BARDOWN

16

"So, how come you've never came face to face with Rachel in school?"

"Hey,"Alex smiled, entering his parents house. May and Kelly were sitting on the couch while his mother was doing something in the kitchen.
"Hi Al"May smiled big, "where were you?"they did a quick fist bump.
"Practice. Where were you? I came to your place hoping to see you but you were nowhere."He sat right next to her.
Now she was sitting between the Brown siblings.
"I was sleeping."she forced a smile. She couldn't tell she was with Matt. They'd both think what they want to think. "I got home late last night."
"How? Isaiah was at the pub."he looked at her confused.
"Matt drove me."she pressed her lips together. She didn't have to lie about this.
"She was drunk and a dude touched her"Kelly said, focused on her phone.
"Someone touched you?"Alex raised his eyebrows. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were with a girl and she didn't want to disturb you. Isaiah and Matt took care of him."Kelly was the one to answer again.
"I told you he didn't do it on purpose...he was drunk and lost his balance...I think they overreacted. I'm still thankful tho. Things could go wrong."
"What the hell"Alex scoffed. "If anything happens again don't hesitate to tell me May. I don't care if I'm in a conversation with the prime minister, if something you don't like happens, you need to tell me."
"He's your big bro now."Kelly smirked, making Alex shake his head. His face had a shade of soft pink on it and his sister knew he was upset.
Not just for the guy that touched May but also for Matt, driving her home. He once said to his sister he doesn't like the girl the way she thought, but anyone could tell something was happening.
"Hey."May faced him. "I heard you and Matt got into a fight..."the girl got both Kelly's and their mother's attention, having her make her way to the living room right away.
"You had a fight?"Kelly left her phone on the coffee table.
"No-"he got up then looked at his mom. "Mom, no."he shook his head in denial.
May looked at Alex and then back at her friend before standing up. "I meant argue. I used the wrong word I'm sorry. They just argued over some stupid thing. Fight is when you hit someone, no?"she tried to save it.
"Which thing was?"Kelly waited for an answer.
"Matt wanted me to wear a jersey with his name on it but Alex told him his jersey is better and that I would never wear Matt's name and they went childish that's all."
"Isaiah didn't tell me"Kelly frowns
"Of course he wouldn't tell you about his best friend and your brother."May sat down again. "What's happening between you and him? You were pretty close last night"May changed the conversation. "I didn't see Blake anywhere"
"I was about to ask the exact same thing. You and Isaiah?"Alex rolled his eyes.
"Isaiah?"Pam crossed her arms over her chest.
"The kid that broke my tooth and stick"
"That was when we were kids."Kelly laughed. "We just talked and danced. That's it guys."the woman took her phone in her hand and quickly got up, walking away. "I have to make a call."she smiled.
"The rice!"Pam freaked out, running back to the kitchen.
"Wanna go for a walk?"Alex asked May, putting his jacket on again.
"Sure."May followed him to the door.
She took her coat from the closet they had at the entrance and after putting it on she walked out the door with Alex following behind.
"Are you playing tonight?"Mays hot breath turned into vapor.
"Don't know yet."the man shoved his hands in his pockets. "I got into a fight you know..."he gave her a small smile.
"What happened? Matt has a sprained wrist. You have a bruise on your face"
"I'm pretty sure he told you already."he elbowed her playfully. "He didn't?"he stopped walking, surprised.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just don't like seeing you guys like that. It makes me sad."
"Like what?"he laughed. "It's nothing serious May. This is hockey. We argue, we make up, we argue again..."
"Your argument was not hockey related tho, was it?"
"You're right."Alex started walking again. "It was about you."
"Matt told me he asked for the bracelet nicely and you ended up arguing but also said the bracelet was not the only reason."
"That's what he told you?"The man scoffed. "Jesus, he's asking for it"Alex looked at May definitely not in the mood. "What is Matt to you, May?"
"What do you mean?"May started biting the inside of her cheek.
"Is he your friend? Someone you just know? Something more than a friend?"They both stopped walking when they reached a park that was not far from Alex's parents house and sat on the bench by the sidewalk. "Kelly told me that you guys met in summer but nothing explains his behavior."
"What behavior? You argue often?"
"No we only argued once."Alex frowns. "So, what is he to you?"he rest his chin on his hand, waiting for her to talk.
"I don't know...the whole situation is very complicated. We met in Italy one day, the next day I attended a wedding with him, then a misunderstanding happened and we hadn't talked since then because I left the next day."May took a deep breath. "He is the stranger I hadn't seen in months but when we finally saw each other again, the months felt like hours."May looked down.
"Finally?"Alex looked at her. "You wanted to see him again?"
"Not really because I thought I messed up and was afraid to face him...but I kind of missed him. How often do strangers celebrate your birthday with you? How often do you slow dance with a stranger? Have you ever stargazed with a random girl?"May turn to face him again. "I only spent a day and a half with him and I really don't want to exaggerate but he made my trip feel so much better. I thought him and I could make great friends and he thought the same...turns out I didn't mess up as bad as I thought and we decided to be friends. He asked for my number and I gave it to him." May smiled. "I guess we are just friends?"
Alex nodded his head slowly before he crosses his arms over his chest. "So, you're starting a friendship now. At least he should be telling you the truth. That's what friends are for May, don't you think?"
"What do you mean?"
"The reason we argued was not because he asked nicely for the bracelet and I didn't give it to him."
"But?"May frowned,waiting for an answer.
Alex breathed in then pressed his lips together. "I haven't even told Kelly yet."
"I won't tell her."
"She almost found out I beat someone up"he smirked getting up again.
"You also got beaten up, no?"May chuckled. "Let me see your face."she walked closer to have a better look.
"No"the man shook his head.
"Oh, look, it's...bruised"she pointed at his face playfully. Alex grabbed her finger and pulled her even closer.
"Pointing at people is rude."he smiled big.
"You're not people. You're Alex."she smirked before walking away.