Mixed Feelings of Elation

"Am I interrupting something?" Arpeggio asked, taking in the scene before her.

Her older sister was not about to kiss Alex. That wasn't possible. Arpeggio and Lestat frequently talked about the feelings Neon was harboring for Alex but they figured she wouldn't realize the feelings for another ten years.

"You are now my least favorite diabetic," Alex grumbled, pushing himself back onto the couch.

"I don't care," Arpeggio responded.

"You're the only diabetic I know; now do you care?" Alex asked.

"No."

"No," Alex mimicked.

There was only one reason that Alex would be acting like an older brother who just got caught in the act of something he wasn't supposed be doing by his little sister.

"Oh, I totally interrupted something. Just tell me where the tape is and I'll be on my way," Arpeggio's smile was wider than that of the Cheshire cat in Alice In Wonderland.

"It should be in your room on your bed," Neon answered, finally breaking from her shock.

"Really? Well, I guess I interrupted something for nothing. Sorry, Alex," Arpeggio shrugged.

"I hate you," Alex mumbled.

He was so close to kissing Neon. So close. And she wasn't saying "no" or slapping him. He waited years for this moment and Arpeggio just had to step in.

"Love you too. I'm going to go finish packing," Arpeggio left from the living room.

Neon and Alex sat in silence. Neither looked at the other. Neon stared at her hands, wringing them together. Alex plucked at the couch cushion.

Neon couldn't believe she was about to kiss him. It was Alex. She couldn't kiss Alex. They were enemies. Or used to be enemies. But they weren't that close. Even though Neon told him about her inability to have kids, something she never told a single soul.

Neon pulled her legs under her body so she was sitting on them and tucked a section of pink hair behind her ear, nibbling on her bottom lip nervously.

Part of her wanted to kiss Alex, which baffled her. She couldn't possibly want that. The other part of her told her she wanted it because she missed the affection. But that was something she came to be okay with not having. She didn't need to be kissed or caressed to feel okay. She didn't miss it much.

So which side of her was right?

"Neon, about what just happened, er, almost happened," Alex trailed off.

Neon waited for him to continue. He seemed to be choosing his words, trying to find the right way to say what he wanted to. It was silent again. The grandfather clock in the hallway ticked.

There was only one way to find out which side was right.

Neon pushed onto her knees. Alex ripped his eyes from the couch to look at Neon. She grabbed his chin between her index finger and thumb to keep him from moving and leaned in. There was no moment of hesitation like earlier. Neon pressed her lips against Alex's.

Each nerve in Alex's body immediately felt like they were in heaven. He responded to Neon, moving his lips with hers and patiently allowing her to get back into the swing of kissing.

It had been a good deal of years since Neon had done this.

Alex grabbed onto Neon's protruding hipbones and tugged her so she was straddling his lap. Neon tangled one hand in Alex's hair, letting the other rest on his shoulder.

Neon had to admit she enjoyed this. It felt right. Almost better than being with Armand.

Could it be she made the wrong choice years ago?

Neon pulled away, breathing shallow. Alex looked up at her under heavy lids. One of his hands trailed up and down her side. Neon ran a hand on Alex's cheek. Alex smiled at her, in slight shock of what happened. Neon's breathing caught in her throat.

She never realized how attractive he was. He had a strong jaw, bedroom eyes, caterpillar eyebrows, and a mouth that begged to be kissed. Those traits weren't supposed to work together but Alex made them work.

"That was," Alex trailed off at a toss for words.

"Amazing," Neon finished for him.

"Yeah."

"Are you two done doing whatever you're doing so I can move my stuff out?" Arpeggio called.

Alex groaned. He would have leave now. He was Jack's ride to the party because Alex's van had more space than Jack's car. The van Alex had was once the band's van. It carried their equipment and was their second home when they first started out. He was never going to get rid of it.

Neon removed herself from Alex's lap to sit next to him. She couldn't have her sister knowing that she just kissed Alex. It would just fuel the young girl's mind with thoughts of children.

"We're not doing anything," Neon called.

Arpeggio appeared in the hallway entrance. Alex and Neon were sitting as far apart as they had been not long ago.

"Aw," Arpeggio whined, "Do something."

"Go get your boxes and load them into Alex's van," Neon responded.

"Alex, Jack and I need your help getting everything," Arpeggio said.

"Sure thing," Alex stood from his place on the couch and followed Arpeggio out of the room.

Most of Arpeggio's stuff was already at the Jack's house. There were some things she kept at Neon's till last minute because she felt she needed the items there till she had to move.

Alex and Jack walked through the living room, each carrying two boxes, and left through the front door to put them up. Arpeggio walked into the living room, holding one small duffle bag.

"I see you have them both whipped," Neon stated.

"I told Jack that if I did heavy lifting my blood sugar would drop," Arpeggio responded.

"And he believed that?"

"No. But he cracked under the puppy dog pout."

Neon laughed and stood from the couch, walking around it to her sister. She wrapped her arms around the younger girl.

"I guess you should be going," Neon stated after she pulled away.

"Yeah."

"I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too. But I'll visit."

"I know."

"I love you, okay. So don't get sad because I'm leaving. I know we didn't really connect till recently and I feel like I'm partially to blame but I do care about you a lot," Arpeggio said.

"I love you too. And it's not your fault. We were just two different people who couldn't find common ground."

It was true. But they had since found things they could relate to.

"I'm leaving Armand's drum set here. In case we practice at this house."

"You don't have to do that. Come back and get it when you have time."

"Are you sure?"

Neon had moved on. Armand was a memory that she was fond of but he was only a memory. Nothing could bring him back.

"Yeah, you keep it. I don't need it," Neon responded.

"Okay," Arpeggio responded.

There was a honk from outside. Jack and Alex must have been ready to leave.

Arpeggio smiled at her sister, "That's my cue."

Neon nodded and walked her sister to the open door. She gave Arpeggio one last hug.

"I love you," Arpeggio said.

"I love you too," Neon responded.

Arpeggio turned and walked to the van, sending her sister a wave and a smile before getting into the backseat. Neon watched the van pull out of her driveway, fading out of sight down the street. When she could no longer see it, she stepped back into the house and closed the door behind her. There was no noise besides the grandfather clock ticking away.

The house was so quiet without Arpeggio.

Neon shuffled to her room, exhaustion taking over her. Today had been too productive. She fell onto her bed, not caring if she hurt a rib or two in the process.

It was time for bed.