Unplugged

"I didn't expect you guys to be so rich, " Zephyr commented when he saw the modern mansion in which Melaina, Nikos and Elena were staying.

"We're not that rich compared to your grandfather", Nikos commented, "But it's a shame that he hoards his money like it's his life".

"Woah", Zephyr muttered, slightly in awe. He was introduced to the rest of the mansion and became more familiar with the intricacies of the mansion. Once done with the tour, he was guided to one of the living rooms. "So what do you guys do?", Zephyr asked, curious about his relatives.

"I'm the manager of the American Branch of an international Real Estate Agency based in Greece", Melaina explained, "Your Uncle is, as of now, a manager of the American Branch of an automobile company. And your Aunt is an incredibly important model for a fashion agency".

"Wow", Zephyr muttered in shock.

"I'll take you to work me someday if you want to squirt", Nikos exclaimed, rubbing Zephyr's head while laughing heartily.

"Hey!", Zephyr complained.

"Stop it Nikos!", Elena stated, slapping Nikos' arm. Sitting down next to him, she grabbed his arm, and stared at him with hope, "Now. Tell me everything about you and Alex".

"Everything's going well", Zephyr replied, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oooooh", Elena exclaimed in excitement, "Tell me more. Have you flirted with each either on the phone at night?"

"Yes", Zephyr answered.

"What about holding hands?", Elena asked, bubbling joyfully.

"We've held hands a lot", Zephyr replied, his face becoming red at the thought of something.

"What were you thinking of?", Elena asked, "Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me". Coughing into the back of his hand, Zephyr mumbled something. "Speak louder", Elena asked, even more curious to know.

"Sometimes, I pretend I forgot my book and move my table next to hers and hold her hand under the table", Zephyr replied, his cheeks extremely red.

"Awwww", Elena awed at the romance, "Have you guys kissed then?".

"Yeah", Zephyr replied, looking away from Elena upon seeing the look on her face.

"You did?", Melaina asked, genuinely curious.

"Yep", Zephyr remarked, "It was three weeks ago".

"Damn it!", Nikos complained, "I would've loved to have been there".

"Dad has a video of it. I think you can ask him fo-wait. Why am I helping you?", Zephyr asked, stopping midway.

"Thanks kid", Nikos responded, "I'll make sure to ask Matt for it".

"You know what we should do?", Elena asked, "We should make a compilation of all their romantic moments and show it to everyone at their wedding. I can just imagine the look on their faces", Elena dreamily muttered, imagining everything in her head.

"W-wedding?", Zephyr spluttered.

"Yeah", Elena replied, a large Cheshire grin on her face, "Don't tell me you haven't thought about it?"

"Elena!", Melaina exclaimed, grabbing Elena's ear and pulling it.

"Ow!", Elena screamed, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry".

Letting go of her ear, Melaina huffed, "I told you to stop acting like that. Not everyone is as comfortable as you about things like this".

"Elena's a bit of a gossip queen", Nikos whispered, "She also tends to let her imagination run wild at times".

However, just as they were about to continue their conversation, the doorbell was rung. Finally letting go of Elena's ear, Melaina walked over to the door. "Matt", Melaina greeted, turning her attention to the person next to him, "Alex right?", Melaina asked.

"Yeah. I'm Alex", Alex replied.

"Why don't you come in?", Melaina asked, moving a bit to the side to allow them entry.

Just as he was about to, Matt received a notification. Looking at it, he grimaced, "Sorry. I have something important to deal with, so I'll have to go. Maybe some other time?", Matt replied, waving and walking away.

"Sure", Melaina responded.

Walking into the mansion, Alex couldn't help but be awed, "Woah. Your house is bigger than Grandpa Jay's".

"I haven't seen Jay's house so I can't say", Melaina replied. "Let me hold this for you", Melaina replied, taking the bag in Alex's hand, receiving a thanks in return.

"Hey Alex", Zephyr greeted.

"Hey Zephyr", Alex replied.

Just as Zephyr was about to say something, he was cut off by Elena, "What sort of greeting is that?", Elena complained, "At least make it romantic. You should've run to each other and kissed and hugged, then greeted each other".

"Elena", Nikos sighed, "This isn't a movie. Don't impose your unrealistic expectations on them".

"But it would've been so romantic", Elena argued.

"Enough!", Melaina raised her voice, "Go to your room Elena".

"B-B-But", Elena tried.

"No", Melaina retorted, "Go to your room!".

"Hmph", Elena pouted, stood up and walked away.

"Sorry about her", Melaina apologised to a red-faced Alex, "She watches too many romantic movies".

"I get it", Alex responded.

"Anyways", Zephyr interrupted, trying to remove the awkward atmosphere, "Why are you here Alex? Not that I mind", he hurriedly added towards the end.

"I thought we could revise for the Bio exam together", Alex replied.

"Why didn't you message me?", Zephyr asked, somewhat confused.

"Mom's forcing everyone to go tech-free for a week and Dad turned it into a competition. However, if I win, I get a new computer", Alex explained, "The Bio paper's due tomorrow and since I can't use the Internet to revise, I thought we'd revise together and help each other out".

"That sounds nice", Zephyr replied, "Let's go to my new room. We can revise better there", he said, walking out of the room.

"Okay", Alex answered, following after Zephyr. However, a few seconds later, she came running back and took the bag from Melaina's hands, muttering a quick "Thank you".

"They're so cute", Melaina muttered, "They're deffo going to get married".

"I'd be more surprised if they didn't", Nikos added, "They go so well with each other".

Melaina nodded at his comment, "I have to go get some more stuff for the house, so make sure to look after them".

"Don't worry", Nikos replied, waving off her concerns.

"I'm serious this time", Melaina stated.

"That wasn't my fault!", Nikos argued.

"You left two teenagers by themselves, unsupervised in a diner and went out to a bar to meet up with one of your mates", Melaina deadpanned, "You're lucky that Zephyr and Alex were responsible and didn't go off somewhere".

"Urgh", Nikos groaned, "Just go".

Shaking her head, Melaina left the room, and soon after, the house.

[Time Skip]

"I can't believe it!", Alex complained as she entered the kitchen.

"It's not bad Alex", Zephyr comforted, walking behind her with her cello.

"Not bad. Not bad!", Alex exclaimed, "I got an A".

"At least it's not a B", Zephyr tried.

"What happened?", Claire asked.

"Alex got an A", Zephyr answered.

"That's good", Phil exclaimed, trying to cheer Alex up.

"No, it's not", Alex argued, "I've had A* for everything so far and because of your stupid tech-free competition, my grades are ruined".

"But you'll still average an A*", Claire argued.

"I came third!", Alex shouted, "Sanjay beat me. Sanjay!".

"That's nothing to be upset about", Zephyr comforted.

"I've gotten better scores than him the whole year and now he thinks he's better than me", Alex shouted.

"We both know that's a lie", Zephyr replied, hugging Alex to calm her down, "You'll beat him next time. I know it".

"Thanks", Alex mumbled.

"Help me", Zephyr mouthed to Claire and Phil.

Haley, who was eating some crackers smirked, seeing this as an opportunity, "Sound like you need the Internet to bring up your grades".

"Don't listen to her Alex", Zephyr said, "She's just trying to make you lose".

"I know", Alex exclaimed, separating from Zephyr's hug, having calmed down, "Let's go. It's evident that staying here will simply decrease my chances of winning", she said, walking out of the room.

"Sure", Zephyr replied, following Alex with her cello.

[Time Skip]

""Busted!"", Phil and Claire screamed as they entered Haley's room.

"Urgh", Haley groaned, "Sophie. I have to call you back".

"Haha!", Phil exclaimed, "I told you I'd outlast them".

"What happened?", Luke asked, coming into the room with an iPad in his hand.

"I'll tell you what's going on!", Phils shouted, "I won!", taking the iPad from Luke's hand. "Nobody gets a car. I dump Tom Brady and our long Amish nightmare is over".

"I can't believe you thought you were going to pull one over on us", Claire smugly declared.

"I can't believe that he's actually on the Internet!", Haley retorted.

"Believe it girl", Phil replied, not looking up from the iPad.

"So you're actually online right now?", Haley asked.

"Yep", Phil proudly answered.

"Well. I hate to break it to you, but you lose!", Haley screamed, pointing at the two of them.

"What?", Phil asked.

"This isn't my phone", Haley said, throwing what was in her hand at them, "I carved it out of a bar of soap and coloured it with a marker".

"Phil. She carved a telephone out of a bar of soap", Claire said, shocked.

"I can't believe I'm getting a car!", Haley screamed, running to her closet and taking out her phone, "I have to tell all of my friends that I won". Haley typed on her phone and said, "And send".

"Actually", Zephyr said, walking into the room with Alex in tow, "You lose".

"What?", Haley asked, dropping her phone in shock.

"He's saying I won", Alex smugly claimed.

"You're right!", Claire exclaimed, standing up.

"But how?", Haley asked, "I was sure you'd have quit".

"Every move. Every decision. Every possible plan. Zephyr predicted them all and formulated a plan that would guarantee my win", Alex replied.

"Huh?", Haley responded.

"Then that means that you were acting", Claire muttered, "So you didn't actually get an A?".

"Of course not, who do you think I am?", Alex stated, "I got an A*. But more importantly, it was an act to make it appear that I was on the verge of giving up. The newspaper that Dad found on the doorstep was one that Zephyr made so Dad would be desperate for the competition to be over. The idea that Haley got about carving a bar phone out of a bar of soap from her friend? Haley's friend told her younger brother who was on the soccer team and asked Zephyr who gave the idea. And knowing Haley, after winning, she'd immediately go on her phone to brag to her friend, leaving me the victor".

"Oh My God", Phil mumbled.

"Guess what that means?", Zephyr cheeringly asked.

"I'm getting a new computer!", Alex answered, hugging Zephyr.

[Commentary]

"I'm going to be honest", Claire said, looking at the camera, "Hearing what Alex said left me terrified of Zephyr".

"I got goosebumps", Phil stated, "Remind me to never mess with that kid again".

"It's so unfair!", Haley complained, "I had everything planned out but Alex beat me!".

"I think Zephyr was so cool", Luke muttered, "He was like a genius serial murderer".

"I'm so proud of my boyfriend", Alex declared.

[Commentary ends]