Loving A Deformity

Chapter 21

All Cera's hair laid on the right side of her head and oddly did something to her appearance. Alec noticed her clean, glowing face, sparkling eyes, and the way her wet hair framed her face in such a way, she looked like a porcelain doll. It was hard to look away, but he managed himself.
"Do you think I'll look weird? Walking in TGI Friday's with wet hair and sweats?" She asked him suddenly. He glanced at her but kept his eyes, mostly, on the road.
"Well, I'm rocking the look too, so, we can both look weird together." He joked with a straight face. Cera chuckled as she looked out her window and went quiet. One of the things Cera loved about her friendship with Alec, she could be quiet. Like, she could have a comfortable silence with him- never feeling pressured to talk or make conversation. She could truly be herself and relax with him. Alec wanted to make conversation- really, he just liked talking to her. But, he knew she preferred silence. Once she spaced out, she wasn't coming back to Earth for a while. Sometimes, you had to bring her back yourself.

***

There isn't much to be said about meeting up with Chris and Gabe at TGI Friday's or going to laser tag, besides Cera being cold. She mentally swore to herself about her not bringing a jacket. It was going to get late soon which meant it would be getting colder. Still, she kept quiet. After all, what could the guys do about it? They were smart enough to actually bring a jacket. She didn't want to take one from the guys for them to be cold. Of course, they could have an extra one.
"Hey, you think Gabe or Chris have and extra jacket in their car?" Cera asked, shivering, as her and Alec start walking away from the car to the little store in a row of stores titled, "Lennys Lazer Tag".
"Are you cold?" He suddenly realized her hair was still damp and she was still wearing the bikini top (the strap poked out from her shirt on her neck). She must be freezing.
"No." She lied. "I'm just going to be sitting for a while. If I get cold... I don't know- I thought it was a good idea to asked." Her voice started to get quieter and her cheeks heated up, slightly embarrassed. Alec glanced at her and smiled at her behavior. He knew she lied. He knew why too. She was trying to be out of the way. Alec suddenly stopped walking, causing Cera to stop and turn to his direction.
"Here." He said simply, chuckling, as he starts to take off his jacket. Cera blushed and felt a rush of guilt and panic in her stomach.
"No! You don't have too!" She insisted but he took it off and started helping her get it on by guiding her hands in the sleeves and pulling the jacket over her shoulders. Alec stepped in front of her to adjust the jacket and ended up holding both sides of the jacket collar- making them very close. As soon as Alec started holding the collar, Cera looked up in his eyes. Although, he was looking at her lips. Cera didn't pay attention to where he was looking. Rather, she looked for how he felt in that moment. Was he annoyed he had to give up his jacket? Was he tired? No. He was happy to help. There was a look of genuine care in his eyes that Cera could see and it made more of her walls break. Damn, how does he do that? She thought. She hated how he could sneak in her heart so effortlessly. It scared her how close she felt to him. They've only been friends for a little less than a year. Sure, they've known each other for years and been through some stuff together, but she still felt she was trusting him too easily. Still, he had his way of moving into her heart that she couldn't shut out.

While she thought about that, still looking in his eyes, Alec felt a pull. He had her right in front of him- wearing his jacket. He thought of leaning in, making a move, confessing- something- but he didn't move.
"You found it!" Chris jogged up, making Alec and Cera look in his direction. Alec let go of the jacket and took a step back to make distance between him and Cera which wasn't as inconspicuous as he thought. Gabe and Chris both saw the way he was looking at her. They both could see his feelings written on his face. Basically, he was a bad liar. Cera, usually, could see right through Alec. The only reason she couldn't see what was going on is because she couldn't tell what flirting was if it hit her in the face. When it came to true emotions, she never could tell. It was a skill she simply never aquired. Cera and Alec stood and watched Chris jog up, smiling. Gabe walked towards them, not too far away.
"Uh, yeah, we made it." Alec smiled.
"Ready to go?" Chris looked to Alec. Alec looked to Cera.
"You sure you'll be alright out here?" He asked.
"Alec, I'll be fine." She smiled. "I don't do laser tag. You know that."
"Still-"
"Alec." She interrupted. "Go. I'll be fine." She put her hands in the pockets of the jacket she was wearing. Alec made his lips into a thin line and pressed his eye brows together with concern. He didn't like leaving her alone in the cold. They both knew it was even worse in the laser tag place so there was no point in staying in there. Alec got out his keys suddenly and held them out to her.
"If you get too cold, turn on the car. There's also an emergency blanket I keep in the back seat. It should be easy to find." He instructs. Cera felt her heart melt for a second. She blinked at him before moving to grab the keys.
"Thank you." She said softly.
"Course." He smiled, feeling better. "See you in a bit." Alec winked and walked off with Chris and Gabe. Cera sighed. She was disappointed with the feeling she got when he held out his keys to her. He made her feel like she was better than she actually was. Like she was worth fussing over. Cera felt a need to block the feeling out but she couldn't. She felt her heart beat a little faster than usual, all the way to his car.