He's Dying to Get Inside

Rian pulled Alex aside as they were walking back to the house, the rest of the band and Raylee continued in, not noticing what the drummer had done. The coffee haired boy looked at his friend in confusion, his chocolate eyes wide in the darkness.

"I was nice to her, so don't yell at me."

"I know you were Alex, I wanted to say thank you and ask you a favor."

"What?"

"I need you to drop Raylee off at home, her parents don't pick her up after eight, I don't know why so don't ask me. Don't try to back out of it either, you know that Merrick doesn't even live in this town, he would be going out of his way to drop her off, being as Jack is on his way. You'll be just fine with her, she's quiet so you don't have to worry about backlash."

"She made it pretty clear that she wants nothing to do with me."

"Didn't she say until you made an effort toward Darcy and the baby? She'll be okay with you now, I told her that you chose to help bring the baby up."

"Are you making her use me?"

"I don't do things like that," Rian said looking away, not really one to lie. He spun his sticks, "we should get in before we're hounded with questions."

Alex walked into the house after his friend, sitting down on the couch and drinking from the water bottle that was set in front of him by Rian's brother. He smiled after putting the cap back on and looked at Ray as she directed a comment at him.

"You have an amazing voice Alex," she looked down as his eyes caught her's, "you guys all have talent, you're going to go somewhere, I know it."

"This chick is never wrong, is she?" Jack asked rhetorically.

She smiled at him and ran her fingers over the cap of her water bottle, waiting for Rian to tell her who was giving her a ride home. She looked at the drummer and arched her brows he cleared his throat and left the room, leaving her confused.

"You ready to go Raylee?"

Her eyes fell on Alex, "Um, yeah."

"You don't sound so sure, I don't have to give you a ride I'm just-"

"No, no. It's fine," she threw her bag over her shoulder and stood, waving at the guys and following him out to the car.

Much to Raylee's surprise, Alex went to the passenger's side and opened the door for her, walking around to his own side as she shut her door and did her belt. She thanked him quietly and fell into silence, absorbing the music fleeing from the car's speakers; she hadn't the slightest idea who they were, but they seemed decent to her.

"You like the music?"

She stopped tapping her hands on her legs and looked out the window.

"I was just asking out of curiosity, I placed you more as a classical music listener, you know, Bach and whatever."

"I am," she replied glancing at him, "there's nothing wrong with that; my dad told me that it helps with your intelligence."

"All music does."

"Lyrics distract you, Alex."

He stared at the street sign in defeat as they sat during the red light, "Mind telling me where you live? Otherwise you're coming home with me... and I seriously don't think my parents would approve, once they hear your name they'll slap me and scold you."

"My name came up during the conferences, didn't it?"

"I'm sorry, but it doesn't look like you're in much trouble, you only got the detentions."

Raylee told him her address, as he opened his mouth she spoke again, "Enough with the Derek and Darcy related conversation, I'm trying to get my mind off of them."

"I just want to say one more thing than I'll even shut up, I'm sorry that Derek didn't tell you, I can tell that you're hurt... you didn't do anything wrong."

"I don't get why you'd care, Alex," she said setting her eyes on him once again.

He pulled into her driveway and offered a slight smile, "I'm trying to change, I don't know if that was all my karma back lashing, I don't need anymore on my conscience. I want to be a good father to my baby, better then mine, even though he never physically hurt me."

"Emotions are a your weakness?" she opened her door and shut it, leaning into the open window, "I'll keep that in mind if you try anything again, maybe I'll get in less trouble."

"Bye, Raylee."

She walked to her door and watched him drive off, the whole time she was wondering if that was the real Alex Gaskarth; the one he kept hidden from everyone but his friends, the one Rian seemed to rely on.