Ch.31

The graduation party went off without a hitch, except for a small one when Haley and Andy's girlfriend had a 'small' argument. Thankfully Gloria, Claire, and my Mom were nearby to subdue the fight before it got out of hand. Then a few weeks passed by as Alex and I for once actually enjoyed the time off, without having to worry about studying Track or volunteering. 

We still volunteered at the hospital one day a week, though it was better since we were constantly busy before. During this time it seems Andy proposed to his girlfriend who said yes, with Haley becoming depressed learning that. My cousin Carlos took my advice and seemed to be waiting for Haley to get over Andy. However, the two are texting a lot more as it seems Carlos wants to slowly win Haley over. 

I was hanging out with Alex at her house, with us watching the Star Wars movies in the living room as we heard Claire and Haley talking about a 'quitting day'. I try to think what that means looking over at them curious since they are in the kitchen which is right next to the Dunphy's living room. Phil and Luke are in the living room with us watching the movie too, eating popcorn while pointing out the movie moments. Alex likes the movies, which Phil and I knew she would. 

"Mom, can we drink now?" Haley asks Claire with a very sad voice. 

"Honey, it's lunchtime," Claire says with a face that suggests she means yes. 

"Oh…," Haley says still very sad at Andy's proposal. 

"That's a 'yes'," Claire says to Haley who perks up hearing it. 

"Why do I feel like you're enjoying this?" Phil says as Claire passes by us to grab some wine. 

"What?" Claire says with a fake confused look. Alex was very immersed in the movies to was paying attention while I was listening to the conversation. 

"Sad Haley needs her mommy again," Phil says with a look of 'Really'. 

"Oh, that's ridiculous," Claire says while holding a bottle of wine and two glasses. 

"I'm just helping her channel her broken heart into something more positive," Claire says with a proud look at her excuse. 

"Please, that's the saddest blanket since the AIDS quilt," Luke says as I laugh hearing him with Claire glaring at us both. 

"Haley's wallowing in self-pity, and you're feeding off of it," Phil says as Luke and I nod our heads as Claire seems indignant at being called out. 

"You don't know what you're talking about," Claire says with an annoyed huff. Haley comes into the room while looking very depressed. 

"Mom, I'm just gonna go take a nap," Haley says with a look that suggests she is both mentally and physically tired. 

"Oh, sweetheart, do you want me to snuggle with you till you fall asleep?" Claire says as Luke and I share a look of disappointment. While Phil is looking at Claire with a look of really. 

"Okay, that's it! Pity party's over!" Phil says standing up and pausing the movie making Alex snap her attention from the movie finally as she was absorbed into it this whole time. 

"Time for some Dunphy fun. We are going to the movies!" Phil says with an excited look. 

"We are watching one right now?" Alex says confused, with Luke and I nodding our heads agreeing too. 

"You guys can stay and finish the 'Attack of the Clones' without us," Phil says as Luke sighs getting up. 

"When was the last time you showered?" Phil says turning to Haley shrugs. 

"What day is it?" Haley says as we all look at her in disbelief. 

"We will wait," Phil says while ushering Haley to go take a shower. 

They finally all leave, and Alex and I go back to watching the movie. Though once her family leaves Alex becomes much more handsy. With us no longer really paying attention to the movie as we start making out on the couch. Things quickly got heated as we walked upstairs to her room and completely forgot about the movie we were originally watching. 

By the time we came back downstairs the movie ended, with the credits playing. I just explained to Alex what we missed as we heard her family return. Thankfully we cleaned up and looked just like when they left. They all come inside, though they had an extra person with them this time. Haley came inside with Dylan, her on and off again boyfriend for the last few years. 

Luke, Haley, Alex, and Dylan stayed in the living room talking about relationships, as I went into the kitchen to grab another drink. As I entered I heard Claire and Phil talking in slightly hushed tones so we didn't hear them. 

"Ugh. I can't believe we've got that dodo back in our lives," Claire says with obvious disgust towards Dylan. 

"Hurtful," I say faking a hurt look as they both look surprised at my sudden entrance. 

"She wasn't talking about you Gabe, she was referring to Dylan. We love you, I mean we are just waiting for you and Alex to get married already," Phil says as Claire gives me a surprised look at Phil's statement I just laugh it off. 

"Thanks, and I was thinking after college," I say with a laugh as Phil nods his head agreeing with me. 

"Yeah makes sense, Claire and I got married after college too," Phil says while nodding his head. Claire was just staring at us both in disbelief trying to register if we were joking or not. 

"Wait, what?! Gabe, are you serious? Phil, you are ok with this?" Claire says while trying to be the 'reasonable' one. 

"What? They love each other and are going to be living together while at Harvard. So, yeah I'm not surprised they would get married. Gabe, you have my blessing!" Phil says while nodding his head to me with an approving look. Claire just has this look of complete disbelief on her face. 

"Hey guys!" we all hear a new voice as we look over to see Andy come inside the kitchen. I can tell Claire is going to want to talk about what just happened later, but now we have something else to deal with. 

"Andy!" Phil says while finishing putting away the items they bought from the mall, where they saw whatever movie it was at the same time. 

"Hi!" Claire says after shooting him a glare which she quickly hides. 

"Hey," I say as he nods his head to me.

"Sorry to interrupt, I just want to get these to you," Andy says while showing the several papers he has in a tan file holder. 

"Here is the closing on Baywood," Andy says giving it to Phil. 

"Awesome," Phil says taking it and looking at the paperwork.

"And this is the Johnsons' offer, all set for signatures," Andy says handing over the last of the files. 

"You've done a real mitzvah, buddy," Phil says while checking everything over. 

"I hope that's good," Andy says with a smile and confused look not understanding Phil. 

"Oh, hey," Haley says entering the kitchen and seeing Andy, smiling at him as we all look at her with worried looks. Alex came in right behind her looking confused at first about what was taking me so long, then saw Andy and has a worried look now too. 

"Hey!" Andy says with a happy look greeting Haley back. I shuffle away back toward Alex as we watch this with interested looks. 

"I–It's been awhile since I've seen you," Haley says with a strained faked happy look on her face. 

"Yeah, I've been putting a lot of hours in, trying to earn extra money for this wedding," Andy says striking Haley where it hurts, even though he has no idea Haley wants to be with him instead. 

"Hola. I'm Dylan, Haley's boyfriend," Dylan says offering his hand to Andy for a handshake while placing his other arm around Haley's shoulder. 

"Didn't they just re-meet again today?" I whisper to Alex who sighs but nods her head. 

"Uh, hey. I'm Andy," Andy says shaking Dylan's hand as everyone has this really awkward uncomfortable look on their faces. 

"I didn't realize you two were back together," Andy says while everyone is trying to not give away the awkwardness of this entire meeting. 

"Oh, yeah…" Haley says with a strained small chuckle. 

"We're like magnets… that sometimes take a break to date other magnets," Dylan says with a chuckle while looking at Haley with a smile. I release a heavy sigh as Dylan is the stupidest person I've ever met in either of my lives. 

"What happened was we were together, and then we were apart," Dylan says as Claire has this very annoyed look on her face before drawing all the attention opening a wine bottle with an automated wine opener that whirrles to life. 

"He's gotta be the stupidest person to ever survive as long as he has," I say under my breath which Alex hears as she chuckles.

"Alex and I are… we're just gonna go," I say not wanting to be around this very awkward atmosphere any longer, Alex nods her head as I grab her hand and we leave. 

Later that day when we came back to Alex's house, we just left to go to the mall to get away, we saw Andy and Haley arguing in the Family Room where the piano is. Then they both stomp away after the argument seemed to end as we entered the house. Claire and Phil were listening in while standing in the hallway unseen by either of the two who were just arguing. 

"Things are going well," Alex says with a sarcastic voice as Phil and Claire nod their heads agreeing with Alex's sarcasm. 

'Bro, just so you know trying to get with Haley right now will blow up in your face' I text Carlos once I go to my house after dropping Alex back off at her home. Then I explain to him what happened today at the Dunphy's. 

'Thanks for the heads up' Carlos texts me back. 

'We gotta hang out before you disappear to college' Carlos texts me back a few seconds later. 

'Yeah definitely' I text back. 

'Tomorrow want to meet up at the mall?' Carlos texts me. 

'Yeah sure' I text him back while letting Alex know I can't hang out tomorrow since I will be hanging out with Carlos. 

'So are you really just gonna jump right into the family business?' I text Carlos since I know he doesn't plan on going to college after summer right away. 

'Yeah, but not anymore since Mom and Dad gave me an ultimatum,' Carlos texts me. 

'They said I have to go to college for a business degree, so guess Im doing that now' Carlos texts me as I laugh reading it. 

'So where are you going?' I texted him back. 

'USC' (University of Southern California) Carlos texts me. 

'Excited' I text him. 

'Extremely…' Carlos texts me back with a gif of Bill Murray doing a fake smile before a frown.