Thankfully, I still have some pull with the Higher Power. The day ended with little friction, mostly with Riel making faces and uttering smart comebacks under her breath.
I finally have Lo-Ri's number and am still considering the best way to ask her for an explanation of what she told me.
I was leaning on the lockers with my arms crossed in front of my chest, waiting for Riel to find the text books she wanted to bring home, when I felt a warm breath by my ear. I quickly turned, and it was Alec.
He purposely whispered to avoid being heard by Riel, who still hadn't noticed his presence due to the locker door blocking her peripheral view.
"I have to visit my Mom at St. Jude's after school. We can talk there. You can ride with me. My car is parked by the security office."
He then walked past Riel and disappeared from my view.
I bit my lip, knowing I was about to piss off Riel if I said she could go home without me. I can lie and make up a story or use manipulation to twist things around that she will end up asking me to get a ride from someone else. However, we still haven't had our talk to sort things out and fix things between us. If I keep adding things that will upset her, I may lose her trust completely.
"I have to talk to Alec. It is important for me to get this done. We also need to talk, and I will let you know when. I will leave with Alec. I promise to text you as soon as I get home.
I spoke slowly and in an even tone.
Riel closed her locker door and looked at me for a few seconds, sighed, then said, "Okay. I will walk you to his car."
She flung her backpack strap on her shoulder, grabbed my hand, and started walking.
Riel is upfront and direct, but never forward. I've noticed her being clingy lately, as if she's making some kind of statement. I don't mind it at all, I actually like it.
I enjoy physical contact as a way to show affection. I avoided this at home but craved it from anyone else close to me, like my grandparents, Riel, Aunt Vena, and Nana Ying. This weekend, Josh's touches were a comfort I needed during the chaotic moments. It's the first time in a while that I didn't avoid his physical contact and actually welcomed it.
I led the way to where Alec was parked, Riel's fingers still intertwined with mine. Alec was leaning on his car door, on the phone, when we approached him.
His eyes moved towards mine and Riel's hands as he finished his conversation on the phone. I felt Riel's grasp get tighter. I looked at her, and she was staring at Alec with a forced smile on her face.
I tried hard to hide my amusement, but my grin still showed on my face.
"It's just the two of us, right, G?"
" Riel is..."
Before I could finish answering Alec, Riel spoke in a commanding voice.
"I walked him to your car to note your plate number and to remind you...."
While she was still holding my hand, her other hand started gesturing for Alec to check me from head to toe while she continued to talk.
"This...look at him carefully. I am handing Gian to you with no scratches, bumps, or bruises. He is well groomed, satisfied, happy, and charming."
I looked at Riel with a confused but amused smile.
"I am expecting that you will bring him home in this exact manner, no more, no less." Riel huffed.
She then gave me a hug and whispered, "I will be watching the phone tracker until you get home."
I am not sure if I would interpret what she said as a notification or a warning.
Riel let go of my hand and walked towards her car, which was parked three rows behind Alec's.
I looked at Alec, standing there speechless, processing what he had just been told.
"She can be terrifying." Alec said.
I laughed and shook my head.
I walked around the passenger side, about to reach for the door handle, when I felt Alec behind me reaching to open the door.
He didn't startle me, nor did I feel weird, but I had a fleeting thought that 'it's not necessarily men opening doors for women. It is people opening doors for someone they care about'.
I accepted his kind gesture, got in the car, and waited for him to close the door before reaching for the seat belt.
As he fixed his seat belt, I suddenly realized that Jazi was not in the car.
"Where is Jazi?"
I was surprised when Alec suddenly stopped, placed both his hands on the steering wheel, and sighed deeply before turning his head to look at me.
"Do you really have a crush on my sister?"
I was utterly dumbfounded that he was asking me this.
I was lost as to how to answer him.
I was quiet, staring at him while thinking of the best way to respond.
"It's a simple yes or no, G."
I took offense at his tone and provocative question, so I snapped "Yes" to him.
"He then started the car engine and told me Jazi had been picked up by her girlfriend."
I didn't say anything else and was quiet for the duration of the ride.
I should have explained my answer to make it clearer to Alex, but that meant talking about the whole thing because they are interconnected. The car ride is not the best place to talk about all of this.