Jack and I head to school, hand in hand. I smile as I see Rian. He points to both of us and smiles. "

You guys are cute." Rian says. I smile and kiss Jack's cheek. "Careful... Zack." He says as Zack walks our way.

"Let me talk to him." I say. They both look at me and I shrug.

"Lex... What about your stitches?" Jack whispers. I shrug and walk over to Zack.

"Hi." I greet. He looks at me confused. "Before you beat the shit out of me, would you at least consider being nice?"

"Maybe." He says.

I quickly back up before he can do any damage. I follow Jack into school and go into homeroom. I slip into a seat next to Kara, Rian's girlfriend. I smile at her. Yes, I never mentioned her, but she's a sweet girl and the only girl who will talk to me.

I try to shove my hand under my shirt to just rub my fingers over the gauze over my stomach without people noticing. It works. When I'm bored I play with my shirt or just do weird things. I look at Jack he smiles at me.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Playing with my gauze." I say quietly. He nods and smiles again. "What? I'm bored."

"I never said it was bad." He says. I nod and look around. "Do they hurt?"

"Little bit." I sigh. He rubs my arm and pouts.

"Poor Lexxy." He says. I shrug.

"It's my fault." I mumble.

"I wouldn't say that. Bullies drove you to it." Jack says. I smile, glad he understands. "That and family."

"Yeah." I sigh, smile fading.

He sees Zack walk in and the looks at me. I look down as Zack walks over to us. He pulls a chair over to us and I look at Rian.

"Hey, Gaskarth." Zack says. I look at him and bite my lip. "I'm not going to hurt you or make fun of you. I swear. My friends ditched me anyway."

"Why?"

"Nothing. Anyway... I'm willing to take you up on your offer of being nice." He says. That takes me by surprise and from the look on Jack and Rian's faces, they're shocked too. "I know... I know... It's stupid."

We look at him a second. Rian looks like he's ready to abandon the conversation all together.

"N-no!" I stutter, sitting up straighter.

"Alex... what are you doing?" Rian whispers.

"Trust me on this one." I say, under my breath. I look at Jack and he looks unsure too. "So... you won't hurt us? Won't make fun of us?"

"I swear on my life." He says. I nod and look at Rian and Jack.

"Meeting." Rian says. Zack sighs and looks away. Jack, Rian and I turn around and face the table behind us. "Are you fucking crazy?!"

"Rian! I seriously think he can change!" I tell him. "People do change! I know it. I've seen it. But for some reason they change in a negative way and go against me... But that doesn't matter! I seriously think he's changed! Give him a chance!" I beg.

Rian looks to Jack as if to say "your boyfriend is crazy" and Jack shakes his head.

"You can't possibly agree!"

"Sorry, Ri. Alex has a pretty valid point." Jack says.

Rian looks at Zack who's talking to nobody and sees all the jocks laughing at him. That reminds me of... me... Back in England... Laughed at. Pointed at. Humiliated. Glared at. Made fun of. I know what he's going through. He may not express it by drawing permanent pictures all over his body, but I know what he's going through. I really do.

"Alex?" I hear Rian call. I shake my head and blink a few times, looking at Rian.

"You alright?"

"Y-yeah. Sorry. Zoned out." I say. He nods. "So what do you say?"

"I'll give him a chance." Rian says. I nod and smile.

We turn and I see Zack, face buried in his hands. I poke him and he looks up. I give him a sweet smile. I'm going to talk to him later.

"You're in." I say. He smiles at me. After class, Zack slowly stands up and looks like he's dreading the next class. "Jack, I'll catch up with you." I say. He nods and follows Rian out of class. I walk over to Zack. "Hi."

"Oh, hey." He says. "What's up?"

"Could be better." I sigh. "You alright?"

"Yeah... why?" He asks.

"You seem kind of down." I say. He shrugs. "I know what you're going through. Bullies. Rumors. That shit."

"You do?"

"Yeah... in England I was bullied, laughed at and other crap. I know how it feels." I sigh. He nods probably remembering how he'd been bullying me before we became friends. "I have a broken family. My mom pays no attention to me. My dad left. My brother is dead."

"Oh, man... I'm sorry bro." He says, patting my back. "My parents are getting divorced." He sighs.

"Sorry to hear that." I say. "Um... Do you want to sit with us at lunch?"

"Since I'm most likely getting kicked out of my table, sure." He says. I smile and we walk into the hall.

"It's nice to know someone understands me."

"Now I have someone to talk to." He says. I smile. We get to class and after a few classes; lunch.

Lunch runs smoothly. Everyone got along with Zack and Rian gained more trust in him. Matt still thinks that my lunches don't seem healthy, but whatever. I know I'm recovering because of Jack, but I didn't feel like packing a bigger lunch today.

"Do you want some of my lunch Alex?" Zack offers. Jack immediately looks at me, thinking I'll probably reject it. I nod.

"If you don't want it! I don't want to take it if you're gonna eat it." I say. He shakes his head, handing me half of his sandwich.

Someone walks by me and pours water down my shirt. I stand up immediately and Jack does too.

"What the hell?!" Zack shouts, as his ex-friends laugh.

My cheeks heat up and everyone starts to laugh.

The only thing running through my head right now is cutting. The exact thing that I suddenly want to do. I hear things like loser, idiot, gay, stupid, he deserves that and other things. Why'd I deserve that??

I run out of the cafeteria and into the bathroom. I lock myself in a stall and sit on the disgusting floor, leaning against the toilet. I bring my knees to my chin and hug them.

I try to hold back the tears threatening to fall. My throat starts to close and become sore. Suddenly, I'm crying. Tears stream down my cheeks as I sit there wishing I was dead.

"Lex?" Jack calls. I don't answer.

I just cry, trying to stay quiet. The only person I have to talk to is Jack. No parents. Tom is dead. Sometimes one person isn't enough. I don't feel safe enough with one person knowing everything.

"Lexxy?" He asks, standing in front of the stall I'm in. He taps on the door. "Are you okay?"

"No!" I shout. I hear someone walk in and see Zack's shoes.

"Alex?" Zack calls.

"Go away!" I shout. "No one can make me feel so worthless!"

Notes

Sorry it took me so long to update! I was stumped. Anyway, enjoy!!!
comment/rate/subscribe
thanks!!
-Jenna
title credit: Simple Plan; This Song Saved My Life