Ch.11

Life has gone on as normal, with Alex and I hiding our new relationship very well. Then school started back up again, with us entering eighth grade. Alex has gone a little stir-crazy since it is our last year until Highschool begins. She has been getting annoyed at me for taking everything so easy while still getting perfect scores.

My Mom also gave birth to my younger sister, who they named Olivia Emma Hunter. I remember my Uncle taking me to the hospital once my Mom's water broke. As my Dad was already there, with our whole family coming shortly after. Then even Jay, Gloria, and Manny came since Gloria is my Mom's best friend.

I got to hold my little sister, who was just a tiny little thing. She was very quiet as I got to hold her. Then she passed from person to person before she began crying to be fed. Once my Mom and sister were discharged from the hospital, we all celebrated at a restaurant, my Uncle's treat for the birth.

Seeing my family grow bigger was great and I was extremely excited to be a big brother. However, the first couple of nights were rough as even I was woken up by my baby sister's cries. Though I was eventually able to sleep through them, my parents would have to continue to suffer through them.

Time flew by with my baby sister growing to become a fat little baby. Giggling at everything I did or said, I loved playing with her. Rome was extremely gentle with her and loved snuggling with her. Olivia even loved playing with Rome and me, while giggling at everything we did. Coming home from school, I quickly did my homework. Then played with my baby sister before she took her normal afternoon nap, then I started a few online matches of Mario Kart.

'Gabe, I need your help with some homework. Please come over," Alex texts me while I'm playing some Mario Kart online with these random players with one who somehow keeps getting first no matter what we do.

'Sure,' I say feeling my frustration rise, luckily there is no game chat or every heavy word would be flying between us.

'Maybe I should get Call of Duty, then I can talk shit like all the other kids who play it,' I think to myself as I walk to Alex's house while telling my Mom I was heading there.

"Oh hey, Gabe! Alex as you to come over to help her with her homework?" Phil says answering the door as I nod my head.

"Well have fun! I'm off to help Jay with setting up a printer," Phil says while getting in his car to go over to Jay's house.

"Ok…" I say as he leaves, then I turn to see Haley smirking at me while standing on the stairs.

"Just here to help her with homework?" Haley says with the same smirk.

"Well try not to make a mess ok, I'm going out. I don't want to come back to a dirty room," Haley says with a chuckle while going outside to where Dylan just pulled up.

"Haley! You better be back before ten tonight!" Claire says seeing Haley leave the house after coming up from their basement.

"I know Mom!" Haley shouts as she slams the door behind her.

"Hey, Mrs. Dunphy," I say to Claire who notices me now.

"Hi, Gabe… You here to see Alex?" Claire says normally at first, then several emotions flash across her face. Surprise, suspicion, and then annoyance.

"Uh…yeah," I say while walking upstairs to where Alex is.

"Ok, just make sure to leave the door open," Claire says while watching me walk upstairs with the same suspicious look.

"Hey, Alex–" I say as I enter her room with her grabbing me and pulling me inside, before looking to see if anyone was watching us.

"Gabe… my Mom knows…" Alex says with worry and anxiousness.

"Knows what?" I say confused while looking back to see if Claire was nearby.

"Knows about us!" Alex says almost shouting it. As I now realize what she meant.

"How?" I say.

"You know my Mom, she likes to snoop. She probably took my phone when I wasn't looking and saw our recent texts. Then most likely grilled Haley and Haley would tell her if it meant she could get something out of it," Alex says as I realize that is what most likely happened.

"Is that why Haley left with Dylan, on a school night?" I say now realizing why Claire wasn't so upset with Haley.

"What?! Oh God! Gabe what are we going to do!" Alex says panicking while pacing her room.

"What? Nothing. Who cares?" I say confused at what is the problem.

"Nothing, who cares?! My Mom is a psycho! She is going to be up our butts from now on!" Alex says as I shake my head not believing Claire is that crazy.

"No, your Mom–" I start to say as we both turn to see Claire coming up the stairs then head over to us.

"How's everything going? You guys working on that homework?" Claire says with not-so-subtle suspicion on her face.

"We're Fine! Now leave us alone Mom!" Alex says pushing her Mom out of her room and then closing the door on her.

"Alex leave this door open! I know the two of you are together now!" Claire says opening the door as I mentally facepalm.

"MOM!" Alex says very embarrassed now as I'm watching this unsure what to say or do.

"Listen, I get it you are both young and sparks fly among people who share interests. But I just want you guys to be safe, ok," Claire says trying to defend her reasons for snooping, which I can understand.

"Then leave us alone! We aren't stupid like Haley who you let leave on a school night!" Alex says as Claire then thinks and then rushes off probably to text Haley a bunch.

"Alex we are going to talk once Gabe leaves! Plus leave that door open!" Claire says as she runs off to her phone downstairs.

"Whatever!" Alex says with an annoyed huff as I just stand there.

"That went very smoothly," I say almost chuckling, as Alex turns to me still annoyed.

"Shut up! You didn't even say anything!" Alex says to me annoyed.

"What should I have said? You are right Mrs. Dunphy your daughter and I are together. That we've been hiding it this whole time," I say to Alex with a smirk on my face, as Alex's face become red hearing me.

"I…You… Whatever!" Alex says stumbling for words.

"So, was there anything you wanted my help with, or was it just to tell me this?" I say to Alex changing the subject as she shakes her head.

"Just cause I don't have a cheating ability like yourself, doesn't mean I have any problem with school!" Alex says and I nod my head smiling at her.

"Ok… then since your Mom is gonna be busy for a bit…" I say as Alex gets what I am saying. Then for the next few minutes, we start making out.

After spending a few hours hanging out with Alex and having a few makeout sessions, I went back home. Though once I got back home, both my parents and baby sister were waiting for me. Though Olivia was on the ground giggling at Rome who was licking her feet. From their looks, it appears they know something and want to talk about it.

'Do they know about Alex and me… shit did Claire tell them?' I think to myself waiting for them to speak as I didn't want to incriminate myself.

"Gabe… ¿cuándo nos ibas a decir?" (Gabe… when were you going to tell us?) Mom says as I look at them.

"¿Le dirá qué?" (Tell you what?) I say playing dumb as my Mom's eye twitches, with my Dad holding back a chuckle.

"¡No juegues conmigo, niño!" (Don't play games with me little boy!) Mom says very annoyed with my playing dumb.

"Ni siquiera sé de lo que estás hablando," (I don't even know what you're talking about) I say still not giving in to anything.

"¡Alex! ¡Estás saliendo con Alex! ¡Su madre nos lo dijo!" (Alex! You are dating Alex! Her Mother told us!) Mom says as my Dad looked like he wanted to high-five me.

'Shit so Claire did snitch,' I think to myself.

"¿OK… entonces?" (Ok... so?) I say as my Mom becomes even more annoyed. Now it looks like my Dad is going to break out laughing.

"¡Entonces! ¡¡Entonces!! Entonces, ¡deberías habernos dicho!" (So! So!! So, you should have told us!) Mom says practically screaming in annoyance, though that probably has to do with sleep deprivation and fluctuating hormones.

"OK lo siento," (Ok, sorry) I say to her as she looks ready to explode, but takes a deep breath.

"Este es un gran paso en el crecimiento. Así que tu padre y yo solo queremos saber estas cosas. De esa manera podemos ayudarlo si alguna vez lo necesita," (This is a big step in growing up. So your father and I just want to know these things. That way we can help you should you ever need it) Mom says and I nod my head.

"Tu mamá tiene razón. Solo estamos cuidando de ti," (Your Mom is right. We just are looking out for you) Dad says and I nod my head still.

"Vale, vale, lo entiendo. Lo siento, debí haberte dicho," (Ok, ok, I get it. Sorry, I should have told you) I say as both nod their heads satisfied with my answer. Then Olivia begins crying to be picked up.

"Ahora ve a lavarte las manos. La cena está lista," (Now go wash your hands. Dinner is ready) Mom says to me picking up Olivia and taking her to the kitchen.

"¡Buen trabajo! Ahora, si alguna vez necesita ayuda o tiene preguntas sobre las relaciones, venga a mí," (Good job! Now if you ever need help or have questions about relationships come to me) Dad says to me once Mom leaves and high-fives me.

"Servirá," (Will do) I say to him high-fiving him back.

Like that, a few weeks go by, though now everyone knows Alex and I are together. The only problem with that is, now when we hang out with our parents. Our Moms in particular are spying on us. The only time we can get alone is going somewhere else like a park. Though we still did enjoy being together, plus now Alex doesn't feel as left out when Haley says things only people in a relationship would understand.