FicWad

Chapter 27:
Alex breathed a sigh of relief. It felt as though she had been holding her breath throughout the whole ceremony and now that her and Ray had entered the yellow cab she could finally put the day behind her. The ordeal was over however her parents were still dead and she still couldn’t move on from that.
Ray had just about held it together throughout the funeral, Alex was sure it had been for her benefit. She had not been so contained and had cried for nearly all of it. Ray looked over to her now, but said nothing; just shot her a small, sympathetic smile.
The cab ride home seemed shorter than the painfully long one that morning. In hardly any time at all, it seemed, they were back at the hotel and stepping out the taxi. Ray paid quickly and we turned towards the large, glass doors. Everyone inside appeared completely ordinary. Alex couldn’t get her head around those people acting normal, going about their day, some even looking happy. Today just didn’t fit with that. It was a day of mourning. The only thing that connected their world and her and her brothers was the fact that the guests and staff in the lobby clearly knew they had been at a funeral. Some smiled apologetically like Ray had in the cab and others just gave us a wide birth so as not to intrude.
Ray guided Alex over to the elevator as she had lost all control over her feet. She felt so detached from everything. Just drifting. She barely heard the music in the elevator – at least that was a plus point. The doors eventually slid open and they both stepped out onto the landing.
Alex looked up and saw a figure leaning against the wall, just outside their hotel room. He was watching her carefully, his dark hair messy and his eyes full of concern. They were only a couple feet away and without thinking she stumbled forward towards him.
“Frank!” She cried, tearfully. She threw herself into his arms. He froze for a second, surprised, then wrapped his arms round her.
“Shh. It’s okay.” He whispered into Alex’s ear as tears ran silently down her face. She didn’t know why, but she felt so much safer now that he was here with her.
“Umm...Alex?” Ray’s confused voice sounded from behind her.
So quickly, as if she’d been burned, Alex dropped her arms and turned wildly to her brother. “Oh. Ray. This is... Erm this is Frank. He works here, the one I told you about before, remember?”
“Yes, Alex we did meet before.” Ray said, smiling softly at her confusion. He turned to Frank. “So you went to Alex’s old school did you?”
Alex shot Frank a subtle warning look and he caught on quickly. “Yeah, she was in my English. Then I moved here.”
Alex shuffled her feet, slightly embarrassed now that her display of affection towards Frank had caught up to her. She had been stupid and she knew it. She hoped that he would just take it as a reaction from the emotional strain of the day. Which it had been... partly.
“Well, it’s good that Alex has a friend here.” Ray smiled gently at me and I quickly brushed the tears off of my face. “How about you take Alex for a walk? It’s been a long day.”
“Oh, right, sure.” Frank said, taken aback. He turned to Alex. “Is that alright with you?”
“Yeah, sounds good.” Alex said, trying to cover up the thrill she secretly felt inside. She was also glad because Ray should have some time to himself. The day had been tough on him, too.
“Great.” Ray said. “Don’t be too long. See ya.”
Alex walked forward to embrace her big brother. “Bye. Thanks.”
His eyes flickered to Frank and back to me and he winked when he understood the reason for Alex’s gratitude. “No problem,” he whispered.
Frank moved awkwardly away from the door to allow Ray to pass and nodded to him in a gesture of departure. Then he turned to Alex.
As soon as the door closed behind Ray he crossed over to her and pulled her into another hug. “I was so worried about you today,” he admitted in a mutter.
“You shouldn’t have been. I’m fine.” Alex persisted, but was comforted by his embrace and was half pleased that he was that concerned for her. Especially as she knew she would have been for him.
“Shall we?” Frank asked, pulling away from the hug but still leaving one arm around Alex’s waist. She leant her head naturally against his shoulder and sighed contentedly.
“Sure thing.” She replied.
It was already dark outside, but they only went to Central Park, which was just outside the hotel and Alex couldn’t bring herself to be at all spooked by the darkness. Most of it was lit up by lampposts anyway. The park was cold but peaceful at night. Fewer cars circled the outside roads and only a several stray dog walkers passed them on the pathways. The trees craned over them and shielded them from the worst of the wind.
“How was it today?” Frank whispered.
“Had better days.” Was all Alex could bring herself to say. “What did you do today?”
Frank laughed. “Me? Let’s see, helped in the kitchen, watered plants and cleaned rooms. All thrilling jobs. Cleaned your room actually, left you a note under your pillow. Just in case I didn’t catch you when you got back.”
Alex smiled. “That’s nice. I’ll read it when I get back.”
“It’s nothing terribly interesting.” Frank mumbled.
“I’m sure it’s a fine piece of writing.” Alex said, confidently.
“I wouldn’t trust that assumption.” Frank joked.
“Well I’d hope that you’re not so illiterate that you can’t write a simple letter. Unless it’s a long one.”
“Nope, it’s short.” Frank confirmed.
“Well then, I’m sure it’s acceptable.” Alex laughed.
“Well it’s a bit pointless now, as I didn’t miss you.”
“I’m glad you didn’t miss me.” Alex said, honestly.
“So am I.” Frank replied. “I like hanging out with you.”
“Same.” Alex turned away slightly to hide her slight embarrassment. It was a harmless conversation, but behind it she was truly confessing how much she did love to spend time with Frank.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Frank asked, concerned, misreading her sudden silence.
“Perfectly alright, thanks.” Alex lied. She attempted a smile but Frank didn’t buy it and pulled her closer to his side. She didn’t complain.
“I don’t know how you manage it...” Frank said in wonder. “I’d be in pieces right now, if it were me.”
“I hold it together for Ray’s sake. He does the same for me and acts cool about it but I can tell it hurts him just as much. Maybe more, he has to look after me now.” Alex bit her lip.
“You’re very brave. And I’m sure he doesn’t mind caring for you.”
“No, he’s done that all my life anyway. But now if he doesn’t, I don’t have anyone else.” Alex mumbled, fiddling with her fingers absent mindedly.
“I wouldn’t say that you didn’t have anyone else.” Frank said softly, taking one of Alex’s hands so she would stop the nervous habit and squeezing it gently.
Alex smiled up at him. “No, I guess not.”
Frank breathed out slowly, bracing himself for the next words. “I care about you a lot, you know.”
“I know. I care about you, too.” Alex whispered, looking away to hide her blush. Not that he would see it in the dark.
A small shiver ran down her spine and Frank rubbed his hand against the top of her arm in an attempt to warm her up. “We should probably head back to the hotel.”
Alex just nodded, not trusting herself to speak. They headed back towards the bright lights of Hotel Bella Muerte, together.

Ray sat on the end of his bed, eyes closed and breathing steadily. He quickly wiped away a tear and started to pull himself together. He didn’t know when Alex would be back, but he didn’t want her to see him like this. She was dealing with enough of her own stuff without having to worry about him, too.
He crossed over to the mirror and looked at his reflection. His hair was ruffled from when he had put his head in his hands and he quickly smoothed it out. His eyes were heavy and slightly red. Ray strode over to the bathroom and approached the sink where he splashed his face with cold water. He wiped himself dry with the hand towel and sighed, gripping the sides of the sink and making sure his appearance showed no trace that the emotion of the day had got to him.
When he deemed himself acceptable he went back out of the bathroom, into the main room.
He flicked through the television channels mindlessly and soon gave up; nothing was remotely interesting enough to hold his interest.
Instead he fell back onto his bed, face up and stared hopelessly at the ceiling. Today had been the longest day of his life. The seconds felt like minutes and the minutes like hours. Even now that the funeral was over, he still didn’t feel at all like he had said goodbye. How could he ever say goodbye to his parents? Impossible. To think they would never walk the earth again was unthinkable. Never go to one of his band’s shows. Never help him out with anything ever again. Never be there when he needed them...
Ray shook his head; he had to keep a grip on things. For Alex.
He turned his head to the side and saw something.
The draw of the dresser was slightly opened. It was probably nothing, but Ray was suspicious. He reached over with one arm and pulled open the draw. Propping himself up on his elbow, he looked into the empty draw. Empty.
Hadn’t he put $20 in there last night? He was sure of it. Positive.
He sat up and swung his legs round the ride of the bed to get up. He crossed over to the wardrobe which he pulled open. He searched his suitcase, all the shelves and even tucked inside his shoes, where he sometimes kept things. It wasn’t in any of those places. And he was still sure that he had put it in that draw.
He raised his arms and put them behind his head, trying to think where on earth that money could have gone...

Alex and Frank had reached Alex’s hotel room. She let her arm fall away from his side reluctantly and turned to face him.
“I...guess I better go.” Alex muttered, unwilling to walk away from him.
“Do you have to?” Frank asked his hazel eyes bright.
Alex smiled. “Think I might. Ray will wonder where I’ve got to.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t want him coming after me.” Frank said, grinning.
“No...” Alex noticed then how close they were standing next to each other. Her hand was still in his from when he had taken it earlier.
Frank’s grin slowly faded off his face as he looked into her eyes. Alex leaned forward, closing what little space there was between them and kissed him, for only a second, and then she quickly pulled away.
Frank didn’t say anything, slightly stunned. Alex instantly stepped back. Her eyes were wide as she dropped his hand to put it to her mouth in shock. “Sorry. I have to go.”
She spoke the words quickly and fumbled for the door handle.
Frank seemed to snap awake just as she opened the door. “No, Alex. Wait-“
But he was too late. She had already shut the door behind her.

Ray looked up at Alex who lent against the door frame, her eyes closed. He went straight to her.
“Are you alright?” He asked immediately, extending a hand to her in comfort.
“Fine,” she said, regaining herself and smiling at him. “Just tired.”
Ray relaxed. “Have fun?”
“Yeah, it was good.” Alex said, excluding the last minute. She secretly cursed herself.
“Great.” Ray smiled. Then he remembered what had been troubling him a moment ago. “Hey, Alex, you didn’t take $20 from the draw earlier, did you?”
“Err...I don’t think so.” Alex said thinking. “Lost something, again?”
“Yeah,” Ray replied. “I swear I put it in there.”
Alex rolled her eyes then crossed over to her bed, reaching under the pillow. She found the piece of paper she had been searching for and pulled it out.
“What’s that?” Ray asked, nodding to the paper she held.
“What? Oh, just a note Frank left me. Just in case he missed me, you know.”
“I see...” Ray said slowly. “Was he cleaning the room today?”
“Yeah,” Alex said, not paying attention.
“Hmm,” Ray said to himself. Was it just a coincidence? His eyes glanced over at the draw again. “I’m just going to call the hotel...”
“Room service? I’m starved.” Alex asked hopefully, just about to fold open the paper with nervous fingers. Did she want to read it? He may not want to see her after what just happened...
“Yeah, sure,” Ray said, walking into the bathroom to make the call. Though he wasn’t just going to call room service...
Alex sat on the edge of the bed. Paper in hand.
This is stupid, she thought, even if he does not want to see you now, you may as well see what it says.
She unfolded the scrap of paper:

“Hey Alex,
I just wanted to make sure you’re okay today. I plan to wait around for you later, but just in case I don’t see you I thought I’d leave you this note. I hope today wasn’t too awful and just know that I’m here for you. If you ever want to talk about anything at all; you know where to find me.
Love, Frank.”




Aww. Isn't it sweet?
Yes, it is. Dont say it isn't. Cos it is :P
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