The band was called Mookie Blaylock. Eddie Vedder was the singer, Stone Gossard and Mike McCready were the guitarists, Jeff Ament was on bass, and David Krusen played the drums. They were a rock band, new but not unknown as some of its members could already be considered veterans of the Seattle scene.

And they were fucking amazing. They played shows and put some demo tapes together and did everything a new band should, and they did it all so quickly it was obvious they were ready to, as Mike Starr would say, take over the world. And they were all so musically talented that it really wasn't a stretch.

Alex knew the band would be topping the charts in no time. She was eager to hear a record of theirs, but knowing it would be a while, tried taking some time to try to get to know the newer members. She'd never actually held a real conversation with Mike McCready and she had yet to exchange more than a hundred words with Eddie. Dave Krusen didn't hang much with the rest of the guys, but he seemed pretty cool. As Charlie put it, "he's groovy."

So they all spent a lot of time together. The Halloween party at Jerry and Layne's apartment made it pretty much the staple hangout spot. Mike S. and Sean regularly chilled there anyway, and the occasional Soundgarden member could be spotted on his way there. Alex and Charlie dropped by nearly every day after work, and Stone and Jeff made it a point to drag Mike M. and Eddie (who was staying at Stone's) along with them whenever they headed over, which was now all the time. Dubbed "the Alice In Chains house," there was never a dull moment that passed while the friends were there (which was almost all the time seeing as everyone knew where the spare key was kept).

✩✩✩

"What's that?"

Alex looked up from the book she'd been reading. She was sitting on the living room floor of the AIC house, having decided to go there to nurse a bad mood caused by a particularly sucky day at work. The person who'd asked the rather loud question was Jerry, walking in after running his own errands. "It's a book. Maybe you should pick one up sometime," she retorted, looking back down at her old copy of Little Women.

"Oh, that hurt. Here." Jerry opened a can of beer and put it on her head, carefully balancing it before walking off to put the rest of the six-pack in the fridge.

Alex froze, knowing one wrong movement could be disastrous. She slowly lifted a hand and took hold of it, trying not to spill any as she brought it down. She shrugged and took a sip. "You're back early, aren't you?"

"Yeah, so? Do you want me to leave?" he asked in an amused tone, sitting down in front of her.

"No, no, I'm just asking. And this is Little Women, by the way."

"Huh. I didn't know you could read."

"Well I know you can't. Layne stepped out, by the way. Didn't say where he was going."

"Probably going to get a book himself. How To Get Charlie To Like You Back."

"What?" Alex nearly choked on her beer.

"You can't tell? He likes her."

"Did he tell you that?"

"No. Not yet, at least. I just know."

"That'd be cool. Especially since she obviously has a crush on him." She turned back to her book.

"Hold up, come again?"

"Well, if I know Charlie as well as I think I do, and I think I do, I'm sure she doesn't see Layne as just a friend."

"Hm." Jerry stared down at his own can of beer. "Hey, I've got nothing better to do than meddle in my friends' love lives, and you being the total loser you are probably don't either; I'll bet you a hundred bucks they're together by the end of the year."

"First of all, I'm not a total loser. Okay, I am, but you don't get to say it.  And second, I don't have a hundred bucks. But it doesn't matter, you're on. I got a hundred says they don't get together until next year."

Without hesitating he stuck out his hand and Alex shook it, really hoping she would win because there was no way she'd be able to come up with a hundred extra dollars if she lost.

✩✩✩

Her friendship with Stone now once again going strong, Alex often found herself at his house when not at Jerry and Layne's. He was almost always home and was great fun to watch football games with. Charlie was still too shy to make an appearance there, so on a drab Sunday afternoon Alex went by herself to see if he'd be around.

The side door was open, meaning it was okay to come in. Alex stepped inside and was confused to find a mostly quiet house. She made her way to the living room, finding it empty but for one lone person sitting on the couch. "Eddie?"

Eddie snapped his head up, his eyes widening a little when he saw her. "Oh, hey. Stone's not here."

"Oh. Where is he?"

"He went to the store with Mike. They're coming back soon, I think, and Jeff is coming too. So...what's up?"

"I wanted to watch the game with you guys. You mind?" She pointed to the couch.

"Oh, uh, go ahead."

She sat. "So what's going on? With the band and everything, I mean."

"Just writing more songs, I guess. It's going great so far."

"Yeah, I like what you have so far. You're a really good singer."

"Thanks," he said, avoiding her eye. "A lot. Thank you."

Alex laughed a little and nodded, turning to look at the TV. "What the hell? No one told me the Bears would be playing!"

"You like the Bears?" Eddie asked, sitting up a little.

"Hell yes. I'm from Chicago, but even if I wasn't, I'd be a Bears fan."

"Wait, I'm from there too! Well, I live in L.A. now, but I kinda grew up there. So that's cool..."

"Yeah, it is!" Alex replied, obviously enthused. "Have you ever been to any games at Wrigley Field?"

"Uh-huh. Only a few though. Have you?"

"No." Her shoulders slumped. "I always wanted to, but I never got the chance. Honestly, I'd be happy if I got to go to any game. But to see the Bears or Seahawks just once..."

"I've never been to a Seahawks game." Eddie shrugged. "I'm a fan of the team, though. Hey, maybe we could go catch a game sometime."

"Yeah, that'd be fun. Goddammit!" Alex suddenly yelled as the Bears got scored on again.

"The Lions suck." Eddie sank back into the couch. "I can't believe this."

"I know, right? It's a stupid rivalry."

Stone and the others got back a while later, finding their friends going mad over the game. The Bears were three points behind the Lions and things were really starting to heat up.

"Hey guys, we brought more beer--"

"Shut up, the Bears are about to make a...TOUCHDOWN! YEAH!" Alex jumped up with excitement. Eddie looked up and laughed, seeing the energetic girl fall back as the field goal was made.

"As I was saying," Stone said as everyone walked into the living room, "we brought more beer and popcorn."

"Well, what are you sitting here announcing it for? Pop some!"

"You know, Alex, you could just go and make it yourself--I'm going!" Stone got up when Alex looked away from the TV for one second to glare at him.

The Lions made another touchdown in the last quarter, and once again the Bears were down by three points. It really looked like they were about to take a loss.

"They still have a chance," Eddie kept saying, even as the game entered its last minute.

"Come on Chicago, don't let Detroit of all teams win..." Alex was so close to the TV she might as well have put her nose on it.

Eight seconds left. They still hadn't given up hope, but they were seriously starting to think the Bears were going to lose.

"Harbaugh's got the ball! Seven, six..." The announcer started counting down. Alex and Eddie were gripping each other and going insane, seeing the Bears' quarterback going for the touchdown. They didn't breathe and didn't blink as they waited to see what would happen.

"TOUCHDOWN! HE DID IT! THE BEARS WIN THE GAME!" the announcer yelled as the living room descended into chaos. Alex and Eddie were going crazy and Stone and Mike were now arguing and trying to take back the bets they'd made with Jeff.

"HELL YEAH! THE BEARS RULE, GO CHICAGO!" the elated two were yelling.

"I hate you guys and your stupid team," Stone grumbled as he handed some money to Jeff.

"I wasn't the one dumb enough to bet against the Bears," Alex taunted.

"Alex, you're not invited to come watch the games anymore."

"I don't need an invitation."

Stone blinked. "Damn, that's true," he said under his breath, turning back to Mike and Jeff to keep arguing.

"That was a good last few seconds, but I'd knew they'd win all along. I saw that coming," Alex said to Eddie as they both sat down.

"Yeah right," he scoffed, holding the bowl of popcorn out to her. "I'm the one who knew. I wasn't worried for a second."

Alex raised an eyebrow, knowing that was absolutely not the case. He held his straight face for a moment before his lips gave him away by turning upwards ever so slightly. They both broke into laughter and called their own bullshit, admitting the Lions had put up a great fight. They'd actually been scared for a moment there.

Alex ended up staying until after sunset, letting time get away from her as she talked to the Eddie and the guys. She only realized she should get going when she looked out the window and saw the dark sky.

"Well, that was a lot of fun," Alex said as she stood up to leave. "I gotta say I thoroughly enjoyed watching Eddie here freak out and think the Bears were gonna lose, especially since I knew they'd win." Eddie laughed and started to protest, but Alex patted his head and stepped out of the living room. "I gotta go now--I'll see you guys!"

"I'll take you, hang on!" Stone called, hastily standing up and snatching his keys off the hook.

"Wow, I didn't know you could be nice," Alex said as they walked to the car.

"I'll drive you to the sea and throw you in, I swear--"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" Alex squealed as they got in. "You know I love you."

"Do I?" he joked as he started the car. She flicked his head and he laughed. "Now who's the mean one?"

"Still you. Turn the radio on," she said, grabbing his elbow and lifting it. He laughed and shook his arm, trying to free it from her hold by raising it higher but finding it hard when she held it there.

"I will, let my arm go!"

"Only when you learn to let go of the past," Alex said, leaning in very close and looking at him with her eyes as wide as they'd go. Stone gave her a bewildered look and they both burst out laughing. She let go and he switched the radio on. Led Zeppelin's D'yer Mak'er was on.

"Oh hell yeah, your favorite band!" Alex said, flicking Stone's head again.

"Damn right." He flicked her back.

"Hey, keep your eyes on the road or I'll call the cops."

Stone glanced at her and leaned forward, pretending to look for a sign. "Alright, which way's the sea?"

Alex laughed and shook her head. "Why, feel like going for a dip?"

"I think you do."

"Don't think I wouldn't," she said, but they were already pulling into the parking lot of Alex and Charlie's apartment.

"Get the hell out."

"Um, no. This car is mine, I'm taking it over. Now get the hell out of it." Alex crossed her arms and stared at him.

Stone put on a blank expression and opened his door, stepping out onto the lot. "What are you gonna do, leave?"

"Again, don't think I wouldn't," Alex said as she stepped out as well. Stone shook his head and held his hand out as if to say hurry up. They walked up the stairs together, arguing over where Alex would even go if she were to do such a thing. Once at the top, Alex gave Stone a goodbye hug and practically knocked her door down, eager to see Charlie and ask how her day had gone.

"Ugh, it's you again," Charlie said the second she caught sight of Alex.

"Charlie, the least you could do is pretend to like me!" Alex said in an exasperated voice, throwing herself down onto the couch. She laughed and looked up. "How was your Sunday?"

"Good. Great, actually. Ben visited earlier. He brought some ice cream, I saved some for you."

"Yeah, you better have. What's up with Ben?"

"Nothing much, just doing band stuff I guess. How was it at Stone's?"

"Great. The Bears won the game and I found out Eddie's from Chicago too. He's really cool, I like him a lot--"

"Then why don't you marry him already, Alex? I swear, you leave me for half a day and you come back raving about some guy--" Charlie couldn't finish her sentence because she and Alex were both laughing too hard. Alex slid off the couch and hit the floor clutching her stomach and with her eyes screwed shut as she nearly died of laughter.

"I hate you," Alex wheezed.

"Yeah," Charlie choked out, "that's why you went and stayed at Stone's all day..."

"I'll go back, I swear I will..."

"The hell you will," Charlie laughed, "now go get the ice cream and come sit."

She did, and they spent the rest of the night talking and laughing over ice cream until they fell asleep.

✩✩✩

happy late thanksgiving! please remember to stay safe and hydrated, have fun, listen to cool music, be what you wanna be, and stay sober for Layne! until next time!