Loving A Deformity

Chapter 12

Cera woke up the next morning not wanting to move. But, despite it, she got up when there was the smell of bacon. It was still bad weather outside. It was cloudy and rainy but much better than the night before. Cera went downstairs to see Alec making breakfast. Confused, she sat down at the island in the kitchen. Alec noticed her when she came out but didn't say anything as he stirred his eggs.
"Hey." Cera said, her voice rough.
"Hey. Did you sleep alright?" He asked.
"Yeah, surprisingly. You?"
"Yeah, me too." He have her a half grin with a glance before returning his focus.
"So, what motivated you cooking breakfast? I didn't even know you cooked."
"Your parents left a note. Apparently, there was some sort of emergency with your grandma. She said it's nothing serious but they will be gone til tomorrow. Your mom left the stuff out for us to make our own breakfast but I was hungry and didn't want to wake you." He chuckled.
"What about you going home? You still don't have your car and my parents are out. Will your mom be available?"
"I doubt it. She's probably working overtime at the hospital again and my dad is always AWOL, so, it seems I'm stuck here til further notice." He smiled before turning around and scrapping scrambles eggs on a plate.
"Wait, I thought you hate scrambled eggs." Cera looked at him confused.
"I do. This is for you." He set the plate in front of her and pushed the bottled ketchup in her direction. She smiled gratefully at him.
"Thank you so much!" She said and started opening the ketchup. He set a couple stripes of bacon on the side and laid a napkin down for the jam covered toast he made her. He's been to her house way to many time if he can find the jam that was put on that bread. He made his own breakfast and ate with her. Cera really appreciated it.

"So, since were home bound, what do you wanna do?" Alec asked.
"Well, we could watch some movies, TV shows... Oh! I've been wanting to practice my self defense skills. I could really use someone to practice on." She smiled, pleadingly.
"Oh, no. I made breakfast- I am not going to be your punching bag."
"I won't hurt you! I swear. I learned how to do the nice version before the painful one- and I'm not bad!"
"Oh, I feel so assured." He chuckled. Cera sighed.
"Alright, fine. We can just watch a movie..." She ate her eggs. Alec oddly felt bad. He knew he shouldn't have, but he wanted to make her happy. After the week of hell they experienced, he felt they both deserved to loosen up and not have to dwell on the situation.
"After a movie or two, I'll let you try some moves." He caved. Cera smiled at him.
"Really?!" She asked. He nodded as he ate. "Thank you, Alec!" She got up and hugged him from behind. "You're the best!" She said, making him smile.
"Yeah yeah, whatever." He rolled his eyes. Cera giggled and went back to eating.

***

Eventually, the watched a movie and decided Cera could practice after. Once the movie was over, Cera went to get dressed in more exercise friendly clothes. Alec waited on the couch, not really having anything to change into.
"Alright! Let's get started!" Cera came out happily. Alec stood and looked at her to see her wearing baggy shorts that tied in the front and a sports bra. He was stunned.
"What are you wearing?" He asked, shocked.
"Huh?" She looked down. It wasn't really a sport bra. It covered most of her mid section and barely showed her belly button. But still, it was off putting for Alec- not that it had anything to do with her nice smooth curves and hourglass figure. Not at all. "What's wrong with it?"
"Well, d-don't you need a shirt or something?"
"No. This covers everything and I don't like wearing shirts to exercise. Their constricting and have choked me before. This is what's safest for me." She explained.
"You wear that every time you work out?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Don't you think it's a little revealing?"
"You can just see my belly button. I am a pretty conservative person but lots of women dress like this and no one else is fazed. Sure, I felt awkward at first but I got used to it. Besides, we're friends. Why should I be stressing about you seeing me like this?" She smiled. Alec blinked. "I do hate showing off my legs which is why my shorts are so baggy and long. But I'm not as embarrassed by my upper body." She shrugged. Alec swallowed. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Cera asked.
"Like what?"
"Like you're scared of me. Look, I know you're nervous about this but I've done this more than once, alright? I won't let you die." She laughed. Alec reluctantly nodded and Cera started her moves. A lot of them had him landing on his back on the ground. Cera was careful so she didn't hurt him and actually did it gently. One of them included her basically throwing him.
"You're lighter than my instructor. I guess he is taller and has more muscle mass but you are oddly light." She grinned.
"You do this with your instructor?"
"Duh."
"And he's a he?"
"Relax. The man is 40."
"You're doing this with a 40 year old  man dressed like that?!" He glared.
"Well I'm too shy to talk to anyone else! Again, relax, it's not like he was ever inappropriate with me. We're never alone, he always makes sure he's being respectful AND he usually tries to get me to work with his wife- whom he's happily married too. I was even invited to his kids birthday party and told to bring my parents. He's not a creep, he's a professional." She reassured. Alec nodded, feeling a little better.
"Are there other guys in your class?"
"Yeah."
"What ages?"
"Our age. It's for teens so..." She shrugged. "You should come some time! It could be fun and I could finally have a partner who doesn't work there." She said. Alec considered it. He didn't like her being alone there without him. After a while, Cera told him to try to attack her so she could practice being in the moment. Then, she gave her oddest request.
"Okay. I need you to get on top of me." She said and laid down. Alec looked at her, panting, with wide eyes.
"Huh?"
"If I were to get attacked and the moves I just did didn't work, I'd have to fight him or her while they had the upper hand." She said.
"Did you do this with your instructor?"
"No. His wife did this with me because we both felt uncomfortable with it. She isn't as strong as her husband though so I always felt like I wasn't learning as well as I could. I'm hoping you're stronger." She laughed. He rolled his eyes at her comment and knelt down. With a sigh, he place one hand next to her side and the other near her head. Her arms were out from her sides.
"Okay, now for the difficult part." She said. "Try to pin my wrists above my head." She instructed.
"What?!" He sat up. She looked at him confused.
"What?"
"No!"
"Why not?"
"Because could you imagine trying to explain our position to your parents if they walked in?!"
"Alec, they've watched my class before. If you don't feel comfortable doing it, fine. I'll go change." She offered. He thought about it. He was going to have to do this, anyway, if he joined her class.
"No... it's okay." He sighed and Cera laid down. He grabbed her wrists, gently and slowly pushed them back.
"Alec, you need to act like you wanna hurt me."
"I don't want to hurt you, though."
"I know." She sighed. Alec paused. Cera sat up. "I know you are struggling with this. But just so you know, I wouldn't have even suggested it if I didn't trust you completely. I know I'm completely safe with you. Okay?" She smiled. He thought about it and nodded. They ended up doing the move and a few others. They laid next to each other after so long, panting. "You are much stronger." Cera said. Alec laughed before ripping his shirt off, revealing his bare chest. Cera tried not to look.
"Wait... are you sure you've never seen a guy shirtless? What about your classes?" Alec asked.
"Nope. I'm not sure if I just haven't noticed it but I can't recall a time where I saw that." She said. "The guys always were shirts, from what I can remember. I mean, it's cut up and stuff but it still covers them a bit." She said.
"Huh." Alec said and turned to face her. As a result, his chest almost touched her arm. "So, I'm the first and only guy you've seen shirtless?" He smiled almost teasing.
"Unfortunately, yes." She stood up to escape how uncomfortable she felt. Cera got a towel and started sipping on a bottle of water. Alec sat up, offended.
"Unfortunately?" He asked.
"Well, yeah. It kinda shows you how pathetic I am with dating." She sipped her water. "I never even saw Ben shirtless... a shame too. The guy may be an ass but he was buff." She recalled.
"Oh, so, my body isn't good enough for you?" He grinned and stood up to walk towards her.
"Shut up. That's not what I meant." She laughed. "Just because he was built, doesn't mean he's better looking in my opinion."
"Don't girls like muscles?"
"Well, sure, but you're definitely better looking. In fact, though I think he'd be nice to look at without a shirt, I didn't like how built he was. It kinda scared me. I always pushed it aside because I just thought I was being weird but the fear was there. I'm already at a physical disadvantage with my disability so the fact he was so strong freaked me out. Honestly, I'm glad it's over." She spilled.
"Why did you date him if you were scared of him?" Alec asked.
"Honestly... I thought of him as my only chance...with love and all... it was stupid, I know. But... I just didn't want to blow him off because of my fears." Cera felt depressed again. Alec hugged her.
"You'll find love one day." He told her but she pulled away, trying to be cold.
"Thanks, but I doubt it. I accepted my slim chance a long time ago."
"It's not slim."
"Yeah, you can start saying that when you find someone willing to date me. Someone who won't cheat on me." She said and started going to the kitchen. Alec grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him so he can pin her against the wall behind her.
"Stop." He ordered. "Seriously. You are a great person and I'm tired of you getting down on yourself. I know you're going through your first break up and I know he cheated on you but you were just as great as you were before him. He messed up and he's going to have to miss out on one of the most beautifu-" he paused. "Wonderful human beings I've ever met." He corrected himself. Cera blinked. He wasn't just saying that to make her feel better. She sighed, knowing he was right to a degree.
"Okay." She said. "I'll lighten up a bit. But I need you to realize that not everyone is going to look pass my disability. You act like it shouldn't matter when that's a very important thing to consider. It shouldn't be taken lightly."
"I understand that. But you act like no one will at all." Alec said. Cera thought about it but didn't know how to respond.