"Steve, do you want me to lower the hoop for you? It might be easier." She called out the back door and held back her laughter at the look of shock on his face.      "No!!! I'm going to do it all by myself...I'm going to be the bestest!" He picked up the ball again and hurled it towards the hoop. Alex smiled and shook her head. The phone rang and she left her spot at the window to get it.

      "Hello?"      "Hey Alex, it's Justin." Alex felt her stomach jump at the sound of his voice. She took a deep breath and reminded herself that they were barely friends.

      "Hey, what's going on?" She asked making her way back to the door to watch Steve.      "Well, I have reservations at a small place down town, and my sister's going to watch Steve for you. I'll pick you up around 6." Alex laughed a bit.

      "I don't get any say in this do I?"       "Nope. Wear something nice, it's a classy place." She could hear Justin's grin though the phone and it made her smile.

      "Um...How old is your sister?" Alex suddenly became wary of having someone else watch her brother.      "She's 19. A little over a year older than me." Alex relaxed.

      "How did you get her to watch my little brother?"      "I told her it was very important to me, and that it would mean a lot." Alex could sense that there was more to it, and honestly she didn't believe that his sister would do this all out of the kindness of her heart.

      "Uh huh, and how much did you pay her?" Justin laughed nervously at her comment..      "That obvious huh?"

      "Yeah, just a little." There was a moment of silence in which neither Alex nor Justin knew what to say.      "Well...I...ah...I have to go. Be ready by 6. OK?"

      "I'll be ready."      "All right, I'll see you later Alex." Alex said good bye and listened to the dial tone for a few seconds before hanging up. She glanced at the clock and decided to make herself busy by making some lunch for her and Steve.

      "Hey squirt, it's time for lunch."

      She picked five outfits that were her favorites, and ones that she had deemed worthy. (Why she was putting up all this fuss, she didn't know.) She went to her bed and in one quick swipe, its contents scattered to the floor. She then placed the five outfits in random order and walked to the door way.      "Steve! Pick a number between one and five." She called down the hallway and a after a few moments of silence a muffled ‘five’ could be heard from the direction of his room. Alex turned back to her bed and smiled. "Good choice."

She quickly got dressed, her outfit consisting of a sheer silk skirt that rested just above her knees with the slightest bit of a ruffle at the bottom; a tan peasant's top that settled on the edges of her shoulder and accented her neck line; and a pair of nice, strappy black heels. Alex surveyed herself in the mirror and smiled at what she saw. She wasn't one to normally stray from her jeans and shirts, but Justin had said to look nice.       Her eyes traveled from her shoes, up her lean, tan legs, past the skirt and shirt and finally rested on her face. She frowned slightly. She had never though herself ugly, yet she would have never associated the word 'beautiful' to her name either. Her long, golden locks flowed past her shoulders and rested in the middle of her back. The one good thing her mother had ever given her. She studied her face and noticed the worry lines that were starting to appear and even the sadness that lingered in her crystal blue eyes. She wasn't even 18, yet she had the look of someone much older.

      She sighed and walked to her dressed. Taking out what little make up she had, she started to try and hide that distress that life had so kindly painted on her face. A few minutes later she was finished. Her hair curled ever so slightly, and her eyes were soft with a golden hue of eye shadow.       "You look pretty Alex." Steve's voice startled her and she turned to see him in the door way.

      "Thanks Squirt." She smiled at him, her heart reaching out to the little boy that stood in front of her.

      Her father had tried his best to do what he could, but after a bitter divorce Alex hardly ever got to see him. Her mother had won full custody over her and she would rarely allow them contact. Alex had thrown herself into her own world of despair until her mother had come with the news that she was getting re-married.       A man named Mark Harris, with millionaire attached to the end of his name. Her mother had met him at a court meeting and it had been 'love at first sight.' Or, as Alex liked to call it, 'love at first mention of how big his pay check was.' She had hated the man from the moment she laid eyes on him, and that hate seemed to be reciprocated. Mark had a temper, but it only seemed to show when Mother wasn't home. Alex spent most of her time hiding from his wrath, and hoping that the liquor cabinet would soon lose its appeal to him, but her prayers fell upon deaf ears. She had thought that things couldn't get any worse, but then the news of a new baby came.

      Alex was afraid of what that could mean, she was 11 years old when he was born, and she feared that his arrival would leave her all alone to fend for herself. But she soon found that Steve was her only sanity. When he had been brought home from the hospital she had mad a pact with herself and God that she would protect this little boy with her life, and raise him like she knew he should be raised. Alex also thought that with Steve there, Mark would ease up on the booze, but it only got worse, and the temper turned into violence.       For years she tried to tell her mother that Mark was bad, and that he hurt both she and Steve, but her pleas were in vain. Her mother had laughed the moment Alex had said anything, and she denied everything. Mark would never do anything like that, she had told her, and Alex knew she was going to lose that battle. She had lost all hope until one night when her mother had come home early.

      Mark had just opened a new bottle of vodka and he was out for blood. He had decided that Alex was his target, because she hadn't cleaned up the house. She remembered being sick of his yelling, so instead of running like she always did, she picked that night to become bold. When Mark realized that she wasn't listening to his orders he grabbed her by the throat and rammed her up against a wall. Alex could remember kicking and scratching but Mark wouldn't let go, and just before she blacked out she saw Steve running towards Mark as fast as his little legs would take him.      Alex's mother came home to find Alex out on the floor, red hand prints already around her neck, and Steven curled up in a little ball next to her, a gash across his forehead and his arm at a strange angle.

      Mark was gone that night, and Alex had thought things would get better. Her mother had apologized over and over again, and said she promised to be a better mother, but after a few months the novelty wore off, and Alex was once again left to take care of Steven.     

      "All righty then, let's get you some dinner." She grabbed her purse and they went down stairs. The clock read 5:45, and Alex knew that Justin would be here soon. She forced herself not to think about it as she threw some chicken nuggets into the oven and warmed up some mac and cheese.

      "H...Hi." He choked out. She looked incredible, and he swore he was drooling all over himself. His sister leaned over and whispered into his ear.      "That was smooth." He felt his cheeks flush and he shot her a dirty look.

      "Well, come on in...I'm Alex." She offered her hand to Justin's sister.      "I'm Jess. Now....where's this little tyke that I'm gonna watch tonight?" as if on cue Steve came racing in the room.

      "Justin!" He ran and jumped into the man's arms and giggled as Justin flipped him upside down.      "I think my brother's found a new friend." Alex laughed.

      "Yea, I'll bet he's just happy to have someone of his own IQ level." Justin shot Jess another dirty look when he heard what she said. Alex laughed a little harder but tried to stop when Justin glanced at her with the same look.      "Ahem...Steve, this is Jess. She's going to watch you tonight." His bright blue eyes looked over at Jess and he smiled.

      "Do you play basketball?"       "Sure do...and I can even teach you how to slam dunk!" Steve's eyes lit up and his smile grew wider.

      "Put me down Justin, I want to get my ball." When he was firmly on his feet he darted out of the room. Alex smiled and then turned to Jess.      "He already ate, and I told him three cookies. He usually goes to bed around 7:30..."She babbled on and Jamie held up a hand to stop her.

      "All right, he can eat all the junk food he wants, we'll throw a wild party and stay up until he passes out. Sounds like a plan! Have fun you two." She grabbed Alex's coat off the rack and pushed the two kids to the door. "Don't stay out too late, and Justin...be good." She winked at them and then closed the door tightly. Alex and Justin stood in shock for a few moments before anyone moved.      "Well that was interesting." Alex said with a laugh. All her fears about leaving Steve had flow out the window the moment she laid eyes on Jess. She became quiet when Justin didn't say anything and she felt her palms start to sweat as he just looked at her. "What? Do I have something on my face?" She touched her lips and hair, making sure it was OK.

      "Why...I...thank you." She looked back down at the ground and they started to walk toward the truck. The ride was awkward and silent as they listened to the radio, and neither of them made an attempt at conversation.