11. Slumber-Party

Early update... YAY!

A Home For You - Ctrlatlrock original

“I’m so glad that you’re home! I’m so stressed out about this wedding and work is killing me… I need to get out and do something but I have nowhere to go and no one to do anything with! Ugh… I’m sorry…” Evan sighed loudly, shaking her head as she flopped onto the couch, holding the phone against her ear. “That made me sound really obsessive and needy… I just meant that… I really want to see you, soon?”

Alex grinned as he unpacked his away bag, trying to hear Evan over the noise of Max and Jordan playing Xbox, the floor below him. “You don’t sound needy, I’d love to see you. Why do you have no one to talk to though? I thought Jeff was home for a few days…?”

“He is but… he’s not home, home. He’s still over at Scott’s. I’m not sure what’s going on with their marriage but… it’s not looking good. Jeff says he’s having a really hard time with it and he needs his friends.” Alex listened to the empathy in Evan’s voice and tried to feel bad for Scott Hartnell too, but he just couldn’t manage it.

“Alright well, I’ll head over soon if you want… unless… you wanna come here?” He asked hesitantly as the sound of something shattering, echoed through the house.

“MAX!” Came the yelp from downstairs, as Evan answered.

“Well yah, I could just go stay there for a couple days… this house is too big to be alone in… and that way you can still get to practice and everything. If that’s ok?”

“You’re cheating! You’re not even hitting any buttons… you keep tappying ’X’ and you expect me to believe that you’re doing all that? It’s glitched!! You glitched it!” Was Max’s loud response, almost drowning out Evan’s answer.

“Umm… no.” Alex said slowly, sighing to himself. “You staying here should be fine…”


After cleaning up the plate that had been destroyed, straightening the house, and trying to brush Chubby (he had the fresh scars to prove it), Alex waited in the living room for Evan to get there.

The more he looked forward to seeing her, the more guilty he felt about what had happened on his west coast trip. Part of him thought that he should say something to her about it, tell her that it was a mistake and he was sorry; but that would be dumb, and probably make him look like a crazy person. ‘Hey Evan, sorry I had sex with a girl while you were at home with your fiancé, it won’t happen again…’

Headlights shined in through the window, flashing across his face as Evan pulled into the driveway. Chubby gently padded down the stairs and came to a halt, catching sight of Alex, sitting in the dark.
Chubby hissed at him and ran back up the stairs, just as Evan's footsteps sounded on the front stairs.
Alex got up slowly and moved towards him the door, pulling it open just as Evan was reaching for the handle, red-faced from the cold. “Hi!” She grinned, lugging a bag behind her as she came in through the door. She dropped it on the living room floor, taking a deep breath that filled her lungs, as Alex closed the door behind her.

“Windy?”

“A bit yah…” She giggled, tugging off her toque and tossing it onto the back of the couch, following it with her jacket. “So… where is everyone?” Evan asked, glancing around the eerily quiet house.
She had only been there once before when his room-mates were there, but looking back, it seemed strange that this room could ever be so hushed and peaceful.

“I didn’t tell them you were coming so… they left on their own accord, unfortunately, I’m sure they’ll be back soon.” Alex sighed, looking over his shoulder at the clock on the wall.

“Awww come on Alex! They’re not so bad…” She laughed, giving his arm a gentle shove. “What do you want to do?”

Alex shrugged. It was too cold to go out anywhere, and he was sure Evan was sick of any movies he might have. Glancing at the hall closet he decided on a different route, “wanna play monopoly?”



“Ok from now on, you’re not allowed to pick the game!” Alex groaned as he watched Evan pile more hotels onto her lots.

“You do remember this was your idea, right?”

“No, I meant NHL monopoly, not regular monopoly…” He complained, as she landed on ’free parking’.

“Regular, or NHL, I’d still win.” She grinned mischievously, her eyes twinkling as she held the dice out to Alex.

Alex snorted, but didn’t bother to argue, he knew she was right, no matter how badly he wanted to deny it.
She leaned back in her chair, not bothering to make a move to play, she had already won, and they were both bored. Alex watched her, half-laying on the table as she stared at him.

In a time like this, when they sat quietly, alone; Alex was able to recall every promise that had ever been made between them. If, things had gone as planned, then he knew exactly how the rest of the afternoon would play out.

He would continue to stare at her until she was uncomfortable, causing her to blush and look away. When she was trying to ignore him, he’d allow his eyes to wander down to the slight cleavage that was visible below her grey, v-neck sweater and red camisole.
He’d click his tongue, like he was trying to remember something, and she’d look back; ’catching’ him. Then she’d scold him, and pretend that she wasn’t thinking the exact same thing he was thinking.

He’d finally ’convince’ her to go upstairs, and then they’d make love - several times - until one of them had to leave for one reason or another.

But, as it was, Alex was stuck at the table, trying to make the thimble and top hat look like Michael Jackson in ’Billie Jean’.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hey Love - Jason Mraz

Alex could hear his team-mates before they reached the door. Grabbing Evan’s hand, he tugged her out of her chair and dragged her behind him, up the stairs and down the hall before the front door swung open.
Evan laughed, not bothering to ask why they were running, as Max’s famous voice sounded through the house. “… so anyway, I said… ‘trust me ladies… it’s not incest if I stay between you!’”

“No way… and did they buy it?” TK asked, the sound of complete awe, clearly evident in his voice.

“Did they?! Let me tell you Kennedy, buddy, nothing is better than a blond, Swedish, Talbot sandwich.”

“How do you end up with twins? I was there too and I got no Swedish play! Not even one!” Jordan complained, before his voice disappeared, Alex gently closing his door securely against his room-mates.

“I’m just gonna pretend that I didn’t hear that part…” Evan laughed, flopping down onto Alex’s bed and stretching her body across the mattress; smiling to herself as she relaxed against the soft bedspread.

Alex smiled, turning around and pressing his back against the door; subconsciously trying to add another layer between Evan and his rambunctious friends. “Probably the best idea…” He agreed, shaking his head slightly as he found himself staring at her again.

He licked his lips and dropped down onto the bed beside her, on his stomach. He laid next to her, held up on his elbows, while she shut her eyes and tucked her arms in, resting them across her chest.
She had her eyes closed, and didn’t see Alex watching her; but she could feel him beside her and it made her happy. Just to have him close. “So what are we gonna do tonight?” She asked, bringing up her arm to hide a yawn, as it escaped her.

“Early night maybe? You worked and then drove all the way here… we could just take it easy.” Alex suggested, not at all opposed to the idea of spending the night just laying here beside her.

She sighed, and shook her head. “I don’t want you to have to stay in here with me… if you wanna go out with the guys or something…”

Alex shook his head quickly, he didn’t want to go out with them normally; he definitely wasn’t about to go out with them, and leave her here. “I’ll stay here with you… I’d rather that.”

After laying on his bed for a few more minutes, Alex snuck down stairs to grab a few movies, being careful to avoid Jordan and Max.
One of them was in the kitchen, rooting through the fridge, the other was in the shower, most likely getting ready for tonight.

Alex crept back to his room, hoping that Evan and him would be able to remain hidden until they left.
He closed the door behind him and turned to hand the movies to Evan, but she was already putting one in the player. “Sorry! I kinda looked through the ones in the DVD stand and picked one… I haven’t seen it in a while and well, you know how I feel about Ryan Reynolds!” She giggled, gently shaking the movie case in her hand.
He looked down at the cover, ‘Just Friends’. Alex grimaced slightly as he sat down on the floor beside Evan, both of them leaning their backs against the bottom of the bed.

They watched the movie in a comfortable silence, broken only by - occasional - laughter.
Alex tried to pretend that he was just watching a Hollywood movie, tried to ignore the fact that the concept came too close to home; especially when Reynolds tries to impress the girl he’s in love with, by showing off his hockey skills.
He loses and in all honesty, Alex had to feel some empathy, if he ever tried to impress Evan by showing off as badly as Reynolds, he’d probably fail too.

But the only difference was, at the end of the movie, he gets the girl. As Alex glanced beside him at Evan, he couldn’t help but think that having the looks of a movie star might help him out a bit.
Evan, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear. She loved this movie and she loved spending time with Alex. When he stiffened beside her towards the end, she assumed that he was getting tired, or that his back was getting sore - hers was - not that he was wishing he was making-out with her.

As the credits rolled up she stretched out her arms above her head and sighed. “Sore?” She finally asked him, grabbing onto his arm and giving him a gentle shove.

“Not really, you?” He asked, slowly getting off the ground and heading towards the TV to turn it off. When he turned back around, she was nodding slowly, her eye lids looking heavy.
Alex turned off the TV and the room was thrust into darkness. They both crawled up onto the bed, and Alex pushed Evan over, until she was on her stomach. She giggled and grabbed for a pillow as his knuckles began to dig into her back.

It if had of been anyone else, Evan would not have put herself into this situation. But she knew Alex, and she knew that he didn’t feel that way about her anymore… so a backrub, was just an innocent backrub.
That, among other things, was what she had to keep reminding herself as his large, warm hands, slowly massaged her back through her tiny cotton shirt.

When she was totally, perfectly relaxed, he pulled his hands away and dropped down beside her, trying to stay as close to her, as was respectful. But somewhere between her waking and subconscious state, Evan rolled into him, snuggling her face into his side.
Alex braced his body, trying to remain still. He knew she was almost asleep, there was no innuendo in her action, she meant nothing by it…
But he still reached out gently, shifting his arm until it was securely around her. He rolled onto his side and was face to face with her; still hardly able to see her though; the only light, a small amount of streetlamp, coming in through the window.
He let out a breath, the gently act rustling the hair on the top of Evan’s head. She opened her eyes slowly, allowing herself to adjust to the darkness; until she could see the perfect outline of Alex, his face only inches away.

Caught somewhere between a dreamlike state and reality, Evan lifted her head and parted her lips. Naturally, as if it was nothing, she lifted her head up to meet Alex’s, until their lips were touching.