Everything I'm Not (GirlxGirl)

35. Homework

Though normally I wouldn't turn down pizza, I'm in no place to eat considering I didn't contribute to the team's win. "No, I'm good. It's for you guys."

"I don't like pizza. Wanna just go home and do that math homework?"

I blink while mentally picking the words Alex just said. Did I mishear it?

"Did I just hear you exchange pizza for math homework?" Kristina's face reflected the incredulity of her voice.

"No, I just exchanged eating junk food for alone time with my girlfriend."

Kristina throws a ball and Alex catches it with one hand easily. "You nerd."

"You can eat my share if it helps."

"I would have even without your permission. You'd be eating something better anyway." She smirks.

Alex throws the ball back at Kristina and who swats it away and hits Malkit who's walking towards us. She eyes Alex who just finished changing into slippers. "Next time I should ask you to be my girlfriend. It's almost fucking impossible to beat you."

"Too late." Alex stands up and brushes off her shorts. She gestures to me. This is my girlfriend, Alexis."

Malkit stares at me wide-eyed as if it's the first time she's alerted to my presence. "Goddamn. Here I was thinking your ex was already hard to compete with and you go around and find someone even hotter than her?" She turns her attention to me and holds out a hand. "Joey. Nice to meet you, Alexis. Sorry about the kiss thing earlier. If I'd known Alex had a girlfriend I'd have asked to be a side chick instead."

I stand up and take her outstretched hand. "If that's the case you'd have to fall in line. I'm sure there are others in the same position."

She laughs. "Or I can be your side chick instead."

"Ha-ha." Alex steps over the bench and shoulders her gym bag. She shouts her goodbyes to the girls on the other side of the court, fist bumps with everyone else, and we walk out the gym with our hands intertwined.

If I'd known I'd be meeting Alex's parents, I would have worn something nicer than jeans and a sweater.

"It's no big deal, really," Alex assures me before stepping out of the car. "My mom already knows you. When she sees us come in, she'll put two and two together and just give me a knowing look and that's it. Pops will hear about it from her. We're not gonna have any of that introducing the girlfriend thing."

"Really?"

"Really." She takes my hand and squeezes it gently.

Once we step inside, Percy was already waiting to pounce on Alex, his tail wagging furiously. "Hi babyyyy," Alex greets him using the high-pitched voice every dog owner uses. She bends down and tries to kiss his snout in the middle of him licking her face.

"You're home early." Isa is sitting comfortably on their couch, watching TV. "Oh, hi Julia." As Alex predicted, she raises an eyebrow, to which Alex answers with a shrug.

I give Isa a polite smile.

"We'll be upstairs doing homework," Alex says. She takes my hand and leads me to her room before Isa can say anything else.

Alex drops her bag on the floor. "Sorry, my room's messy. I'm not gonna pretend it's not whenever I know someone's coming over. It always is." She walks to her unmade bed where a pile of neatly folded clothes is perched. She carries them over to her desk and dumps them on the rolling chair in front of it. "You want something to eat while I freshen up?"

"No, I'm good."

"Okay, you can explore my room, though I doubt you'd find anything interesting. I'll be right back." And she leaves me alone in her bedroom.