After Hours

(unedited)

Juliana's P.O.V

After Alex's freak out I came downstairs to find Mary had made waffles for breakfast. When I sat down next to her, we ate and chatted for a little while, which was really nice. Mary is a really sweet lady, and I'm a little surprised Alex is even related to someone so kind and caring.

"So, how is my baby boy doing in school these days?" I giggled a little when she referred to him as her baby boy. I think it's adorable that she still calls him that, but I bet if he heard her say that, he wouldn't be very pleased.

"Actually pretty well. He seems to be starting to understand most of the material, but I think the deadline doesn't help his stress level. I'm surprised he's doing so well, but I always assume that people who don't try don't know their strengths until they start trying. I think since he's actually started trying, he's beginning to realize he's pretty smart, and with a little patience and time, he could become an average A, B student," Mary looked absolutely thrilled with this news.

"Oh, I'm so glad he met you. You know...I'm starting think about it more, and the way you were looking at each other before you both left for the party...I don't know...its stupid," I gave her a questioning look, signaling for her to continue. "Well, I remember when I was your age when I looked at someone like that it meant I liked them, and I seems to me that both of you have an attraction to each other," It took me a second to process the information she gave me before I burst out laughing. She gave me a stern look telling me to be serious. "Ask yourself, 'Do I, Juliana Rivers, have any type of attraction, other than friendly, to Alex Rider?'" I thought about it for a good 2 minutes. It really wasn't a question to me. There were so many things in my head telling me that it would never happen between us. He's a bad boy while I'm a goody two shoes. His friends smoke weed, and drink alcohol. Crystal and I paint each other's nails and gossip. He's popular in the player boy way. I'm popular in the nice to everyone way. We are from two different worlds. There's no way I could possible like him.

"No, I like him as a good friend, but nothing more," I said confidently, but I couldn't look into her eyes, they were just too intense right now to stare at.

"Alright, if that's how you.." We heard someone around the corner clear their throat.

"Are you done with your girl talk?" Alex said, shifting his feet awkwardly. I nodded and began to put my dishes in the dishwasher. "Do you want me to drive you home?" He asked.

"Yes," Then I turned to Mary "Thank you for the wonderful food, and it was a pleasure to meet you," I put my hand out for her to shake but she pushed it away and pulled me into a bone crushing hug.

"The pleasure was all mine,"

~~~

"So.." I said. We had been in the car no longer than 2 minutes and I could feel the air thicken each second we were next to each other.

"Did you mean what you said?" He asked. He caught me off guard, and on top of that, I had no idea what he was talking about.

"What?"

"What you told my mother," I looked at his features, and his face was emotionless.

"You heard that?" I asked, feeling a little bad of how blunt I was to her about it. After a couple of minutes without a response, I assumed he was waiting for me to answer his question. "Well.." He looked over at me, and I could have sworn I saw a little hope pass through his eyes. I must have been imagining it. "Yea. I mean we are friends right?"

He almost looked disappointed for a second, but he covered it up with a smirk. That stupid annoying smirk. "I don't know, are we?" I thought about it for a minute. We talk to each other about our personal lives occasionally. He was protective of me. We're nice to each other.