It Should Have Been Her

" Get ready ladies! It's drink time!" Raygen rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms and glared at the dress in front of her. There sat a turquoise strapless dress that reached mid thigh and looked like saran wrap.

" There is no way in hell, that I'm squeezing into that." She looked it over scrunching up her nose and looking at Kara. She was dressed in a violet short dress that she borrowed from Lisa. Everyone was dressed but her as they stared at the stubborn girl.

" Yes you are, do you know how hot you'll look?" She groaned as she felt a tug to her elbow. She felt as Lisa pushed her towards the small dress that she so badly wanted to burn.

" How about I stay home. Or better yet, I'll make you a deal. I'll drive you there and back and you can all get as drunk as can be."

" As amazing as that offer is...Get in the fucking dress Raygen or I'm calling your mother. And you know how prissy she can get." She groaned even louder angrily grabbing the dress and slamming the door to the bathroom as the room shook a little.

" I think you hit a nerve May."

" Mmm, on with it ladies. I've been craving me some Daniels."
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" Where is she?" May looked around as she noticed a flushed Raygen ambushed by a group of young gentlemen. She smiled as she noticed the way the dress clung to her body at all the right spots. She took a sip of her drink as she made eye contact with her and raised her glass. In return she got a death glare and a nervous biting of the lip as she frantically tried to make her sweet escape.

" She looks like she's going to faint." Jack whispered to his sister as he noticed her smile.

" She needs to learn to socialize and flirt. And this is way too entertaining to pass up baby Brother." She studied the scene carefully looking over all her friends. She had a way of keeping an eye on everything and having a good time. She watched as Zack swiftly made his way to Raygen and tugged on her arm earning a sigh of relief and small protests. She watched the way he looked at her and smiled to herself as she refilled her drink with the bottle of white wine that sat before her.

She looked towards Vinny, Annie, Kara, and Rian as they all popped a bottle of Strawberry vodka and laughed. She stopped, and set her glass down as she tilted her head. Alex seemed distant. He had never been one to pass on drinks or sit still at a club. His hands were on his lap as he stared at the big screen TV showing the Ravens game. She watched him as he slowly tapped his finger to the pounding music outside the VIP room and stayed calm and still. Lisa sat beside him drinking as she eyed him suspiciously but later let it go and turned to the groups conversation.

May stood up slowly as she tugged on her super short dress and walked over to him.
" Hey there handsome." She smiled at him as he grinned.

" You aren't drunk yet, are you Barakat?"

" Heavens no, and neither are you. What's on your mind Gaskarth?" She watched him sigh subtly as he shook his head at her.

" Nothing, nothing. Just watching the game..."

" At a club? Where you are usually getting drunk, dancing, and getting strippers numbers as Lisa yells at you? Man, you must be emotionally fucked today." He chuckled as he looked at her then back at the big screen. May hesitated before daring herself to play a small game with him. She thought the words over in her head as she looked at Raygen.

" You know...I've never seen Raygen like this." His eyes shot up as his eyes searched then found the prime target, setting his sights straight on her.

" I'm so glad I basically abused her into that dress. She looks hot. Not only that but the girl has got the attention of even the bartender."

She watched as he gulped, his eyes zooming in, up and down at her body. " She's always such a good girl and I just made her look like a piece of candy. God only knows the awards I should get for it. Speaking of awards I'm going to go award myself another tequila shot, you game?"

He shook his head as his eyes never left the shy girl. She smiled softly as she stood up heading to the bar. Shit, she thought. She was most definitely right. He was completely into Ray but then what about Lisa? Was he willing to sacrifice five years? She shook her head as she put on a smile and walked over to her best friend.

" Hey there sexy."

" Shut up, I hate you. I feel like I have plastic wrap on my ass and my breasts feel like they are being pushed back into my organs."

" Just how they should be honey... a round of Tequila shots please? Thank you." She focused back in on her friend as she leaned on the bar counter.

" So, Alex looks a little lonely over there. He's being kind of weird. Go keep him company if you're going to be a loner and avoid gorgeous men who give you their number."

She giggled and slapped her playfully as she made her way to the VIP room and took a seat next to the tired looking boy.

" Hey there stranger." She smiled as she watched him face light up. He sat up straight as he greeted her with a large grin. May took a shot as she shook her head at his reaction. " Oh baby am I in so much trouble for this. " She said to herself as she downed her shot.

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" No way! Spider man is the shit. I mean everything is always Batman just because he has a pimped out ride but if you ask me his mask makes him look like a possessed cat. Spider man on the other hand is amazing."Alex chuckled at how serious she really was. They were walking back home as the both of them stayed back a little, walking behind everyone else and debating random topics.

" Whatever you say sweetheart, whatever you say." He raised his hands in surrender as she pumped her fist into the air in victory.

" I always win." They both laughed loud as the group ahead looked back at them. May stayed by Lisa's side eying her carefully as the girl frowned and looked straight ahead.

" Honey, they're just discussing super heroes, no need for the long face doll."

" I know." She stated simply as she smiled and walked with the rest of the group.

" Sure you do."

May shook her head as she looked back one last time, and speed up the pace seeing the house come into view.
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" Has anyone else noticed Alex's weird behavior?" May pressed her lips firmly as she kept her eye shut and looked at Jack. The boys nodded their heads as she sipped her beer and looked out the window. If only they knew why he was being weird.

Ray sat in her chair as she strummed her guitar and looked at the computer screen. She was not too thrilled with the email that came into view as she strummed.

Maybe if you weren't so stubborn I wouldn't have to keep pressuring you to do something with yourself. Maybe if you were more aware of things I wouldn't have to keep fighting with you. You have to understand that you aren't easy to deal with but I love you. You are my daughter and I love you and always will. But don't leave things on such bad terms. Next week as you know we have our annual family reunion. Bring someone if you would like just please Ray, please come by so we could sit down for lunch and talk.

Love, your mother.

She growled softly as she sharply took her eyes off the words. Her feelings towards her mom were more than clear, so she strummed even harder and opened her mouth.

" It's not like I don't love you
because sadly I do and more
It's not that I don't want to
be by your side but it's hard

You make me want to run away
so that's just what I did
and everything will be my fault
and that's the way it is

So keep on acting like a child
like a person with no direction
just feeding off every excuse you can find
I hope it was all worth while

Worth the pain and the tears I shed
worth the ways that you stuck in my head
worth the disaster you made me
and the monster you already were
and worth every emotion that's now dead"

She sighed letting her head fall back and closing her eyes. She heard a soft noise as her head whipped to the door. There stood a guilty Alex as he rubbed the back of his neck embarrassed.

" Really Alex, you're going to have to stop doing that." She said as she put her hand to her heart again. She smiled at him to let him know she was fine as he walked in.

" Sorry, I can't help it. You put a lot of emotions into your music, I'm a sucker for a killer set of words and melody." He said grinning as she grinned back at him. It was the first time he saw everyone of her teeth in a large smile. He savored the moment as he sat next to her and picked up her guitar, again.

" If you don't mind, I'd definitely like to write some stuff with you." She shrugged as she looked directly at him.

" it's all right with me."

" Good." They sat there looking directly at each other for what felt like ages before she looked away blushing. A strand of hair fell in front of her eyes as she went to brush it away. Alex lifted his hand as he beat her to it and gently tucked it behind her ear slowly tracing his finger down her neck and back into his lap. She shuttered not really knowing the feelings she had inside.

Lisa stood out in the hallway as she looked into the room. She felt herself swallow a little to hard as she crossed her arms uncomfortably. She slowly walked down the hallway as she made her way to the room they shared. She looked out the doorway as she sneakily opened the top drawer of Raygen's night table. There had to be something she could do.