The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 11: LOVED YOU FROM THE START

John seemed to be over their little fight by the time he came to take Norma to school. He apologized to her the way he always did...halfheartedly, his big blue eyes deceiving her once again. She couldn't bring herself to stay mad at him. In time she'd be using him the way he uses her. It was sad that their relationship was built on lies and faulty trust. But who else could she rely on? Alex was becoming so hard to read these days, and she cared about him too much to trap him the way she planned to do with John. She hated herself for what she was going to do, but she hated herself even more for what she'd already done. She knew what had happened was her fault and she couldn't hide it. She couldn't hide the truth, not when it was growing inside her.

The wind felt nice blowing against her cheek as she rolled the window down. She knew she'd have to tell him sooner or later. Though it wasn't all that likely that he'd notice. "John," she muttered, closing her eyes to steady herself. Her heart rate had picked up, causing her hands to shake. She opened her eyes find him gazing at her, only occasionally casting his eyes back to the road ahead. The sick feeling had returned, and she winced at the thought of their life together. But the words poured out beside herself. "I'm pregnant."

He chuckled at first, not entirely sure if she was joking or not. But his demeanor changed as her silence settled in. "No, you're not," he stated, his eyes glued to the road. "You can't be."

Fear drowned her as she listened to his voice. She sunk down in her seat, tears blinding her temporarily. She was afraid to manipulate him, but what choice did she have? She was running out of options.

"You better not be joking," he warned.

She looked up at him, tears streaming down from her swollen eyes. "I'm not."

He cringed, slamming his fist against the steering wheel in frustration. "Shit, Norma. How could you let this happen?"

She couldn't speak. Her emotions were jammed in her throat, suffocating her. The sound of her sobs filled the car as they turned down the street heading towards the school. After a while, John turned the radio up to mask her excessive sniffling and hiccupping. He didn't say a word as they pulled into the parking lot. He didn't even help her out of the car as he usually did. He left her behind, locking the door once he was sure she had gotten out.

Alex was driving home from school when he spotted Norma walking along the side of the road. He slowed his speed, easing up beside her. "Hey," he shouted, startling her a bit. Her face was red and puffy from the tears that had fallen from her cloudy eyes. It was a sight he was sadly used to. "Do you need a ride home?"

She kept her eyes trained on the ground as she continued walking. "I don't want a ride," she choked angrily.

"I didn't ask you if you wanted a ride. I asked if you needed one." She didn't want to talk to him—he couldn't blame her. He sighed as she picked up her pace. "Would you just get in the car?" But she wasn't going to give up without a fight. He knew that. He rolled his eyes, putting the car in park and climbing out to run after her. "I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have treated you like that. I wasn't having a very good day." But he knew she didn't want to hear his lame excuses. She was heard excuses her whole life. "It threw me off guard," he explained, watching as she stopped dead. He was glad her back was to him; he didn't want her to see the terrified look ridden in his face. "There's no excuse for how I acted. I was a jerk, and I'm sorry." She turned around, the same sad eyes glowing back at him. "I'll let you punch me."

Her lips twitched into a smile. "Okay," she mouthed. Alex winced as she punched him as hard as she could. She chuckled softly, making her way to the passenger side of his car. "Are you coming, or not?"

He watched her in disbelief, rubbing his arm to ease the bruising she'd given him. It always amazed him how quickly her mood could change. It reminded him of his mother in a lot of ways. "Did you have to punch me that hard?" he asked, climbing into the vehicle.

She rolled her eyes at him. "We gotta toughen you up before you get to that police academy. They'll beat you up in the first five minutes."

Alex sighed, pulling off the side of the road. She was probably right. He wasn't exactly the toughest guy in school. The only reason he never got beat up was because his father was the sheriff...that and he was invisible to everyone else.

There was a brief period of silence before she turned to face him, her eyes looking more solemn than before. "You're not really gonna go, are you?" Her voice seemed to paralyze him, stilling everything but the beating of his heart.

He glanced at her, his voice barely audible above the music. "I don't really have a reason to stay, do I?" He didn't mean to be so forward, but he couldn't help himself. If he left...he might never come back.

His response seemed to frighten her. She turned to look out the window, avoiding his lingering gaze. "What about that girl?"

Alex knew where this was going; yet he couldn't stop himself from falling victim to her game. He couldn't control himself around her. "I told you she's just a friend."

She nodded in remembrance, keeping her gaze on the trees whipping by. Her mouth dropped open as if she was going to say something else, but she changed her mind thinking better of it. She sat in silence for a while, her thoughts speaking for her. Alex glanced at her, watching the storm brew in her mind. She turned away from him and rested into the seat, tucking her legs beneath her. "Would you stay if I asked you to?"

Alex's felt his heart burrow deep inside him. Part of him was afraid to trust her—afraid to think that maybe this wasn't one of her games. "Of course," he told her.

All of her energy seemed to have drained out of her. She looked exhausted, lying limply in the passenger seat, staring longingly out the window. "But I'm just a friend," she whispered.

"You're more than just a friend, Norma." Alex bit his tongue, immediately regretting his response. He cringed, glaring at the road ahead as her eyes fell upon him. His heart pounded wildly in its steel cage. "You're my best friend," he reassured her.

She nodded knowingly, the tension leaving the air as they pulled into Alex's driveway. "Thanks for the ride," she told him, watching in confusion as he got out and ran around the car to get the door for her. "You didn't have to do that. I could have gotten it myself, you know?"

"It's the least I could do after last night." He smiled as she climbed out, catching her glance. "I really am sorry...about everything. I've been a real jerk these past few days, and you deserve better than that."

She smiled lightly at him, her eyes falling to her feet as she bit her lip. "Don't go."

Alex furrowed his burrow, not entirely understanding her. "What?"

And then it happened. She leaned into him, both hands clutching the sides of his face, pulling him down to her. His heart jumped as she kissed him gently, warming his heart. "I said don't go."