Walls

Skylar woke up to the sound of Alex's alarm going off rudely in her ear and then she saw him reach over and shut it off. Almost instantly, she had fallen back asleep. It took him a few moments before he got off of the bed and started getting dressed for school. While he was grabbing his bag, he looked over at her sleeping figure and smiled at the fact that she was finally back in his life. Het set a water bottle and some tylenol on his dresser for when she woke up and then headed out to his car to pick up his other best friend, Jack. Sure it was earlier than usual, but he wanted to stop for coffee on the way.

Once he was in the car, Jack started acting like his usual hyperactive self, screaming out of the window, despite the fact it was only 7am. Normally, it amused Alex, but today he really needed to talk to Jack and it was getting on his nerves. He pulled up to the coffee shop, shut off the engine and got out of the car, with Jack right behind him. They sat in a booth by the window after they had ordered.

"So why did you want to pick me up so early?" Alex sighed and leaned back in the booth.

"I wanted to talk." He poured the sugar into his coffee, along with some milk.

"About what?"

"Skylar." He started stirring it, thinking about her.

"What about her?"

"I like her, more than I should." Jack chuckled.

"Yeah I know. Everyone knows." Alex was taken aback, he didn't realize everyone knew.

"What the fuck? How?"

"Dude seriously? It's so obvious. You act different around her, happier, more alive, and even more mature sometimes."

"She said I have to let my walls down around her if i want to be more than friends." Jack raised an eyebrow at him.

"What do you mean? What didn't you tell her?" Alex looked up at Jack, with a sad look on his face. They stood up and started going back to the car.

"That Vince is part of a gang that collects their debts and breaks bones to do it. Jack, she owes him a grand on Cody's behalf." Alex pulled out of the parking lot and started speeding towards the school.

"So?"

"Neither of us have a grand to spare."

--

Skylar was awoken again by Isobel, Alex's mother, knocking on the door, saying she was going to work and to make herself feel at home. What was home though? She yelled out, thanking her, and noticed the aspirin and water on the bedside table which she gratefully swallowed. She picked up her phone from the floor and scrolled through the messages. One was from Alex saying he would pick up her homework and be there after school. Then there were the ten from her dad asking where she was and one from her mom that made her throw her phone at a wall.

<You're seeing a psychiatrist tomorrow. If you don't show up, then don't bother coming home anymore. It's either get help, or get out.>

She wasn't going to see a psychiatrist and be known as the teenage psycho/alcoholic. She picked up her phone and put it back together since the battery had fallen out. Turning it back on, she noticed it made a dent in the wall and she thanked god her phone still worked. She texted Alex, thanking him and told Lacey about her mom kicking her out. There was an almost instant reply from Alex.

<You're welcome. How ya feeling?> She turned on his stereo and let the sound of his rock music fill the room.

<I feel like shit actually, yourself?> Almost instantly there was a reply and she wasn't sure if she wanted to answer it.

<What's up? Still hungover?> She sighed, and pulled some of Alex's clothes from his dresser since she didn't have a change of clothes of her own.

<Family drama :/ > She went into the bathroom to shower, leaving her phone on the bed. When she returned 20 minutes later, there was a reply.

<Such as?> She told him about the psychiatrist appointment and how her mother was kicking her out if she didn't go - which she wasn't. <So you're kicked out basically>

<Basically.> There was no answer after that so she decided to go look for food in his fridge. There was a frozen pizza so she settled on that, and while the oven was preheating, her phone buzzed.

<So here's the deal, and no you have no say in this. I talked to my mom. You're staying with us, you can have the guest room. I'll bring you over to your house to pick up your stuff after school.> Her jaw hung open in shock, not believing he just did that.

<Alex! Are you crazy??>

<A little? :) > She smiled and shook her head at him. The oven beeped so she got off the couch and put it in.

<I have a lot of stuff...we need more hands and some muscle.>

<I'll call Zack and the guys. See ya after school ROOMIE :) > She smiled and set her phone down on the table, turned on the TV and started eating her pizza while she waited for Alex to get home from school in a few hours.

--

When Alex finally came back with the guys, Skylar was lying on the couch watching the disney version of Peter Pan. Once she saw them, she shut off the movie and grabbed her stuff, ready to finally move out of her house.

"What's the hurry?" She climbed into Alex's car, Jack in the front seat, while Rian climbed into Zack's and they drove to Skylar's.

"I want to do this before my parents get home." A frown appeared on Alex's face, Skylar could see it through the rearview mirror.

"You don't even want to say goodbye or anything?" Jack was forcing his hyperactivity inside himself, for Skylar's sake.

"No. I have absolutely nothing to say to them. They're throwing me out Alex. I just want to take my stuff, my dresser and my bed and get out of there." He shrugged and pulled into her driveway, where Zack's truck was already parked, and they were standing just outside of it.

Skylar unlocked the front door, and stepped inside her house, letting the boys inside. The only ones who had been here before were Rian and Alex. The other two looked around curiously, and then followed her upstairs. Zack had brought boxes which Jack began putting together and then stuffing them full of Skylar's belongings. Alex was putting the pictures and important stuff (laptop, Cd's, etc) while Zack and Rian were moving her dresser downstairs. They were almost finished an hour later, all that was left was her bed. Zack and Rian made it to the front door before running into Skylar's father.

"Who are you and what are you doing?" they set the bed down on the porch and looked at each other nervously, hoping Skylar would come outside soon. And she did.

"Dad? You're home early."

"What are they doing?" She shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

"Moving my stuff into Alex's house"

"Alex? Why?" Just at that moment, Alex was at her side with Jack, holding boxes. "What exactly is going on Skylar?"

"Mom said go to a psychiatrist or get out of the house and don't come back. That's what I'm doing. Getting out and not coming back." She motioned for Zack and Rian to put the bed in the truck, so they picked it up again and set it in the back of Zack's pickup.

"So you're moving into Alex's." It was more of a statement of realization than a question but she answered yes anyways. "And your mother is aware?"

She shook her head no, and then his hand struck her across the face for the third time. Alex dropped his box and stood in front of her, glaring at her father.

"Don't ever fucking hit her again." Her father stepped closer and Alex could smell the alcohol on his breath now.

"Or what? She's my daughter. I'll do as I please." Skylar was hovering behind Alex, until Alex brought his arm up and swung his fist at her father. He fell backwards a little, but regained his balance. His lip was bleeding and he was pissed. Alex picked up his box, grabbed Skylar's hand and walked to his car.

"Or that happens." He put the box in the backseat, as they all climbed in. Skylar didn't even look back as they drove off.

--

That night, she and Alex stayed up late to help fix up her new room, which was right next to his. They had moved the bed and dresser in and shoved all the clothes inside. She put up the pictures, posters and set up her laptop on her desk. It only took a couple of hours to get everything where she wanted it. Once they had finished, she sat on the edge of her bed, and alex took a seat next to her.

"Thanks for letting me stay here. I'll get a job and pay rent or help out with groceries, or something."

"Don't even. You should know I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm glad you're here." He smiled at her and gave her a reassuring hug.

"The past few days I've wanted nothing to do with my parents. I needed to get away, I wanted to leave, run away."

"Run away to where?" She sighed and sprawled out on the bed, resting her head on Alex's lap.

"Anywhere." He laughed and started playing with her hair.

"Could I come with you?" He asked it with a grin on his face, but it would soon falter.

"Like you let me come with you? Or didn't."

"I apologized for that."

"Doesn't make it hurt any less but to tell the truth, I don't think I could leave without you. I kind of need you, Alex." He smiled down at her, and she sat up straight again.

"Well I kind of need you too, Skye." He got off the bed and started walking to his own room to go to bed, but he lingered in the doorway. "I've always needed you. I'm going to bed though, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight"

He turned to leave, but she ran up to him and grabbed his wrist, spinning him around to face her. All the feelings she had for him, were hitting her, hard. Maybe it was because of what he said, or the fact that she knew he wanted to be more than friends; or maybe it was because he had protected and saved her countless times, and was offering his home to her. Either way, she knew he would always be there for her and that's all she ever wanted.

"Skye what is it?"

"You've always been there for me, I need you more than you think I do." She gave him a small, nervous smile, while looking up into the familiar brown eyes that she loved, and that was all it took for him.

He grabbed her face in his hands, and pressed his lips firmly to hers. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him back, eagerly. A few moments later, they pulled back and smiled at each other.

"Promise me you'll always be there?"

"Promise. Are we more than just best friends now?" He looked at her with gleam of hope in his eyes. She answered him in almost a whisper, a smile on her lips, before shutting the door softly, and going to bed.

"We're getting there."