Pic of Natasha (Roselyn Sanchez) ------------------->
Freshly showered with the bottled up steam from the bathroom flowing before me, I felt invigorated and alive. Alex decided to give my heart a test run by waiting silently for me on my bed in the dark, breaking the silence with, "Nice underwear you got there Midget."
When my heart realized it wasn't a psychotic killer waiting for me in the dark, I glanced down at the lacy number I planned to sport beneath my ripped jeans and my old Oakland Raiders T-shirt. Him being in my room wasn't new. Neither was him seeing me in my skivvies. You stop worrying about the little things when you grow up together and whatever modesty is left after that is squashed once you live together. We had a joint bathroom so it was even more so.
"Who knows?" I shrugged. "Maybe I'll get lucky tonight. I'd die of embarrassment if I was wearing granny panties or something like that."
Alex was so quiet I almost thought he had melted into the darkness. "Danny would either have to be gay or an absolute idiot to turn you down, and the last I checked he was neither so I don't think there's a 'maybe' about it."
It was my turn to be deathly quiet as I padded over to my bed and laid down next to him, resting my head in the crook of his arm. "Alex? Is everything alright? You've been really, I don't know, PMSy today and it's really starting to bother me. I know you said we could talk about it later, but I can't wait. It's gnawing at me something fierce and if I don't find out before the meeting, I doubt I'll pay attention because I'll be thinking of you."
"You sure you want to talk about this right now?" he asked rolling onto his side to face me.
"Yes," I replied without hesitation.
His hand somehow found its way to my waist and he began drawing random patterns on my skin with his finger as he cleared his throat. "What's your opinion on Ben being back?" he asked.
"Is that what this is about?" I laughed relieved, "I think it's cool that Ben's back, though I doubt I'll see much of him. It's not like I plan to get caught."
"What about Danny? What do you think of him?" he continued officially confusing me.
"He gets the job done," I replied tactlessly hoping it would inspire him to get to the point. At first I had thought it was a fourteen year old beef that two testosterone filled men had yet to resolve, but his mention of Daniel puzzled me exceedingly. "I don't get it Alex, what does Danny have to do with Ben being back?"
Alex's hand stilled on my side as his eyes scanned my face.
"Do I have a pimple?" I snickered knowing full well that my face was blemishless; it better be with all the money I spent on facial products. "A wart? A cold sore? Please tell me I don't have Herpes!" I joked aware that he would understand my double meaning.
"No," he sighed giving me a half smile, "though I suspect you knew that when you said it. I only brought them up because I want you to be happy."
"I am happy!" I contended, "Alaina's in a school that can cater to her needs and she's finally making friends; I have my studio and I have you."
Alex looked away from my face when I said that and my stomach turned at the timing. "Did something happen?"
"No," he smiled, "at least not yet anyway. It's just that Natasha wants to take our relationship to the next level and... well me and you have always done everything together. If I tell you what's holding me back, you'll either kick my ass or kick my ass depending on which conclusion you jump to."
"I'm so violent, aren't I?" I gave him an uneasy, fake laugh. "So what did you tell her?"
I rolled onto my other side so we would no longer be facing one another and tried to ignore my roiling stomach. Natasha had been awfully happy when she left Zumba tonight and I had a feeling I knew his reply. Deep down, I hadn't believed he would actually close the deal and make it official, and not because she wasn't beautiful or deserving, but because he once told me that the idea of labeling made him uncomfortable. Part of me had believed that it would always be the "Adrienne and Alex Show" but the other part,the part ruled by reality, made my heart hurt. I wanted time to slow down, because I couldn't think of another way to have my cake and eat it too. All I knew was that I still needed him. I needed my best friend.
Suddenly I wasn't so fond of the idea of him and Natasha being an item, because every step he took toward her was a step away from me. His arm reached around me and pulled me toward the warm, flat plane of his chest.
"I told her I'd think about it, but we've certainly been together long enough and it's not like either of us have been with anyone else during our time together. I'm not too into labels, but things wouldn't be changing too much..."
I concentrated on the steady beat of his heart as I tried to convince myself not to be selfish. Every fiber of my being wanted to tell him labels were overrated, because... they just were. But, I had no reason to keep them apart. Alex was my best friend and it was my duty to help him be happy, even if it was without me.
Lifting his heavy arm and rolling from underneath it, I got up and began getting dressed. I searched within myself for my happiest memory so I could give him a genuine smile when I said, "Whatever your decision, I'll support it 110 percent. Beside that, I can't think of one person who would suit you better."
"I can," he replied seriously.
My brow furrowed as I took in the seriousness of his response. "Then why don't you go after her? She'd either have to be gay or an absolute idiot to turn you down," I encouraged him using his words from earlier. I expected him to chuckle in response, but his loud boisterous laughter made me flinch.
"¡Ay Adrienne, no mames guey!" he laughed, splinting his abdomen with both arms. (A/N: Vulgar way to say "you've got to be kidding me man" in Spanish. Use with caution! Emphasis on vulgar.)
"It's not that funny Alex. I'm serious," I frowned.
"I know and that's what makes it so funny," he replied jumping off of my bed and strolling over to me to pinch me on the cheek. "So cute," he grinned, "Thank you for cheering me up."
"Sure thing," I responded drily, rubbing my sore cheek. "Let's get outta here or we'll miss the Meeting of the Idiotic Minds and be doomed for failure before we've even begun."
He gestured for me to precede him out of the door. "After you Midget."
I pulled my wet hair into a ponytail as we walked into the cool night air.
**
"Adrienne!"
Looking up from the oil stained cement of Vitor's garage floor, I found five people watching me intently. "Yeah?"
"Are you even listening?" Jose sighed shooting me an unamused look.
"Yeah," I repeated uneasily as I wracked my brain for the last thing I recalled them saying. The problem was I hadn't been able to pay attention to anything since Alex told me about him and Natasha. "We were talking about the game plan for tomorrow night."
"Who's the cop patrolling our grid?" He challenged.
I glanced at Jose, Daniel, Vitor, Tasha and finally Alex, who was trying to convey the answer with his eyes. "Is that supposed to mean something?" I asked him frustrated. "You're doing that thing with your eyes, but I've never been fluent in Eye-anese! I admit. I spaced out alright? I'm paying attention now. Lay it on me."
"It's the new cop Ben," Vitor interjected, "Your boy Alex was just telling us that you all have history."
"Ben's the cop on duty? He's flying solo for the entire grid?"
"Yeah," Jose confirmed, "My sources say they're shorthanded tomorrow night so we've got light coverage. Closest back up is 10-15 minutes away depending on where the neighboring cops are driving during the initial alarm. We were thinking that you were the diversion we were looking for."
"Me?" I asked dumbfounded.
"I'm sorry, Mami," Tasha interjected, "I'd volunteer myself, but if you've got history, our chances of success are that much higher. That aside, I don't really feel the Wonder bread, I lean more toward the Latin spice." She gave Alex a cheeky grin and kissed him on the edge of his mouth. I had to excuse myself to the bathroom, because the strangest feeling overcame me. I literally saw red.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" I grumbled once I was in the safety of the Vitor's bathroom.
"I was going to ask the same thing myself," Daniel responded from directly behind me.
"Jebeezus Danny! Make some noise when you walk or something!"
He gave me a deep, throaty chuckle, his hands encircling my waist. "I've never met anyone other than you and Alex who curse like a sailors, but refuse to take the Lord's name in vain."
"Alex's mom is Catholic. Took us to Mass every Sunday from the time I moved in with my Grandma until a couple of years ago. She still manages to harangue us into going every once in a while. That was the only thing that stuck. Oh, that and the whole 'thou shall not kill' ... I'm not too keen on life taking."
"Mmmhmmm," he acknowledged kissing my neck.
I closed my eyes and purposely lost myself in the feeling of lust he was provoking.
"I take it the 'thou shall not envy' or covet or whatever word they use never stuck either," he said flatly, pulling back.
"What are you talking about?" I asked annoyed that he was ruining a good mind numbing thing.
"Don't play dumb Adrienne, we all saw the way you've been staring at Alex the whole night."
"We got in a small disagreement earlier. I think we're good now, but it's still kind of bothering me," I lied. Our disagreement was old news, but he didn't know that.
He looked at me skeptically, clearly debating whether or not to believe me.
"If I'd wanted him, I'd have gone after him. We've been best friends for so long we're like family. If you don't believe me, ask Tasha who advised her to go after him."
He still didn't look convinced, so I solved the problem the only way I knew how. I locked the door and took my shirt off. His eyes immediately fixated on my body as I walked back to him and ran my hands up his chest, finally wrapping my arms around his neck.
"What were we talking about?" he joked huskily, his hands already busy working the button of my jeans.
Not one to prolong the inevitable, I kissed him roughly while backing us toward the bathroom counter. We were just about to get to the best part when a loud knock reverberated in the tiny room.
"Adrienne?" Alex called, "You okay in there Midget?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
When my response was met with silence I kissed Danny's neck softly to encourage him to continue where we left off. Apparently our conversation wasn't finished because after about sixty seconds he replied, "Are you sure? You looked flushed when you just rushed out of the room all randomly."
With a sigh I rested my head in the curve of Daniel's neck. "I'm sure Alex. Don't worry about it."
My body was getting impatient, but for some crazy reason it wasn't Danny that I felt like satisfying it with. If anything that only pushed me to prove it wrong, which was silly, because I was officially having an argument with my body.
"Are you upset because of what we talked about earlier?" Alex whispered loudly.
"For the love of all that's holy!" I grumbled under my breath pushing Danny away and hopping off of the counter.
"What're you doing?" he hissed.
"I'm getting dressed. What's it look like I'm doing?"
"What about-"
"I don't want it anymore!" I interrupted.
"What?" Alex called.
"Nothing!" I replied back shooting Danny a death glare.
Clearly pissed off, he hiked up and secured his pants before opening the door and barreling past Alex. I'm pretty sure I heard some choice words leave his lips to which Alex made no reply. Instead he entered and locked the bathroom door behind him.
Annoyed, I tried to go around him, but Alex wouldn't let me pass. Instead he held me still until I realized the futility of my attempts.
"Sorry I ruined your booty call," he apologized unrepentantly. "But we're going home," he told me matter-of-factly, giving me a look that dared to challenge him.
"What about the game plan for tomorrow night?" I protested.
"Taken care of. You're going to dress to impress and then you're going to have a flat tire on the farthest corner of Ben's grid. You're going to you call him up and personally ask for his help. I know you have his number. He told me he gave it to you. Jose, Tasha, Vitor, Danny and I will take care of the rest."
"Fine," I shrugged, "Let's go home."
"No arguments? No lectures about how you hate it when I agree on your behalf and how I tell you what to do?"
"It's a good plan," I conceded, "I'm not going to argue with you just for the sake of arguing. Let's just go home."
With a hand on my forehead and a sarcastic tone of voice he asked, "Are you sure you're alright?"
"Knock it off Alex," I rolled my eyes, swatted his hand away from my face and unlocked the bathroom door. "I'll be out in the car when you're done saying your goodbyes."
I shouted some quick farewells of my own, careful to avoid Danny's intense gaze. Natasha kissed both of my cheeks in turn and hugged me tightly. "Thank you Adrienne. I'm so glad I told him! I think he's going to say 'yes'. If he does..." She trailed off, her face alight with excitement.
I gave her a weak smile in return and assured her that I was "glad to see her so happy" because that was the best I could come up with without it being a complete and total lie.
Alex joined me in the car a while later, though I didn't acknowledge him. My forehead was pressed against the cool glass of the window, working wonders on the headache that had been quickly evolving into a pounding migraine. Not a word was said on the way home, though I could feel his eyes burning holes in the side of my head.
My mind was racing, though not much was actually going through it. Thoughts of Daniel, Natasha and Alex were perpetually circling in my head and despite my best efforts, they wouldn't quiet down. When the car came to a stop outside of our place, I got out and shuffled my way to the front door. I didn't even bother closing it behind me knowing Alex would be following me shortly.
We fell into the age old sleep hygiene routine, neither of us willing to break the silence. It wasn't awkward, but more contemplative in nature.. I didn't even tell him good night when I walked the short distance from our joint bathroom to my full sized bed. He came in a few minutes later wearing the Xbox360 boxers I had given him for Christmas a few years back. The last thing I expected him to do was to turn on the bedside light and lay on top of me.
"Alex!" I grunted, "Get off of me fat ass! I can't breathe!"
"I can't brief!" he mocked with a chuckle.
I pinched the skin of his lower abdomen knowing he was ticklish. He pinned my hands above my head lightning fast, though he had the decency to roll off of me. "No tickling," he told me seriously.
"Go to sleep in your own room," I complained, relieved when I wasn't turned on by his close proximity. My random fit of jealousy must have been a fluke, I thought. A fleeting instinct to rebel against the idea of losing him. Maybe I had just been envious of his budding relationship and it was time for one of my own.
"No, I'm comfortable right here," he replied, tucking my body into his and using me as a makeshift body pillow.
"Alex, this is really uncomfortable," I lied.
I could hear the grin in his voice when he obstinately told me, "Shut up you liar. I'm trying to sleep."
Recognizing that my argument was a losing battle and reassured by the heat of his body, I decided to just go with it. Completely content, I snuggled into his body even further and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.