She Was The Challenge He'd Been Waiting For.

Isabella smiled as Alex pressed his lips to hers. "That was good."

She nodded, smiling softly before returning to reorganizing the t-shirts by size so that she and Kara could get through the line of kids faster. It was always after All Time Low played that the crowd gathered. But she was proud that Alex and the boys impressed so many people.

He smiled,wrapping his arms around her, breaking her concentration. "Kara can handle it." He spoke into her ear.

She looked over at the brunette, who just smiled and motioned that she was fine.

Isabella didn't think it was fair to have Kara do all the work, but she said it was okay. She smiled in thanks before accepting Alex's embrace.It felt nice to be so close to him. She never really felt close to him other than physically for some reason. It was harder to discuss things than she'd imagined. She always felt like he took the fact that she had Asperger's too lightly.

Still, she felt something for Alex. She'd given him almost everything... there was only the one last thing she had to offer. The idea of giving up her virginity made her very uncomfortable. She knew that she wasn't ready, but also, she'd made so many adjustments for Alex... This was the last thing she held onto that felt like it was really a part of her.

Kara had told her that sex was so special and that she shouldn't "get it over with." Isabella had always figured that she'd wait for marriage. It seemed like the right and moral thing to do, but Alex... She felt these desires and didn't know what to do about them. She knew that if they were to have sex, it'd probably feel amazing. Rumor had it that her boyfriend was very talented between the sheets.

"Bells?" Alex's voice broke her from her thoughts.

"Yeah, Al?"

"Come watch Underscore with me. That's Matt's band. They're really good."

Isabella nodded, following her boyfriend's lead. He brought her to the side of the stage and wrapped his arms around her waist. She watched as the five boys took the stage, one of them incredibly familiar. The boy she had been wondering about, and had accidentally bumped into was the lead singer. He was the Matt that Alex and the boys were friends with. God, it all made sense now.

Matt turned his head to the side of the stage where the couple stood, smiling at them quickly before launching into their first song.

All we need is.
Coffee and cigarettes.
New flames and old regrets.
What more could you ask for.
Cheap wine and poetry dream.
You laying here with me.
The times that I live for.

And someday I'll get out of this place.
And watch the tears melt all the makeup off your face.
So slowly but surely so jaded.
I wont take this Heart breaking pain with me.
So forget me Can't you see we're falling apart.
Blowing kisses in the wind and laughing back at you.
As I fly away from here.

Isabella smiled to herself.

Something about Matt onstage was dynamic. He had such control over everything and he seemed to have the crowd eating out of his hand. Alex was learning, not having the experience of the older boy. Still, she was stunned by the frontman. It wasn't simply him though, she really liked the band. It was catchy, but it wasn't too poppy. She reminded herself to definitely buy a CD before she left.

There is no storybook ending.
Just ruined lives and broken hearts.
I don't know why I keep pretending.
I should have left you from the start.

Coffee and cigarettes new faces to forget.
Broken frames with your picture.
And every night's the same.
some bad things never change.
All the right words at all the wrong times.

I'm never better only suffering for you dear.
You know its gonna be a close call if you fear.
That I'm the only one who holds the key.
To breaking up your heart I think the hero.
dies in this one I think.
I know who killed him off I bet its your fault.

The lyrics saddened Isabella. Sometimes Alex's words were too complex for her and too full of wit, but Matt's. She hated to think that some girl had hurt him so. He seemed like such a sweet kindhearted boy, who would dare hurt him? She didn't like the idea of anyone suffering. She couldn't imagine what heartbreak felt like. Just as she wasn't sure she could imagine what love felt like.

"They're good, aren't they?" Alex spoke.

"Yeah, they are."

As the boys got off stage, Alex introduced them one by one to Isabella, never letting go of her. Ben was the bass player, Paul the drummer, Ryan and Dan the guitarists. And then there was Matt, who smiled at her brightly.

"We met before." She nodded slowly. "I loved your set."

"Better than your lover?" Dan teased, shooting a playful grin at the younger boy.

"I don't think I have the liberty to say that." Isabella giggled.

Matt smiled good naturedly, scratching the back of his neck as he stood there silently. He didn't like the tight grip Alex had on her. She seemed like a girl way out of Alex Gaskarth's league. He couldn't help but resent the younger boy the slightest bit.

They were friends, good friends at that, but Alex played girls and wasn't the type of boy to be brought home to parents. Matt, ever since he saw Isabella for the first time, knew that he was a better choice for her, but didn't know how to go about it. He wasn't the usual cocky frontman who was a hit with the ladies. He was awkward, had a strange obsession with Mickey Mouse and didn't really know how to talk to a pretty girl.

She shrugged out of Alex's arms, insisting that she had to go help Kara. The other members of Underscore went to pack up their instruments. Matt watched her walk away before turning to look at Alex, who was grinning like a fool.

"God," He sighed. "She's incredible."

"She seems it."

"I didn't know that the unstable girls were the ones who gave the best blowjobs. And I don't even have to ask anymore-"

Matt wanted to slap him. Not only because he called Isabella crazy, but because he disrespected her. Why would he dare brag about their sex life? He didn't know why Alex found it so important to say things like that. The older boy found sex to be a very private thing that should be left between the two people engaging in it. He thought that Alex was making it dirtier than it should have been.

"But she won't let me fuck her." Alex sighed.

"Alex, I don't-"

"No... she's such a good girl, its a major turn on, but she's not giving in like I hoped she would. What more do I have to do to get between her legs?"

Matt groaned.

He didn't like the way that Alex was talking about Isabella, but he didn't know if it was his place to speak up. He didn't know her well at all, but he did know how uncomfortable she felt by Alex's sexual history. Alex didn't seem to really respect her and it saddened him. A girl like Isabella deserved everything.

"I don't know her, Alex, but I can tell that she's not like other girls... I think you have to be gentle and patient with her."

"Dude, I've never been with a girl for more than a month before she starts giving it up. I've been with Izzy for three."

Matt sighed. "Maybe you should try and respect that she wants to wait, Alex."

"Flyzik, what the hell? I thought you were on my side."

"I just think you're treating her like all the others when its so clear that she isn't like them."

If there was one thing Matt knew, it was that he would never treat Isabella like Alex did. If she didn't want to have sex, that was her decision. If she just wanted to cuddle and watch Fantasia, that was cool. But he knew that Alex would bore easily. He had a feeling that Alex was only sticking around until he won or gave up.