Lexi and JC were back in Bowie by about 6:30 PM and were greeted by an empty house.
“Hello? Is anybody home?” JC paused and turned to Lexi. “Guess not. So what do ya wanna do?”
“I dunno, but first I need to take off some of these layers. I’ll be right back.”
“Ok,” he said as she started up the stairs. “Girl, you’ve gotta get used to this cold weather!”
“Never!” she yelled back over her shoulder.
Lexi reached her room, took off her jacket and scarf, and threw them on the bed. As she sat down to take off her boots her cell phone began from her purse.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Lexi! How goes it in Maryland?”
“Hey, Nicki! It’s actually going great…suprisingly. I’m having a lot of fun.”
“Yeah I bet you are…get off JC for a minute and let him breathe!”
“Haha…very funny, Nicki.”
“You’re telling me nothing’s happened yet!?”
“That’s right.”
“You’ve gotta be shittin’ me! You know that you like each other. Just let it happen!”
Lexi opened the door to her room and looked both ways down the hallway to make sure JC wasn’t up there. She shut the door quietly behind her.
“Lexi? Lexi? Lexi!”
“Ok,” she whispered, “I do like him.”
“Lexi, I know. I know you way too well not to pick up on these things. I knew you liked Matt too…” Nicki stopped mid phrase and couldn’t believe what she had just mentioned. “Lexi, I’m sorry…”
“Nicki, it’s ok.” She quickly changed subjects. “So are you satisfied? I’ve finally admitted that I like him.”
“Not quite. You’ve finally told me, but now you have to tell the person that would care a lot more than I do.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t know what his reaction would be…I don’t know if he feels the same way.”
“Sometimes you just have to take that chance. Lexi, look, you two are probably going through the same exact thought process. What if he likes you and you like him, but you’re not telling each other because of the same reason?”
“That could very well be the case, and even if it is one of us will tell the other when the time is right.”
“And when will that be?”
“Months, weeks, days, maybe in ten minutes…I just don’t know.”
Meanwhile, JC was watching television in the living room when the front door opened.
“Hello?” the female voice said.
“Heather? Is that you?” JC yelled as he walked from the living room.
“Hey, Josh!” she said.
She was struggling with a couple bags that were in the doorway. They were forming a low barrier between JC and her.
“I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow?” he asked as he picked up one of the heavy bags and brought it into the house.
“Yeah, well I decided to come a little early to beat the Christmas Eve rush.
“Fine by me!” he responded as he embraced his sister in a hug.
By now Lexi had said goodbye to Nicki and was on her way downstairs. When she got half-way down, she saw JC hugging a pretty brunette that looked about her age. An unexpected flood of jealously swept over Lexi like a tidal wave. As JC and that girl ended their hug, that girl looked up.
“Oh! You must be Lexi! I’ve heard so much about you!” she said.
Lexi made her way down the rest of the stairs with a polite smile on her face. “I wish I could say the same.”
Heather froze in very slight confusion and JC immediately intervened.
“Umm, Lexi. This is my sister, Heather. Heather, this is Lexi.”
Lexi felt like a complete idiot. How could she forget about JC’s sister, Heather? And how could she jump to such hasty conclusions? Lexi extended her hand and let out an apologetic laugh.
“Omigawd, I’m so sorry! It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Heather returned the courtesy. “It’s nice to meet you too! Well, let me go take this stuff upstairs. I’ll be right back.”
Heather took her things upstairs, and JC and Lexi walked into the living room. They sat down on the sofa, and JC looked at her.
“What was that?” he asked with a grin.
“What was what?”
“That. That whole thing with Heather.”
“I just didn’t know who she was at first…that’s all.”
“Right…you didn’t happen to feel jealous, did you?”
“What? Why would I be jealous about you hugging another girl?”
“I dunno, Lex. You tell me.”
“Look, if I’m ok with thousands of girls drooling over your picture day and night I can handle an innocent hug…and why would I be jealous anyway? It’s not like we’re a couple or anything.” JC’s and Lexi’s eyes froze on each other, then they looked away. How many slips of the tongue would it have to take in order for their feelings to come out?
“Yeah,” JC said, “I guess you’re right.”
Chapter Nine
Quiere ir a la casa?