Push to the Limit (the sixth book in the Glee series)

Chapter 21: Shirley's

Because there's been confusion, please know that each of these Christmas chapters sort of restart Christmas Eve so that we get the different stories from the beginning. They aren't a continuation so much as they are filling in the blanks.

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"Get out of here already!" Alex shouted grumpily from the doorway when he saw that Julie, John and Lyric were still loitering out on the side of the street. He took a bite of the apple he'd just grabbed from the kitchen and instantly regretted, having failed to notice that it wasn't very good anymore.

After closing the door, he tossed it into the trash can in the kitchen and then opened the fridge, hoping for something else in there to fill his morning appetite. He didn't have the energy to cook which meant his only option would probably be cereal, but when he reached above the sink, all he could find was a box of Cheerios and inside was a rolled up, practically empty bag.

"Ugh," he groaned, wishing whoever had eaten the last of it had disposed of it and replaced it but knowing he'd never be able to find out who had done it. He considered calling John back to come and cook for him but truthfully he was glad they were getting out of Lima and having fun out there, so he didn't do it. Instead, he grabbed his phone, his keys and his coat and headed out the door, ready for someone else to make him breakfast.

***

"I cannot believe you called me to buy you food," said the guys' temporary assistant, Eddie, said when Alex walked into Shirley's, a small burger joint just around the corner from the studio where she was waiting for him with a white paper bag. 

He took it and said, "I didn't want to have to wait in line. So what did you get me?"

"A triple cheeseburger and large order of curly fries," she told him. 

"No milkshake?" he frowned.

She turned to the table she had just been sitting at, where he saw a large strawberry milkshake topped with whip cream and holding a wafer stick. "I put it down because it was cold," said Eddie.

"You're the best," he said, eyeing the milkshake with desire and taking it in his hands. "Let's go. I want to stop by the studio."

"And the food?" she wondered. 

"I'll eat it there," he said shrugged. Eddie nodded, not even sure why he'd want to eat such food for breakfast, but she led the way to the door anyhow. He would have walked out if he hadn't spotted a guitar leaning against a table, a guitar he couldn't resist walking over to. 

"Beautiful," he muttered when he reached it. It was all alone, abandoned and lonely. 

Just as he was reaching out to touch it, a voice behind him said, "You better back away now, kid."

He turned around and saw Eddie standing by the door waiting for him but it hadn't been she who spoke. It was a slightly older woman with brown hair and hazel eyes, her hands on her hips as she glared at him.

Confused, he said, "Is this yours?"

"It is," she told him. "Which means if you don't back away from it, I'm going to—"

"Ok, ok, I get it," said Alex, taking three steps back. "I have a few of these myself and I'd react the same way."

She stared at him for a second and looked at him from head to toe. He was sure there was some sort of recognition in her eyes and perhaps she'd out him as Alex Zimmerman but her gaze stopped at the milkshake he forgot he'd been holding. 

"Is that a chocolate wafer?" she asked, pointing at it.

Alex looked down at his cup and nodded. "Yeah."