Monday morning finally came around, and Alex sat in A.Eng, waiting for Holly to show up.
He was tired. He’d not slept very well since he’d gotten Holly out of the pool, and he just wanted to know that she was Ok. It had killed him not to be able to talk to her, to see how she was. He’d almost called her, even typed out a message to send, but then she’d want to know how he’d gotten her number. He wasn’t about to freak her out any more than she already had been.
As time went by, and Holly didn’t show up; he got a little anxious. He got out his phone and sent a text to Dev.
A: No Holly?
D: Airport with Em.
What the fuck?! Where’s she going? Is she leaving and going back to England?!
Alex needed to find out before he had a panic attack of his own.
A: She’s leaving?
D: Em leaves today. Holly’s driving her. :D
A: Oh
D: Panicking much?
A: A little. :/
D: Haha! XD
A: Not funny. :(
Dev was smiling mischievously at Alex, when they went to their next class. Alex scowled.
“That wasn’t funny, Dev.” He said seriously.
“I wasn’t trying to be. You misunderstood my text. Not my fault.” She grinned.
“You could’ve been clearer.”
“I didn’t know she was driving Em. I completely forgot. I only remembered when Holly didn’t show up for homeroom.”
That couldn’t have been good. Alex knew that Dev would have been worried when Holly never showed too.
“Will she be here for lunch?” He was hopeful that Em’s flight was early enough that she would be back in school.
“No.” Said Dev and Alex felt his heart sink. “Em’s getting there for twelve-thirty. By the time Hol gets back, after seeing Em off and traffic…she won’t get home until two-thirty. There’ll be no point in coming in.” Dev explained.
“I guess. Have you spoken to her about Saturday?” Alex had seen Dev, briefly, the day before but he’d been in his room, drawing, for most of the day.
They’d barely spoken at dinner, what with his yawning at the table and subsequent exit to try to get some sleep.
“Only on Saturday. She just said that she wanted to stay home yesterday, with it being Em’s last day with her for a while.”
“Uh huh.” He replied as he was thinking about how Holly felt in his arms.
“Ooh I forgot to mention…” Said Dev, and Alex became hopeful that Holly had said something about him. “…She said she’ll wash your shirt and give it back.”
“What?! She can keep it! If she wants to…that is” Alex had wanted Holly to have his shirt, then she would have something to remind her of him. Her returning it…he assumed she didn’t want that.
“I told her that and she said that she borrowed it so she needs to give it back. Did you tell her to keep it?” Dev asked with a small frown.
“Um, No. I just said she could use mine.” He replied, realizing that he hadn’t actually told Holly that she could have it.
“Well there you go. That’s why she won’t” Alex thought about it and decided he may just like it back.
She’ll have to give it to me, and it’ll smell like her….Hopefully.
When they gathered together, for lunch that afternoon, Alex was quiet and Ryan wasn’t his usually chatty self either. Riss and Kayla had tried to keep the conversations going by talking about how Nick being in town was nice for Ryan. He’d just nodded his head.
“What’s up Ryan?” Riss asked. “Holly’s not mad at you, you know.”
“I know.” He said quietly. “That doesn’t mean I don’t feel shitty about what happened.”
“So you should.” Commented Alex.
“Come on, Alex” Ben said. “He’s sorry, Holly forgave him and he’s already beating himself up over it. Dude…it’s over.”
“Did you see the look on her face as she was gasping for breath? Or her panic attack, and feel her shaking?” Alex said through a clenched jaw.
“No, Man.” Said Ben, shaking his head. “You did because you got her out. You helped her. We stood around not knowing what the fuck was happening. So you should blame all of us.”
“It wasn’t all of you who threw her in though.” Said Alex.
“No it wasn’t.” Kyle cut in. “But if Ryan hadn’t gotten there first, I was going to.”
“What the fuck?!” Said Alex, getting angrier.
“Alex…” Dev placed her hand on his arm to calm him. “You have to realize that nobody knew about Holly’s phobia. Even us girls didn’t know. Just Emily and you, and only because you heard the coaches talk about it.“
Alex calmed when he realized she was right. They weren’t to know. Ryan hadn’t meant to scare her.
“I guess so.” He said, finally. “Nobody pulls any shit like that again, got it?” His voice was threatening as he pointed at everyone.
“Got it.” They said.
“So, when’s the wedding?” asked Kayla.
“Huh?” Alex said, and heat rose to his cheeks.
“The wedding.” Repeated Riss. “You’re very protective over our Holly. A lot more than usual for a ‘friend’” she held up her fingers to air quote.
Alex and Dev looked at each other.
“What are we missing?” Riss and Kayla asked together.
“It’s a bit obvious dude.” Said Kyle.
Alex scrubbed his face.
“You like Holly.” Said Kayla in a matter-of-fact way. “You think we couldn’t tell?”
“I knew it anyway” added Riss with a smile. “I just wanted to hear you say it.” She said to Alex.
“But does she know that?” asked Kayla.
“No.” Dev said, which made Alex look at her with surprise that she’d admitted he liked Holly.
“Oh come on, Alex, they’re not blind.” Dev said in defense.
“You haven’t said anything?” Riss and Kayla said at the same time.
“Alex applied ‘the code’” Dev said as she narrowed her eyes at her brother.
Both girls gasped in shock.
“Alex, how could you?” Said Riss.
“We live for this!” Said Kayla.
Ben looked towards Alex with a very smug grin.
“Told you dude.” He said. Alex groaned as he ran his hands over his face again.
“Maybe you should just tell her.” Said Kayla as she shrugged her shoulders. Alex shook his head. Kyle and Ryan were both looking at Kayla and Riss. Alex saw that Dev noticed when she spoke up.
“I don’t know what it is with guys.”
“What do you mean?” asked Ryan as he turned to her.
“Well, liking a girl, a lot, and not wanting her to know. I mean, what if a girl likes a guy back? Is he just going to wait until it’s too late and she ends up with somebody else?”
“What about girls telling guys then?” asked Ben crossing his arms and leaning them on the table to look closer to Dev. “If a girl feels the same, shouldn’t she let the guy know?”
The group looked between them as if sensing there was more to it than that. Alex scowled a little.
“Well…It’s different for girls.”
“How so?” asked Ben.
This is getting interesting. I may find out something useful here. Alex thought even though he wasn’t liking the personal feel of the conversation between his sister and friend.
“Obviously some girls don’t have a problem going after guys…” She said “…But you know, we do worry about rejection and the repercussions.”
“Repercussions?” Ben asked, confused.
“Yes. With guys they may get a -Dev put on a mock male voice- ‘burn’ from other guys, but girls will have nasty snide comments from other girls.”
“That’s true” Riss agreed. “Nobody made fun of Jake after he asked Holly out.”
Alex’s head snapped to Riss and then Dev.
“She said ‘no’, obviously, but you always hear gossip about other girls getting turned down. Stacey’s no exception, even though she’s queen bitch.”
“So true.” Agreed Kayla, nodding her head.
“So…let me get this straight…” Ben said in a condescending tone “…girls are more worried about what other people think?”
“Not really.” Replied Dev. “It’s a lot to do with humiliation from the guy she has feelings for. Especially if he just thinks of her as a ‘friend’. Crossing that line and possibly ruining their relationship is a huge risk for a girl. Guys seem to get over that quicker.”
Dev narrowed her eyes and sat back. Pleased with her explanation.
Alex was paying close attention to what his sister and Ben were talking about. He had a feeling that it was getting a lot more personal than he liked.
“They seem to.” Ben continued. “That doesn’t mean they don’t feel the same hurt. They just don’t show it. Guys don’t want to look weak and lose a friend.”
It was Ben’s turn to sit back with a smile. Every one of them were looking between them like they were at a tennis match.
“Is that true?” Alex turned to ask Riss and Kayla. He saw that Ben and Dev were still glaring at each other, and he didn’t want to start up another fight between them. Was Holly scared that he would turn her away?
“Yeah. Look at how you shoot Stacey down.” Said Riss.
“But that’s Stacey!” He almost shouted. “I wouldn’t want to be her friend let alone…ugh.” He made a face and sound of disgust, and the guys did too.
“Trust me…” Said Kayla. “Being the one in that position…it doesn’t matter who a guy turns down. A girl, a nice girl…” Kayla emphasized “…will think she’ll get turned down too.”
“Maybe not as harsh, but definitely turned down.” Added Riss.
The girls all nodded their agreement.
“Besides…” Ryan spoke up. Holly’s new, you’re not. You know what the kids are like at this school. You’ve turned down God knows how many girls. If Holly does have feelings for you, that’d be scary just by itself.”
There were comments of agreement around the table as Alex thought about what Ryan had said. He’d made sense, but he wasn’t off his shit list just yet.
“Fair enough.” He said. “But you guys need to stay out of it though.”
“What?! Hell no!” said Riss.
“Yes. If I want to tell her, I’ll tell her myself on my own terms. The last thing I want is gossip flying around the school. Got it?”
“You’re no fun” grumbled Riss.
“Party pooper.” Said Kayla with a scowl.
“You have no idea!” Said Dev, throwing her hands up into the air. “It’s been killing me not to be able to say anything.”
Riss and Kayla shot daggers at Alex who just cocked an eyebrow, to which they stuck out their tongues at him.
Holly got up with a freshly washed, dried, and ironed T-shirt for Alex. It didn’t smell like him anymore. A little hint maybe, but not the same.
Holly sniffed her pillow. There was a ghost of a scent there, since she’d slept with the T-shirt on her pillow for two nights, reluctantly giving it up to be washed on Monday.
Those two nights, Holly had had the deepest, most restful sleep she’d had in a long while, even though coming out of her sleep had been frustrating. Holly had thought about, conveniently, forgetting to take it to school with her to get another night out of it, but she knew she would need to return it. Alex hadn’t said she could keep it, just ‘you can use mine’ he’d said.
Holly got ready for school and began to think about the dream that had plagued her during those restful nights.
Alex had pulled her out of the water and laid her down on the poolside floor. His hands roamed over her hips and her stomach, taking their time moving up and up over her breasts to her shoulders. The warmth in his touch sending shivers through her body. Next, he lay over her running his hands up her neck and into her wet hair. His chest was pressed against her as she raised her hands to touch him. Soft skin and tight, hard muscle. He reached down with one hand and hooked his thumb into her waistband and started to pull down her wet shorts, just as he leant in towards her lips, with his own…and then she would wake up, panting and sweating; hence, the frustrating part.
“Holly…? Holly!”
Her Dad, well Step-Dad who she calls Dad, was trying to get her attention. “Helloooo!” He waved a hand in front of her face. She blinked rapidly, cheeks burning.
“Wha…? Oh. Hey Dad. What’s up?”
“I asked if you wanted coffee. You were miles away honey. Something wrong?” he asked with a twitch of his lips.
Holly had a sneaking suspicion that he knew something, and that something was a person.
“Oh no, just thinking about school, Em, the usual…and yeah I’d love some coffee, thanks.”
“Coming up buttercup” he said cheerfully with a wink.
Phew! This is worse than the day I met Alex.
Holly would have to avoid him today, and it made her feel bad even thinking about it. Just when she was getting somewhere with overcoming some of her nervousness, she was back to square one, taking a few extra steps back for good measure.
It was going to be difficult, as they had every class together but, luckily, the girls were in most of her classes and Holly sat a few rows in front of Alex. If she were quick enough, she could make it out with Dev before he could talk to her. So that’s exactly what she did.
“What’s going on?” asked Dev during A.Bio. “You’re acting strange. Kind of like when you first started.”
Holly blew out a nervous breath.
“It’s worse.” She said as she swallowed the lump in her throat.
“How so?”
“Remember the other day?” asked Holly.
“It’s burned into my mind.” Said Dev with a grimace.
“Well, remember when I was pulled up by Alex?” She whispered so quietly she practically mouthed the words.
“Of course. What about it?”
Holly took a deep breath.
“A half-naked Alex.” She said, blushing like mad. Dev had to stop herself from laughing.
“Not funny Dev!” Holly almost growled.
“I was wrapped around his naked torso. I can’t look at him without seeing him, or feeling him like that.”
Holly felt embarrassed that sexy thoughts of her friends’ brother were making her crazy, and said friend was the only one she could tell! Dev had her hand over her mouth, stifling her giggle as Holly glared at her.
“I don’t think I can face him yet.” She said. “Not without losing my mind and probably drooling all over the place.”
“That’s my brother! Ew!” Said Dev, still laughing.
Holly knew she didn’t mean it because she’d encouraged Holly to talk about it before.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do. You’re the only one I can talk to now.” Holly said, her voice pained.
“You can talk to Riss and Kayla too.” Dev said with a glint in her eye. “They’re not blind Hol. They can see you have feelings for him.”
Holly groaned at the thought of everybody knowing.
Obviously she wasn’t as good an actress as she’d thought. Dev looked as though she wanted to say something else, but stopped herself.
“Oh God!” Holly said as she rubbed her forehead. It was a good job the teacher had the class discussing their subject between them; otherwise they would have been busted.
Holly saw Dev was about to look behind her.
“Don’t look!” Holly said quickly. “He’ll know we’re talking about him!”
“Wow, you really are a wreck, aren’t you?” Dev asked as she shook her head.
“Dev, you have no idea.”
When the lesson was over, Holly and Dev made a quick exit.
“See you later. If not, I’ll text.” She said as she put her things into her locker.
“Ok Honey, I’ve got you covered.” Dev said with a wink.
“Oh, give this to Alex.” Holly took the clean T-shirt from her locker.
“Um…Ok.”
Alex caught up with Dev, just as Holly disappeared around the corner.
“What the hell’s going on?” He asked, confused. “Why Were you both running out of class?”
“No, we were just leaving…quickly.” Dev replied.
“Yea, like there was a fire!” He said in annoyance.
Alex had felt that he was finally getting somewhere with Holly. She had let her guard down, and some of her nervousness had seemed to ease up, until Ryan stupidly threw her in the pool. But, even then, she’d spoken to him even as she’d had her legs wrapped around him.
Her legs...
Alex shook his head to clear it. It wasn’t the time to go off into dreamland.
“Holly’s a little…embarrassed…about Saturday.” Dev replied.
Alex could tell that Dev was hiding something.
“She shouldn’t be. At all. It’s nothing to be ashamed about.”
“Mmph!” Dev made an angry sound as she shook her knees.
“What’s the matter? You look like you’re having a tantrum.” Alex said with a light scowl but also a smirk.
Dev having a tantrum was funny to watch but he was still confused as to why Holly was embarrassed about her phobia.
Dev blew out an exasperated breath.
“I can’t say too much but…the freaking out part isn’t what she’s embarrassed about.” Dev had said it quietly incase anybody could overhear.
“Then What?” He was still confused.
If it isn’t her phobia, then what is it?
“Hey, Dev, where’d Holly go?” Riss asked as she walked to them with Kayla and Ben.
“Dude, why’d you take off?” Ben asked.
“Holly has a free period after lunch, so she went home. I think she’s still a little embarrassed from Saturday.” Dev said to Riss.
“I wanted to catch up to Dev to see why Holly took off.” Alex said to Ben.
“What took so long?” Kyle asked, as the all met up with him and Ryan at the table.
“Holly took off.” Said Kayla.
“Why?” asked Ryan.
“She’s embarrassed.” Said Dev. “Just give her today, at least. I’m sure she’ll be fine tomorrow.”
“Oh, Ok.” Said Kyle as he nodded whilst tucking into his lunch.
Ryan looked a little sad that he’d caused it.
“Don’t worry Ry. It’s not as bad as you think.” Said Dev, rubbing his arm.
“How?” He asked. With a shrug of his shoulders.
Dev chewed her lip as she was thinking. Alex knew that look. She was definitely hiding something.
“Mmm… It’s not so much as to what you did…” She said carefully “…But I’ve been trusted, by Holly, to let you guys know she’s absolutely fine and not to worry.”
They carried on with their lunch when Alex met Ben’s eyes. He knew questions were to follow, and he would probably corner him in the gym. It was their free period too, and Alex was grateful to be working off some of his frustrations.
“Ok, what’s up with you?” Ben asked as soon as they got to the quiet corner of the gym.
Alex shook his head but then blew out a breath.
“Holly left before I could talk to her and Dev said that Holly was avoiding me because she was embarrassed but not because she freaked out…” He ranted, waving his hands for emphasis. “…And also, she gave my shirt to Dev, to give to me.” He quietened a little as he said this because he knew he sounded like a child with a tantrum.
Like Dev had earlier.
Dev had given him the shirt after lunch and he’d secretly smelled it before putting it into his bag. It smelled like detergent and not like Holly at all. Well, a little but not the coconut and sweet scent that she smelled like.
“Okaaayyy.” Said Ben, his eyes widened at Alex’s outburst. “Think. If it’s not because of her freak out, then why would she be embarrassed?”
“I don’t know!” Said Alex, frustrated.
Ben chewed on his fingernail as he thought.
“Oh. My. God.” He said as if realizing something.
“What?” asked Alex with avid interest.
“I totally get it.”
“And…?” Alex was getting impatient with Ben.
“Remember how I said how she looks at you?” said Ben with a huge grin?
“Yeah?”
“Well, she did the same thing on Saturday and…” Ben lowered his voice. “…You…with less clothing…”
“So?” asked Alex. Seriously, he didn’t get it. Why did Ben have to be so cryptic when he just wanted a simple explanation?
“If she looks at you like that and then she has her arms and legs wrapped around you…” Ben said, dragging out his sentence as if Alex would catch on.
“She’s embarrassed because I had no shirt on?”
“Dude?!” Ben said in a ‘what the fuck?’ kind of way. “You are seriously the dumbest smart person I know.” Ben said before he carried on. “You got her all hot! I bet that’s why she’s avoiding you. Probably picturing you in your swim shorts coming to her rescue.” He said, batting his eyes and clasping his hands together against his chest.
Alex’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You really think so?”
“Alex, man, you are so clueless. You’re like one of the most chased down guys at this school, and yet you don’t see how you affect this one girl?” Ben shook his head in disbelief.
“Well she doesn’t act like the other girls. I can tell then, but Holly’s different. I don’t know what she thinks of me.”
“That’s a good thing. You don’t want a girl that gropes you and drapes over you in public.”
“Mmhmm.” Said Alex, in thought.
Holly could do that in private, or anywhere, whenever…
“Dude? Again?” asked Ben with a smirk and a cocked eyebrow.
“What?”
“Holly haze. That’s what I’ll call it. Holly haze.” Said Ben.
“Shut up” Alex pouted.
“No man. That’s some serious Holly haze you have going on.” Ben laughed and they carried in their playful banter until Alex decided to throw something Ben’s way.
“Oh and don’t think I didn’t notice the thing between you and my sister yesterday.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Said Ben, his face straightening.
“Yeah, whatever.” Said Alex. “Now, I understand why it’s easier seeing what’s going on from the outside.”
“She’s your sister, Alex, and my friend too…sometimes.” Ben said as his eyebrows pinched together.
“Uh huh.” Alex replied. Ben just grunted as they started their training.
Alex went to his room, when he got home, to carry on with his picture that he’d been working on. Just a few details to perfect and then it’d be finished.
He started thinking about when they were sitting at the pool, where he’d choked listening to Holly sing in Spanish, he’d almost straight out told her that he liked her.
‘You could give a guy a heart attack’ he’d said about the words she’d sung.
‘Kiss your mouth’.
Alex had been thinking of doing exactly that when Holly had said it, completely catching him off guard. Then smiled to himself thinking about the conversation with Ben.
Is it true that I make Holly hot?
Alex grinned at his thoughts.
I’m going to test that theory out real soon.
Alex had never been a flirtatious person, but he knew how girls came on to him. Slight brush of the arm, bat of the eyes, flicking their hair back. Ok, so he could do the first but the others… well that would be weird.
Fuck it. I’m getting so much closer to her this week. I’ll definitely know how she feels.
If he could somehow get her alone that would be better. He just had to figure out how without her realizing what he was doing. Alex felt guilty because he didn’t like that being done to him.
But, if she likes me, wouldn’t she be ok? If she wanted to get me alone, I would soooo be ok with it. But, isn’t that what the girls at school had thought when trying to get me alone?
Stacey didn’t care that he didn’t like her, she would try anyway, but the other girls had asked him to talk in private and he hadn’t wanted to go anywhere with them, seeing the look in their eyes had made him feel uncomfortable.
He decided against that tactic. He didn’t want Holly to feel uncomfortable and cornered. He knew she was still nervous, more so now, according to Ben.
I’ll have to be careful.
Alex closed his drawing pad when there was a knock on his door.
“Hey Dev” He said as he opened the door.
“Hey Alex. Whatya doooooin?” She asked playfully as she walked in and sat on his bed.
“Just drawing” He said. “Oh Dev?”
“Yeah?” She said with a bright smile.
“Did Holly mention to you why, exactly, she was embarrassed? Or can’t you say?” He knew a ‘girl code’ of some sort was sworn between them. Dev had even told him she couldn’t say anything.
“Uh…yeah” Dev said as she looked uncomfortable, the bright smile gone. “Look…” she began to say when Alex cut her off.
“Did it have anything to do with my lack of shirt and her legs wrapped around me?” He asked, raising his eyebrows.
Dev gasped.
“What…? Who…?”
Alex just grinned.
“I see.”
“Who have you been talking to?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Ben. He had the crazy idea that Holly bolted because she’s embarrassed that I…” Alex held his fingers up in air quotes “…got her hot.”
“You did not just say that!” Dev squealed.
“Dev, you don’t tell me anything, probably because Holly asked you not to…” Dev nodded slightly agreeing that she had. “…And Ben suggested that reason. If it’s true then I promise I won’t harass you for details.”
“But I haven’t told you anything.” She said. “I’m not going to break Holly’s trust.”
Alex, thinking as a bystander, took that as confirmation.
“You don’t have to.” He smiled.
“So I still can’t say anything to her? Even after what you said to her on Saturday?”
Alex knew Dev had heard that conversation, but nothing more was mentioned because of what happened next. Dev looked hopeful that she was going to get the go-ahead, but Alex didn’t want that yet.
“No.” He said flatly. “I want to do this myself. I want to show her that I can tell her how I feel without playground help.”
“So what are you going to say?” Dev asked and then put on her Alex voice. “Hey Holly…I want you to know I’m so hot for you. So hot; in fact, I have to take a lot of cold showers.”
Alex glared at her as she cracked up laughing.
“No. Not at all!” He said, slightly raising his voice.
“What then?” Dev fidgeted with excitement as if she were going to hear some juicy news. She was going to be disappointed.
“You’ll see.” He grinned.
“What?! That’s it? You’ll see?” Dev’s voice was going higher in pitch with each question. “I want details, Alex, deeeeetailllls! I have been denied for weeks!” She said as she brought on the dramatics.
“There are no details. I’ll just be myself. Just…closer.” He smirked.
“Fine.” Dev huffed. “Just don’t take too long. A girl needs stuff like this.”
“Yeah, yeah. It’s what you live for.” Alex said as he rolled his eyes.
“Correct” Dev said as she turned and left his room with her nose in the air.
Later on that night, Alex was thinking about how he was going to go about approaching Holly so she wouldn’t avoid him.
We have tech tomorrow. She can’t avoid me in that class.
At least he hoped she wouldn’t ignore him if he spoke to her.
He got into bed and silently wished that the nightmares he’d had since Saturday didn’t come back. Holly, drowning, he couldn’t get to her in time and when he finally pulled her out…she was dead. He would wake up shaking and, he wasn’t ashamed to admit it, crying. Lucky for him though, when he had calmed down enough to get to sleep again, Holly was alive.
Just like the dreams he had before the pool incident, Holly would be with him. It didn’t matter where because it was a different place most of the time. She would be walking towards him, her long dark hair swishing in her ponytail. She’d be smiling at him in a sexy way that made his heart pound in his chest. When Holly reached him, she would tell him ‘Te amo’. He was so happy but when he would reach for her, he would wake up. Maybe because he’d never felt her in his arms before, so he didn’t know exactly how she would feel. Since Saturday; however, he knew exactly how she felt wrapped around him, holding him tight. His arms caging her in, keeping her safe.
Alex fell asleep thinking about the dreams when the nightmare began.
Holly was drowning, and Alex was swimming to help her. He couldn’t go fast enough, and he was panicking. The fear had him in a vice grip, and he pushed through the water as hard as he could. When he finally reached her, Holly was lifeless.
“No!” He screamed.
Alex pulled Holly out and turned her over. He expected her to be dead, but she was looking up at him, smiling.
“Alex.” She whispered. “You saved me.”
He couldn’t believe it. She was alive!
Alex had thought she was gone, and he was all alone, but she was really there! Joy and relief flooded his entire body, and he felt her arms wrap around his neck and her legs around his waist. She pulled him down on top of her. “Te amo.” She whispered, looking into his eyes. Her big green eyes showing how much she loved him.
She loves me.
He moved his hands to her waist and then up her ribcage as he began to take off her wet shirt. Holly took a sharp intake of breath. His hands slid up her body as he pulled up the hem of her shirt. Holly moved her arms from his neck and rubbed her hands down his bare chest and as she reached his shorts, she grasped the side of the waistband and began removing them.
“Holly” He whispered as he lowered his mouth to hers.
Alex woke up with ragged breath and sweat across his forehead. He looked down to see that he was sporting a major tent pole in his bed. This was worse than the others he had woken up with after dreams of Holly.
Cold shower time…again.
He walked to his bathroom and ran the shower. He removed his underwear and stepped into the cold water.
“Agh” He yelped as the freezing water hit him.
He needed to cool off. When his raging libido had finally begun to soften, Alex’s teeth were chattering so he slowly increased the temperature.
“Twenty minutes this time.” Dev laughed as Alex walked into the kitchen to get breakfast. “You should be careful you don’t get hyperthermia.”
“Har har.” Alex said sarcastically.
“You’re going to go blue…all over… if you’re not careful.” She said, still chuckling.
“Dev! You shouldn’t be saying stuff like that to me. You’re my sister. You’re supposed to be sympathetic, not taking the piss.” He said in annoyance.
“Yeah. I can take the piss, but can you take a piss?” Dev howled again and Alex scowled.
“Something funny?” Rami, their Dad, said as he entered the kitchen.
“Oh just Alex with his…” Alex glared at Dev. “…Girl troubles.”
“You have a girlfriend?” Rami asked questioningly.
“No” replied Alex.
“Not yet” added Dev.
“Holly?” Rami said with a smile.
Alex’s eyes widened and Dev grinned.
“How did you know?” He asked, looking at Dev accusingly.
“I’m your father, not an idiot. Besides, I walked past your room, last night, and I heard you shout ‘Holly’”
“Oh my God.” Groaned Alex, heat creeping up his neck to his face. Dev screamed with laughter.
“I guess you don’t want a ride to school then?” Alex asked, which made Dev stop laughing.
She was biting her lip, and Alex left the room to get his bag for school. He was so embarrassed. If his Dad had heard him call out Holly’s name, then what else had he said out loud?
“Dad said he heard you shout ‘Holly’ as if you were in pain.” Dev said after she got into the car.
“What?!”
“Yeah. He said he walked past your room last night, to go to the laundry room and heard you. Was it worse than last time?” Dev asked, her eyes full of concern.
“No, actually.” He replied. “She didn’t die this time.”
Alex had woken up, screaming Holly’s name, on Saturday night, and Dev had run into his room. She’d hugged him tightly until his frantic breathing had evened out and then listened when he told her about his nightmare. She’d assured him that Holly was fine, because of him, and he should think about that. He had, but it didn’t stop the nightmare returning the next night, or the one after.
“Well that’s great, isn’t it? Maybe they’ll go away now.” Dev said as she squeezed his hand on the steering wheel.
“I hope so.” He really did. Well, the drowning part anyway. He liked what came after. It was the waking up before he wanted to that was pissing him off.
“What happened after?” Dev asked as if reading his mind. Alex felt his cheeks flush.
“Um…she said thanks.” He said.
“Oh! Oh! No way!” Dev burst out laughing. Laughing! “Oh my God, Alex, that’s why you had a cold shower.”
“Dev, shut up! And no, it’s not what you think. Besides, siblings don’t talk about this stuff. Anyway, how would you know the temperature of my shower?”
“You just told me.” She said with a smug grin. “Also we can talk about this stuff. Except for specific details; of course.” Dev said as she shrugged a shoulder.
“I’d rather not.”
“They’re just dreams Alex. I’m not saying we should engage in deep conversations about real life experiences. That’s just gross.”
“Agreed.” Real experiences, or non-experiences, weren't a topic of discussion. “I’m still not going to tell you.”
Dev stuck out her bottom lip in an exaggerated pout.
“Pwetty pwease?” She asked.
“No.” He smiled.
“Aww, you big meanie.” Dev said as she batted her eyes and made a sad expression.
Alex groaned.
“Fine! We…almost kissed.”
“Is that it? What a let down.” She said as she shook her head. “I thought you were going to say ‘we got heavy and started taking each others’ clothes off.”
Alex was stunned by what Dev had said. His mouth hung open in surprise.
“Well, fuck, that was it. Wasn’t it?” Dev squealed. “You two were getting heavy, and you woke up before you kissed. Bummer.” She said before she laughed.
“Ok Dev, you’ve had your laugh. I can’t help the dreams I have about the person I love.” Alex paused when he realized what he’d just admitted to his sister.
“You love her?” Asked Dev. “Like, actually, ‘Love’ her?”
Alex took a deep breath. Ben had already told Dev about the conversation in the gym about his being in love with Holly. He hadn’t actually said it himself but, saying it out loud only confirmed it.
“Yeah, I think so.”
Dev beamed as she looked at him.
“That’s amazing Alex.” She gushed. “I know what Ben said in the gym, but now…I knew you two would be perfect together.”
Alex smiled at Dev and cocked an eyebrow.
“Yeah I know. Don’t tell.” She said rolling her eyes as they pulled up outside Ben’s house.