Just Fine (RE-EDITING)

Chapter Eleven

The truth was out.

Abby stared at him for a few seconds, her eyes blinking in slow motion before she stood up. She tilted her head to the right a bit before she opened her mouth and then closing them a moment later.

Alvin sat up straight and looked away, feeling the dread washing into him for a moment. "What?" she asked as Alvin shrugged helplessly. "Dating Max? Alvin, what..."

"Well, Max came into the room one day and said he wanted to try dating a boy and um, he somehow asked me for it," Alvin explained. "I disagreed, but then he was all this making pouty faces and stuff and just, you know..." Alvin couldn't continue as he was suddenly surged by the shoulders.

Abby opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to get some words out but Alvin was sure she was speechless. After a few silent moments, she straightened herself and rubbed her face. "You are dating Max," she said slowly as she looked at her brother. "Max Asher. Our Max?"

"Yeah?" Alvin said slowly. "How many people with the name Max Asher do you think I know?"

"No, that's—" Abby didn't finish her sentence as her cheeks flushed.

"Well?" Alvin asked after realising that his sister was just standing there and staring at him. "You wanted to know."

"Yes, Alvin," she said after a minute. "I did but I didn't think this would be it!"

"It?" Alvin couldn't resist making a confused face, causing Abby to groan.

"Alvin," she started as she smiled cautiously at him. "You're dating Max Asher! Max! Isn't that—why did you look, you know, off?"

"Abby, the problem is because I'm dating..." Alvin said as he slowed at the word dating before taking a deep breath. "...Max Asher."

"Right," Abby said suspiciously as she took her seat again, crossing her legs. "Explain to your older sister. Why is that a problem?"

"Abby, I'm a boy," he said quickly. "And he's a boy. Boy and boy do not date. That isn't right."

"I guess?" Abby said slowly before she shook her head. "Look, Alvin, it's just dating. So what? It's like experimenting. You'll be fine. Don't think too much into it and just go with the flow."

"Experimenting?" Alvin questioned again. "I'm not the boy to experiment with! I'm Alvin and he's Max. Asher."

"I don't really see your—" she stopped when realization dawned her. "Oh! There's something more going on than just experimenting here, isn't it! That's why you're so uncomfortable." She quickly leered in closer, squinting her eyes at her brother. "Something to do with feelings, isn't it?"

Alvin stiffened a moment before he felt a short shudder working through his body. "Feelings?" he asked as he recalled the definite affection from just now. What was Max feeling anyway? Why was he so adamant that Alvin dated him? Max could definitely just date one of the boys that were always crowding him if he wanted to. And yet, he wanted him as his date.

"Yeah, you're obviously freaked out about something," she deduced. "You told me that Max wanted to try and date a boy and he chose you. You've somehow accepted that or else I would've noticed you having your silent panic attack sooner." Alvin frowned at that.

"I do not have silent panic attacks," Alvin retorted. Abby just raised her eyebrows before he corrected, "That much."

"Do you like Max then?" she asked. Alvin immediately looked at her and frowned.

"Of course I do. He's my best friend."

"I mean like-like type of like, Alvin," she quickly corrected her sentence. Alvin's eyes widened at that before he shook his head. Of course he didn't like Max like that! He was Max Asher, for goodness sake! But, could it be the reason why his heart was fluttering lately?