"Finally," I sighed to myself while putting my makeup away and stepping out of my bathroom. I threw on some golden sparkly pumps and took one last look in the mirror before heading downstairs. "Okay, how can I help?" I sighed while glancing at my mom who was not ready whatsoever. "Mom, dinner starts in fifteen," I gave her a pointed look.

"Just take the food out of the oven and give it to your dad, thank god I taught him how to cook," she huffed before running into her room. I glanced to see there were two minutes left for the food so I lounged around the kitchen till the timer went off. I grabbed the mittens and pulled out the tray of food.

She was freaking out so much over chicken?

"Dad, kitchen please!" I yelled out. He came out, dressed and cleaned up and took over. My mom came out about ten minutes later. "New record, huh?" I teased. She smacked my shoulder with the mitten.

"Ow, that is hot!" I rubbed my shoulder as the doorbell rang. "Mom, you should get it, go on," I pushed her to the door before going back into the kitchen.

"You are a pain in the ass sometimes, kiddo," my dad laughed along with me.

"Richard! Faith!" my mom's voice flowed through the air.

"Ready?" My dad raised his eyebrows at me.

"Lead the way," I gestured. I followed him out into the foyer where we greeted the Ryders. "Hi," I shook Mr. Ryder's hand.

"Hello," he replied.

"Hi," I turned to his mom but she just pulled me into a hug,

"Oh, you look stunning," she gushed at me.

I've only met her like thrice before.

"Thank you?" I chuckled. She turned to my mom and they got busy in conversation. "Hi," I smiled at Alex.

"Hey," he looked me up and down. "So, you found the dress," he arched an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah, I did." I dusted the dress off a little, not really knowing what to do.

"You look beautiful," he smiled genuinely.

"You didn't say that last time I wore it," I teased.

"I didn't get the chance to," he replied.

"Well, you don't look too bad yourself," I checked him out. "Dinner?" I snapped myself out of it and broke eye contact.

"Yeah," he nodded with a little chuckle. I led the way to the kitchen and I sat beside my dad with Mrs. Ryder on my other side and Alex opposite to me.

"So, how's school been going?" Mr. Ryder asked.

What is it with parents always asking about school?

He was looking at me so I'm guessing he's asking me.

"Oh, um- it's going good, we have a lot of games coming up so a lot of organizing," I answered awkwardly.

"Is he of any use?" he asked me while glancing at Alex.

"Yeah," I looked at Alex, "He really helps me out a lot," I said that while looking at Alex and I wasn't just referring to games and I'm pretty sure he got that.

"What about you, Alex?" my mom snapped us out of it. "How's everything going with you?" she asked him.

"Everything's fine, just waiting for swimming and lacrosse to start and uh- then it's all gonna get a little more stressful but, I'm used to it," he shrugged it off.

Those sports really help him.

Soccer keeps him fit, swimming keeps him hot, lacrosse keeps his boyish charm.

"Haven't you been thinking of trying out for being the basketball team's captain?" my mom questioned.

"I have, but it's not an open spot," he replied.

"Actually, it is." I broke in. Cody was going to try and he's the one that told me. "Chris was kicked off the team so, the spot for captain's open. You should try," I looked at him.

"Wasn't Cody going to?" my dad questioned.

"Yeah he was, but Alex can get it, don't you think?" I asked everyone at the table.

"I don't know, aren't three sports enough?" his dad sighed.

"Well, he's pretty good at sports and he enjoys it, even the stress that comes with it. Can't really go wrong, can it?" I asked. "I think you should try," I said to him again.

"I think I will," he gave me a small smile.

x-X-x

We were all done eating and the parents were sitting in the living room while Alex and I were cleaning up.

"There's something I need to tell you," he sighed while putting down the plate he was drying. "I'm not on the swim team anymore, I quit."

Well, okay.

"What happened?" I asked while drying my hands and turning to him.

"I didn't enjoy it anymore. It became a task, I didn't wanna do it." His head was hanging low.

"So? You quit, what's wrong with that? If you don't enjoy it, you're not gonna wanna do it. If you don't wanna do it, then you don't," I shrugged while washing the last dish.

"You don't think it's wrong that I just quit because I didn't wanna do it anymore?" he asked in confusion.

"Why would I think it's wrong? School's supposed to be fun and if it actually is for you, then you have every right to make decisions to keep it that way. If you don't enjoy or like something, you don't have to do it," I shrugged while turning to him.

"People don't seem to think that way," he sighed.

"And why exactly does it matter what people think?" I put the cloth away.

"You play because you like to, right?"

He nodded.

"So who cares? You play whatever you like," I shrugged. "If it helps, I'll cheer for you in whatever sport you play, and I know a lot of other people who'd do the same," I stated.

"You're just standing there watching me blabber, say something," I chuckled.

He opened his mouth to say something but voices cut him off before he could even start.

"Faith, take him up to your room! Show him around!" my mom called out while my dad protested in the background.

"Okay!" I rolled my eyes. "Come on," I sighed while heading up the stairs and into my room with Alex following closely behind. "That's my room, which you've seen thousands of times from the window," I looked around my room.

Thank god I cleaned it a few days ago.

"I'm sorry if I said too much downstairs, you didn't really ask for my opinion but I gave it anyway so I'm-" I turned to face him but he cut me off.

"You should really shut up." He pulled me closer, making my breath get caught in my throat.

"Sorry," I whispered.

"You can't say stuff like that, Faith," he said, keeping his voice low, "It makes me want to kiss you right then and there, but I can't," he stepped away. "Because you're not mine, I can't have you and I can't kiss you apart from, well, at school."

Alright, who set that rule?

"Right," I nodded before clearing my throat awkwardly. "You can't kiss me," I repeated. "But I can," I whispered to myself.

"What?" he asked.

"N-nothing, you're right. We're not each other's so I guess we should just keep our distance when no one's watching," I nodded.

"W-what would you have done if I just kissed you right now?" he questioned hesitantly.

Probably kissed you back.

"I don't know," I shrugged.

"You wouldn't have been mad or anything, right?" he asked.

"No, not all, everyone makes mistakes," I exhaled.

"I didn't say it would be a mistake, what if I wanted to?" he asked.

"Why would you want to kiss me?" I questioned.

"Because you're you. Because of what you said down there at the table, to me in the kitchen. You're amazing, Faith. You're beautiful inside out," he replied.

"Wow," I chuckled, "No one's ever said that to me before," I mumbled.

"Cody never said something like that to you?" he asked and I shook my head in response. "Well, I'm glad I was the first," he stepped closer.

"Answer me this," I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, "How do you say something like that and then expect me to not want to kiss you?" I looked at him.

"I don't know," he whispered.

"Maybe we should head back downstairs," I began walking to the door but he beat me to it and stood in front of it.

"Maybe we could pretend like it never happened," he said hesitantly. "I mean, practicing is our excuse and uh- practice does make perfect after all, right?" he asked.

"A-are you saying you want to kiss me?" I asked just to clear things up. "Cause I don't think I'm hearing this right and-" he cut me off.

"Faith, shut up."

He pulled me by my waist and crashed his lips onto mine. He flipped us and had me against the door and we kissed for I don't know how long but it didn't feel long enough.

"Alex, we're leaving!" his dad called out from downstairs.

He pulled away slowly like he didn't want to, I mean, I know I didn't.

"Maybe we should practice more often," I sighed.

"Yeah, maybe we should," he agreed.

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