The Misfit Outcasts

Chapter 9

He followed blindly through the maze, a wispy blue light flitting down the pitch black hallways and passages. The ground beneath his bare feet was warm and spongy, the air light and humid. Every so often, leaves rustled in the barren silence not even crickets could break. Was he outside? Or inside? The walls were barely reachable from fingertip to fingertip, and solidly built, not a single crack or fault was felt by the whorls of his fingers. He didn't know where he was or what he was doing, but he knew he couldn't lose that light, a little orb of ocean blue that glowed like fire. He walked as sure as he could without being able to see the ground before him, and soon he came to a dead end, the blue light fading into the smooth, bare wall.

He walked her to her house a little while later, drunk with joy and happiness. They walked the few blocks, laughing and smiling, talking about stupid things and making horrible puns. The tension between them was gone, the one that held up through the break up and the following weeks after. It was like a scratch that didn't itch anymore, and he was grateful.

" Are you sure you won't get in trouble?" Alex asked, concern painted in her voice. Finn shook his head and smiled.

"I promise I'm not going to get in trouble. They have no idea about any of it, okay? Cross my heart."

" So.... Are we going to do this again?" She asked, smiling shyly and leaning against her mailbox. He shrugged and stepped closer, holding her to him.

" Definitely." Finn grinned, and kissed the top of her head protectively. " You're all mine and nobody can have you!" She laughed and pushed him away playfully.

" Not even Cierra?" He stopped smiling and stared at her with the look of a blank paper, which only made her laugh harder. " I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" 

Finn pouted a little, and stuck out his lower lip. " You're so mean to meeee!" He faked, wailing. Alex snickered and turned to walk up the path to her porch.

Suddenly the door flew open and her mother stood, hands on her hips, lips pressed together almost sickeningly, glaring at her daughter and the boy on her street. " Who is this, Alexandrea?" Alex internally cringed at the use of her first name and looked her mother in the eye.

" This is my boyfriend, Finn. Finn, this is my mother, Grace Ramirez." Her mother tried to smile, and walked down the steps in her blue suede heels and black silk pantsuit, looking ridiculously american-working-mom, to both of the teens. Grace awkwardly stuck her hand out and shook Finn's hand.

" It's nice to meet you Ms. Ramirez," He said. Alex blushed while her mother smiled a real smile this time and discreetly wiped her manicured hand on her thighs. " Your daughter is amazing, I can see where she gets her beauty from."

Both mother and daughter blushed deeply and smiled. " Well, thank you so much, Finn, is it? You must have a family with impeccable manners. How would you like to stay for a snack and dinner? Or do you have to go home right away?" 

Her mom's sudden hospitality surprised Alex, but she didn't show it, at least not that much. If only her mother knew where Finn came from! She wouldn't let him in the same state as her and her daughter! She looked at Finn for a response.

" That sounds great, Ms. Ramirez. Is that okay with you, Lex?" They both turned to look at her expectantly, and she shrugged.

" I don't care either way. I expected to be dragged inside by my ear for being with a boy." She said nervously. Her mother laughed and started towards the house.

" No, that's your father. Come on, then, let's go inside to get something to drink, and have a talk, shall we?"

It was only later that night did Alex start to relax, having her boyfriend and her mother shoot the shit for the first time. Grace brought out iced tea and little pinwheels of meat, cheese, and vegetables. It was weird for Alex to see the two people she was closest to talking and laughing like good old friends, but she didn't mind. The house was neat, and respectable, and she had nothing to be ashamed of.

"Where do you live, Finn? Do you live on Orchard or Perry?" She sipped her tea and looked at him expectantly.

Alex swallowed nervously and looked away, embarrassed. She knew exactly what her mother would think and say. But she'd know if Finn lied; he was too honest for that. "We all live close, don't we?" She said, trying to steer the conversation away from that subject.

Her mother looked at her questioningly, and raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure he can answer for himself, can't he? After all, we're not all in preschool, are we?"

Finn wiped his hands on his jeans and laughed nervously, obviously sensing the tension surrounding him and his reply. "W-well, um...my parents really didn't have a choice as to where we live, so...uh... we live on Lily Aven-"

Her mother literally spit out her tea in a sticky sweet mist on her plush couch. Alex knew  she'd do that; she scooted away beforehand. Finn wasn't prepared, on the other hand, and burst out laughing so hard he started crying. Meanwhile her mother just sat there, face bright red, and lips puckered in a face that can only be described as trying not to laugh at herself and preserve some of her remaining dignity.

They never brought that up again- the tea or the road.