Grace's POV
Walking with Alex, Zack, and Jack to lunch, I'm a little nervous. I mean I really, really like Alex. But I also know that it can't be. Sam and Jake aren't reacting much to Alex being there, besides sending me little knowing glances. I'm glaring back at them. I swear, they all act like big brothers.

Zack's the only one who hasn't seemed happy about me potentially being with Alex. He's the worst of them all though, always trying to protect me. Especially from guys. Which seems funny, considering he rejected me when I asked him out.

Oh well. I try to silence my mind, wanting to just enjoy the fact that I'm having lunch with all of my friends and the guy I like all at once. Which is a pretty sweet deal, mind you. Until a slutty looking girl comes up to the table, shooting me a glare and then putting on a fake, over-sweet smile before coming over and sitting. on. Alex's. lap.

HIS LAP.

I must look like I'm about to break a blood vessel, because Jack put his hand on my shoulder and gave me a concerned look.

"Hey Lexykins." She cooes in this totally fake voice, planting a big openmouthed kiss on his cheek. How could I have been so stupid? To be fair, he doesn't look happy. But still.

"What are you doing?" He says, in a really cold voice.

"You never called." She pouts.

"And I won't. Now get lost, bitch." He said, pushing her off.

She glares at me again. "Fine. You can have him. Good luck, he'll get bored soon enough."

I can feel the tears start to well up. I can't do this in front of Alex. I shove my chair back, grab my bag, and practically run out of the cafeteria. I can hear footsteps behind me but I don't care. If it's one of the guys, then they know where I'm going. The stairway by the science rooms. The one where I first talked to Alex.

When I slam myself down in the corner, I open my eyes enough to see that it's Zack's arms encircling me as I sit on the ground. I put my head on his well-sculpted chest and just cry.

"Why Zack?"

"I don't know, Grace. I don't know. The guy's a jerk. I'm sorry."

"But he's not! He's a jerk to girls he dates, but never to me."

Jack bursts in, dragging Alex behind him. He comes and plops down next to me, hugging me just like Zack was. He lets go and looks up at Alex who is standing there awkwardly, trying to catch my eye. But I won't let him. Jack looks up at him. "Talk, now."

Jack's POV
Great. Alex has upset Grace. I just look at Zack and he knows to follow her. Jake and Sam took a look at the situation and cleared their stuff, moving to another table. So it's me and a really confused looking Alex Gaskarth. Won't this be a fun conversation.

"Alex, what the hell man?"

"I don't know. I've always kind of been a massive slut. But I've actually been having feelings for someone lately, and I don't know how to communicate it."

"Is that someone Grace?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Alex, there's a lot you don't know about Grace. She doesn't really trust guys in a romantic sense. The only people she's ever been interested in are the four of us who sit here and Matt Flyzik, I think she said he's in your biotechnology class. Anyway, it's always ended really badly for her. She gets hurt. I'll admit I'm not proud of what I did to her. But that's not important. What is is that you're the first person she's even thought about in that way since freshman year. That's when her dad left too. It wasn't her best time. But she cares about you Alex. And what you just did, well it probably convinced her that you guys could never work."

He just sits there for a minute, I assume to let it all sink in. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry Jack. It's just, I care about her like I've never cared about anyone, especially a girl. But I don't know what to do about it. My parents abadoned me when I was little, and I haven't had the best luck family or relationship wise. So I have some major trust issues. But with Grace it's different. It's like I want to trust her."

I smile. "Funny, that's exactly how she's thinking about you. Now that I know I can trust you, come on. I'm not the one who needs to hear these things. Grace is." I grab my stuff and lead Alex up to our hiding spot in the science staircase. I plop down next to Grace and give her a hug. Then I look up at Alex, and simply say, "Talk."

Alex's POV
Gracie likes me too! Now I just have to convince her that I'm not the jerk she just saw me as.

"Well, um, could I just talk to Grace alone for a sec?" I notice how Zack's hand noticably tightens on Grace's petite arm. She winces and pushes him off.

"It's okay, Zack. I talked to him." Jack says, and it seems to calm Zack down enough for him to be led out of the stairwell by Jack, but not until he's shot me a hell of a glare.

I sit down next to Grace and take her hand in mine. She jumps at the touch, but doesn't pull away.

"Gracie, I'm sorry. You're really special to me."

"I'm sorry too Alex, but that other girl probably thought she was special to you too. And I can't let myself get hurt like that."

Her words shock me a bit. I grab her chin so she's facing me. "Grace, it's different. You're different then all of them. I can be me around you, I don't have to be a whore. It's like you bring out the best in me. And after a really long time without trusting anyone, you're the first person I've wanted to. And that's pretty hard for me to ignore. But I can promise you, I would never hurt you."

"Can you?" she whispers, "because I've heard that before."

Wow. She's in a lot of emotional pain. I just wrap my arms around her. "Promise. Always, Grace. This time it's different."

She smiles at me. "For me too, Alex. I've been hurt, a lot. And I can't do that again. But being around you almost makes me not care about any of that. So I'm willing to give you a shot."

I lean in to kiss her, but she stops me. "Whoa, Alex. I've never actually dated anyone before, so you're gonna have to take it a little slower than that. I want my first kiss to be really special. I've found the right guy, so now I just need a little time."

"I'll settle for a hug."

And we do.

Notes

Here it is! (Sorry I have nothing creative to say right now.)
Thanks to all the readers!