Jalex: the truth about us 3/?
Alex wakes up with a terrible headache. She can’t quite recall the events from last night and what she remembers is terrifying. Did she really kiss Justin? Or was it an awkward nightmare that seemed real? Must have been a nightmare because she couldn’t have done that. Right? But her stomach lurches at the thought and she thinks that, oh, she did it. And she realizes with a shock that she’s been crying. That’s not what Alex Russo does. Not her. Did she accidentally use magic? That’s the only logical explanation.
Everyone at the breakfast table seems normal (well except Max who is holding a green umbrella close to his chest and she can’t ask why) and eating peacefully. Her mother greets her with an annoyed groan (she’s late for breakfast, whatever) while Justin is…studying. Seriously. Her brother is such a nerd. And she smiles tenderly. Oh God. She sits with a huff and eats her pancakes in silence. She feels four pair of eyes on her and she shrugs absently.
‘I was starving’ she explains, refusing to look up (she doesn‘t want to see him).
‘If you eat all the pancakes, I will attack you with my umbrella’ Max warns, holding said umbrella to her face to prove it. She pokes her tongue out (way to be immature, Alex).
‘Max, leave her alone’ says Justin and that surprises her (he never defends her defense), ’clearly she’s had a rough night’.
She drops her fork. Jerry yelps with surprise.
‘Alex! You almost gave me a heart attack’
Her mother ‘tssks’ and mumbles Spanish words under her breath. Justin casts Alex a meaningful look and stands, cleaning his plate and heading to his bedroom. Alex apologizes, promises to clean up (she won’t and they know it) while Max steals the pancakes from her plate. She doesn’t care. Running upstairs to Justin’s bedroom, she doesn’t knock and bursts in. Justin jumps out of his skin and curses. And her mean words get stuck in her throat as she’s watching him. He was changing. He’s standing there, holding his shirt in his hands.
‘Alex, would you please get the hell out?’ he says, sighing heavily. She closes the door. He freezes.
‘No’
Justin takes a step closer, shirt abandoned on his bed. He puts both of his hands on the wall, encircling her. She can feel his breath on her neck and wow, she shouldn’t have come.
‘Get. Out’ he repeats and that actually scares her.
‘Why?’ she replies, wanting to sound fierce but failing, ‘I’m not allowed to be in your room? Since when?’
‘Since always’ he simply says, sighing again. Then he’s gone. She lets out a breath she hasn’t realized she’s been holding. It must be bad.
‘Justin, what happened…’
‘Let’s not talk about it okay?’
He’s not looking at her. So bad, she thinks. She crossed a line. A terrible, creepy line. Something is off and it would never be the same. Time for lying.
‘I did use magic’ she admits, twisting her fingers. Hoping he’d buy it.
He turns to her, bewildered. Then he snorts, like he knew all along.
‘Well, it was about time. What spell did you use?’
And it hurts to think that he thought she’d been lying because he knows her so well. She tries to stay neutral but the look on his face is like a knife cutting through her soul.
‘I…don’t really know’ she blurts, ‘I didn’t know what it would do. I’m sorry Justin. I never meant to hurt you’
His expression changes somehow.
‘What are you talking about?’ He frowns and he seems honest.
‘I kissed you’
Saying it out loud feels like a relief. She breaths in and out and relaxes. Justin doesn’t. Of course not.
‘I’m not mad at you Alex’ he says and his voice is gentle. He’s never gentle. Except when they went to Puerto Rico. And she doesn’t want to think about this trip. Never again.
‘Well, then you’re pretending really well’ she says, pouting. Something she knows would make him flinch.
‘I’m mad with myself’ he adds, glancing away and putting his shirt on, ‘I should have fought back. The Spell’
She nods, sympathetic. He’s not mad at her. What a surprise.
‘Then we’re good?’ she asks, again.
‘I told you we were. Now can we stop talking about this? We’re going to be late for school’
‘Wait, Justin’
She grabs his wrist and he looks concerned.
‘I need you to be there for me’ and okay, she sounds so cheesy but whatever.
‘I always will be. You’re…you’re my little sister’ and there’s a note of disappointment. He leaves. This is so bad.
Or maybe it’s just typical Justin and her freaking out over things that don’t matter. Except that it does. He matters. And he’s not going to get away with that. They’re in this together. Whether he likes it or not.
Everyone at the breakfast table seems normal (well except Max who is holding a green umbrella close to his chest and she can’t ask why) and eating peacefully. Her mother greets her with an annoyed groan (she’s late for breakfast, whatever) while Justin is…studying. Seriously. Her brother is such a nerd. And she smiles tenderly. Oh God. She sits with a huff and eats her pancakes in silence. She feels four pair of eyes on her and she shrugs absently.
‘I was starving’ she explains, refusing to look up (she doesn‘t want to see him).
‘If you eat all the pancakes, I will attack you with my umbrella’ Max warns, holding said umbrella to her face to prove it. She pokes her tongue out (way to be immature, Alex).
‘Max, leave her alone’ says Justin and that surprises her (he never defends her defense), ’clearly she’s had a rough night’.
She drops her fork. Jerry yelps with surprise.
‘Alex! You almost gave me a heart attack’
Her mother ‘tssks’ and mumbles Spanish words under her breath. Justin casts Alex a meaningful look and stands, cleaning his plate and heading to his bedroom. Alex apologizes, promises to clean up (she won’t and they know it) while Max steals the pancakes from her plate. She doesn’t care. Running upstairs to Justin’s bedroom, she doesn’t knock and bursts in. Justin jumps out of his skin and curses. And her mean words get stuck in her throat as she’s watching him. He was changing. He’s standing there, holding his shirt in his hands.
‘Alex, would you please get the hell out?’ he says, sighing heavily. She closes the door. He freezes.
‘No’
Justin takes a step closer, shirt abandoned on his bed. He puts both of his hands on the wall, encircling her. She can feel his breath on her neck and wow, she shouldn’t have come.
‘Get. Out’ he repeats and that actually scares her.
‘Why?’ she replies, wanting to sound fierce but failing, ‘I’m not allowed to be in your room? Since when?’
‘Since always’ he simply says, sighing again. Then he’s gone. She lets out a breath she hasn’t realized she’s been holding. It must be bad.
‘Justin, what happened…’
‘Let’s not talk about it okay?’
He’s not looking at her. So bad, she thinks. She crossed a line. A terrible, creepy line. Something is off and it would never be the same. Time for lying.
‘I did use magic’ she admits, twisting her fingers. Hoping he’d buy it.
He turns to her, bewildered. Then he snorts, like he knew all along.
‘Well, it was about time. What spell did you use?’
And it hurts to think that he thought she’d been lying because he knows her so well. She tries to stay neutral but the look on his face is like a knife cutting through her soul.
‘I…don’t really know’ she blurts, ‘I didn’t know what it would do. I’m sorry Justin. I never meant to hurt you’
His expression changes somehow.
‘What are you talking about?’ He frowns and he seems honest.
‘I kissed you’
Saying it out loud feels like a relief. She breaths in and out and relaxes. Justin doesn’t. Of course not.
‘I’m not mad at you Alex’ he says and his voice is gentle. He’s never gentle. Except when they went to Puerto Rico. And she doesn’t want to think about this trip. Never again.
‘Well, then you’re pretending really well’ she says, pouting. Something she knows would make him flinch.
‘I’m mad with myself’ he adds, glancing away and putting his shirt on, ‘I should have fought back. The Spell’
She nods, sympathetic. He’s not mad at her. What a surprise.
‘Then we’re good?’ she asks, again.
‘I told you we were. Now can we stop talking about this? We’re going to be late for school’
‘Wait, Justin’
She grabs his wrist and he looks concerned.
‘I need you to be there for me’ and okay, she sounds so cheesy but whatever.
‘I always will be. You’re…you’re my little sister’ and there’s a note of disappointment. He leaves. This is so bad.
Or maybe it’s just typical Justin and her freaking out over things that don’t matter. Except that it does. He matters. And he’s not going to get away with that. They’re in this together. Whether he likes it or not.