The Moments With You

HELPING HAND

Alec stood there by the gate of Milford University, he was both bewildered and sullen, he wasn’t sure what had just happened; “why… why did he act that way, he was cool the other night… can a person change in just a day?” he asks he self as he watched Mel, followed by Sidney until his eyes could no longer sight them,

He felt a lump in his chest the moment he could no longer see Mel, he stood there frozen for some time and is about to cry, even when the security guard on duty at the gate walked up to him to ask if he was okay, Alec just stood there like as if he was forever glued to the ground trying to figure out why Mel acted like that, oblivious to the guard who was talking to him

He didn’t know why, but it bothers him a lot. Alec didn’t react like he was hearing the guard and eventually, the security guard gave up, and at that time, Martina was walking towards the main gate. She still had Classes and of course cheerleaders’ meetings to attend to, but that meant she would have to see Andrew a lot more throughout the day, and she really wasn’t in the mood.

“I’ll just take the rest of the day off” Martina thought as she let out a deep sigh “I’m really exhausted” she mumbles, soon she spots Alec just standing by the gate, she waits for some time and notice that he’s more frozen that moving.

She was confused, “why will he just stand at the gat like that? Is he waiting for someone or Is Drew coming for him” as she remembers Andrew, he face expression become unpleasant, as she frowns while biting her lower lip.

Soon, she remembers Andrew has practice today and he should probably be at the playing court, “like, that why I left in the first place” she muffled. Either way, her curiosity increased by the second and she just decided to go see what’s going on herself.

Martina walks up to Alec. Then, in a matter of few steps, she appears in front of Alec who stares blankly towards the road by his right. Alec still couldn’t get over the shock Mel gave him, he stood at the gate only thinking about Mel, he thought if he waited a little longer, Mel will show up,

“then, I’m gonna ask him why he walked out on me… we were about to kiss the other day right?”.

The whole time, while Alec was sinking futher into his thoughts, Martina was right beside him calling; “Alec! Alec!! ALEC!!!”, each time she yelled pit Alec’s name, the tone of her voice increases, but Alec is too deaf-eared to hear her.

Martina thought Alec was just ignoring her, she becomes filled with rage, but Martina isn’t the irrational type, she decides to take a closer look at Alec and gasps in sudden realization, “I’d recognize that that lost look anywhere!” she exclaims.

“Gosh! Alec! You’re a piece of work, aren’t you?” she groans, as she folded her hand into a fist, then his Alec hard on the shoulder,

“Ahhh!” Alec screams, now becoming aware of his environment, “what was that for Martina” Alec asks with anger sharp in his tone,

“Really.” Martina stares at Alec sardonically and she crosses her arms, giving of the *you can’t be real vibe*, “Alec, lemme guess, you just saw Mel Mavis. Right?” she interrogates him, still making a sarcastic face,

Alec hears her question and immediately, the memories of what just transpired between himself and Mel surges up with a gloomy feeling. The frown which carved itself on Alec face as a reaction to Martina’s painful punch disappears and the it becomes replaced by a melancholic expression.

Alec falls his head downward, staring solely at the bricked group decorated by dry leaves and a single wrapper of used bubble gum. He wanted to his sore eyes from Martina, he didn’t want her to see him like that, for reasons he didn’t border to think of, he just felt his pride will be even more damaged that it already is.

Alec just nods slightly in affirmation to Martina’s question. Martina becomes confused, she tries to reason why Alec will be hiding his beautiful face from her;

“Alec, does the ground look more fascinating than I do… I’m the one your talking to, you know? And I’m right here” she says as she positions both her arms in 90 degrees, pointing to herself. Alec thought what she said was funny, but he didn’t have the strength to laugh, neither did he feel motivated to raise his head.

“You know what, I’m the one doing all the talking, plus its quite sad talking to you like this and just at the entrance of the gate…” Martina states as the moves her head around, observing the environment, she spots some people who were giving her scornful gazes, “…and people are gonna think am bullying you. So, let’s go somewhere, I know a place” Martina suggests as she garbs Alec’s hand pulling him in the left direction of the road.

As she pulls Alec, he puts up a force, he kept opposing her and it went on for a minute or maybe more, at first Martina thought it was her just imaging things, but Alec repeats the same action.

“Alec! What the hell’s wrong with you, why won’t you budge” Martina struggles to pull Alec,

“Let me go, I can’t leave yet!” Alec opposes her force, “I can’t leave just like that, he didn’t go with his car, he might come back soon”

“Hey, you are coming with me, you must come with me and you will come with me” Martina commands as the push and pull between her and Alec becomes a Tug of War. Normally, people don’t force people to do things, but Martina was sort of like, a control freak, and she didn’t want to let go, and the guard at the gate post, who was supposed to separated them, just stood there enjoying the scene, if it was a cartoon, a pack of popcorn, probably would have appeared in his arm.

Soon, Alec and Martina were starting to gather quite the attention. In the midst of all the pushing, the pulling, the yelling and Alec’s negative thoughts, Alec just couldn’t take it anymore,

“I HAVE TO WAIT; HE MIGHT BE BACK SOON” Alec bellowed. Alec’s yell caught Martina by shock, she had never heard Alec’s light voice go that high before”, she paused and to a while to observe Alec’s face, she becomes bewildered and felt noting but pity, as she saw Alec’s face.

His eyes were red and swollen, they looked like he’s been holding back quite a load of tears from rushing down his cheek, he had a sore expression on his face and he looks dejected, Martina releases her grip on Alec’s hands, covers her mouth with the look of pity in her eyes, as she slowly walks toward Alec.

She lifts her hand and attempts to touch Alec’s face, but fails as Alec removes his face from her reach,

“You should go” Alec sounded as cold as he could, he was feeling a mix of several negative emotions, but stubborn Martina turn a blind eye to All of it,

“Alec, you’re still not looking at me, look at me and see the way I’m looking at you” She replies him

Alec was silent for a minute, his head turned in another direction with his eyes closed,

“Martina. Please, just go. You are doing the one thing I really hate and I think it will better for you to let me be” Alec sounded indifferent. But Martina still didn’t move, instead she walks closer to Alec and still Attempts to touch his face, and fails again.

“Alec, I know something is bordering you and you are making it so obvious, and yes I feel pity for you and I won’t sugar coat it. I mean, you already look as pitiful as can be, even that guy thinks the same…” Martina said as she pointed at the guard who was viewing their drama, she sounded harsher than kind, for someone who is feeling pity for him.

“And you know what, nobody cares about how you feel about what they do to you, but they care about how the treat you even if its bad, and you know why, because it’s amuses them, so if you wanna sulk about it, you can , but it just makes feel more pity towards you. But if you wanna do something about it, you man up and you fix that cry baby face of yours” Martina concluded with a firm tone.

Alec was surprise Martina, who he had to console a few hours earlier was talking to him like that, Yeah, he didn’t like the idea of people pitying him, but Martina made a point. He couldn’t get if she was scolding him or giving him a motivational speech, but what she said didn’t make him feel any less about himself, and as strangely as it sounds, he was encouraged and consoled.

Alec chuckles then asks, “where’s the place you have in mind?” then he turns he faces Martina, finally looking at her, giving her a weak smile.

“wow, that’s new, I was expecting him to throw a tantrum, I always thought he was a big softie. Wait, he’s still a big softie” Martina thought as the surprised expression on her face turns into a grin.

“Don’t worry, just follow me” Martin Scoffs, after the mood around lightens.

The guard in the background just smiles as he watches them walk away from his view, “teenagers” he chuckles as he goes back to his post.

After a short walk of ten minutes, Alec and Martina got to a shop very familiar to him. He looked up to see the sign-board and of course, it is pleasure is pretty café,

“wow, you know here too…” Alec asks Martina, “…I thought I was the only one who knew it, you know I frequent here a lot” Alec mentions to her,

“Really! That’s goo to know” Martina sounded happy,

“Yeah, I don’t even know why I come here so often, then coffee’s not that great. Though, they do get quite a number of customers, I know because I….” Alec rambles as they walk in to the café, then he hears;

“Hey mom!” Martina greets the owner of the café who happens to be her mother and Alec’s boss, Mary Clouds, as she was position at the counter with a different part-timer

Alec opens his mouth wide enough for a camel to fit in, but covers it with both his hands after Martina say, “close your mouth Alec, you’re about to drool”, then she glances at him and chuckles, “I didn’t know you talk this much, I guess you pretty face is just a cover.”

“Martina, I’m sorry… I’m sorry, I didn’t-” Alec was abruptly cut short by Mrs. Mary’s greetings, “Pretty boy, what are you doing here today, its not a work day for you”

“Ma’am… i… I’m with…” Alec fumbles his words; he still feels guilty as he turns to face Mary Clouds who smiles at him innocently with her chubby face; “I’m sure she must have heard that… f*****g shitty tongue!”, Alec wishes the ground will just open and he’s drop into it.

“Mom he’s with me, can’t I bring someone in” Martina come’s to his rescue, and shift’s his attention from being swallowed by the ground.

“oh, is that so… do you want anything pretty boy, its on the house” Mary bellowed it, alarming everybody in her café even though they were not as much as the weekend he worked at the café.

Soon enough, all eyes fell on Alec, and Martina who was behind him started to feel invincible, because she could hear little of when the crowd were murmuring about, and about 50% of them were comparing her to Alec and she knows her face is only half good.

Martina gits her teeth, “mom, I’m here too. You know”. She stomps into the locker room, “Celebrity! If you’re done with, your fans, you wouldn’t mind following me, right?” she calls out to Alec,

Alec who’s completely oblivious to what was happening around him, follows Martina in shock as he reacted to her loud call. “what’s up with her, this time.” Alec couldn’t understand why she became cranky all of a sudden.

“Pssst!” Mary silently called Alec just before he could enter the locker room, “don’t worry about her, she gets mood swings often” then she gave him her innocent smile again. Alec nods his with a smile and lip syncs “thank you,” but, he doesn’t know if he should take as a normal information or a warning.

“Mood swings”

Alec enters the locker room, he finds Martina sitting stylishly on a metallic ash colored bench, just in front of a few lockers by the wall, and she seems to have calmed down. Martina smirks at him questioningly, “hey, pretty boy, come sit beside me”

Alec just walks consciously towards her and slowly rests his ass on the bench she sat on, but at one-meter distance from her, “mood swings” he recalls again.

Martina squints her eyes, she tried to reason why Alec was acting like that; “hey, what’s up with you?”

“its not me, its you who we should be worried about you know… how am I sure I’m say with you” Alec laments,

“What!” Martina questions as she narrows her eyes, trying to get a sharper look at Alec, but gives up,

“Anyway, I think I know what’s upsetting and I can help you with it” she shifts her facial expression back to the dubious and grins at Alec,

“What are you talking about” Alec question, looking as confused as he can be,

“Well, if the mountain doesn’t come to you, you go to it” Martina sneers;

“You’re in love with Mel Mavis. Right?” Martina grins with a proud face, tossing Alec into numbness, staring blankly at her.