Loving A Deformity

Chapter 29

Cera walked down the halls with Alec before going to get their schedules. The hall was oddly busy but she guessed it should be expected considering it being the first day.
"Cera!" Chris ran up and hugged Cera like he hadn't seen her in months. Cera giggled and accepted his hug while they swayed. Alec watched and smirked. He liked how close their little group was. Chris eventually pulled away. "I'm so happy to see you! Have you got your classes yet?"
"No. I was about to go with Alec." Cera glanced back to him. Chris saw him and smiled brightly before going and holding out his hand for their hand shake. Alec responded and they all started talking together.
"Wait, where's Gabe?" Cera asked.
"Probably still talking to that girl, Vic." Chris made his face scrunched up. "I kinda ditched him cause I got bored and found you."
"Oh! They're talking, huh?" Cera giggled and wiggled her eye brows, suggestively. "How romantic." She laughed, jokingly.
"Ugh! Don't get me started on how those two talk." Chris grimaced. "You know, he talks all this smack to Alec man-ing up to ask yo- the girl he likes out, but doesn't take his own advice!" He said. Luckily, Cera didn't catch when he almost said, "ask you out".
"Man, what are we going to do with them?" Cera sighed audibly, directing her words at Chris. Alec scoffed and rolled his eyes with a light grin while Chris shrugged.
"I don't know, Cera. Guess we'll just have to watch them die alone."
"I guess we must." She laughed with him.
"Okay, okay! I get it!" Alec groaned. "I'm a wimp. Now, can we please go get our class schedules?"
"Fine, fine!" Cera giggled. But just before Gabe walked up.
"Hey guys!" He smiled.
"Oh! Look who finally decided to show!" Cera grinned. Gabe smiled back.
"Be quiet." He blushed. He was a little embarrassed. "Anyway, let's go get your schedules." He groaned.
"Yes! Let's get going!" Cera smiled excitedly, before leading the way to the tables with school staff. "You know, I'm super excited for this year!" Cera kept looking back to her friends as she talked. They followed her as close as they could. "Honestly, I feel like good things are going to start happening and-" Suddenly, Cera ran into some guys chest. She grunted and stumbled back a step to look up at the wall she hit. "I'm so sorry! I should have paid attention-" Cera started apologizing but stopped upon looking into mezmorizing Hazel eyes that were hardly visable with dark brown curly hair covering them. The guy smiled, happily.
"Hey, Cera." He chuckled in a deep husky voice. Cera almost didn't believe her eyes.
"Josh?" She asked, her voice failing her. Josh? All the boys wondered behind her. Who the hell is Josh? "Is... is that really you?" Cera smiled so wide, her squinting made her eyes water. Although she wasn't sad.
"Unless you've started seeing things." He joked before Cera practically jumped on him, throwing her arms around him. Chris and Gabe watched awkwardly while Alec felt a tug at his heart. Who the hell is this guy?! Alec wondered as he saw Josh wrap his arms around Cera's waist. Anger boiled in his heart. He knew in seconds of Josh resting his chin, comfortably on Cera's neck that he was Jealous. Alec glare bullets at Josh while clenching his jaw. She's not mine, Alec thought. I shouldn't feel like this. Besides, it's not like they're a couple. Alec relaxed slightly at his own thoughts as Cera pulled away and looked at Josh up and down.
"Well, look at you!" She gushed with a deep breathe.
"Look at you!" He smiled back, brightly. "I guess my little dinosaur isn't so little anymore." He winked, making her blush and giggle. And not her usually giggle. She made it quieter and slightly higher pitched to make herself sound cuter. The boys were a little taken aback but didn't say anything. Alec especially was ticked off. Your little dinosaur- who the hell do you think you are...
"Yeah, I guess I grew up. But, you, my friend..." she scoffed, looking him up and down. "All those years treated you well." Cera, in fact, was checking him out. Damn, how do I manage to get all these hot friends? Cera wondered to herself.
"Hey, you can thank my gym membership for that." He smiled, making her laugh.
"You actually went to a gym?" She held her stomach.
"Hey, I told you I was coming back. I needed someway to impress you."
"You don't need to impress me." Cera said quietly, blushing. Alec felt his blood start boiling again. They were flirting! She likes him! She totally likes him and I'm sitting here like a freaking dead fish! That's when Josh looked up long enough to the three boys looking super confused.
"Looks like I'm no longer the only man in your life." He smirked. Cera turned so she could look between Josh and the boys.
"Were you ever a man in my life?" Cera snorted, making him laugh and smile at her, happily and amused.
"Only as much as you'll let me." He winked. Cera smiled and blushed. All three boys saw her blush and were shocked anyone talked to her that way. Sure, Alec made a comment here and there but never to this degree. Not to mention, she hasn't called him a pervert once!
"Anyway," Cera said, "Josh, this is Gabe and Chris. Gabe and Chris, this is Josh." She introduced, purposely leaving Alec out. Alec was really offended. Josh looked at him as Alec shot a confused look to Cera who avoided his gaze.
"And that is...?" Josh asked, motioning to Alec. Cera's face heated before she suddenly stood in front of Alec, facing Josh.
"Josh, this is my best friend, Alec." She said, feeling her stomach twist in nervousness. Josh looked confused for a second before it finally clicked. Suddenly, he went from looking at Cera, confused, to glaring at Alec.
"You don't mean Alec Rhodes... do you?" Josh asked, balling his fists.
"Josh, it's not like that-"
"This is the pathetic asshole that tormented you!" Josh said, raising his voice. Oh, shit, Alec thought.
"No!" Cera shook her head. "He's not like that anymore! He's my friend!"
"That asshole is your friend?" He glared at Cera.
"If you keep acting like this, he won't be the only friend I've had that's been an asshole!" Cera glared back. Suddenly, Alec realized something.
"Wait, Josh? As in, Josh Hunter?" He glared.
"So You've finally recognized me?" Josh smiled mischievously at him.
"You son of a bitch!" Alec started toward Josh who also walked forward but Cera stood between them. "Do you know what they did to me because of you!" Alec spat.
"You had it coming!" Josh shot back.
"No, I don't mean at the party! I mean before that- at school!" Alec said, making everyone look at him confused. "I deserved worse with what you did to me at the party. But I mean, way before that." Everyone looked to Josh who looked at Alec.
"The hell are you talking about?" Josh asked.
"Oh, you don't remember?" Alec scoffed. "That's rich! Especially considering how much it screwed me up!"

(The Fifth Grade)

Alec sat at his desk during recess, holding the love letter he was given during break. He was the only one in the classroom and probably wasn't supposed to be in there but needed time to think. He needed to be alone so he could figure out what to say to Cera. He never noticed her before. Not until she was bold enough to hand him a white peace of paper that had the basic message:

Hello! My name is Cera. You're cute! I sit three desks behind you! Want to be my boyfriend?

Yes or No

Alec did think she was cute too but he wasn't sure whether to accept her offer. I mean, was he ready for that kind of relationship? Could he make that kind of commitment when there was girls like Sadie Hearting? Fifth grade was hard. But while he thought of that, a group of boys from his class came in and sat around their desks. They didn't bother Alec so he paid them no mind. That was, until Josh showed up. He came running in and stopped in front of Alec's desk.
"Are you... Alec... Rhodes?" Josh asked, out of breathe. Alec looked him up and down.
"...yes..." Alec said carefully. Josh looked at his letter.
"Cera gave it to you already?" He asked, disappointed.
"Wait. Cera, as in, Cera Johnson gave him that?" One of the boys that was grouped in the corner came over, smirking. "What is it?"
"Nothing." Alec said, blushing, suddenly embarrassed. He tried to put it way but the boy grabbed it and read it. Suddenly, he started laughing.
"No way! She gave him a stupid love letter!"
"It's not stupid! You're stupid!" Alec spat, grabbing the letter back. Then, he looked up at Josh, angrily. "What do you even want, anyway?"
"I wanted to tell you not to be Cera's boyfriend. She's not even your friend so just stay away!" Josh warned.
"I'll do what I want, thank you!" Alec glared. Josh, now angered, stomped out.
"So," the group of boys suddenly crowded around Alec. "You want to date that little piece of trash?" They smirked. Alec felt threatened by them. "I guess we'll have to make you equal then. After all, trash only goes with trash." That's when they grabbed him.

"After that, they beat me and threw me in the dumpster." Alec spat, glaring at Josh who glared right back at him. Cera looked up at Alec, feeling guilty. Her mouth was open ever so slightly and her eyebrows were pressed together.
"They did that because of me?" Cera asked, getting Alec to soften his expression and look at her.
"No. I blamed you for a long time- but it's not your fault. You did nothing wrong." He looked up at Josh with a glare. "Him, on the other hand, caused problems when he came in yelling at me to turn you down!" Alec spat. Cera considered this and looked at Josh.
"Why did you do that, anyway? You knew I liked Alec. Why would you tell someone to reject me?" Cera was a little hurt. She thought Josh was her friend. Josh blushed and avoided eye contact with Cera.
"Actually..." Josh grinned out of embarrassment. "It was because I liked you."
"Huh?!" Cera, Alec, Gabe, and Chris asked at the same time. Josh chuckled.
"Yeah. I was going to asked you out but... after seeing how Alec was being teased- I didn't see the dumpster thing- but other times he was teased, I chickened out." He shrugged. Cera suddenly felt angry. She knew she should expect it by now but she was still infuriated.
"Seriously?!" Cera glared at Josh, making everyone look at her, especially Alec. "All that time and you tell me now?" Josh just blinked. "You couldn't have mentioned that after getting bullied by everyone?! Or getting rejected harshly?! Or any time at all?!" Josh felt she was angry but didn't know what to say. Suddenly, Cera relaxed and sighed before looking away with a blank expression. She looked done. "Whatever." She decided.
"My point to my story," Alec continued. "Is that, had he not come in, I wouldn't have got beat up."
"Maybe not then, but it was going to happen eventually, asshat."
"You know what-?!" Alec stepped forward but stopped after finding himself pressed close to Cera, since she wouldn't move.
"Hey!" Cera interrupted Alec to get his attention. He looked down at her. "Let it go."
"But-"
"Do you still blame me? For what happened?"
"Of course not-"
"Then forgive." She suggested, calmly. "I've done worse than he has. Don't let pride get in your way." She said, looking up at him pleadingly. Alec looked at her a long moment before sighing and taking a step back, away.
"Okay." Alec agreed.