So I was kind of dreading going to class, and it was actually fun today. My teacher told us to share a video we liked from youtube and I had to restrain from showing anything remotely Demena. Anyway, enjoy this next chapter, and those guessing on what's going to happen next…oh you guys, you'll see.
"Alex." I felt my arm being tapped a few times. My eyes were shut tight and I was still slightly between my dreaming state and actually waking.
"Hum!"
"I need help with breakfast, come on." I felt fingers wrap against my arm, tugging on me as I sighed.
"But…"
"Now, this is your company." I finally realized it was my mom talking. I opened my eyes slightly, spotting her frame next to me. Mitchie was sleeping like a baby next to me, everyone else were still in their places as well.
"Do I have to help you cook?"
"Yes, we're using the restaurant kitchen." I watched as my mom solely waked away, clicking was being done in the kitchen.
"Stop with the noise." I whined, covering my faced before I heard my mother once more.
"Alexis Russo, get up now!"
"Fine." I sat up, moving Mitchie slowly. My mom wasn't mad, she was just determined to get me to help her. I made it onto the floor, wishing I could drift back to sleep with everyone else.
"Grab that tray and bring it downstairs please."
"I'm not going downstairs like this." I was referring to my wrinkled clothes from last night.
"Alex we're not opening the shop today, now lets go." My mom moved towards the spiral steps, walking one step after another down, until she was gone. I whined to myself before grabbing the tray of food she had created before retracing my mother's steps. Downstairs my dad was closing blinds and making sure the lights were still working due to the earthquake, they were.
"Jerry a little help." My mom was leaning against the archway between the kitchen and register. My dad ran over as fast as he could, lightening her load while I struggled with my own.
"Okay, Alex and I will be cooking and talking, you get finished with everything." I had no idea what she was talking about, but then again it was too early and I just woke up. Maybe I was slightly brain dead and processing things weren't in the plans at the moment. I washed my hands before cracking a few eggs into a large bowl.
"Alex about Saturday." My mom faced me as she rolled small sausage balls for meatballs.
"Yeah."
"Something unplanned happened."
"What?" I shook myself awake.
"Its nothing to panic about, but your FATHER," my mom looked out over the small opening in the wall, "told Mitchie about the song."
"WHAT?" My heart began thumping faster as I made myself calm down a bit. "How…when?"
"He told her last night when Justin was looking for his wire ball."
"You know about his wire ball?"
"Yes." My mom nodded. "Your father and I are helping him with it."
"With what?" I pushed the entire thing about Mitchie knowing about me singing to her out of my head for a moment.
"Alex, I swear you're just as bad as Mitchie. You'll know when its time."
"Mom." I was in no mood for mind games this early in the day.
"Alex I'm not telling you, and don't you dare try to get it out of your father. I've threatened him after his little slip up last night." My mom began tossing her meatballs into a pot as it boiled on the stove.
"Fine. But now what am I going to do about Mitchie knowing about the song?"
"You'll just have to make it seem as if you aren't going to sing. Besides, at least she doesn't know the song….right?" My mom asked as I nodded.
"Dad's an idiot."
"That he is." My mom agreed before I saw Max and Coco in the restaurant running in circles. "Where'd you come from?" I asked over the small opening.
"Duh, mom and dad." Max told me as I shook my head, pushing the egg bowl over to my mom.
"I meant, I didn't see you come downstairs."
"Oh. That's because Coco and I are doing secret courses that I made around the house and shop."
"O-kay." I shook my head as Coco spotted me. She darted my way, hopping up and down before licking my pants leg.
"Alex get her out of the kitchen!" My mom was trying to move different foods back towards her.
"Okay,okay." I gripped Coco's collar, "come on girl." I lead the puppy out near one of the tables before releasing her, "good job girl, I hate cooking."
…
Mitchie's P.O.V
Justin lifts his wire ball up to me, smiling brightly.
"For you Mitchie." I stare at him, before pulling the object into my hand.
"Alex said it was a key."
"It is." He nodded, turning towards a small trunk. It seemed no bigger then one of the end tables in my home.
"What's in it?" I ask the boy.
"Find out." His smile was sort of devious. I took a deep breath, pushing past him before lowering myself to grab the lock, but the key wouldn't fit.
"Hey Mitchie, breakfast." I quickly shot up, jumping to my knees as I gazed at Justin in front of me. He had caused my heart to race so fast that all other noises were blocked out, and only the pounding of my heart was heard.
"Don't do that." I hit the boy in his shoulder before noticing we were the only two left in the condo.
"Okay, I'm sorry. Breakfast is in the restaurant." He looked at me for a few more seconds before walking away. I took a quick breath, as he disappeared. I couldn't hear a thing in the house, so I quickly smiled, moving onto the floor.
"Alex?" I called to see if I could hear her. "Teresa? Jerry?" I paced myself towards the spiral steps. "Conrad? Harper? Mackenzie?" No one seemed to be left, so I slowly made it up the stairs, one step at a time, making it for Alex's room. "Max?" Usually he would be the sneaky one, but he too was gone from the house. I picked up my pace, darting to Alex's room before noticing everything was normal. They must of cleaned up whatever they were doing last night. I tapped my barefoot against the plush carpet below me, trying to think like Alex, but it failed every time. I sighed, walking towards the window to gaze out onto the street. It was another perfectly warm day, I could tell.
"Don't tell me you're snooping around in here." I turned around to face Teresa. She was carrying a basket in her arms.
"No." I shook my head, "what's in the basket?"
"We're heading to the beach how one last time. You want to go?"
"Last time?" I ask as Teresa nodded.
"They'll be no time until next summer since school and things are starting up again."
"Oh I forgot." I followed her down the steps. "Wait, I need shoes."
"Its okay, the sub shop is closed today."
"An empty restaurant, that should be creepy." I giggled as Teresa encouraged me to walk before her. I guess there was no snooping going on anytime soon.
….
Alex's P.O.V
"Harper catch!" The eight tables in the sub shop were spread out evenly between one another, excluding the ones in the back. Harper and I sat a table across from one another. Max and Conrad sat across from one another, while Justin and Mackenzie did the same. I rose a meatball into my hand as Harper opened her mouth. I flung the food across the table.
"Caught it!" Conrad laughed, getting ready to toss his food towards Max.
"Enough of that guys, now hurry up, we have to leave soon." My mom moved into the kitchen as I waved to Mitchie.
"Take a load off." I tapped the chair next to me before Harper shot a meatball my way. I caught it in my hand before popping it into my mouth.
"What's this, a cafeteria?" I heard Mitchie ask as she sat next to me.
"Some what, but it only has three hot students." Once I said those words everyone shouted back and forth as Mitchie faced me.
"Who's the hot students?"
"Well me, myself and I of course." I giggled as Mitchie stuck out her tongue, lifting my fork up into her hand before she poked at some eggs.
"Okay, so half of you guys will go with Jerry and the other half with me." My mom was finally done packing I suppose. "Everyone be ready in thirty minutes."
"Mitchie you should eat and I'll go and get dressed. Are your clothes still in the car?" I asked her as she nodded. "Okay I'll put them in my room."
"Hey Mitchie, watch Coco.' Max waved his hand into the air as I made it over to the steps. Coco hopped up on her hind legs before she began to whine. She was begging, in just a few minutes, Max taught my puppy how to beg. I made it upstairs and into my room, trying to find something to wear for the beach house. Last time I was there, Mitchie frisked me the entire time, and lets just say, the first of many shared showers were started. I didn't plan on getting wet, so I didn't bother to grab a swimsuit. With some jeaned capris and a gray top with headphone designs I was showered and dressed in no time. When I left the bathroom Mackenzie was laying across my bed facing me.
"What?" I asked.
"We left our suitcases at Mitchie's place."
"What use is it going to do you there?"
"No good." She laid on her back before kicking her feet up. "Justin is giving Conrad some of his stuff to wear…"
"So?" I said as Mitchie walked into the room, she was dressed as well, in her trademark sundress and boots.
"Alex I need some clothes. I'm your stupid guest, so help me out please."
"Fine, shirts are in the top drawer, jeans and shorts in the third."
….
Mitchie's P.O.V
Once everyone was dressed and ready to go, Alex and I rode in the back seat of her dad's truck, while Max sat in the front. Everyone else was with Teresa, and Coco was laying next to me sleeping. I ran my fingers over her fur a few times before leaning onto Alex's shoulder. She was half asleep herself because the ride to the beach house was quite long.
"Lexi, lets stay away from the sand…and the water…and..the shower, or not away from it but.."
"I know what you mean." She smiled before yawning. I nodded as she wrapped her arm around me, her fingers now against my waist. That's when the music on the radio seemed to be in tuned with my life in some way. I giggled just by the thought of it. I gazed up at Alex, her eyes closed as I poked her nose.
"You-make-me, feel like I'm living a –teen-age-dream the way you turn me on, I can't sleep…," I rocked slowly back and forth as Alex pinched my side. "Stop." I whispered before following the radio once more, "My-heart-stops, when you look at me, just-one-touch, now baby I believe, this-is-real, so take a chance and don't ever look back, don't ever look back…"
"Hey guys we're almost…there." Max had faced me slowly before turning back to the front. Jerry didn't look back at us so I knew we were still in the clear.
"Lets-go-all…the way tonight, no regrets, just love.."
"Mitch." Alex pressed me into her more before I giggled.
"Fine, I won't turn you on with my awesome singing skills."
We stopped just a few seconds later when the song ended. Coco had woken up due to Teresa's car door slamming next to Jerry's. Alex didn't want to open her eyes but I moved her just enough to wake her. I could remember the last time I was at the place like it was yesterday, it felt a lot like yesterday. Justin ran over to Alex's door as we opened it.
"You know, I do believe you still owe me for last time. Plus picking Mitchie up from the airport, and going along with everything for Saturday..and.."
"Justin, I get it." Alex croaked, her voice sounding groggy.
"How come I've never been here?" Harper asked, spinning in slowly circles as Alex faced me. I only shrugged.
"Its your fault you didn't bring her." I made it over to Conrad as he nodded.
"This is the most time I've had off of work, and I love it." He told me.
"Yeah, I thought you were working on your show?"
"Um…I am."
"Conrad." I tilted my head as he focused on my eyes. I knew my brown ones were burning into his blues. He didn't say anything else, he only stared, unmoving. "Conrad." I repeated as Teresa opened the beach house up.
"I'll be…in there." Conrad ran, darting past Max and Coco before disappearing inside. He did tell me he had to work on his show, and that he was only in town for my mini-concert days ago, so now what's his excuse? I faced Mackenzie who was helping with the things the Russo's packed up. I decided to get something out of Alex, no matter how little the information was. I moved back over to the half dazed girl before running my fingers up and down her arm.
"Lexi." I pouted as she covered her mouth sighing, facing me shortly after.
"Hum?"
"Can you tell me why Conrad isn't working right now?" My fingers were tingling. Actually, they were warming up.
"He is working."
"Not right now he isn't." I pressed my back into the car, trying my best not to fall back into the car door Alex left open. I placed my left hand in between hers before tilting my head.
"Mitch, what are you doing?" She asked me.
"I'm being irresistible of course." I did a small giggle as Alex looked over her shoulders and towards the house before walking into me.
"I thought we weren't going to do this…I mean…it's a lot of people to be hiding from, and not just my clueless mom." Alex told me as I thought about what she was saying. I studied her face before moving my hand from hers.
"We aren't…I wasn't…I wouldn't…I…never mind." I grabbed a bag from the car and left Alex watching me leave. I guess I too forward, which could make it seem as a let on. God, I must be really good to make reactions like that without trying.
"Wait there Mitchie. We're moving things." Harper informed me as she stood in the hall, blocking me from the back rooms.
"Okay but.." I stood on my tip-toes but it was no good, all I could hear was moving, I couldn't see a thing.
"So to make things clear," Alex walked in, "you were trying to know why Conrad wasn't working today?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, cause I don't know how we would have been able to pull of something like that with a lot of people around."
"Uh, Alex…Harper is right here." I pointed to her friend.
"She doesn't know what we're talking about." Alex defended, dropping a box in her arms onto a nearby table.
"Well now that you mention it, I don't think I want to know….oh and the hall is clear."
….
Alex's P.O.V
My mom and dad, as well as Justin were up to something. Conrad, Mitchie, Harper, Mackenzie and I all sat against the bank of the ocean, watching the waves roll in. It was hard for me to stay put while they did whatever they were doing inside.
"The sun should be setting in a hour, so I'll take Mackenzie, and we're going for a walk." Conrad lifted the girl up before they trailed away from us.
"The three amigos." Harper cheered before I faced her. "I got it." She pushed herself up from the sand, leaving Mitchie and I alone.
"Mitchie you know you're really important to me right?"
"Important? Yes." She nodded, brushing her black hair behind her ears before sliding closer towards me. We were now side by side, as she faced me with her right arm holding her up, and her left one draped over her sundress, holding it down.
"And I've told you that you meant the world to me a million times."
"Yeah, I think I've heard that." She smiled as I gazed down. She was plucking at the rim of her dress.
"My mom told me that my dad blabbed about your birthday." I took a deep breath as Mitchie sat up, still leaning on her right arm, but this time, using her left one to run her fingers through my hair.
"Are you mad?"
"I'm not mad, just disappointed because I worked really hard to make everything perfect."
"Its okay, perfect isn't my style anyway." She giggled, holding the tip of my hair in her fingers.
"Its just…its really important. So can you please not try to figure anything else out, we have three days, and then I want you to be surprised." Stupid heart, it was picking up a few paces.
"But its just so hard." Mitchie whined as I ran my hand through hers, pushing her fingers out of my hair, holding her tightly.
"Please." I saw a spark in her eyes, I wanted to smile, knowing she was giving in.
"Okay Alex…it is just three days away."
"Just three days," I nodded in return, pressing my nose against hers as she pouted.
"Three long days." I felt her breath play against my lips as I shook my head.
"Three perfect days." I told her, letting my body naturally move into hers, kissing her gently, as the wind picked up. Small beads of sand began tapping against my cheek, so I closed my eyes, pushing into Mitchie more, dropping my hand from hers as she fell back. I felt out lips part so I glanced at her.
"Cute." I told her, climbing on top of her, as she rolled her eyes, sliding her fingers into my hair before her hands landed against my face.
"I thought we agreed to stay away from the sand." Mitchie brought it back up as I nodded.
"I think we did. Damn this sand." I lowered myself onto her, kissing her once more as she began giggling. The sky was slowly darkening as I heard a bark nearby. I didn't pull away, not until I heard pounding footsteps near me. I looked up before covering Mitchie's face as Coco hopped next to us, barking loudly.
"Okay, okay." I told her. "Mitchie keep your eyes closed." I pulled back, letting Coco tackle me as Mitchie sat up laughing. "I didn't hurt her." I told the dog as she continued to bark in my face. I was now pinned down.
"Coco I'm fine, see." Mitchie stood, spinning in a circle before Coco moved away from me, lowering her head.
"Its okay, good girl." I ran my fingers under her collar before Mitchie giggled.
"I guess she's protect me at any cost."
"Yup." I agreed. "She's a traitor."
…..
One of the bedrooms were filled with decorations. My mom and dad had made it a mission of theirs to get everything together before Saturday, and Justin made sure things went on as planned.
"So do you think we have everything?" I asked my mom as she nodded before she waved to me. I walked over towards her, as she sat at the window bench. I moved next to her before taking a seat.
"Can I show you something?"
"Sure." I nodded, as my dad left the room, closing the door before my mom leaned over and lifted a book from a side box. "What's that a photo album?"
"You can call it that." Once my mom handed it to me, I narrowed my eyes to glance at the shape, the colors on the cover, and the words written across the bottom. For Mitchie. It was written by me when I was younger, who knows how young, but I was still a kid, that I knew for sure.
"I don't remember this." I told my mom as she opened the cover, letting me glance at the first picture, which took up the entire page. I glanced up at my mom before looking back at the picture. It was Mitchie and I playing dress up as kids. I covered my mouth before smiling, flipping to the next page. Every picture, every word written brought back a memory from childhood. Mitchie was always a part of it.
"What am I suppose to do with this?" I asked as my mom turned to the back.
"Read it." She encouraged me on as I faced the window. The sun was about to set.
"I have to sit with Mitchie and them for the sunset."
"Read it first." My mom told me, as I sighed, lifting the book up to read the back.
"For Mitchie, for the best friend a girl could ever have, and ….," I stopped reading. "When did I write this?"
"It took you three years to finish remember? Give it to her Saturday."
"But…"
"Here, give it to me for safe keeping until then." My mom lifted the book from my hand as my heart began pounding again. I was nervous. Now it wasn't only the singing that was making my heart pound, it was everything else as well.
"How old was I?"
"Alex you'll miss the sunset, now go." My mom waved me away as I stood.
"But how old was I?"
"I don't remember, but you were just shy of thirteen when you finished it."
I stared at my mom before I heard screams erupting in the house. Everyone was calling for me, even my dad wanted my mom out there to watch the sunset. I took a deep breath, walking from the room, and running to find Mitchie. Everything in the scrapbook, those words, how could someone so young write words like that? Conrad was sitting on the steps with Mackenzie in his arms as the sun slowly fell towards the ocean. Justin and Harper were all the way up near the water and Max was asleep with Coco in his lap on a lounge chair. Mitchie was sitting on the porch banister, leaning against the middle colum. I walked over to her, wrapping my arms around her waist before leaning into her side.
"Mitchie, we were meant to be." I whispered to her as she looked down.
"Did you say something?" She asked as I shook my head 'no,' hugging her as best as I could before she giggled. The sun seemed to hiss as it hit the water, the lower it got, the slower my heart became. I couldn't help but repeat my own words in my head over and over again from little Alex, who at the time was no more then twelve, For the best friend a girl could ever have, and with every beat of my heart, for my true love from the start. I pressed my cheek into Mitchie's side, burning my face in her dress as my dad ran out to pop fireworks.
"Alex, I thought you like lighting things up." Mitchie said to me, as I moved back, helping her down.
"I do, its just…not today."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm perfectly..perfect." I smiled, sliding my hand into Mitchie's before leading her over to Max, grabbing Coco and trailing towards the bank.
"Where are we going?"
"Just for a walk."
"But the fireworks…"
"We'll be able to see them." The sand was smooth and cool when we finally made it to the spot where the water smashed against the land. "Mitch do you remember that rock I gave you when we were like twelve or something."
"Not really." She shook her head.
"Well it came from just over there, you see that house, all the way down there?"
"Yeah."
"I remember we use to dress up and walk from my house to that one, remember?"
"Its not ringing a bell."
I walked away from her slightly, before placing my hand out for her to grab it.
"Mah, lady." I bowed to Mitchie as she focused on me before placing her hand in mine. I pulled her into me, holding onto her other hand tightly. "Shall we dance?"
"To what music?"
"What did we use to dance too?" I asked as Mitchie stood still puzzled. I didn't move, hoping she'd remember before she opened her mouth, closing it quickly. A smile running across her face from cheek to cheek.
"What made you think of when we were twelve?"
"I don't know, sometimes your life is just carved out for you at an early age, and you just don't realize it then." I moved back as Mitchie did the same, before we walked into each other, making a short curtsey before spinning. Coco only watched us as she ran back and forth in the water on the bank.
"I think you've been overwhelmed with happiness." Mitchie told me before she pressed her head on my shoulder. I walked back as she walked into me, we made it towards the water as Coco barked.
"Sometimes you never really know what's right in front of you. And sometimes things happen and you fall apart, but you…you've been there with me from the beginning." I let Mitchie go as she twirled under my arm, before coming back to me.
"Alex you sound…not like yourself."
"I just want you to know…that no matter what…I'll always love you."
"Can we stop." Mitchie pulled back as I focused on her.
"What's wrong?"
"I know how our dances ended back then remember? You shoving me into the water."
"Oh yeah." I tilted my head, "I think you're overdue."
"Oh no." Mitchie squealed, running back towards the house as I followed her, smiling, because I knew I was doing the right thing, even if that meant hurting someone in the end.
"I hate dancing."
"Come on Alex." Mitchie would pull my hand into her, as the dark sky fell over us. "One step in, one step out, one step in, twirl, and then bow. Got it?"
"Yes bossy Mitchie." I'd salute her as she grabbed my fingers between hers. She's walk into me, and I couldn't move. I would stare at her as she did the moves and I sometimes stiffly followed.
"You're doing it wrong." She'd tell me as I pull away from her.
"So, I hate dancing." And with that, I'd push her into the cold midnight ocean water, before helping her up again.
Okay guys, I'll do more thank yous in the next chapter. My hands are too cold here, but as a general thank you…GUYS…you made me smile so hard that I thought my face was going to break or something. Long reviews made me squeal and I was on the brink of dancing so thank you. Other reviews were just so amazing that it made my day, and helped me push through with homework and stuff. I know the beginning of the chapter was choppy, but that's because I was stopping a few times, and the end gives you guys just a little push into the upcoming chapters. Its sad to say, but in less then ten chapters, this story will be over. So you never know if seven chapters are the end, or in five. I thank you guys SO-SO much for helping me realize how amazing I could push a story on to be. Every last one of you need a hug from me, I'll hug my computer so you make sure your computer gives it back. Thanks guys…I'll be switching to My First Love soon as well as that other story, it's a blank in my mind now. Thanks for reviewing in advanced.
I didn't want to keep so much of the book Alex had a mystery, so I gave you the back line from it. Also, a chapter usually takes just three hours, two if I'm motivated.