The rest of summer vacation flew by with our last year of high school coming. I did everything needed and expected of us to submit an early application to Harvard. With Alex's consent, I sent out our applications. Then all we had to do was wait, which had Alex on edge more than usual.
A couple of weeks into school, Alex placed most of her focus on studying and checking the mail daily. I got a SOS text from Alex on a Friday a few hours after school ended and I was currently at the dog park with Rome.
'Gabe! Please save me from my crazy family!' Alex texts me as I am playing catch with Rome.
'What's going on?' I text her back waiting for Rome to bring me the ball back.
'Apparently, my Mom found mold in the house a few days ago and now it is getting cleaned. At first, we thought it'd take only a day. But I've been here for three days with them in one room!!' Alex texts me as I chuckle. Then threw the ball for Rome again who brought it back to me.
'What didn't you tell me sooner?' I text her back.
'Cause I thought we'd be out by now and my parents just got told we might be here another few days still,' Alex texts me.
'I can get you, but I'm not sure my Mom would be fine with you staying in my room. Olivia took our old guest room over as an extra play area,' I text Alex and throw the ball again for Rome.
'Shit,' Alex texts me.
'Hold on, let me see what I can do,' I text her back. I then call my Dad who hopefully can help convince my Mom.
"Dad, I need your help," I say once he answers it.
"Everything ok? You hurt?" Dad asks me before I can continue and I can hear my Mom in the background asking what is going on.
"Dad I'm fine, but listen–" I say then explain what is going on with the Dunphys. My Dad tells my Mom everything is fine with me but I am asking my Dad a question.
"So… You want your old man to help you convince Mom to let Alex stay with us until their house is clean. Not only that but let her stay in your room… HAHAHA, OK I can do it. Just remember don't be too loud," Dad says to me then hangs up before I can say anything.
'Jesus Christ,' I think while throwing the ball for Rome again. Then I wait for about ten minutes continuing to play with Rome before my phone rings.
'Shit,' I think seeing that my Mom is calling me before I answer it.
"Hola mamá," (Hi Mom) I say hoping she is not about to lecture me.
"Gabe, Alex can stay with us… Just… I know you two are going to be adults soon… just… she can come to stay with us," Mom says to me in English showing she is very serious and seems to have finally accepted that I am almost a 'Grown Man' by legal standards.
"Ok… Thanks, Mom," I say not sure what else to say here.
"Love you," Mom says to me.
"Love you too," I say as we hang up.
'Alex pack your things, I am coming over to get you. Just text me the hotel you are at and the room number,' I text Alex who immediately responds with the information.
I then drive over with Rome sticking his head out the window and enjoying the wind. Once at the hotel, I put the windows down slightly for Rome and then head up to the Dunphy's room. As I approach the door I hear the normal bickering from the family and Alex yelling at them. I knock on the door and the whole family goes quiet before I hear some things being knocked over and Alex opens the door.
"Hey," I say as Alex looks slightly disheveled and mentally drained.
"Thank God you are here! Let's go!" Alex says grabbing my hand and pulling me away before Claire runs over to us stopping us.
"Wow, wow wait!" Claire says as the others go back to bickering over the bathroom usage.
"Gabe, Alex!" Claire says as Alex ignores her and she grabs my other arm stopping us. I am now being pulled between two women, but not in a good way.
"I know your parents are ok with this, but…" Claire says with a look seeming to not accept her youngest daughter has grown up. I just stand there not knowing what to say or thinking I should say anything in this situation.
"Mom! Gabe and I have been together for years as friends and dating. If you don't think we already crossed the last line you are crazy. Plus we aren't stupid!" Alex says making everyone inside the room stop arguing and peek their heads out of the room to watch this.
Phil's face is a mixed one as he too is in denial about his daughter being a 'woman' and happy she is growing up. Luke's face is one of surprise having not expected this from Alex it seems. Haley's face is one of just interest wanting to see where this is going. Claire's face has several emotions flash across it, anger, disbelief, surprise, and annoyance. Though the anger and annoyance were directed at me.
"Wait? Alex, you're pregnant?!" Luke says as we all stare at Luke with a 'What the Fuck' face.
"WHAT?! NO!!" Alex says as Luke looks at us all confused.
"Then what is the last line?" Luke says as everyone then looks at one another not wanting to explain that to him.
"Marriage?" Luke says thinking.
"Uhm… Yeah, that could be considered it, but not in this case," Phil says nodding his head.
"Oh my God we are leaving!" Alex says grabbing me again and dragging me away.
Claire doesn't try to stop us, as she just watches us with mixed emotional faces. Phil has forgotten the earlier statement from Alex and talking to Luke about relationships. Haley just went back into the room when no one was paying attention, probably stealing the designated bathroom time. Rome was wagging his tail seeing us come back as Alex was petting him, while I put her things in the trunk.
"So… Next time I see your Mom she might kill me," I say as we drive to my house with Alex just sighing.
"She won't, plus she needs to understand we are not kids anymore," Alex says while leaning back in her seat closing her eyes trying to relax.
Getting to my house I bring Rome inside as he runs to greet my family. Olivia was giggling while petting him as Rome licked her face. My Dad and Mom greeted Alex who is now much more comfortable around them. My Mom though had this worried look on her face, like she was letting someone in who was going to steal her son. Which I guess is somewhat true since Alex is one of the most important people in my life.
"Gabe, I'm gonna take a shower," Alex says walking into the bathroom I use taking some of her things with her as I nod my head.
We then all sat at the dinner table eating together with Alex now slightly nervous again seeing my Mom's face. My Dad and I were trying to get her to stop since she had this very annoyed look on her face. Then night time finally came and my Dad had to usher my Mom away back to her room since it seemed like she wanted to spy on us.
"Seems like my Mom is not the only one who dislikes our relationship," Alex says as we lay down in my bed with me pulling her close to me as she snuggles into me.
"Yeah… Our Moms just seem to not want to acknowledge we are basically adults now," I say to Alex who just sighs nodding her head.
"Gabe… What happens if I don't get into Harvard?" Alex says to me after a few minutes of silence.
"Then I'd go where you go," I say since to me I already went there and at this point, I'd rather be with Alex than waste another life worrying about my education.
"What if I don't get into Harvard?" I ask Alex who laughs hearing me.
"If you don't get into Harvard then no one can," Alex says after laughing a bit.
"But you'd really leave Harvard just to go to the same College as me?" Alex says looking at me with a look of hope and slight doubt in her eyes.
"Yes, I really do love you Alex and I'd do anything to stay by your side," I say to her as I give her a loving kiss which she returns.
"I love you too," Alex says as she snuggles deeper into my embrace.
"So, we both get into Harvard, then what?" Alex says since to us it is on the other side of the country.
"We can stay at the dorms and see each other daily or we can get an apartment nearby since my Family would be more than willing to pay for it," I say to Alex as she nods her head thinking about it.
"I'd like living together… going to bed like this every night… would be nice," Alex says as I nod my head agreeing with her.
"Then let's plan for that once we get our answer from Harvard," I say to Alex who is finally falling asleep in my arms.
The next day my Mom seems to have accepted the reality that Alex and I are adults. With her being more accepting of Alex currently living in our house and in the same room as me. Then the Dunphy's house is finally cleaned with Alex reluctantly returning back to her house as we both have become slightly accustomed to sleeping together.
Like that a few weeks go by and Alex still checks the mail daily, even though we won't receive a letter accepting or rejecting us until Winter vacation. However, on the weekend Alex texted me that they just had some new people move into the house next door.
'The son even called me hot! At first, I thought he was talking to Haley' Alex texts me as I become slightly annoyed hearing that.
'Well you are hot… what is his name?' I text her back wanting to make a mental note of this guy.
'Jealous? 😏' Alex texts me as I grunt in annoyance.
'I won't lie, I am. What's his name?' I text her back.
'😆 George,' Alex texts me.
'George what?' I sent it back.
'Idk told him I had you,' Alex texts me back.
'Ok, ok' I text back thinking if I should have Carlos my cousin ask around about this guy since he is basically friends with everyone at school.
'Gabe… don't be an idiot,' Alex texts me after having read my thoughts.
'I'm never an idiot,' I text her back with a gif of someone gasping.
'You know what I mean!' Alex texts me back with the picture of the white woman pointing at the cat which is staring with a blank face.
I forgot about the guy next door since I really didn't care all that much, with more time flying by. As Halloween approached us, Claire's favorite holiday and the one she loves giving overboard for. From my past life's memories, this one in particular should be one of the bigger dramatic Halloween events. Claire at first lets Phil do a more 'fun' house instead of a haunted one, but the new neighbors bring out Claire's competitive side.
'Ah shit, this is gonna be a long Halloween,' I think to myself as Alex and I are walking to our next class.