Loving A Deformity

Chapter 17

"Hey! Honey, I finally saved enough to get that controller you wanted- oh, hi, Cera!" Alec's mom, Tori, walked in with a plastic bag at hand. She smiled at Cera, warmly.
"Hey, Mrs. Rhodes!" She greeted, politely, with a grin.
"Oh, stop. It's Tori, sweetie." She said. Tori was a thin blonde woman, obviously aging. Though she was just in her early fouties, she looked to be in her mid fifties. Though, her hospital scrubs suggested the why. "So, whatcha kids talking about?" She asked, setting the controller on the bed.
"Alec's birthday." Cera said. "Got any ideas for presents? He's no help." Cera nodded in Alec's direction. Alec only rolled his eyes and laughed.
"Sorry. I got nothing. Course, you're a girl, you'll think of something to give 'em." She winked, making Cera tilt her head, confused. Alec blushed. I never should have told her about my dream! Ugh! But she kept pestering me about why I was spacing out so much- I couldn't take it anymore!
"What do you mean?" Cera asked.
"Alec didn't tell you?" Tori asked, shocked.
"Mom, It didn't mean anything like that!"
"Tell me what?" Cera asked curious.
"Nothing!" Alec said, interrupting his mom when she went to speak. "I just, ah, forgot to tell you I'll be taking English with you next year. I found out the principal is trying to get our worst classes together since we work well together." He laughed. Cera was suspicious but didn't say anything.
"What're you talking about? I was just going to tell her about your dream-"
"Mom!" He looked at her, wide eyed and blushing. He was begging her not to tell with his eyes. She looked at him and didn't seem to understand.
"What dream?" The boys paused their game and looked at her, smiling.
"Well, the one where he-" Tori looked at Cera and suddenly got it. Tori looked at Alec. "Oh! I see." She said. She blushed. "Ha. Uh, right. Nothing! Anyone hungry?" She chuckled and started out of the room. The boys followed, leaving Alec and Cera.
"What was your dream about?" She suddenly asked, smiling. Alec looked at her.
"Huh?"
"Your dream." She moved to sit next to him on his bed that he had sat up in upon his mother coming in. Alec felt his heart beat faster and his face heat up. He swallowed in nervousness as she settled next to him and looked up in his eyes, still smiling brightly.
"M-my dream?" He questioned and heard his own voice crack. Nice one, Alec, he thought to himself. Cera just kept looking at him, waiting for an explanation. "Uh... well... it... it was about a girl..." he started, looking away from her to the floor.
"A girl?"
"Yeah."
"Is it a real girl or just someone random your subconscious created...?" Cera faced his direction with a slouched, comfortable posture. She had no clue how uncomfortable Alec was with how close she was to him.
"Oh, she's real." He chuckled.
"Is she pretty?" Cera smiled before Alec looked her up and down and smiled, looking in her eyes.
"Beautiful."
"Smart?"
"Brilliant." He smiled wider. Cera noticed a certain gleam in his eye she hadn't seen in months.
"Do you like her? I mean, romantically?" Cera asked. Alec's smile disappeared and he looked away, straight ahead of him. There was turmoil with that question.
"I don't know."
"How do you not know?" She snorted.
"I just don't." He shrugged, grumpy.
"Alec?" She leaned forward to be in his line of vision and smiled. He looked at her. "What aren't you telling me?" She asked. Alec sighed and readjusted himself.
"She's a good friend of mine and I'm worried... I'm worried that my dream is influencing my f-feelings." He comfesses.
"Maybe you have it backwards." Cera said.
"Huh?"
"What if you've just liked her a long time? Now you're finally realizing it." She suggested. Alec felt his heart speed up at the thought. Does he like her? Does he really have feelings for Cera of all people? "Who is she?" Cera was resisting the urge to ask but she couldn't keep it in. It ate at her.
"T-the girl?" Alec heard his voice crack again.
"Yeah. I wanna know who stole my best friends heart." She giggled playfully. Alec blinked. He couldn't confess. Not now! They sat there for a long time, saying nothing. "Okay, if you don't want to tell me, I won't push." She giggled and started asking more questions. "What did you do in the dream?" She offered a topic of conversation. Alec thought.
"We went on a date... we walked around, got ice cream... eventually we... went to the beach and gfvhh." Alec's voice went so quiet, Cera didn't hear the last word.
"We went to the beach and what?" She asked. He looked up at her.
"We kissed in my dream." He said.
"Oh." She raised her eyebrows, a little shocked.
"Yeah." He blushed and looked down. Cera was getting a vibe he was uncomfortable, which he was but not for the reasons she thought.
"I'm sorry. You probably don't want to talk about girls with me. I'll leave that to Gabe and Chris if it makes you feel better." She smiled.
"It's not because I don't trust you-"
"Alec, I get it. It'd be weird if I talked to you about boys- if I had anyone in mind." She laughed. Alec got curious by that statement.
"Do you?" He looked at her seriously but she was a little stunned.
"Huh? No." She scrunched up her nose. "Don't joke like that. You know how I feel about dating after the whole Ben drama. I'm not left in myself get hurt again. I can't trust anyone like that." Cera looked at her hands in her lap. A focused expression riddled her face. Alec felt hurt.
"Y-you can trust me." He said, making her look up at him. For a second, she scanned his face and he watched hers. There was almost a spark of hope in her eyes but it was soon lost. Cera let her body relax and she smiled painfully.
"Yeah, but you- I mean, we don't  like each other like that." She laughed with effort. Her voice was soft and sounded as if she was in pain. Alec wanted to argue with her but he couldn't. His mouth wouldn't let him. He couldn't confess right now! "Uh, how about we see what your mom's making." Cera smiled and walked out slowly.