Cops & Robbers

Chapter Four (Revised )

Pic of Natasha (Roselyn Sanchez) ------------------->

Freshly showered with the bottled up steam from the bathroom flowing before me, I felt invigorated and alive. Alex decided to give my heart a test run by waiting silently for me on my bed in the dark, breaking the silence with, "Nice underwear you got there Midget." 

When my heart realized it wasn't a psychotic killer waiting for me in the dark, I glanced down at the lacy number I planned to sport beneath my ripped jeans and my old Oakland Raiders T-shirt. Him being in my room wasn't new. Neither was him seeing me in my skivvies. You stop worrying about the little things when you grow up together and whatever modesty is left after that is squashed once you live together. We had a joint bathroom so it was even more so.

"Who knows?" I shrugged. "Maybe I'll get lucky tonight. I'd die of embarrassment if I was wearing granny panties or something like that." 

Alex was so quiet I almost thought he had melted into the darkness. "Danny would either have to be gay or an absolute idiot to turn you down, and the last I checked he was neither so I don't think there's a 'maybe' about it." 

It was my turn to be deathly quiet as I padded over to my bed and laid down next to him, resting my head in the crook of his arm. "Alex? Is everything alright? You've been really, I don't know, PMSy today and it's really starting to bother me. I know you said we could talk about it later, but I can't wait. It's gnawing at me something fierce and if I don't find out before the meeting, I doubt I'll pay attention because I'll be thinking of you." 

"You sure you want to talk about this right now?" he asked rolling onto his side to face me. 

"Yes," I replied without hesitation.

His hand somehow found its way to my waist and he began drawing random patterns on my skin with his finger as he cleared his throat. "What's your opinion on Ben being back?" he asked. 

"Is that what this is about?" I laughed relieved, "I think it's cool that Ben's back, though I doubt I'll see much of him. It's not like I plan to get caught." 

"What about Danny? What do you think of him?" he continued officially confusing me. 

"He gets the job done," I replied tactlessly hoping it would inspire him to get to the point. At first I had thought it was a fourteen year old beef that two testosterone filled men had yet to resolve, but his mention of Daniel puzzled me exceedingly. "I don't get it Alex, what does Danny have to do with Ben being back?" 

Alex's hand stilled on my side as his eyes scanned my face.

"Do I have a pimple?" I snickered knowing full well that my face was blemishless; it better be with all the money I spent on facial products. "A wart? A cold sore? Please tell me I don't have Herpes!" I joked aware that he would understand my double meaning.

 "No," he sighed giving me a half smile, "though I suspect you knew that when you said it. I only brought them up because I want you to be happy."

"I am happy!" I contended, "Alaina's in a school that can cater to her needs and she's finally making friends; I have my studio and I have you."

Alex looked away from my face when I said that and my stomach turned at the timing. "Did something happen?"

"No," he smiled, "at least not yet anyway. It's just that Natasha wants to take our relationship to the next level and... well me and you have always done everything together. If I tell you what's holding me back, you'll either kick my ass or kick my ass depending on which conclusion you jump to."

"I'm so violent, aren't I?" I gave him an uneasy, fake laugh. "So what did you tell her?"

I rolled onto my other side so we would no longer be facing one another and tried to ignore my roiling stomach. Natasha had been awfully happy when she left Zumba tonight and I had a feeling I knew his reply. Deep down, I hadn't believed he would actually close the deal and make it official, and not because she wasn't beautiful or deserving, but because he once told me that the idea of labeling made him uncomfortable. Part of me had believed that it would always be the "Adrienne and Alex Show" but the other part,the part ruled by reality, made my heart hurt. I wanted time to slow down, because I couldn't think of another way to have my cake and eat it too. All I knew was that I still needed him. I needed my best friend.