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Kara and Alex were snuggled on the couch for their weekly movie night when Alex stood up abruptly. She reached for the remote and paused the movie.
Kara wanted to scold her older sister. 10 Things I Hate About You was one of her favorite movies and they were just getting to the good part. She was about to begin whining when she saw the serious look on Alex’s face.
“Alex, what’s wrong?” Kara asked, growing concerned.
“Nothing,” Alex responded absently. “Sorry. I know you like this part.” She made a move for the remote but Kara stopped her.
“It’s okay,” Kara reassured, putting her hand on Alex’s shoulder. “What’s going on?” Alex remained silent. “Earth to Alex…” She was lost in thought.
“Fine,” Alex finally spoke, “something’s bothering me.” Kara waited, nodding gently, urging her to continue. “But I’m embarrassed.”
“It’s just me,” Kara said, with her puppy dog eyes. “You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about.” Alex sat in silence again, so the guessing game began. “Is this about you being gay?”
“Sort of?” Alex mumbled.
“Is it about Maggie?” She asked.
“I guess so,” she quietly admitted.
“Alex,” Kara said growing exasperated. “You’ve got to give me something to work with.”
Alex looked at the floor, as was her habit during conversations like these. “Things with Maggie are going well. We’re taking it slow but I know she wants to be more than friends,” she said quietly.
“That’s great, Alex,” Kara replied, encouraging her to go on. She knew there was a “but” coming.
“But I don’t know how to do that. I don’t know how to show her I want that,” Alex explained.
Kara was confused. “Are you asking me how to flirt?”
“Kara!” Alex exclaimed.
“What? I’m trying to help!” Kara said. “If that’s not it you’ve got to help me understand.”
Kara’s guess wasn’t that far off, but Alex didn’t want to admit it. Kara had a feeling she was on the right track because Alex’s face started turning red.
“I’m just not good at this. Give me a chem exam or alien to beat up and I’m great, but this stuff… is just not for me.” Alex looked up to see a still very confused Kara. “I want… I want to make her want me, you know?” Alex said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kara gently lifted Alex’s chin, forcing her eyes to move from the spot on the ground she was staring at. “We’ve been through this,” Kara said. “But I’m happy to tell you again, and as many times as you need.” She paused. “You are beautiful. You are so beautiful and Maggie is lucky to have you.”
Alex smiled at her sister’s kindness, but dropped her head down again. Kara chuckled and sighed. “That’s not it?” She asked
Alex shook her head. “It’s not about… about being beautiful.” She took a deep breath. “It’s about being… being… ugh I hate the word.”
“Oh!” Kara’s eyes lit up, as it finally clicked. “Sexy?” She asked a little too enthusiastically for Alex’s taste.
Alex looked mortified. Now she sighed. “yeah… umm… that.”
“Can you try to say the word at least?” Kara teased. “You’re 29. For Rao’s sake, you can say the word sexy.”
Alex gave Kara a dirty look. “I can say the word sexy,” Alex replied defiantly.
Kara smiled. “Okay good. That’s a start.”
“I don’t know why I’m talking to you about this,” Alex said, trying to curtail this discussion. “You’re my sister. This is weird. And there’s nothing you can do.”
“Well I can tell you that you are sexy,” Kara said with a mischievous grin on her face.
“Stop, Kara… stop.”
“Would you rather I get Winn or James to tell you that?” She asked, reaching for her phone.
“No!” Alex said, grabbing Kara’s wrist with a bit too much force. It’s a good thing, she’s Supergirl, Alex thought.
“Okay, okay, okay,” Kara said. “I have one more suggestion. And if you actually listen to me and promise to try it,” she said, “Then I will shut up about this.” Alex did not like making promises before she knew what they were, but feeling vulnerable and ready to be done with this discussion, she agreed. “I want you to find a song you really like, not like a Broadway number but you know a sexy song… put on something you feel good in and practice singing in front of the mirror.”
“What???”
“Just try it. It works for me. Just sayin…” Kara smiled.
“Okay anddddd we’re done.” Alex declared. Kara laughed.
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Alex may have thought it was stupid, but she wasn’t one to break a promise. So that night, when she got out of the shower, she put on some lacy black underwear, the red push up bra that she’d never admit that she owned and a black shirt with the deep v-neck. She popped her headphones on and began scrolling through her music.
Hips Don’t Lie was a bit too fast. Give Me Everything Tonight made her laugh. When the unedited version of Enrique Inglesias’s Tonight I’m Loving You came on, Alex blushed but she wondered if she might be on the right track. But then the soft notes of Hailee Steinfeld came on and she knew she’d found it.
“I didn’t know that I was starving until I tasted you.” She sang. “Don’t need no butterflies when you give me the whole damn zoo. By the way, by the way, you do things to my body…
I didn't know that I was starving till I tasted you.”
She thought about Maggie and she sang enthusiastically, trying to fight the embarrassment. When the song ended, Alex laughed. She texted Kara. “You may be onto something ;)” Kara replied right away. “Hahaha TMI!” But Alex knew she was happy for her.