After our little meltdown the following day, Alex refused to let me leave till he was sure I was okay. As annoyingly sweet as he was, he worried me. There was something about how he spoke about Riley and me that lead me to think he knew more than I did. Like something deep down was bugging him, and it was far larger than anything any of us could muster in our minds. But no matter what he knew. I was soon to follow as he kept his promise that Friday in school. The boy staying hot on my heels where ever I went and letting a protective arm drape around my waist as we spoke to friends. There questioning glanced ignored when I either shrugged my shoulders or rolled my eyes and they let his oddly close behavior drop.

There were times where his actions seemed almost forced and necessary, but there were also times similar to when I first reached my locker that felt sweet and sincere. Alex snaking both his arms around my side and tugging me close with a smile. His musky scent wrapped around me as I reveled in its familiarity. His nose tapping my shoulder as I pulled my locker open before it nudged my temple causing me to giggle.

"You gonna do this all day?" I mumbled looking down as I shifted from foot to foot. It wasn't that I didn't like Alex acting like this around me; it was more so the looks it caused. Even though Alex and I had acted like this before, and sometimes around our friends, never had he as much as hugged me from behind in school.

"Why wouldn't I?" He smiled down on me from his towering height as my eyes wiggled back to my locker's contents. Saying Alex was well known in the halls of Dulaney High was as true of a statement as saying the sky is blue. Me being known as no more than Rian's sister caused for well, talking to be started. But could I really fight some of the things they were starting to say. While some of them where so fake it was almost pitiful, others... Where more in range. The ones that said he was too good for me, or too attractive to be dating me, the ones that knew of me and said he just felt bad, could all have been easily true. Aside from the fact that he was just doing it all simply, because. And we weren't even dating.

"Cause people are staring..." I whispered turning to pull my bag off my back only to be pulled tightly into his warm chest. As much as my subconscious protested my actions, I gave into the building heat as it radiated off of his body and sunk into his chest. My eyes slipped shut to follow the rolling of my head onto his chest. His smell seeping into my nose as it dug into the dark color of his tee shirt. His arms tightening around my waist as I sighed in content of the familiar feeling.

"Let them..." He'd whisper before placing a light kiss to my head, "What they don't know won’t kill them..." I bit back the growing smile as it pulled at the corners of my mouth. To me then, that was all just a continuation of our week. But in reality, it was Alex's buried fears of what all could be lost in an instant bubbling to the surface that caused his thirst for my closeness. I opened my eye slightly to see a few girls begin to whisper as they watched Alex press his cheek to the top of my head. My stomach pooling in the souls of my converse as I reluctantly pulled from his warm grip, letting the cool air strangle itself around me in his place.

"But what they say could kill you..." I rolled my eyes yanking a book from my locker as the thought of the girls lingered in my head.

"What’s that supposed to mean?" He chuckled lightly as he pressed his body to my side. I let out a sigh knowing well his notions were only making it harder for me to push away. But maybe it was better for everyone if I did. It gave nothing for people to talk about, and me, nothing to fall for and or be hurt with.

"Getting touchy with the Dawson sister... Is that really what you want to be the downfall of your social image?" I questioned with a huff as he pulled away, thankfully. His body swinging to slump into the bank of lockers beside mine as he watched me. Feeling the presence of his eyes on my skin as he did so.

"Jasey..." He tested cocking a brow as I rolled my eyes.

"What! You know it’s true, everyone can see it..." I argued zippering my backpack before throwing it to the floor to shut my locker.

"See what?" Alex quipped catching the metal mid-swing and pulling it back to rest his head on. His light hair falling in eye shot of his large brown orbs as he watched me.

"That whatever you’re pulling... Is fake." I cocked a brow as I rested my weight into a single hip. "You’re just bringing more attention to the me and Tammy thing that somehow revolves around you..."

"So..." He rolled his eyes and flicked his wrist letting the locker snap shut. "She's a psycho and she's jealous!"

-"Jealous of what!?"- A new voice snickered as Alex spun on his heels. It truly didn't surprise me to see Carla, one of Tammy's many minions so to say standing just beyond Alex's shoulder as I looked around him. My eyes instantly falling to the floor as I sunk back onto my heels. I already knew me and Alex were nothing, that’s why I cherished our time alone and how different we could be. That being put on display to be torn down was a huge blow to my ego I wasn't anticipating I would ever have to take. I was Alex's friend; I never thought he would want to and or try to paint me otherwise.

"Forget you..." Alex rolled as he turned around to face me.

"I’m sorry..." I whispered as he took hold of my hips and began to rub the bones through my jeans.

"For what..." He smiled and before I could spell his name he had me pushed to the lockers. His lips locking on mine for an instant before I began to kiss him back. As if on reflex I repaid his actions as I snaked my arms around his neck-

"ALEXANDER NO CANOODLING IN THE CORRIDORS!" A teacher bellowed as we pulled apart at his tone.

Alex's eyes remained locked on mine as his breathe hit my face. "Sorry sir..." He called just loud enough for the teacher to grumble about today's youth and our hormones before he disappeared down the hall. All while the man vanished my eyes remained glued to Alex's, my breath hot and quick as I mentally tried to piece together what the hell had just happened. The smile plastered on Alex's face only left me more confused till Carla cleared her throat.

"Well..." She cooed twirling a lock of golden hair while she smacked her gum, "as disgusting as that was, I’m sure Tammy will love to hear about it, right. Alex?" She chopped her words with a harsh knife as Alex kept his eyes on me. There soft color watching mine while he smiled.

"Fuck Tammy..." He rolled as I tried to fight my smile now.

"Well you already did, but I'll let her know you’re up for seconds..." She smacked with a dark chuckle. I could feel Alex stiffen under my touch as her words entered the air. His warm features and soft smile soon replaced by hard eyes and a bitter scowl.

"She wishes..." He remarked with a clenched jaw. "Tell her to hold onto that one drunk kiss, cause it’s all she’s getting from me..." He spat taking a strong hold on my wrist and tugging it down the hall. My free arm quickly moving to swipe my bag as he pulled me away. "Jasey let’s just get out of here, I don't have time for her games."

* * * * *

The bell sounded for lunch period as Vinny and my eyes peeled from the clock to send a similar smile to one another before getting to our feet.

"Sit with us at lunch?" Vinny asked as he slipped his backpack on and I slid my books from the table to my arms.

"I mean I guess" I shrugged, "the bathroom isn’t as appealing as it’s made out to be." I laughed exiting the room.

"Okay Dawson don’t be a smart ass!" He laughed.

"Dawh!" I pouted in fake hurt, "Shucks, I hear it’s my best quality."

"I thought Rian was your best quality?" He laughed as I shoved his arm playfully.

"Are you going to come to another show now that you and Alex are all buddy-buddy again?" He asked nudging my arm with a wink.

"Actually" I sighed with a light smile at the mention of the boy "I ju-"

"Wupps!" My words were cut short as a shoulder crashed alongside mine causing me to fall to the floor sending my books through the air. "Sorry!" Colton snickered as his cold eyes locked on mine.

"What the fucks your problem?" Vinny shouted bending down to help me collect my books.

"Yeah Colton!" A second voice hissed as I took Vinny's hand, climbing to my feet. "Who said you could enjoy doing my dirty work?"

I brushed the dust and dirt from my ass as I straightened out to see no other then Tammy joining Colton’s side with an evil snicker.

Shocker.

Real shocker.

I was shaking in my shoes.

Can you feel the sarcasm?

I mean it’s almost as thick as the hatred that was seeping from my pores looking back at her pool blue eyes.

"Figures." Vinny muttered my exact thoughts as he handed a few books over to me and I raised my eyebrows at the tan boy in agreement.

"What’s that Vincent?" Tammy smirked giving him a light shove.

"Knock it off tammy!" I snapped bending down to pick up my last book knowing well Vinny had his eyes trained on the two.

"Don't be in our way and we won’t be a problem!" Colton laughed as he lifted a foot to knock my books back from my hands and lifted it to my shoulder. With a flick of his knee I was knocked the remainder of the way to the floor.

"You have real fucking issues you know that?" A voice sounded as my head snapped up at its familiar rasp.

"Oh the second Dawson Dweeb to the rescue!" Colton laughed, "I’m so fucking scared."

"Maybe you should be!" Rian snapped as I stood sending him a shocked look in that Rian never raised his voice or lost his temper.

It was kind of his thing.

Even as a tike he was always a level headed kid.

"What are you gonna do about it?" Colton laughed. "Huh?" He spoke flicking Rian's single text book from his grasps.

Before I could even cope with his movements Rian had lunged forward taking a grasp of Colton’s collar and had managed to pin the larger boy to the lockers, for a kid who didn't do much of amything, Rian had some power I hadn’t seen coming.

"RIAN STOP!" I called sliding what ever books I still grasped to Vinny as I darted for my brother’s side.

I looked up into his eyes as they trained on Colton’s face. His features were rough and ridged and his lips were pinched to a fine line. It wasn’t often I saw Rian angry, and never had I seen him lash out in this manner. "Rian please don't do this."

"Yeah RiRi" Tammy hissed, "Listen to your slut of a sister, would your band mate want you to defend his girlfriend for him?"

"She’s not his girlfriend and you damn well known that." Rian spoke in a monotone voice, his eyes never leaving Colton’s.

"But she is a skank." Colton retorted as my eyes scanned to Rian's.

"WHATS THAT?" Rian snarled pulling Colton from the lockers only to slam his back against them once again with more force as the words slipped past his lips.

"RIAN STOP-"

"He said..." Tammy hummed walking behind me as a manicured finger trailed along my shirt's collar, "that she’s a skank!" She hissed, "A no good, low life, slutty, skank."

"Fuck off!" I snapped turning to shove her away from me as a hand found my shoulder when I watched her stumble back.

"You sleep with Riley then try to act like it never happened to cover your scummy little ass!" Colton laughed shoving Rian off of him as Rian's eyes glued to Colton at the accusation.

"I NEVER SLEPT WITH HIM, AND YOU DAMN WELL KNOW WHAT HE DID TO ME!" I shouted feeling my blood begin to boil.

"Oh hunny... You’re just mad because now everyone knows you’re bad in bed!" He hummed running a hand up my jaw as I winced under his repulsive touch.

"Get the fuck off me!" I snapped regretfully slapping his hand from my face as the parallel side of my skull was met with his clenched fist from my reaction.

The blow of knuckles to cheek causing me to stumble backwards and cup my aching jaw as my body hit the floor.

Did what I really thought just happen happen? Was I just punched by Colton of all people? In the middle of the school hallway. My mind was racing as it scrambled to piece together what was going on as I rubbed my jaw and my eyes graced the floor.

"Jasey," a hushed tone reached for my chin as my eyes lifted to see the comforting color of my brother's eyes.

"TOUCH HER AGAIN AND I WILL RUIN YOU KURNER!" A voice boomed as I wiggled around Rian's figure in time to see Alex pinning Colton to the lockers.

"Look who decided to show up!" Colton laughed with a cough as Alex's eyes burrowed into his and I slowly got to my feet. All thoughts of the ache in my jaw forgotten as I watched Alex. "Here to save your girlfriend, eh Lexi-poo!"

I watched with wide eyes as Alex's grip visibly tightened around the collar of Colton's shirt as his jaw set. "She’s not my girlfriend and you damn well know why!" He snarled as I felt Rian's firm hand be placed over my forearm, as if warning me to keep my distance.

"Cause Riley claimed her-OOF!" He huffed as Alex's knee snapped dangerously close to his groin. Colton's eyes setting on Alex as a twisted grin pulled at his lips. "Hostile much Gaskarth?"

"Your deals with me, she gets left out of this. That was the deal." Alex spoke, his words hard and stern as they fell into view. The tone going unnoticed as Colton's smile returned.

"But you already broke it... Don't you see... It's too late..." Colton sang as Alex all but growled in the larger boy's face.

"Alex..." I called out his name in a questionable tone as his gaze never fractioned from Colton.

"What’s it going to be Lex," Colton sung again, "Would you rather bone her or have her be boned?"

And in that instant it was like the world was set into slow motion. From the quick puff of air that escaped Alex's nose, to the speed his fist flew through the air. Maybe it was the way I watched every fiber on Colton's head sway as his neck snapped to the side on impact.

"ALEX!" I yelled as the time-lapse dropped and everything went back to normal. Rian's grip tightened as it was paired with another.

I watched as Colton twisted his neck to loosen it as he chuckled. "That the best you got Gaskarth?" He taunted as Alex grunted, his face getting closer to Colton's by the second. "No wonder you couldn't keep Riley off her, you’re too much of a pussy!" And just then Alex swung again. The punch hitting him just as hard if not harder only to deepen the already prominent shade of red that graced the boys cheek and temple.

"He goes near her again I will break every bone in his body!" Alex graveled with narrow eyes as I pulled on my arms in attempts to get free.

"It's too late, it’s a shame you were too busy with Tammy to help her the first time Riley got her alon-"

"ALEX!" I called as I yanked at the grips holding me back and Alex continued to punch Colton with more force.

"I will murder him!" Alex hissed as he readjusted the grip on his collar with both hands, giving Alex the chance to one again slam his spine to the clattering metal.

"Doesn't matter now," Colton coughed as he rolled his neck with a slight wince, "our deals over, come Monday, her secrets out!" Colton's words slit my ears like one thousand knives as he spoke them. My body going ridged in fear at the only thing that could ever mean. But before I could react Alex did.

"WE HAD A DEAL YOU FUCKING LIAR!" He screeched as Colton's body fell to the floor in a heap. Alex kneeling down at pull at his collar again to gain easy access to his skull only to beginning punching him repeatedly as the force grew with each blow.

"ALEX STOP!" I screeched pulling at Rian and Vinny's hold on my arms as Alex stood to his full height only to greet Colton with a vast blow to the gut as he rolled over. "ALEX STOP PLEASE!" I begged and continued to pull.

"YOU COULDN'T LEAVE HER FUCKING LIFE ALONE COULD YOU!" Alex screamed as he continued to kick Colton as the restraints on my limbs vanished. My body lunging forward as I latched onto Alex's arm. "YOU COULDN'T LET HER BE HAPPY, WHY, WHY!?"

"ALEX PLEASE STOP!" I begged feeling hot tears nip at my eyes just to see him like this. Knowing so well of the fresh memory a sweet, kind Alex had left in my mind just hours before. "ALEX!" I screeched out in a tone scratched with desperation as I yanked him far enough away from Colton's nearly limp figure on the floor for his attention to drift to me. His hands instantly moving to cup my face as he watched me. His eyes growing red like the tip of his nose was as a sure sign he was on the brink of tears. My heart melting in my chest knowing something that involved me had caused him to be like that, had caused all of that. "Please don't do this..." I forced a whisper.

Alex pulled my head forward. The slick muggy skin of his forehead pressed against mine as he took shaky breaths. "I’m so sorry Jasey, I’m sorry this happened..." He whispered as I placed a calm hand to the back of his that still held my face.

"What's he talking about Lex...?" I questioned feeling a tug on my gut knowing I was never going to like the answer.

"Nothing we can't handle Jasey, just don't leave me, please Jasey" Alex hushed as he held my face just a tad tighter, "I can fix this, just don't go!"

"What is he talking about?" I asked again as I let my eyes slip shut.

"Doesn’t matter now," Colton coughed violently as be pulled himself to a sitting position as he clutched his gut, "Alex blew it now the whole schools going to know your secret, and just in time!"

"Alex?" I questioned not letting my eyes drift from there new position, locked on my toes, "tell me it’s not."

"Jasey let me explain," he spoke softly grabbing my arm tighter to stop me from backing away.

"That’s right..." Colton coughed with a grunt, "your little mommy issues, or should I say your lack of a mommy issues, we know."

"Alex..." I hardly whispered as I looked at him. My head shaking profusely as I tried to fight the tears, wanting to deny what was being said.

"And soon the whole school will too..." He coughed before clearing his throat, "It's sad, see Alex seemed to really care about you, but it wasn't enough!" Colton hummed with a twisted grin. "It’s a shame you two have to end like this..."

"I'll fucking ruin you!" Alex hissed at Colton while I fought back my building tears as they stung my eyes.

"You going to run away again? Huh?" Colton tested while I blinked away my blurring vision and took a sniff, "Maybe Rian will kill himself next, or will it just be your dad?" Colton sang while I tried to fight Alex's grip. "And you have Alex to thank!"

"Jasey don't listen to him!" Alex begged pulling on my arm.

"No!" I yelled yanking my arm from Alex's grasp, "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?" I yelled, "I TRUSTED YOU!"

"Jasey just liste-"

"I TRUSTED YOU ALEX, I ACTUALLY TRUSTED YOU!" I yelled letting a tear slip by as I swallowed my composure, "but I guess that was my mistake, wasn't it?"

"JASEY WAIT!" I could hear him calling after me but it was too late, I was gone.

"JASEY!" He would yell as I disappeared around the corner. His eyes turning to lock on Colton before his whole front caved in and his body fell to the floor.

"I don't get it..." Tammy's voice would ring through the hall as she watched him, "what's the big deal, there are prettier and more experienced girls in this school, it’s easier if she’s gone!"

"Your right..." Alex would whisper in defeat as she looked at him, "you don't get it." He continued as her frown deepened letting him finish, "but she isn’t just some hookup, but yet again what would you know about love."

"Okay..." Colton coughed as he stood upright, "and what do you know?"

For a moment Alex sat in silence before he pulled his eyes up from his lap to look at the two of them. "I know how much I love Jasey, and that’s all I care about."

Notes

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-Sarah