Chapter 17

Favor

Alex normally kept her cell phone turned off during school. It was against the rules to use cell phones during school hours anyway. But as the day went on, and Kerry seemed to avoid Alex the whole day, she became rather desperate. She was going to need help in her newly formed plan to apologize to the dark haired girl.

Alex: Raph, can I ask a favor?

Alex sat back against one of the bookcases in the library. She had gone in there searching for Kerry during lunch. There had been no sight of the girl. So instead of going to the cafeteria to catch up with the rest of her group, she took up a little spot by one of the windows, away from the librarians in order to text Raph.

Raph: What's up?

Alex: Can I catch a ride after school? I've gotta run someplace before work at April's.

It was Tuesday, so nobody normally picked her up. She needed a ride if she was going to fit it in before her shift.

Raph: Yeah that'd be no problem. What are we doing?

Alex: I've got to run to the craft store to get decorative paper.

Raph: Wedding invitations already? Moving a bit fast aren't we? I haven't even gotten to second base yet.

Alex rolled her eyes despite the blush forming on her face. Well, it's not for a lack of trying, she thought. On both parts… She cleared her throat, rubbing her neck as she tried to get that mental image out of her head. She was at school for crying out loud!

Alex: Why? You proposing?

Her text was sent as a joke, though she could imagine spending her life with Raph. he made her happy. He could come home from work, kiss her on the cheek. She could make him dinner, and pie every once in a while. They could teach classes at the dojo together, and eventually teach their children how to fight and ice skate.

Raph: Sorry I don't have a ring. Would you settle for a donut?

Alex: Yes, yes I would. ;)

The girl rolled her eyes and heard footsteps going her way. She hid her phone under her leg and picked up her textbook to pretend to study. One of the librarians walked by, smiling down at the girl before going passed. Alex waited a moment before pulling her phone back out.

Alex: I've got an idea on how to make it up to Kerry for the fight.

Raph: You mean you still haven't made up?

Alex sighed. It wasn't for a lack of trying on her part either. Alex had basically searched the whole school after she didn't see Kerry at her locker that morning.

Alex: I think she's avoiding me…. :(

Raph: She's prideful. She might not want to admit defeat just yet. You know how she gets. If it wasn't for Donnie, I don't think she'd even be at school today.

Alex: I feel so bad! I didn't mean any of what I said. Honestly.

Raph: Kerry wasn't exactly helping the situation, Firecracker.

Alex: Yeah, but she was scared. I understand that. And she has valid points.

Raph: Didn't mean she had to go ranting and raving about it. You had a right to tell her to stop. The Hick, needs to learn to think before speaking, needs to know her place.

Alex: She's part of the family, Raph. She deserves to be able to speak her mind. I always tell her to be honest with me.

Raph: But she's not actually family, right? I mean she didn't even grow up in the same part of the country as you.

Alex: It shouldn't matter where she's from. We love her. Family is more than blood. You should know that better than anybody.

Raph: Good. We agree. Just tell her that and you'll be fine. If you just tell her what you just told me, or any form of it this should work out fine.

Alex smirked. He has a point. He always seemed to know what to tell her to lead her in the right direction; to make her feel better.

Alex: You always know what to say. That's one of the reasons why I love you. 3

Raph: Thanks. I thought the words need to come from your own mouth in the moment, just like the harmful ones. That way you know you mean them this time.

Alex: Again with all the right words.

Raph: Well I had to have SOMETHING in common with Donnie I guess. We were raised together.

Alex leaned back, her head bumping against the shelf. She should have said goodbye and put her phone away. She was only supposed to have it out to ask the favor, but she couldn't seem to put the phone away. She enjoyed talking to Raph far too much to think about putting the phone away.

Alex: So what are you up to, Hotshot? Anything interesting?

Raph: Nah, Donnie is trying to to teach us...something. I don't know. It has a lot of numbers.

Alex laughed. Of course math wasn't Raph's subject. At least he hadn't said it was Health class, or Sex Ed.

Alex: Shouldn't you be paying attention then?

Raph: LEO isn't even paying attention.

Alex: At least it isn't Sex Ed.

Raph: I can teach you that. ;) We'll make it fun.

Alex blushed, her whole body raising in temperature. Oh, this so wasn't the time for that kind of talk! But Alex couldn't resist.

Alex: Is that a promise? ;)

Raph: Oh you bet.

Alex: Like what exactly?

She knew she should have asked for details. It wasn't like she could take care of her own business at school. She'd be left high and dry, but she couldn't stop. Raph had that effect on her.

Raph: You gotta sign up for the class first. 'Sides I don't think you should be day dreaming at school.

Alex: I've got nothing better to do right now. It's my lunch break. I've still got about half an hour to kill.

Raph: Yeah well you don't have any of your toys to help you out, now do you? Not like you could in the first place, being at school.

Alex knew he had a point, but she didn't want him to win. She knew they wouldn't end up doing anything like Sexting while she was at school, but she could still tease him. Even if what she came back with wasn't true.

Alex: I may not have them, but there is a place called the bathroom where there are stalls. And I have these things called fingers, you know. They're useful for many things….

Raph: Fucking hell Alex now I have to go take a shower and the guys will know you were texting me things!

Alex: Or you could just go to your room and imagine it yourself. ;) I am your girlfriend, after all.

Raph: Yeah cause that will go over so much better!

Alex: The end result would be. ;)

Raph: I hate you so much.

Alex: No you don't. You love me.

Raph: Which is why I hate you.

Alex: You don't make any sense when you're horny, Honey.

Raph: You don't make sense.

Alex: I'm making more sense than you are, Pumpkin.

Raph: You got me in trouble with Donnie.

Alex: What did he say? Did you get detention?

Raph: You are such a bitch. Now you have to write me an I'm sorry card too.

Alex: This time I'm not teasing. I'm just asking. And I can get the paper for it when you bring me to the store, unless you can think of another way I can make it up to you….?

Raph: He says I'm not allowed to text you during math class anymore and that if I do next time he's making me sit through the discomfort.

Alex: Oh, so you got to leave to take care of business? ;)

Raph: I'm flipping you off through the phone, just so you know.

Alex: And my response would either be 1) right here, right now, or 2) You can't afford me.

Raph: I can afford 2 dollars. I got to go.

Alex: Okay, I'll see you later. Love you!

Raph:...Love you too.

Alex walked out of school after standing at her locker watching for Kerry for ten minutes. There was no sign of Kerry whatsoever, which put the girl down more. Kerry really was trying her best to avoid Alex, and she was succeeding.

"Hey," Alex greeted Raph as she walked up to him. Her voice sounded tired.

"Hey, no luck?" Raph asked holding out her helmet.

Alex shook her head with a sigh. "No luck."

"I can get Donnie to talk to her for you. Get her to snap her out of it. He ripped her a new one last night." Raph shrugged.

"He did? Really? Why?" Alex asked, taking the helmet.

"She said she wasn't going to go to school, despite having a big test that she had studied for really hard. Donnie wasn't going to just let her risk being sent to England over a little squabble that, knowing her, she'd get over in a day or two and regret." Raph chuckled, having been there for the fight when they dropped her off at her apartment. "He said she needed to stop being such a child about it. I think he bruised her pride but...she was at school today if that says anything about Donnie's influence over her."

"Well, thank heaven's for Donatello," Alex sighed, climbing on behind him.

"Well, he's in the Doghouse at the moment because of it, so I'd wait on the thank you text," he chuckled. "Kerry's a pro sulker huh?"

"Yup," she muttered.

"Good luck, Donnie," he mumbled as he drove off.

They drove for several minutes before they got to the craft store Kerry liked to get her art supplies at.

"Oh god this is going to be so much fun." Raph grumbled a bit , with a lot of sarcasm.

"Oh hush," Alex laughed, taking his hand. "I've just got to grab some paper and then we can head out."

"Alright but make it quick, I don't like the looks I'm getting."

Alex raised an eyebrow. She glanced around, not really understanding what he meant. "What?"

"Girls are looking at me, Alex. As if I'm the last piece of bubble gum." He shivered.

Alex frowned. Now she saw what he meant. There were several teenagers, as well as adult women looking at Raph, checking him out. They were checking her boyfriend out. Alex glared at them without realizing it. Raph was her boyfriend. They didn't have the right to check him out. Alex pulled him along quickly. Oh, she couldn't have that.

"Let's hurry yeah?" Raph asked her, pressing close to her side.

"Yeah," she muttered. "Just, uh," she glanced at the other end of the isle, where several teenage girls, freshmen, she believed, were looking and giggling at Raph. "Give me a sec."

"Can I wait outside, on our getaway vehicle...please?" he groaned a bit, head hitting the shelf.

Alex glared at the girls. "If you'd like," she muttered. Raph kissed her and was off like a flash of lightning back to the front of the store and out the door.

Alex looked threw the paper quickly, trying to find the perfect paper. In the end, Alex found a light lavender colored paper with little black irises in the corners of the paper. She grabbed it and headed to the checkout, passing my the girls who had stared. She checked out, heading back out to meet Raph. The girls moved to the window, staring out at Raph and his bike.

"Finally," Raph groaned. "Where to now, Firecracker?"

Alex walked right up to Raph and grabbed his face, pulling him down to kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him there. Raph stumbled against his bike, gripping the handle to keep from hurting them as he caught her by her waist. He groaned into the kiss before returning it happily. She pulled back, looking at the girls in the store to see that their mouths were hanging open.

"Okay, now we can go," she said happily, a smirk in place.

"Alrighty then." Raph smirked at her as he pulled out her helmet.

Alex sat behind the counter of The 2nd Time Around. It was very quiet, giving Alex the perfect chance to write her letter to Kerry. She figured Kerry would find it less awkward to read the apology than for her to hear it. And seeing as she was avoiding Alex, this was one of the only ways she'd be able to do it.

Fruitcake,

You are a hothead. You're loud and hyper and far too comfortable speaking your mind without thinking. However, those things make you who you are. Just like how kind you are, how you make people laugh when they're down. You genuinely want people to be happy. All of those things make you who you are, Kerry. They're the reasons why we all love you so much.

You're a member of this family whether you like it or not, Kerry. Blood doesn't make family, the heart does. And you will forever hold a place in all of our hearts. You're stuck with

us, Fruitcake.

You're stuck with me. So I hope you can forgive me for the untruthful things I said to you. I didn't mean any of it whatsoever. I was stressed, as were you. I was scared. And you were too. I should have been there to comfort you, as you were there to support me and my brothers. Our family.

I'm sorry.

Dorkfish

Alex sighed, looking down at the letter. That was as good as it was going to get. She just hoped it was enough for Kerry.