started he stubbornly relented and Cindy pulled him into the kitchen.
Grabbing a comb she started to make a French braid in Max's hair. "You'll be all betta soon."
Yeah once I get back in my body and washing consists of a 5 minute shower. None of this shaving crap, peppermint exfoliator and shea butter foot scrub. He simply gave her a simpering smile actually glad that she was braiding his hair.
"Next we gonna do a facial and then I'mma do yo' nails." Alec could only groan. Someone put me out of my misery!
Max had a blond on one side and a redhead on the other. Deep down she was cursing but seeing the look of glee on Sketch's face she almost felt glad she could help him. It was just so easy for Alec but Sketch was just clueless. At least he was getting some attention and by the sound of it was scoring himself a date. Goal accomplished.
Now if she could only figure out how to leave by herself. Turns out Alec's thing had really been sitting there waiting for them to flock. Sketch had simply smiled as the first woman approached with the words, "it starts." She had looked at him dubiously but her expression had changed quickly.
Start it did. Sketch was completely clueless when it came to the fine art of "picking up." And more than once she mused with the line. He doesn't need a wing man; he needs a whole flying crew. Alec must have worked his ass off helping him score a date. She must have talked to at least eight women by now and each prettier than the last. Aroused against her will because of his body then she had truly cursed.
Now she was tired and she wanted to leave. She had no clue how Alec put up with it. Truly she wondered how many times he had left with any of them, because a lot of them seemed a little too comfortable around her.
Strangely she was slightly irritated at the thought and had to stop thinking about it. She had to keep telling herself that he wasn't like that anymore. Was it true? Could she really trust him about that? Why would it even matter if he slept with half of them? Only no matter how much she tried to convince herself, she couldn't stop thinking about it.
Abruptly she got up, "excuse me ladies I'll be right back." Heading towards the bar she asked for another beer. After this. At the bar she was approached by a tall brunette with long cascading curls. She barely paid attention to the rest of her she had seen enough women for one night. The tall brunette smiled slyly and her blue eyes sparkled as she eyed Max up and down. You're Alec remember. "I've been working up the courage to come up close and find out your name," she admitted shyly and Max chuckled. Does it ever stop?! "Alec," she offered.
She never skipped a beat "You have gorgeous eyes, I love green." Shy my ass.
"My toothbrush is green," she said sarcastically and grinned. The brunette giggled "oh you are just too cute for words."
Max couldn't help but roll her eyes she was purposely acting stupid to turn her off and it wasn't working. "My bike is green too."
"So is that an invitation to try both?" Max looked at her incredulously and burst out laughing then was reduced to a small chuckle as the brunette simply smiled back.
"Excuse me I just remembered something." Completely ignoring her, she moved away. She headed towards the ladies room and right before she entered remembered and swerved into the men's room. Her giggles just wouldn't stop and she had to walk away.
Glancing down the line of urinals she suddenly paused. All laughter slipped away as two men looked up with a nod. Nodding back she approached and looked at the urinal with wide eyes. Looking behind her she walked into a stall and closed the door.
Ever since she had been in his body she had managed to pee while sitting down. She seriously didn't want to go there, anytime she even thought about it she just got the mad giggles and it was minutes before she could stop. Grow up she reprimanded herself and a giggle slipped.
Pulling herself together she walked out of the stall to a man who was looking at her strangely. Washing her hands she left the room and headed back towards the table where Sketch was alone.
"Where did they go?" she asked as she sat down.
Almost depressed Sketch replied, "I don't know man, one minute they were all happy and then you left and they just left saying they had to go."
"Well their loss," she said trying to cheer him up. "There's plenty more fish in the sea."
"Yeah…you know what I don't feel like doing this anymore. Let's go to the Blowfish," he stated as if only then thinking about it and his face split into a huge grin.
Max seriously never expected that and swallowed remembering the last time she had been there, "uhm…"
"Come on man, you never come out with me anymore," he pleaded.
"I don't?" she asked. That was odd, Alec would jump at any opportunity to go. now she wondered what Sketch meant.
"No and I know what's eating you too." Sketch took a shot and then downed the rest of his beer. She hadn't noticed until now but he was starting to feel good and she barely felt a buzz.
"Oh yeah what is it?" she prodded out of curiosity.
"I know how you feel about her man… anyone can see it. Well except maybe her." She looked to the pitcher and the bottle of Jack Daniel's he had been drinking and tried to remember how much he had to drink. Who the hell is he talking about?
"Sketch you had too much to drink pal." Taking another drink from her beer she tried to avoid the subject he was broaching. Somehow she was afraid to find out the answer to her unasked question and tried to have him stop. "Fine, I'll go with you to the Blowfish if you stop talking about it."
"See now you're talking. She may even be there," he winked. "You said she works there, one night a week right?" Sketch put his arm around her and he laughed.
Frowning, she swallowed, and thought about what he said. Does Alec have someone? Is that why he had changed? Not recognizing the feeling but she was slowly starting to get irritated. She was aggravated with the thought that another woman may be waiting for Alec, at the Blowfish of all places.
"I know we missed twofers but I'm sure Miss V. will be able to work something out for us." Chuckling to himself, Sketch smirked. Max was chewing the inside of her cheek. Miss V.?
"Stop that!" Cindy said as she slapped Max's thumb out of her mouth.
Alec had been chewing it absently again wondering what Max and Sketch were up to and she slapped him. She's almost worse than Max.
Suffering through what she had called a "mask" he had been slapped about five times for trying to scratch at his face because it had gotten all tight, dry and itchy. His cucumbers must have slipped four times before he got tired and ate them. Which only rewarded him with a look of death and fresh cucumbers which he had to refrain himself from eating again. What's the point of slapping food on their faces? The soldier in him was simply practical, food was food. You ate it.
Now she was filing his nails and every time she dug under the skin he squirmed on the chair grinding his teeth at the subtle sting. "You gonna stop moving? I swear you get worse every time." Well that gave him the answer to the question that had played in his head the entire time.
Max must hate it just as much as he did which made him feel somewhat better. Only he shouldn't even have to think of his feelings because what was happening to him should have never happened. Once this was over he never wanted to think of it again. Filing it away to unwanted memories that just happened to fill his night he sighed with relief as she finished with his pinky. "That's it?" hope was in Max's voice.
"I still have ta put yo' nail polish on. What color you want?" He looked from red, pink, coral, mauve, and brown finally he burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all. Of all the things he thought would haunt him the rest of his life this had never even crossed his mind. He was actually considering the colors in front of him, "coral."
"Good choice boo," Cindy smiled proudly and Alec smiled with pride at her compliment and he realized what he was doing. His thoughts went back to I'm going to kick her ass.
Max made her way with Sketch in tow and this time used the front door to the Blowfish.
Immediately the loud music surrounded her and her vision was filled with women. Several were clad with sheer clothes others with leather tight outfits. Some had fishnet stockings to extremely high heels and some classier ones wore elegant corsets with large brooches.
Making it down the stairs she was greeted by a blond who ran her hand down the front of her jacket. "Hi Alec, haven't seen you around in a long time," she purred. An inch away from Max she smiled and licked Alec's cheek. Ever slowly her hand lingered on his butt.
Immediately Max felt Alec's body react and her eyes grew wide in fear. Wiping her cheek in insult she gave a dirty look and walked away. Was that her? No it couldn't be she said she hadn't seen him. Looking down at his body she groaned. "Doesn't take you much does it?" God what am I doing? I'm conversing with it now. I need to get out of this body.
Unconsciously Max examined every woman in the place trying to find out which one would catch Alec's eye. Usually she would have completely refused to come with Sketch because the place was a dump. Getting a lap dance from a woman wasn't her idea of fun or reality for that fact. Only she was utterly taken with curiosity at who this mysterious woman was. So she went along with it and bit her tongue.
Sketch walked away heading towards the back and sat in a large brown chair and leaned back waiting. She was left standing there still looking around the room. Seeing the same seat she remembered Alec sitting in when she had been here last, she sat in it.
O.C. finally left the room after applying the nail polish to Alec's nails and he sighed with sheer relief because she was finally done.
Getting up off the chair he ran to the phone and dialed the number to his cell phone. His curiosity and worry just wouldn't dissipate.
Max felt the phone vibrate in her jacket pocket and looked at the caller ID, Maxie. She rolled her eyes at the name and flipped it open "yeah?"
"Alec… finally where are you?" Biting her lip she tried to think of a lie. He would lose it if he knew. After her reaction to that blond, now she knew why.
"I'm out," she said flatly, still looking around. The blond that greeted her at the door took this moment to approach her. "So, Alec your usual?" she grinned and Max shook her head in denial. With a stern look, she waved her away.
"Who was that? I recognize that voice!" There was a long pause and he came back with, "please don't tell me he took you to the Blowfish!"
Having no lie to tell him she admitted it "yeah I'm here and I'm just waiting to see which one you're hung up on. Sketch told me…"
Cutting her off he shouted "what?! What did Sketch tell you?" If she thought he sounded panicked before now she would forever know the difference. He had skyrocketed into quivering alarming dread. "Don't move! I'm coming!"
"Forgetting something there pretty boy?" Grinning into the phone she waved another woman off who walked away with a pout.
"Remember the last time you made me come here?" she asked. "Well I doubt the rules have changed," she was smiling now and hung up on him.
Alec's thoughts were racing a mile a minute. What the hell did Sketch tell her? I'm going to kill him!
Ignoring the questioning look Cindy threw at him he walked away to the bedroom and started getting dressed. Finding the tightest pair of black pants he knew looked incredible on her he slipped them on. Looking again through her drawers he took out a black shirt that showed an ample amount of her abs and sat off the shoulders.
Figuring that would give him a better chance of getting in. Undoing the braid, he fluffed her hair. It was dry by now and had a few waves in it. Running to the washroom he looked at her face in the mirror and smiled in appreciation. Yeah that'll do it.
Cindy watched Max go from the kitchen to the bedroom and then the washroom wondering the entire time what she was doing. "Hold up, you leavin'?" Hands on hips she had that no nonsense attitude again.
"Yeah…" he didn't really know what to say. "He's at the blowfish."
"Who?"
"Who else?" his eyes flashed anger and she finally nodded in comprehension. "Just do me a favor, tell that boy how you feel 'bout him will ya? Cindy getting dizzy watching you two dance 'round in circles."
Alec stopped with the leather jacket in his hand and finally after a few seconds found his voice. "It's not like that."
Slipping the jacket on, he left Cindy behind with a dubious expression on her face. "Yeah right, you crazy 'bout him," she added and Alec heard her through the door. Yeah I am crazy about her.
Making it to the Blowfish Alec looked around the building and swallowed with nervousness. Of all the possible things that could happen in his life, he was now on the other side.
His entire night was a joke and now he would end it with a bang. Sure he could leave her in there but he simply refused to. After being there a while she would probably go back to, "Alec you're such an ass, there you go again leading them on."
Especially with the amount of women that knew him there by name. Like a strip club had room for stringing along women who threw themselves at you willingly just to make a few bucks.
Walking to the back of the building he tried to sway his hips as much as he could and finally made it to the door. The manager who he actually knew personally looked him up and down with a leering grin and let him in. "Back again," he grinned remembering Max's body and Alec groaned inwardly. Never again if I can help it.
. Instantly the music surrounded him, and he walked to the large aquarium near the bar and looked around.
"Hey there, how about a dance gorgeous?" Hearing the voice in the background Alec never thought for a minute that it was addressed to him and didn't pay it any mind. A hand grabbed his arm and he looked over to a man with an oily head of brown hair. His speech was slurred and he had a pair of small red rimmed brown unfocused eyes.
"Not right now," Alec said quickly taking his arm back.
"Fifty bucks for you if you give me a lap dance," the man said again.
Alec laughed and shook his head, "no, you don't have enough money, trust me."
Leaning back in his seat, the man pulled out a wad of cash and Alec groaned. His fingers walked across the large pile of money and he counted out a few bills. "Sweetheart, how about 200 bucks? You'll make my night."
Alec laughed again to himself. "You don't want me to dance for you trust me. You can get half the women in here for that. Pick one of them."
Seeing the disinterested look cross the brunette's features he went back to his money. "500 bucks" he offered, "I don't want them, it's you I want."
500 bucks?! Alec found himself considering the offer. What would be so wrong? Well apart from the fact that I'm a guy! Looking around he tried to see if he could find Max to save him from this extremely weird dilemma.
"Aren't you here to dance? Or do I have to get management?" The man was getting annoyed that his offer was being refused again and was resorting to another tactic. "It's you I want," he emphasized again and was just about to reach in to squeeze Max's butt when Alec's hand stopped him. "Try it again and I'll kick your ass."
"I'm gonna get Lee, see what he thinks of this." Now Alec was truly caught, he wasn't leaving without Max and he wasn't going to let himself get kicked out for refusing a dance. What's wrong with dancing just a few minutes? He thought trying to convince himself. Could my life suck any more?
Closing his eyes he finally looked back to the drunken idiot and laughed the craziest laugh. I'm going to need spy-ops to burn this one away. "If you so much as lay a finger on me you're losing it pal, got it?!" I've done worse for Manticore, he thought again trying to justify what he was about to do.
"Well let's go honey, I'm getting anxious here," the man slurred again, sitting down and Alec swallowed around a very dry throat. It's not like it really has to be sexy? Does it?
Trying to hide his embarrassment he started to sway his hips slowly from side to side and closed his eyes in mortification. I'm in hell! Pretend its Max; well you watching Max.
"There we go…" the man started and then leered at him.
Alec tried to dance as good and as well as he could but he had never danced like this a day in his life. The only help was that he had seen enough to know what the man wanted. "That's it," the ugly man leaned back enjoying his show and Alec whimpered. I'm going to kill her!
Awkwardly he danced the entire time thinking of a happier place. Gritting his teeth around a fake smile he continued to dance and counted the seconds. His face was now a bright shade of red. "Don't be shy honey," the man intoned and Alec got even redder. 500 bucks, he kept repeating it in his head, 500 bucks.
Somehow it really wasn't making him feel any better. Needless to say he would never come to this place again without dying of humiliation. Feeling like the biggest ass in the world for making Max go through it and actually coming here in the first place to do his share of leering, he groaned. Lesson learned Max 1 Alec 0.
Max was bobbing her head to the music and was still looking around the room when her eyes spotted a very familiar head of brown hair. Raising herself from the seat her vision zoomed in to the back of the bar and she recognized her body. It was dancing of all things. She just stood there and her mouth dropped open.
She simply had no words. Her mind had gone blank. What the hell is going on over there? Watching with fascination she was unable to move when she saw him grab a big wad of cash from the guy's hand. With an affronted expression on her face, he walked away heading towards her. She could only sink back down on the chair. In her dazed state of mind, she practically missed it.
Alec had danced for him and once the song changed with a frustrated expression he stopped. "There you got your dance tubby now fork it over." He pulled out his money and Alec grabbed it and walked away glad that another moment of what he now called his personal hell was over and done with. That's when he noticed his own face staring back at him and she sunk into the chair practically ending up on the floor. Great!
He hadn't even made it two steps when another hand touched his arm. Before the man even managed to say anything, he walked away faster towards Max. When he got in front of her, he jumped on her and straddled her.
She still had a dazed expression on his face and was working his mouth frantically trying to come up with words.
Leaning in closer he whispered in her ears, "you have no idea what I just put up with to get to you. So close your mouth and pretend I belong here," he was hissing dangerously and Max still hadn't found her voice.
"Well say something!" Alec said almost furiously grabbing her shirt. More than anything he was embarrassed and her silence was killing him.
Glancing down to the hand that was holding her collar she gave a short laugh. "You look good, is that Coral?"
Practically bristling he huffed at her comment, "don't even go there."
"So do I get a lap dance too? Since you came all this way just for me," she mocked and rewarded herself with a slap on the back of the head. "Not funny. Do you know what this is going to do to me? Do you know what kind of hell I had to go through tonight!? 500 bucks isn't going to cover the years of mental therapy I'm going to need."
"500 bucks," she heard herself say, impressed at the amount and then laughed. "Go back out there who knows you might make a killing."
"Ha Ha Max, shut up! Just play along I'm not in the mood. This way no one will bother us."
Max finally stopped laughing and simply giggled. Putting her hands around her small waist she felt the hot skin beneath her fingers. She had to concentrate on not getting aroused by her body pressing down on her lap. This close there was no way she could fight his body and his so called needs. "Just stop squirming," she hissed under her breath.
Alec's lips tugged at the corner of his mouth and he nodded knowingly.
"Ugh… hey guys," Sketch's voice came through and they both turned around as if caught with their hands in the cookie jar. With the stupid dance he had forgotten about Sketch and the real reason why he was here.
Sketch didn't waste a breath and added, "Max funny seeing you here. I was sure you really didn't work here," he said it almost sarcastically and Max in Alec's body frowned at Sketch.
Alec sitting on Max just brushed his comment off, "yeah just one night a week." He grinned and Sketch sniggered, "right."
He turned to look at who he thought was Alec. "I'm leaving man I'm going to be sick."
Max simply turned and gave a nod unable to speak. She looked back into brown eyes with shock.
Alec watched Sketch leave and leaned in closer to Max, "what?! What did he tell you?"
"Nothing," she paused then added, "don't get your panties in a twist." She smirked and he frowned. The roles had completely reversed, Alec was now completely serious and uptight and Max was relaxed making all the stupid comments.
"Let's get the hell out of here," Alec said with a cursory glance around the room.
"I was just here to see which one caught your eye," she repeated watching for a hint in her own face that was staring back at her.
"None of them did," he said quickly. "So can we just go?" he got up and pulled at her hand.
"Fine whatever," she let him hold her hand to lead her out of the building.
Putting some distance between themselves and the Strip Club. She was thinking about what just happened. She realized she was still holding his hand and let it go. Then they heard a cat call from behind them and they both turned as one. "What now?" Alec turned around and noticed four guys approaching them in the darkness.
Their visions both zoomed in and they turned to each other and grinned. "This is going to be interesting" Max said in a low voice.
The leader of the pack closed the distance and grinned maliciously. "I told you, you would pay for what you did. Imagine my surprise to find you working here!" He then laughed "too bad you're not as good a dancer as you are a hustler."
Alec was actually insulted, "oh shut up will you." Alec rolled his eyes at the man he had hustled playing pool a couple nights ago. "Go home before you hurt yourself."
"Brave words for a small thing like you." His three friends approached and they stood there waiting for his signal. They were just as burly as the leader, like three Neanderthals who were nothing but brawn and no brains.
Alec took a look back into his face and Max looked at him with a wry grin. They didn't need words because when it came to fighting they were completely in sync. Her hand reached briefly for his and she gave him a small eye movement and they were both off in a blur.
Alec reached for the leader and elbowed him in the face knocking him to the ground in one fell swoop.
Max made her way to the back and found herself in the middle of three guys watching her keenly. Throwing a roundhouse a kick she caught one on the side of the head and quickly recovered punching another one in the face.
Alec in Max's small body had more stealth and was blurring rapidly among the rest of the men punching and elbowing in turn, within a matter of seconds they were strewn on the ground.
Alec looked over at Max and his green eyes were shining back at him with excitement and he grinned "let's go."
Grabbing her hand again they left at a run.
Making their way back to his apartment they closed the door behind them and both started laughing out of their completely delinquent behaviors.
Max noticed again that they were still holding hands and dropped it quickly. Walking away from her body she stopped laughing and headed towards the couch. "Well I'm glad that's finally over with."
"Yeah you're telling me." Noticing how quickly she had let go his hand he tried to ignore the small pang of sadness. Following her he sat on the couch first. "I had to go through at least five different kinds of torture tonight," he groaned, admitting how he felt about the entire makeover.
"Yeah I guess you finally realize that it's not easy being me." Grinning she sat beside him and crossed her legs.
"No, it isn't," he said begrudgingly but honestly.
Looking at him curiously for the first time she noticed that there was no trace of humor and that he was being genuinely sincere with her. "I have a question for you."
"You're not going to ask me to dance for you again are you?" Rubbing his eyes with his hand he blew out some air from his mouth in discouragement.
Laughing at his comment she pushed at him. "Well you have natural talent I have to give you that." And he groaned. "Let's never talk about that again! For the sake of my sanity; please."
"No seriously, I saw that Julie woman again tonight. What's up with that?" Cocking her head she noticed the strangled expression on her face.
Sighing deeply he looked over at his serious face examining him. "Julie is a special case…when I first got out I didn't know better. I thought hey if they're going to throw themselves at me may as well make the best of it. You know thanks to marvelous gene splicing techniques and wonderful DNA as a result. You'll find I have a bigger sexual appetite than a normal person. It kinda sucks actually." Looking away from the stifled expression on his own face he continued.
Yeah right, he's never been in heat. Commenting to herself she continued to listen to him.
"Anyway, well turns out Julie had this habit of stepping outside of her marriage to find younger and more exciting candidates. I didn't know at first but I soon found out when her husband tried to kill me. That's the clincher it excites her to have men fight over her."
Max scoffed and then rolled her eyes, "like he could have."
"He almost succeeded,." he said simply not really elaborating on the details. "That's that." He got up feeling uncomfortable and headed towards his bedroom.
Getting the drift that he didn't want to talk about it she didn't say anything. After a few minutes she followed him into his bedroom and he was lying on his bed with his arm over his eyes. "I want my body back. I miss my life, my bed, and I miss being alone," he said melancholically and she heard desperation in his voice. "It's easier that way you know, you don't get hurt."
Then and there she realized that he truly wasn't that different from her. He was just as afraid of getting hurt as she was. Seeing a side of him she had never seen before she sat beside him on the bed and lay down looking at the ceiling. "We'll switch back eventually." I hope. She didn't want to tell him how uncertain she was at that moment because he sounded like he needed hope a little more than she did. He never said another word he just laid there peacefully and she didn't want to disturb him. Eventually her breathing evened out and she fell asleep.
Alec heard the deep breaths indicating sleep and he got up from his bed. He stood there debating whether he should stay or leave since she hadn't outright told him to go. He wanted to be close to her but not like this, it was too awkward. So he grabbed a blanket, laid it on top of her, turned around and left. "Goodnight Maxie."
A/N: Okay so it took me a little longer to update sorry guys. I hope you enjoy it though... I noticed the reviews have dwindled... If there's something I'm not doing right or you're simply not enjoying the fic please let me know if there's something wrong. Thanks.
This Chapter is dedicated to "Merykey" because she was extremely sweet! and made me a cover for this story at the NWP Forum. It's so great :) I love it. Not just for the cover art but for continuously reviewing and giving me such high praise over at LJ as well :) I must have blushed for a good hour afterwards lol. Anyway enjoy the chapter.