Chapter 14 - Luke

When I got home, I immediately talked about it with my mom. She agreed to meet Agatha, so the next day, Alexia and her mother came to our apartment. While the mothers talked, Alexia and I would hang out.

"Mom, they're here," I told my mother as our guests entered. She was cleaning the kitchen, and when she turned around and saw Alexia, she lit up. "Hi! You must be Alexia." Then she turned to Alexia's mother. "And you must be her mother…"

"Agatha," Agatha said. My mom nodded, then turned to Alexia.

"Luke has told me a lot about you," my mom said. I gave her a look.

"Really?" Alexia said as she turned in my direction.

"Oh, yes. He talks non-stop about you," my mom said.

"Mom! Jeez," I said. The ladies all looked at each other and smirked.

Oh, no. I didn't like this at all.

"Honey, why don't Alexia and you go to your room, while we talk," she gestured to Agatha.

"Okay," I said.

We walked to my room. It was simple. The bed was in the far corner, and the closet was right next to it. Opposite the door, under the window, was my desk, which, for once, was pretty clean. In the other corner was a big bookcase. In the middle of the room was a couch that faced the TV.

"Nice room," Alexia noted.

"Thanks."

After a moment of silence, I said, "Do you think you'll be able to come?"

She looked up at me. Those blue eyes were kind of intimidating. They seemed to look straight through you. "Yeah. I think we'll be able to go. My mom usually lets me do stuff," she said.

"Good."

"My dad was more protective of me though," she admitted. "He was usually the most hesitant in letting me go." She smiled as if she were remembering a funny moment. "Once, in second grade, my class and I went to a museum. We would be gone for barely a day, but my dad hugged me and kissed me as if I was leaving for a month."

"Oh," I said. I know, it was stupid, but I figured Alexia was having a hard time talking about her father. The only thing I knew about him was that he died in a car crash five years ago.

"At least your dad was there for you," I blurted. Suddenly, I found myself telling her everything: how my dad was never home, how he would ignore me completely, how he cheated on my mother.

"I'm sorry," Alexia said after I was finished.

"It's okay. I'm over it."

There was an awkward silence when my mother called from the living room. "Luke! They have to leave!"

Alexia and I walked to the entrance, where Agatha was already putting her jacket on. "There you are," she said. "We have something to tell you."

We both froze.

The mothers looked at each other, then back at us. "You can go."

"Thank you!" Alexia ran towards her mother, then hugged her tightly.

"Thanks mom," I said.

"Okay, we really need to go now, Alexia. You have your brother to look after," Agatha said.

Brother? I didn't know Alexia had a brother. I honestly felt a pang of pain. Why didn't she tell me she had a brother?

"Yeah, okay," Alexia said.

"I'll walk you down," I volunteered.

"Bye Julia," Alexia said. I closed the door behind me, then walked down the stairs with Alexia. We walked in silence. When we reached the entrance, Alexia's mom turned.

"Alexia, stay here. I'll go get the car and come back to pick you up."

"Okay."

Agatha walked down the front steps and disappeared behind the corner.

"That was weird. We parked barely a block from here," Alexia said.

"Your mom is nice," I said.

"Yours too."

Silence.

"You know," Alexia said. "I think you should revisit your dad. He may be a jerk, but I'm sure he misses you."

"I doubt it."

"Oh, come on. He's not that bad!" Alexia complained.

I laughed. So did she. At that moment a white Chevrolet turned the corner.

"Here's my ride," Alexia said.

"Okay. See you at school."

Alexia leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "See ya."

And she left.

I tried to be cool about it, but Alexia kissed me. On the cheek, but still. She kissed me. I know I was being overdramatic about this, but I have never been kissed. Not even on the cheek.

Okay, that was really personal.

Just forget about it.

The next few weeks were pretty normal. Alexia and I were becoming really good friends. We ate together, watched movies together, sat next to each other in class, and even studied together.

I didn't know if Alexia knew, but there was a rumor that she and I were a couple. When Will mentioned that to me, I was shocked.

"What!?" I demanded.

Nick and Will laughed. "C'mon, dude. You two are inseparable. You're always together," Nick said.

"Yeah," I confirmed, "That's what "inseparable" means."

"Are you sure nothing's going on with you guys?" Nick asked me with a questioning look. Will looked at me expectantly.

"Yes," I said.

"Yes, you're sure nothing's up, or, yes, something's there?" Will insisted.

I hesitated. "I don't know."

Will gave Nick a smile, and Nick blushed. "Okay," Will said. I silently thanked him for dropping the subject.

About two weeks later, on December 3rd, I had an important thing to tell Alexia.

"We're leaving the 23rd," I announced. "The flight is at 11.30 A.M."

She smiled. "Wow," she said, shaking her hands. "I know this is happening, but I'm so freaking excited!"

I laughed. "We have three weeks to get our bags ready. I'm not sure how the weather will be there, but it'll definitely be colder than here, so pack warm things."

"Okay," she said, still smiling. "How long are we staying there?"

"Five days. We'll come back on the 28th," I explained.

Alexia covered her face with her hands. "Oh my gods, I can't believe this!" she exclaimed.

A thought occurred to me. Could it be…?

"Did you just say "Oh my gods"? Plural?" I asked.

The blushed. "Oh yeah. It's a Per-" she started saying.

"-cy Jackson thing," I finished.

She looked at me, her eyes wide. She pointed her finger at me. "Are you-"

"A Percy Jackson fan?" I smiled. "Yep."

Alexia almost screamed. "OH, MY GODS! Everyone I know hates reading, and I can't talk to anyone about this fandom stuff!" she blurted. "Finally someone who understands me!"

I smiled, blushing.

"Books or movies?" she asked after a while.

"Books, obviously," I said instinctively.

"Right answer," she said.

We spent the rest of the week talking about books.

A week before our trip, after telling Alexia all the information she needed to know, I started packing. I got my small blue suitcase, and started putting in long jeans, sweaters, and long-sleeved shirts. Oh, and of course, underwear.

After about an hour, my bag was ready, the clothes for the airport were chosen, and in my hand baggage were all the things I might need during the flight.

While I was filling my bags, the only thing I could thing about was – you guessed it – Alexia.

Finally someone who understands me! she yelled in my mind.

Alexia was one of the small amount of people I know that liked to read. She was smart. She was athletic. She was pretty. She was funny.

She was perfect.