The group woke up one-by-one, worn out from their movie night and slightly hungover. Zack was the first awake, seeing as he was the first one asleep during the third Bourne movie. He didn't miss much, only some Jimmy Eat World and a few mindless conversations. He winced when he stretched since his mild hungover headache had began to pound at his head, making him want to fall over and stay in the dark.

As Zack awoke in the basement that was lightly lit, he glanced at all of his friends. Jack was curled into fetal position and sucking on the back of his hand like a toddler, making Zack stare and knit his brow. Rian was spread out on the floor with all of his limbs stretched out making him look like an odd creature - or dead - Zack couldn't tell. Then there was the Princess and her personal Prince, curled up together in the same place they had fallen asleep. There was something off, though. Zack looked closely at Aurora's shirt that was slightly lifted above her stomach from the deep sleep and little shifting. He found the new, yet fading, cuts - almost making him want to punch the wall beside him. In anger, he ran upstairs, stomping each one as he went along which woke up the lightest sleeper the world had ever known: Rian Dawson.

Rian knew when his friends were upset, so in his groggy state, he chased Zack upstairs and into the kitchen where none of the Barakats were to be found. Zack had already gotten to the island in the middle of the kitchen, bending over it with his face buried into his crossed arms.

"Sup, dude?" Rian asked quietly while sitting on a stool across the way from his friend. He defiantly knew something was wrong, but what could be astray this early in the day?

"Sorry for waking you," Zack's voice was sympathetic, but he didn't lift his head up to talk so it made his voice hard to understand.

"It's all good," Rian lied, but he had to nag Zack to calm the situation. "Now what's wrong?" He pressed Zack when Zack didn't want to talk. This was a rare occasion where Zack lifted one of his arms and stuck his middle finger in the air, flipping off Rian and placing his arm back under his head. "Just talk to me, you sound horrible."

Just as Rian finished his sentence, a tired Alex arrived in the kitchen. He rubbed his eyes and squinted them, trying to get used to the bright light. The boy's hair was almost perfect from getting 9 hours asleep on a couch. It could've been because most of the time it was roughed up in a perfect manner anyway.

"What's his issue?" Alex asked Rian while pointing at Zack's pouty self. Rian's eyes widened and shrugged, hinting that he had no idea. "Whatever, if he doesn't want to talk, don't nudge him."
+++
"Hey, beautiful," Alex said as he walked into the backyard of Aurora's house alongside Zack. It had been raining most of the night, making Aurora want to be outside to blast Brand New through her iPod's headphones. She smiled at the boys, holding up a finger to notion that she needed a minute. To both of the teenagers, she looked more at peace than she had ever been.

We found your man, he's drinking up.
He's all-American and he'll drive.
He's volunteered a grace to end your life.

"What's going on?" Aurora asked. The boys sat on either side of her and lightening struck down, followed by loud thunder that shook the patio. Aurora just smiled and looked up to the sky without a care in the world. Alex couldn't help but notice how great she looked in his old hoodie and a pair of shorts that were distressed by years of wear and tear. With no make-up on and her hair in a sloppy, but oh-so perfect bun, he couldn't help but to be taken by her stunning beauty.

"So something happened this morning," Zack started and looked down, pulling his knees up to his chest and hugged his legs. "And, well..." He trailed off, looking over to Alex for assistance, but all Alex could do was gulp.

"Well, what?" Aurora snapped.

"I know, Princess. I know everything, okay?" Zack could barely hold himself together. He didn't know if he was more angry or more sad about the situation but he knew his emotions were going to eat him alive if he didn't spit it out now.

"YOU TOLD HIM?" Aurora shouted at Alex as if she were going to raise her hand and slap him across the face. Tears started to swell up in her pretty green eyes which made Alex tear apart inside. "I cannot believe you fucking told him, Alex! That is the worst thing you have ever fuc-"

"I didn't tell him, Aurora, calm the hell down." Alex cut her off, not wanting to hear her finish the sentence. To him, it was okay that she assumed such a thing, but the words hurt to hear when she didn't know the whole situation. By this point, Aurora was almost in full sobs and the tears kept flowing.

"I saw the cuts on your stomach earlier, babe," Zack finally broke a long silence. He shook his head as if to get the picture of her self inflicted wounds out of his head. "I'm not mad with you, I'm just worried.. and honestly, a little disappointed. But don't go off on Alex because he didn't do anything. I'm actually happy that he knew before me so I didn't have to tell him the shitty news." Zack placed an arm around the girl, pulling her close to him. "It's okay," Zack kissed her on top of the head and laid his head atop hers.

"I'm sorry I hurt you again," Aurora choked out.

"I'm just worried, alright? No one wants to live in a world without a Princess, and I'm afraid that's what might happen sooner or later. I just don't want you going too far and too deep." Zack choked back his own tears.

"There's no need to be worried, Zacky," she tried to assure him as she nestled against his chest and stopped her crying, but it didn't work. Neither Alex or Zack believed that because it was their best girl friend and they knew the struggles she had overcome in her life. It was hard not to worry about her, even when she wasn't doing stupid things like picking up a razor blade night after night.

"The fuck there isn't," Alex muttered under his breath and looked away from the two. Little did he know, both of his friends heard him and bolted their heads up to look in his direction. Alex's hair covered his eyes, but both of them could see the sad look that was on his face. Yet again, Aurora started to cry thinking about the pain that she had caused both of these boys. Alex looked back at the girl and saw the tears coming down her face. "Fuck," he shouted towards the rain. "Don't cry, okay? I'm sorry." His apology was a stubborn one, but it was one that he meant whole-heartedly. "Don't cry," he begged her. Finally Alex stood up and offered Aurora a hand to help her stand with him.

"What?" She asked before standing up on her own. Alex softly grabbed her by the wrist and lead her into the middle of the yard and hugged her. Alex started singing into Aurora's ear as they swayed back and forth while the rain crashed around them. Her tears had stopped the second that she realized it was Something Corporate - her favorite band that Alex could leave or take.

"Taste the saline falling down your cheekbone. Tell me that you're alone, tell me on the telephone. Feel your heart, it breaks within your chest now. Try to get some rest now, sleeps not coming easy for a while, child."

Alex held her close against him, his grip didn't loosen the entire time they stood there. Off in the distance, Zack smiled watching the pair, knowing that they were the most perfect thing for each other.

"I hear echo in the emptiness all around, but you can't change this loneliness. Look what you've found, I've fallen down. Look what you've found, I'm falling down. Look what you've found, I'm falling down."

"You okay now?" Aurora was shivering from the rain, but nodded that she was fine.

"Alex," she sighed, "I have something to tell you."