This World's An Ugly Place

"Okay," I said as I walked back into Alex's room. I had fixed my make up and managed to swipe a new CD. "This CD," I said, holding it up, "is a mix CD that I made myself."

Alex's face, if I wasn't mistaking, looked like he was still blushing. "Wow, all by yourself. I'm so proud," he teased and I stuck my tongue out at him for that one.

"Oh, shut up, you know what I mean," I said through a giggle, walking over to his CD player and popping it in. "Now, a lot of the songs on here are some of Guns N' Roses classics. And then others, well, I just felt like adding." The first song began playing in a slow and calm tune. "This song is called November Rain by them." I walked back over and sat down beside Alex.

Alex nodded his head, listening quietly to the slow tune. "I thought you said you were going to change the mood?"

"No, just wait. This song is really slow, but it's uplifting...the lyrics, I mean," I said as Alex got underneath the covers. I had already changed into my pajamas as well and Alex stripped off his shirt; for some reason he never liked sleeping in one.

"How so?" he asked, leaning his bare back against the bed frame.

I shrugged my shoulders, looking away from Alex. It was hard to stare at his face when he was half naked. "It let's you know that...well, nothing lasts forever. Not even 'cold November rain,'" I quoted and a smile appeared on his face. "And it has a really cool ending, too."

He nodded his head. "Yeah, well, it's a pretty cool song already," he said and I looked over at him, his eyes piercing through mine. "I've got a question for you."

I bit down on my bottom lip. "Well, I have an answer."

He smirked at that. "Do you believe in love?"

I blinked, that question fazing me for a moment. "Well, I believe love in families. I mean, I can feel it when I'm around Sebastian or Lexus. And...even Jack. I love them, I really do, but for relationships...I think so. I mean, I know my parents loved each other and one day I think I want that, but I'm not sure."

He nodded his head slowly. "Not sure?"

"Not sure if it's for me. Ever since I was little I could never imagine myself in a relationship," I admitted with a shrug. "What about you?"

"I believe in love, I just don't believe in it for me." He looked away.

I frowned. "Why not?"

"I was kind of opposite of you when I was little; all I wanted was to find a girl and fall in love, but things like that just never worked for me. And I wasn't like your family; I never had an example to follow," he said quietly.

I took in a slow breath. "Your parents..?"

"My dad...well, to be frank, I don't know who he is and I don't want to know. My mom died when I was really young and I hardly remember her," he nearly whispered looking away. "I-I don't want to talk about this."

I nodded my head understandingly, quickly going to change the topic. "How are you liking the song?"

He smiled gratefully at me. "I like it. I love what he's saying right here...'everybody needs some time on their own'," he quoted.

"You believe in that?" I asked.

"Yeah, I do. I think in the end, that's what's going to be me."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "You're going to be the song lyric?"

"No, I mean, I'm going to end up all alone."

I went quiet at that, my smile falling at his words. I wanted to desperately to ask more about his past, but if he wasn't ready to share I wasn't going to push him. "A-And why do you think that?"

He shrugged. "Look how far I've come. I've lost everyone I've cared about, and I know it's going to keep happening."

"Alex-"

"No, Angel, I'm serious. I know me and you...we're getting close. But one day, it's going to end, and I can't really bare losing anyone else," he whispered above the music.

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere," I told him, scooting closer. "I promise you I'm not going to leave. And neither is Jack, and even my brother and Case. You're part of us now, and we don't leave anyone," I told him, holding onto his hand.

He slowly looked up at me, his eyes holding such emotion. "But, Angel-"

"No buts. We're not going anywhere and I swear on Guns N' Roses that I'm not going to leave you anytime soon. Sure, things happen and sometimes people die, but in the end, we're going to stick together. That's how families work, and you're part of our family now. Okay?" I asked, my voice growing more and more emotional towards the end.

He nodded his head, his bottom lip quivering.

I smiled, a stray tear falling from my eyes. Man, it was an emotional night tonight. "Good, now come here," I said as I pulled him into a hug and the song played it's finale. I held him close until the song ended and then I gradually pulled away to turn both the stereo and light off.

"Angel?" he asked in the darkness as I scooted into bed beside him.

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad we met," he said as I settled down in the bed.

I could feel my heart beat a bit faster at that. "Yeah, me too."

Notes

Sorry for the short chapter /.\