It Wasn't

Tre's eyes were bloodshot due to hangover, but his mind was still working, and he knew what happened. Alice closed her eyes and hugged herself, whispering, "It... it wasn't. It wasn't," more to herself than to Tre. He took another step towards her and she backed into the wall, where she slumped to the floor, still wearing nothing but her jeans and bra. Still whispering and trying to keep herself sane, she closed her eyes again. Her features trembled and a single tear slid down her cheek. Tre knelt down and touched her arm.
"Hey, don't cry White Rabbit, you'll be fine,"
"No! I won't be fine!" she put her face in her hands, "Nothing will be fine!"
"You... you were drunk. You didn't mean it; it was just a fluke."
"Fluke my ass," Billie said, causing both Tre and Alice to turn their attention to him, "I'm married," he hung his head, "and I cheated on my wife."
"And I cheated with him," Alice sobbed quietly, "It doesn't matter that I was drunk. What matters is that I wanted it, that I liked it, even when I knew it was wrong," Her eyes pleased with Tre and Billie. "Please... you can't tell anyone, please. Especially," she paused to listen for the sound of someone waking, "not Robbie."
"I promise," Tre looked her in the eye protectively.
"I can't promise that," Billie said weakly, "I can't keep something like this from Adrienne. I have to tell her and I will, the moment she comes back... " he trailed off as tears collected in his eyes and threatened to fall. He pushed off the blankets and Alice looked away, not wanting to add to the shame and sin of what she did. She put her shirt on and left, face still damp and eyes still red. Billie and Tre were alone in the room.
Tre looked at Billie questioningly, and the humiliation and frustration in his eyes were the only answer necessary. Billie looked Tre in the eye.
"You can't tell Mike. He's already broken, and you know how he would react to... something like this." Tre nodded, understanding every word.
"I won't," he said, "And I have to go throw up!" and Tre ran to the bathroom, leaving amusement to sink into Billie along with every other emotion he was feeling at the moment.

Alice looked out the patio door at the swing set. She could imagine Billie's kids playing on it while he and his wife stood watching them, holding hands. This was his life. And she came in like a walking curse and interrupted it.
"I want breakfast." Alice turned around to see Robyn walking into the kitchen with Tre.
"Yeah," he whined, "Me and my Robbie want breakfast." Alice rolled her eyes.
"It's a little late for breakfast. Its twelve." She laughed.
"Well, in that case, I want lunch!"
"Shut up Robyn, you just want food; you could care less what time it is."
"Hey!! Don't make fun of my Robbie!"
"Shut up Tre," the three breakfast fighters turned around to see Mike.
"You're not really that different. A match made in heaven if you ask me." Alice laughed with Mike.
"That's what I said ten years ago!" said an indignant Tre. Robyn laughed and kissed him lightly.
"That's why Larry tried to kill you ten years ago." She laughed. Tre looked sour at the memory and Alice just looked at the floor.
"You know, its not just you." She said, looking at the floor. Robyn looked her in the eye with understanding. Tre was confused. "He... he beat me up... once. When it was my twelfth birthday... and Robbie wouldn't go out with him that night, you know, because of my party. She went out to get something from her car and Larry... he started screaming, and yelling, and he hit me. He said that because of me, Robbie was drifting away from him." She turned around to see Billie standing over her shoulder, but didn't dare look him in the eye. Alice shrugged and got up. "Rob, you coming? I'm gonna go get some Taco Bell." Rob got up and followed her little sister to the door.
"Hey Rob-rob, get me some food too."
"Sure Frankie."

"So, how'd you sleep last night? Drunk until 5 A.M?" Robyn asked as she got into her van.
"Pretty much. Woke up and felt like I'd been through an earthquake." This wasn't far from the truth. Realizing what she did made Alice feel like she was in the middle of an earthquake.
"Hangover, huh?"
"I guess. So, how was your night with Frankie? Did you rock hard, or did you sleep like a rock?"
"Both," Robyn chuckled, "Let me tell you, it was pretty good. And when I woke up, I was still wrapped up in a bear hug, so I went back to sleep."
"Who woke up first?" Alice asked, even though she already knew.
"Tre. I sorta have the feeling that he's, you know, the one."
"Thank God. Mom will finally leave you alone."
"I doubt it. I'm not too sure a crazy, pyromaniac, rock star is what she had in mind when she said 'a decent man'."
"But he likes you. He's crazy about you, and you know it. What could be more decent than that?"
"True. And he loves me. He told me, last weekend." Robyn blushed. Alice screamed.
"Oh my God!!! Why didn't you tell me? Ohmigod, this is...just awesome!"
"Yeah I know! I love him too." Her features softened and her face illuminated at this thought. They pulled into the Taco Bell parking lot and went inside to see what seemed to be the longest line in the world at that precise moment. Crap. Alice caught a glimpse of the guy at the counter. No good, he looked too work-oriented. She looked around and found a bored looking teen, probably about sixteen or seventeen years old, in a Taco Bell uniform.
Alice grabbed Robyn without explanation and wandered over to the boy. Robyn, who took in the situation by now, sprang into action faithfully.
"Hey." She said, making her voice as smooth as it would go. The bored waiter looked up. "Are you on break?" she and Alice sat down in front of the boy and lowered their eyelashes.
"Nah," he said, looking startled," But Brad can't see me and push me around if I stay all the way over here."
"Oh," said Robyn, widening her eyes a little. It had the desired effect. "We were just wondering if... oh never mind. You have a lot to be dealing with."
"Yeah, sorry to bother you," Alice got up and turned around to leave. She heard the boy gulp a little. Bingo. "C'mon Alice, let's go get lunch somewhere else." Robyn got up with Alice and they were both at the door.
"Hey, wait!" the boy jumped up suddenly. Finally. "I-I think I could g-get you through this l-line" he stammered. Alice looked at him and he looked like he was going to faint from pressure. Robyn, on the other hand, walked back, thanked him sweetly, and kissed him on the cheek. "N-no p-p-problem l-ladies" he ran behind the counter to talk to Brad the cashier. A few minutes later, the boy and Brad came to the back of the line and took the girls behind the counter.
"Order anything you like, girls," Brad said in a suave, 'cool', voice. "It's on me." Good thing he didn't notice the looks of supreme disgust both Alice and Robyn were directing at him. They both ordered as much food as possible for themselves, Tre, and the guys without seeming like they were taking advantage of that poor kid and jackass Brad. Taking their food and taking their leave from godforsaken Taco Bell, Robyn and Alice noticed that Kid and Brad were right behind them.
"So," said Brad in his disgusting suave voice, "How 'bout I take you out somewhere, tonight, you know, for dinner?" he nodded his head at Robyn. She looked like she was going to puke.
"Sorry Bread, I have a boyfriend." She waved him off.
"Hey, its Brad!" but Robyn didn't hear his correction. She had already walked off to the car. Bread, uh, I mean Brad, turned to Alice. "So then babe, how 'bout you? You'd be missin' out you know." He looked at her with what she supposed was a sexy stare, but was simply revolting.
"Actually, I already have a date for tonight."
"With who? I'm sure you could cancel on them. No one's a match for me."
"With, uh," Alice, thinking fast, read the Kid's nametag. Frank. "Frank. I have a date with Frank." Frank looked startled, but she continued, "Tonight. At 5:00. We're meeting at Starbucks." Frank finally realized what she was doing, even though he didn't have a clue why she was doing it.
"Yeah," he said, "We do. I'm uh, going to take her out for dinner, and we might catch a movie. Right Alice?"
"Right." She smiled at him. Now that he wasn't so nervous or bored looking, he was kind of cute. Just about her height, a bit tweedy, with wiry, messy black hair, a fading tan, and gray eyes. Jackass Brad threw a look at Frank and stalked off to take his rightful throne behind the counter. Frank smiled weakly.
"So, uh, see you tonight Alice."
"See you tonight." She winked at him and saw him blush faintly before returning to the important task of sitting there and being bored stiff.
"What's with the delay Allie?" Robyn smirked at her little sister.
"Nothin' Robbie, I just got a date with Frank." Alice smirked.
"And Frank is... ?"
"That nervous looking guy that got us a free meal from Bread." Robyn laughed, but Alice just smiled. At least something was looking up.
"Rob-rob!! White Rabbit! What took you so long? !Yo quiero mi Taco Bell!" Tre ran to the door the moment they came back and cradled his lunch lovingly in his arms.
"What about me, Frankie? Don't I get a hug?" Robyn teased. Tre of course, being Tre, took this seriously. He dropped the food on the kitchen table and crushed Robyn in his arms.
"I love you Rob-rob.
"I love you too Frankie." They kissed. Alice looked like she was going to be sick.
"Get a grip you two." She hissed, "Some of us don't want to lose our lunch before we even eat." At that exact moment, Mike and Billie came bounding out of the living room.
"Did someone mention food?" They said in unison
"MY FOOD!!" Tre grabbed the burritos, but then smiled and put them back on the table. "Help your freakin' selves, boys! There's plenty for all of us and even some people who aren't here!"
"Oo aant e soo pi oo buk?" Mike said with his mouth full. Seeing the look on the girls' faces, he swallowed and repeated, "You want me to pay you back?"
"Nah, it was free. All thanks to good ol' Robbie here," Alice patted her sister appreciatively on the back.
"Free?" Billie looked surprised. It was hard trying to weasel free food from those stingy Taco Bell people. He tried.
"Yeah, with her pretty little face, she got Frank to take us behind the counter where Bread, uh, I mean Brad got us free food."
"He asked me out," Robyn continued, and at the horrified look on Tre's face she added, " I turned him down, don't worry Frankie" she kissed him and he looked slightly calmer. "Apparently, he asked out Alice too, and got shot down a second time. By the way Allie, what did you say to him?"
"I told him I already had a date tonight. So, he wanted to know who my date was. Considering I had to think fast and get Breadhead off my back, I told him I had a date with Frank at 5."
"Nice. Where're you meeting him?"
"Starbucks. From there we're going to get dinner, maybe we'll go see a movie."
"By the way, who is this Frank?" Billie asked, startling Alice. At once, she felt shy and silly all over again.
"He's, um, uh, a waiter, at Taco Bell. I guess he's like, seventeen or eighteen." She spoke slowly, her voice almost becoming quieter with each word.
"Ooh, looks like someone has a thing for younger men" Tre teased. Alice blushed.
"C'mon. I had to do something, or Bread would've mauled me with his cash register. Besides, Frank's kinda cute."
"Of course he would be. But I will maintain that I am the cutest Frank to ever be born."
"Or the cutest Frank Edwi--" Mike started, but was cut off by Tre.
"Don't even, Mikey-boy," Tre turned a light shade of pink. They spent the next 2 hours together, fooling around, joking, and eating. Alice became quieter towards Mike and Billie. At around 4:30, Alice announced that she had to leave for her date.
"You're going to Starbucks right?" Mike asked
"Y-yeah," Alice spoke to her feet.
I'll give you a ride. I need some coffee anyway. You need a ride too Robyn?"
"Nah," Robyn rested her head on Tre's shoulder, "I have tomorrow off, so I'll be spending some time with Tre. Bye Allie". Alice followed Mike outside to his car. He opened the side door for her.
"After you, Madame." He bowed slightly. Alice turned an interesting shade of red.