Just Fine (RE-EDITING)

Chapter One

Howie looked at Alvin as he worked on her prototype. "Is it working?" she asked as Alvin finally took off his goggles and took a step back from his latest project. With a proud smile, he adjusted his glasses and looked at Howie.

"It's finally working," he said, his proud voice taking over as Howie grinned and clapped her hands together happily.

"Great! Thanks, Alvin," Howie said as she grabbed onto the small metallic box.

"Wait!" Alvin called out as she stopped in her actions, looking at him expectantly. Squinting his eyes, he said, "What are you planning to do with that micro-electron magnifier?"

Howie just smiled, her lips stretching into what seemed like an evil smile. Alvin felt a cold shudder down his spine as he noticed her face. He knew that look anywhere and usually, it involved when it was about Max. Something about him made her go crazy in love, or something like that. "I want to use it to see Max."

"Uhm," Alvin said, his voice coming out in uncertainty. "Why?"

Howie just shrugged as a dreamy look filled her face. "He's just so cute." Alvin didn't have time to respond to that when she took that box and walked to the window before she pushed it upwards and walked out. Alvin didn't know what she saw in Max but apparently, he wasn't that into his feelings anyway. About half of the population, maybe more than a half, loved Max Asher.

Alvin just sighed before stripping out from his lab coat and placed it on the table. He walked to the bed and slumped down before he took his science magazine and decided to relax and continue reading. He barely made through one page when the door to his and Max's room opened, walking in was the snowboarder sensation himself. Max just dropped his bag on the bed and sat on it.

"Hey," Max greeted with a grin like he always did as he looked at Alvin.

"Hey," Alvin greeted back nonchalantly and continued on with his magazine, ignoring that Max was ever there. Silence enrolled into the room and before he knew it, Alvin found the silence disturbing. Whenever Max was in the same room as he was, it was never quiet. Alvin slowly looked away from his magazine towards Max's side of the room.

What he saw completely took him off guard. Max looked so serious as he leaned against the headboard of his bed, furrowing his eyebrows, thinking about something. Alvin raised his eyebrows at that scene, unsure of whether to retort a sarcastic comment or to ask him what was wrong. Finally, after a few seconds, Alvin sighed and placed down his magazine. "What's wrong, Max?"

Max immediately snapped his gaze at his best friend and sighed before he messed up his already messed up hair. "Hey, Shred, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure," Alvin straightened himself as he looked at Max, ushering him to go on. Max looked away from Shred as he slowly scratched the back of his neck nervously. With a small nervous laugh, Max finally looked back at Alvin and spoke.

"What's it like to date a boy?" Max asked. Alvin's fast-paced brain worked so fast that it left a stunned silence in the room. Alvin blinked a few times as he stared at his best friend, unsure of what to say. Max ignored the shunned silence and spoke again, "It's just I saw two boys kissing at school a few days ago and I don't know, they seemed normal?"

"Max," Alvin started. "Why are you asking this?"

Silence took over once again as Max sighed and finally stood up. Pacing in the room, Alvin's eyes just followed him as Max attempted to explain himself. "It just got me thinking what it would feel like to date a boy, that's all. So, you're the brainiac, I thought you would know."

"Max, Science is my thing, not feelings," Alvin said, almost softening his voice at the word feelings. Max stopped pacing before he looked at Alvin. Alvin shifted uncomfortably on the bed as he sighed, trying to take control of this situation. "Max, it's alright. It's just... you're curious. That's all. It'll pass."