She Was The Challenge He'd Been Waiting For.

"Hey dude." Alex smiled, welcoming Matt into his bedroom.

The older boy didn't say anything, just walked into the room. He inhaled deeply before grabbing the younger boy by the shirt. Alex wasn't even sure what was going on until Matt threw a punch. The younger boy clutched his face where he'd been punched, staring wide eyed at his friend for an explanation.

"What the fuck?!" Alex shouted, his face contorting into one of absolute rage.

"You're a sick bastard, Gaskarth." Matt seethed.

"Matt, what's going on?" He asked quietly, unused to seeing his calm friend so infuriated.

"What do you think this is about, Alex? Isabella."

"Oh." The younger boy sighed. "I should have figured."

The two were silent for a bit.

Matt tried to calm down, and Alex tried to figure out how to approach the conversation.

He didn't know that Matt had cared at all for the girl or that this was his defending of her honor. Alex didn't think anything of the situation except that he'd gotten what he wanted from her. She knew what he was known for, and what he was like, why had she figured that she could change him?

The older boy was too upset about the situation to think coherently. He'd warned Isabella, and she'd still gone ahead with letting Alex use her. He'd told Alex that she wasn't like all the others and to be careful... But what upset him the most was that even though Isabella had slept with Alex, she felt as if it was her fault.

She seemed to have the same complex of a rape victim, and he wondered if what Alex did could technically be considered as so. Isabella was not in a position to be able to defend herself from the boy. She had given in because he'd promised it would bring them closer.

Matt was selfishly upset because he wanted Isabella for himself. He knew he'd treat her better anyway.... It would be hard not to. She was so delicate and innocent, and that was part of what had charmed him about her. But now, she was broken, whether she liked it or not. He couldn't get over the way she looked with tears falling down her face and a trembling bottom lip. To think that someone had put in such a position broke his heart. Especially it being someone he knew.

"I think," Alex finally spoke. "This is more about you than about Iz."

"Why's that?"

"Because you wanted to be the one she lost her virginity to."

Matt glanced at his friend, unsure of what to say.

He was upset that Alex would act as if he'd done nothing wrong. She had only said "yes" because he'd made her believe it would make them closer. She believed that he loved her. That was something that Matt would not let him live down. This girl was too special to be treated as he'd done.

"Maybe that's true in part, but I would have never peer pressured her like you did."

Alex chuckled softly, shaking his head. "She didn't have to do anything she didn't want to, Matt. There was something so hot about her innocence... the way she looked at me as I slid into her-"

The older boy opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't find the words.

"...The sounds she made... it was kind of like a cat. She purred and mewed..."

"Alex,"

"You're just upset that it wasn't your name that she was screaming."

A part of him knew that Alex was right, but still. He was disgusted that Alex had promised to change and yet he'd still treated Isabella like all the others. It wasn't just because she had Aspergers; it was because she was different from all the other girls that upset Matt. She was so thoughtful and wise; she was beautiful, but didn't acknowledge it. There was something about her that made him want to protect her. Something about her that made him fall for her.

But he didn't want to admit to Alex that, at least, part of the reason he was so upset was because he had feelings for her. It was more than that, anyways. What Alex had done was wrong, and he had corrupted the one girl that was never meant to be corrupted. Isabella was so perfect before Alex had ever touched her... Not that she wasn't perfect anymore, it was just different. She wasn't herself as much as she tried to be.

Matt didn't know what he could do to fix her, but he was determined to do so.

Isabella laid in bed, telling her parents that she wasn't feeling well.

She couldn't bear to face them after she'd disgraced them as she had. She felt horrible that she'd been blinded by Alex, and that she'd gone against everything she knew. It was against all of her beliefs, yet he'd convinced her. Now she had nothing left.

The smaller girl couldn't give everything to someone she really loved. How had Alex done this to her? Better yet, why hadn't she known better? Hadn't he been dubbed King of One Night Stands for a reason? What she really was confused by was why he'd taken so much time if his whole plan was merely to sleep with her. They had been together for months before she'd even considered it, and she hadn't felt much pressure until she was told about what he was really like.

She didn't dare admit what had happened to anyone but Matt. Everyone figured it out anyway, and even though they'd tried to cheer her up, Matt was the only one she wanted. Seeing any member of All Time Low or Kara just upset her further.

She sighed, closing her eyes until a couple minutes later, there was a weight dropped on the bed, beside her. She inhaled Matt's familiar cologne as he pulled her into his arms. She smiled softly, pressing her face into his chest. No one could make her feel better like Matt Flyzik could.

He let out a soft groan as she touched where Alex had hit him. He didn't want her to notice it though. He'd told her that it wouldn't get violent, yet that was the only way he figured to get through to the younger boy. After trying to talk, things didn't stay peaceful for long. Matt had thrown the first punch, but Alex got a couple good ones in.

"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly.

"Like I don't want to feel anything."

The boy frowned, kissing her cheek. "Izy, Alex is my friend, but he's an asshole... I wish I could have guided you, but-"

"You did and I didn't follow." She spoke quietly. "Matt, I didn't think-"

"Its okay."

Isabella sighed. "I was thinking about it, and I think Alex is part dolphin."

"What?"

"They're, like, super over sexed... they often hump inanimate objects and even other animals like sea turtles."

"So, for Alex, its inanimate objects and Jack?"

Isabella giggled.

"I think that's the first time I've heard you laugh all week."

"I think its the first time I've laughed all week." She smiled softly, opening her eyes. "You're so good to me, Matty."

"Did he hurt you?" Isabella asked quietly, bringing her hand to Matt's bruises.

"Yeah, but he got worse."

She smiled softly.

"Bells, after what he did to you- I couldn't not act on it..."

The girl didn't say anything, just hugged Matt tightly.

She was honored that he found her a cause worth fighting for. She was happy that he was with her now in her time of need. He was a really good friend even if her parents didn't like him.

If they knew what had really happened between her and Alex, they'd LOVE Matt. Still, she couldn't find it in her to admit what had happened between her and Alex. Everyone had warned her, hadn't they? She had a feeling her mother already knew anyway.

Her whole heart seemed to drop as she lay in his arms. She was so sad, and nothing seemed to help except being around him. Matt seemed to be the only one who could make her feel at all. There was no way she could do this without him anyway.

"Iz, I know you're probably feeling really... terrible about everything. But I will do whatever I can to cheer you up."

She sighed, looking up to look him in the eyes. "Matt?"

"Yeah, Iz?"

"You like me, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"You... you want me, don't you?"

The older boy sighed, kissing the top of her head, but not responding. He just hugged her tightly, and hoped that she wasn't teasing him. This had all happened because he had feelings for her, hadn't it? Even Alex knew that Matt had feelings for her... He hadn't made it so secretive. He didn't know how to answer, so instead, he just kept quiet.

Isabella didn't understand what his silence meant, so she took it as a "no." It upset her greatly and she moved away from him, reaching from her Minnie Mouse. She bit her lower lip, unsure whether or not everything would make her cry. She didn't know what to do, so she turned away from him. And then Matt realized that he had hurt her feelings without even trying to.

He frowned, pulling her back into his arms. She turned to gaze at him and the smoldering look in his brown eyes almost frightened her. Her eyes fell to his lips and she bit her lower lip, waiting for him to do something. Matt smiled softly, pressing his lips to hers softly.

Kissing Matt was nothing like kissing Alex. He was so much more gentle with her, his fingers in her hair. He kissed her slowly, as if he wanted to give her the full experience. And his lip ring felt cool against her lips. The whole experience was so different, and he was almost sure that she preferred Matt. How had she made such a mistake? The only reason she'd met Matt was because of Alex, but now she was more conflicted than before.

"M-Matt," She breathed, pulling away.

"Does that answer your question?"