COLLABORATION ALERT!

First half (up to the second '--', or 'Alex wasn't worth his time') by MyFrenzy, everything else by MikayLee. :)
We had so much fun writing this chapter, we hope you will enjoy it as well!
Reviews make us update more quickly...;)

Love,

Claudie&Mikaylie


CHAPTER ONE

Seven year old Nate Gray looked at Alex Russo, his eyes shining in a way you saw no other seven year old eyes shine. He was captured by her—she was so very pretty, her hair flowing in the playground air, her smile growing wider as her best friend—Nate believed her name was Michelle—whispered something in her ear.

Nate's stomach twisted. How was he to get this very pretty girl's attention? She didn't seem like the kind of girl to want to hang around with him. He couldn't reason any possibility that Alex could come over and talk to him.

His seven year old mind was in a whirl—how to get her attention? How to make her notice him? There had to be a way. There were many reasonable ways—go up to her and say 'hi', ask his friend Dean to say hello for him—so many that maybe an older boy would understand.

But ah, Nate was not at all reasonable. He could only think of one way to make this Alex girl even look at him—and that was by picking on her. How to pick on her though? Nate looked around, trying to figure something out. A weapon—he needed a weapon. But what, though? What could he possibly use in such a crowded, small space they called a playground?

Finally, Nate's eyes rested on the ground. He smiled. Yes, he had found his weapon. A rock, of course! What else could he use? He would most certainly not use his hands—believe it or not, his parents had taught him better than to punch a girl. Nate picked up the rock and enclosed it around his small hand. This had to work. Alex had to look at him now.

He bit his lip and contemplated his plan for a while. Now, what could a first grader really do with a rock without getting in trouble? He could say it was an accident—but who would believe that, really? He could get Dean to come over and pretend to pass the rock back and forth and hit Alex in the head—but this was too complicated for him.

Nate looked at the rock in his hand again and sighed. What was life without a little risk, though? So he marched determinedly to the place where Alex was speaking to her friend and held his breath. Neither Alex nor Michelle looked over at him, so he backed away a bit to have a better shot at Alex's head.

He smiled. The position in which he stood was absolutely perfect. Not too close, yet not too far. He would just throw the rock, as gently as he could, at Alex's head, not hurt her too much, just as much as he could to get her attention…

"Nate, look!"

Nate's surprise overtook him as he heard Dean call his name so loudly. He jumped very high, his heart beating wildly, and he turned around and threw the rock behind him in surprise.

And it went downhill from there.

"Ouch!" Nate heard behind him, and his eyes widened as he whirled around and saw Alex holding her head with two hands and Michelle's eyes widened in horror. Nate took a moment to process what had happened.

Nate was waiting for the crying, for the yelling and shouts for help, the accusations, but instead, Alex slowly turned around and glared so intensely at Nate that his breath literally caught in his throat and his mind was blank as a mind could ever be. Alex was breathing heavily, her eyes watering, but she didn't shed a tear.

Alex walked over to Nate, and he could hear her uneven breathing. His heart hurt by looking at this girl about to cry. Alex opened her mouth to say something, but Nate beat her to it by a heartbeat.

"I'm sorry!" he blurted, sounding desperate. He was going to hit her in the head with rock, yes, but he never imagined it would actually be an accident! "It was truly an accident!"

Alex scoffed at him and shook her head, her eyes still filled with unshed tears. "Yeah, right," she spit at him, and Nate felt even guiltier than before. Her voice, though slightly shaken, still managed to stay somewhat fierce. "You did it on purpose." Alex stated.

"No—" Nate started frankly, but was cut off by his own piercing scream and a sharp pain in his foot. He looked down and saw Alex's foot overlapping his own, force pushing it down and making his foot hurt, oh how much it hurt!

"Stop!" Nate yelled frantically, but Alex didn't comply. Her foot stayed on top of his own, and Nate kept screaming. For such a small girl, she was incredibly strong. He screamed for help again and again, until finally a teacher came to the rescue, actually carrying Alex off of Nate's foot.

Both Nate and Alex were sent to the nurse's office, but they both stayed as far from each other as humanly possible. From that day on, and they'd better believed it, it was a full on war.

--

Alex Russo made her way through the lunch crowd in the high school cafeteria, trying to find her best friend Mitchie. She didn't seem to be in sight, though, so she gave up and sat at their usual table, waiting for Mitchie to come to her.

Alex bit her lip as she looked around. It was another Wednesday in Franklin high school—her least favorite day of the week, in fact—the day when two more courses were served in the cafeteria. Of course, this made the wild, hungry, harmonically challenged high school students even more excited to be the first ones to lunch, to be able to buy their plates.

Alex never ate in school, and neither did Mitchie. They both usually sat at their claimed table and talked for a while, waiting for the bell to ring and make it back to class in time, unlike the other lazy slouches of students, who usually waited about another two minutes before heading back to class themselves.

Alex's fingers tapped the table in rhythm, as she hummed a tune very lowly to herself. The time she would have to wait for Mitchie was unpredictable; she might not even show up at all. So she let her mind drift away, think of something or the other, her thoughts never coherent with one another.

Nate Gray entered the cafeteria alongside his best friend, Dean, as they looked for a place to sit in. Nate usually skipped school at lunch time—half a day of school was enough for him, thank you very much—but today Dean had convinced him to stay. The two extra courses added to the lunch menu were apparently very delicious, and Dean could figure out a way to get both of them a plate for free, and without having to wait.

Well, Nate couldn't complain. As long as he was fed, it didn't matter how long he stayed in this damn prison of a school. But he couldn't help but grimace as he looked around at the filled and crowded place—though only Seniors and Sophomores were here.

Dean noticed Nate's uneasiness. "Alright, okay," Dean said, trying to be supportive of his friend. "Go save us a seat, I'll bring us the lunch in a bit." Dean promised, and Nate merely nodded. Whatever went with the flow, he told himself, and he walked to an empty cafeteria table, not look at anyone.

Wednesday, his least favorite day of the week. He hated it because it was the middle of the week—the day in which everything seemed to take longer. Once it was over, he knew another week was coming to an end soon. So he just wanted to get the day over with. It's no like he would pay attention in any of his classes anyway—and it wasn't as if any of his teachers would care.

Alex looked around and finally saw Mitchie coming over, a huge smile on her face. Alex rolled her eyes—of course Mitchie was happy. When was she not, anyway? But Alex didn't say anything as Mitchie bouncily took her seat across Alex.

"Hello, my dear friend," Mitchie greeted Alex, and Alex only waved. "Isn't it a beautiful day today? So full of surprises and…and surprises?" Mitchie squealed and grinned goofily at Alex, and Alex frowned.

"Alright, something's up," Alex concluded, and Mitchie giggled. "What's new now?" Alex raised an eyebrow at her best friend and Mitchie squealed yet again. Alex was getting quite tired of that—as if there wasn't enough noise in that room.

"Guess who is here?" Mitchie asked, and Alex stayed silent. "Come on! It's someone who rarely ever steps into this cafeteria," Mitchie continued, still grinning. Alex sighed. Was Mitchie seriously asking her to guess?

"I don't know, Chris Pine?" Alex guessed, And Mitchie's smile disappeared. Alex smirked and shrugged. "He's never been here," Alex pointed out, but Mitchie waved her off.

"Fine, don't guess, see if I care," Mitchie said, her smile suddenly returning. "I'll tell you right out, then," Alex sighed and told her to go ahead. Mitchie giggled. "He's sitting right behind you," Mitchie whispered, and Alex tensed. She slowly turned her head around to look behind her, and she caught a pair of brown eyes with her own.

Hatred boiled inside her, her fists clenched involuntarily, and her heart raced in fury. Her mind was suddenly in a different place, ten years prior, and her head started thumping in one place in particular. There, sitting behind her—and she meant right behind her—sat the guy she hated the most in all eternity. Nate Gray.

Nate looked at her blankly, waiting for her to look away, but Alex was too caught up in her fury to register the look. Just the sight of the guy repulsed her; everything about him was stupid and incoherent. He thought himself such a bad boy, the guy every girl wanted—which wasn't far from the truth, but these stupid, low minded teenage girls didn't know that the Nate that was sitting there in the cafeteria was the same one that caused her the pain in her head and the damage—the permanent damage.

Alex finally turned back around, tears of rage clouding her eyes. Nate looked down and dared not to look up again. Alex couldn't believe the jerk had actually had the balls to sit that close to her—did he have no morals? She didn't want him anywhere near her. He didn't know the trouble, the pain, the struggle he had caused her her whole damn life by causing her to get Dyslexia, and if you asked Alex, he didn't seem to care.

Nate's fists were coiled as well. What imposed Alex to even turn around? He hadn't even seen her sitting in front of him until she had turned around, and now he was angry all over again. He remembered that day—ironically, a Wednesday—when Alex had pushed her foot so hard into his that she had caused permanent damage to it—leading to him not being able to play any type of sports again, due to the fact he could break his foot easily now. He gritted his teeth. Alex had taken away what he had loved the most as a kid, and who knows? He still might love it as a seventeen year old, but it didn't matter, did it? Not because Alex couldn't take an accident.

Nate couldn't handle sitting near Alex any longer, so he stood up and walked out of the cafeteria. He figured Dean could take the hint.

Mitchie stared wide eyed at Alex's flamed eyes. "Lexie?" Mitchie called hesitantly. "Are you alright?" Mitchie bit her lip as Alex looked back down, staring at her legs, then back at Alex, seeming more relaxed.

"I'm fine," Alex promised, but Mitchie wasn't so sure. Still, she took the fact Alex had unclenched her fists and was now breathing evenly as a good sign.

"Just talk," Alex pleaded. "Seriously, just had one of my episodes, no big deal," Alex lied. Mitchie nodded, then her smile spread across her face again. (she knew better than to push Alex)

"Well, you just have to look at the guy," Mitchie said, and Alex tried not to roll her eyes. "He's absolutely, positively gorgeous. And you can't deny it," Mitchie warned Alex, and Alex looked down. Mitchie didn't know that because of Nate, she had her dyslexia. She didn't know how much Alex despised him. She didn't know how much Nate despised her. All Mitchie knew was that Nate was 'gorgeous'.

Alex always knew Mitchie was infatuated with Nate, it really was no secret. She was like all the other teenage girls in this shallow school—drooling over the guy they can't have. She always found it amusing, but never dared to mention that to Mitchie, because she knew she'd be downright offended.

Mitchie stared at Alex. What was wrong with her best friend? She always did this. She got angry out of no where, and then she just stopped talking to her. Frankly, it annoyed her. Mitchie deserved at least a reason as to why. Alex always said it was her 'episodes', but Mitchie just didn't get that.

Of course, she wasn't planning on Alex telling her anytime soon. So she just stayed quiet and waited for Alex to start talking to her again, as much as the silence bothered her.

Nate was already driving down the street, he was sure the headmaster hadn't noticed him walk out of the school, or really he just plainly didn't care. At that moment, it didn't matter. He was just infuriated and intoxicated and he wanted to run home, but running meant a broken foot. So he'd stick to driving.

Nate stopped at a corner where they couldn't see his car (it had a student parking valid, people would know he was skipping) and started walking down the street to the small town market, where they had everything imaginable, and no one questioned a senior not in school.

Nate grimaced as he stepped on a rock with his left foot. He hissed and looked down, and flashbacks came running into his mind. The rock looked oddly like the one he had accidentally thrown at Alex ten years ago. He felt rueful at the memory, but then became angry all over again. It was the day Alex had caused his dreams to shatter into pieces.

So, instead of moping over the fact he never really did mean to hit Alex in the head, he grabbed the rock and applied as much force as was possible, and threw it as far away from him as he could. He didn't need to be reminded that one insignificant girl had ruined his life, and he wouldn't be reminded. Nate knew Alex was fine with it, and the hatred was mutual, but he didn't care. Why would he?

He kept walking, trying to find the closest restaurant. He wasn't going to think about Alex, because he knew it would only get him angrier. As angry as he could possibly get, he reasoned with himself. And it wasn't worth his time.

Alex wasn't worth his time.

--

Alex went about her day as usual, slacking off, and refusing to do anything that involved writing or reading…which was basically everything. Either way, she managed to get by. The incident in the cafeteria earlier that day left her in a frustrated mood, which the teachers sensed the moment she set foot in their classrooms. When she slept through Chemistry, Mr. Potter kept his mouth shut and his eyes away from Alex..

The day was eventually over, and Alex slammed her locker door in a huff.

"Whoa, easy there," Mitchie said walking up with her bag slung over her shoulder. Alex turned her head and glared at her. Mitchie sighed. "Still in a tiffy from lunch?"

Alex laughed weakly, "From now on, avoid using words like 'tiffy'."

Mitchie rolled her eyes and smiled. "Whatever. Hey, are you still going to come to the library with me?"

Alex looked at Mitchie seriously again, "You know I hate libraries."

Mitchie pouted, sticking out her bottom lip and widening her eyes, "B-bu-but…. I don't wanna study alone!" She wailed dramatically.

Alex rolled her eyes, "Just come to my house and study there."

Mitchie sighed, "Fine, let's go." She grabbed Alex's arm and dragged her down the hallway.

After forcing, literally, forcing Mitchie to stop at Dairy Queen, by taking the wheel and abruptly turning into the parking lot. Mitchie was all the while screaming in fear of their lives with Alex at the wheel. Alex generously brought out a blizzard for Mitchie, for putting up with her shenanigans.

Finally arriving at Alex's house, Mitchie was in a hurry to study, so she burst through the door, stopping dead in her tracks when she saw a certain someone sitting at the Russo's kitchen table. Alex smacked into her, "Mitch-" she froze when she saw him sitting at her kitchen table. Her stomach boiled for the second time that day and she walked in front of a dazed Mitchie and walked up to him, flaming. "What the hell are you doing in my house?!"

Before he could answer Justin walked into the room. "Alex, go away, we're busy."

Alex yelled at him, "I want to know why this good for nothing slacker is in our house!"

Justin scoffed, "You're calling him a slacker, when the last four tests you've brought home have been Fs. I think you should watch what you say."

Alex glared at him, "And I think you should shut up and get this monster out of the house."

Nate was about to protest when Justin cut him off, "No can do, I am tutoring him."

Alex's eyes practically bulged out of their sockets and her jaw dropped, "What?" she said emphasizing the t.

Nate chuckled, thinking of all of the things in her house he could round up to embarrass her in front of their school. Emitting a warning snarl from Alex.

Mitchie finally snapped back into reality, and walked over to Alex taking her arm and pulling her over to the stairs. "Come on, I really need to get studying."

Alex looked back at the demon taking over the only place she could escape him and his dickheadedness.

Nate called after her once she was up the stairs. "Hey Russo, you might not want to go in your room." He wanted to see her reaction, even though he hadn't really done anything to it.

Yet.

Not even seconds later they heard her shriek and run down the stairs in fury. "What the hell did you do Grey?! I swear to god if you stepped one foot in my room you will be sorry you were ever born!" She said inching closer to him by the second, getting dangerously close to attacking.

"Chill out Russo. I would never go into your room, I wouldn't want to catch anything." Nate said with a devilish smirk.

Alex screamed and almost strangled him before Jerry ran in pulling Alex back. "What is with all the yelling in here?" Jerry yelled, dumbfounded. "Alex, go upstairs, and Justin do your job." After ushering Alex up the stairs, Jerry went back into the living room. Alex walked quietly back down the stairs and glared at Nate.

"Watch yourself Grey." She threatened and descended back up the stairs. Nate laughed, whole-heartedly, and loudly. As if she could hurt him. Well...at least this time.

Alex stopped on the stairs and felt herself get angrier by the second, but breathed in slowly, calming herself before she got herself grounded. She stomped up the stairs and walked into her room seeing Mitchie sprawled out on her floor, books already surrounding her.

Mitchie looked up, her face annoyed. "Okay, he hit you in the head with that rock when we were, like, seven. You can't possibly tell me you still hate him over that."

Alex plopped down on her bed and huffed. "You wouldn't understand."

Mitchie sat up and crossed her arms. "Alex, I can't help but think that when he hit you with that little rock that it left such a life changing scar."

Alex reached her boiling point and burst. "Well it did! That," she pointed out her door and in the direction of Nate, "is the reason I have dyslexia! He's the reason I suck in school! That 'little' rock ruined my life, and now he goes around not giving a shit about school, when he has all the mental capacity in that big head of his to succeed. I'm out of luck!" She breathed heavily after her rant as she tried to calm herself, refusing to cry.

Mitchie's jaw hung open, dumbstruck. "Lex... I-I had no idea." It finally all clicked, and made perfect sense.

Alex was on the verge of tears, but held them in along with her breath. She breathed out slowly and shook her head, "Now you know why I despise him."

Mitchie bit her lip, beginning to feel bad about all the times she had gotten frustrated with Alex for being so childish. She hadn't realized just how much it had actually traumatized her.

Nate sat at the table, ignoring every pointless word coming out of Justin's mouth. He didn't care about his schoolwork. After Alex ruined his dreams of becoming a pro baseball player, he lost all hope of accomplishing anything at all. At this point he was too pissed off to even be in her house. He stood up and grabbed his very lightly used book bag and stormed out the door, leaving Justin muttering, and clueless. Hearing her front door slam close, Alex smiled to herself, knowing she had pushed just the right buttons. But, once she heard angry footsteps trudge up the stairs, she froze.

"Alex!" Justin burst through the door. "From now on keep your hormonal angst to yourself, I'm getting paid to tutor him."

Alex rolled her eyes at him, also relieved it was Justin, and not Nate. "Justin, from now on stick to being a stupid nerd that nobody likes, and go play with your dolls."

Justin groaned, "For the last time! They. Are. Action Figures." He said, giving up and leaving.

Mitchie was studying silently, avoiding talking to Alex after the embarrassing out burst.

Alex spoke up. "Mitch…" she started, "I'm sorry I never told you. I just didn't want to make it a big deal."

Mitchie got up and sat next to Alex on her bed. "All this time you had me thinking you were bipolar," she said with a small chuckle. "I wish you would have told me sooner... But I'm relieved to finally know what the problem has been this whole time."

Alex nodded. "I know, I'm sorry." she leaned over and hugged her.

Mitchie pulled back. "No offence or anything, but this doesn't change my crush." Mitchie said laughing.

Alex sighed but laughed. "Yeah, I didn't think it would."

Mitchie gasped. "OH! You know what I was thinking?" she smiled a goofy grin, "If you married Shane, and I married Nate, we'd be like, related." She was all too excited about the idea.

Alex blinked, "I will never marry Shane Grey. First of all, he doesn't even know I exist. Second of all, the thought of even being semi-related to Nate is nauseating." She didn't want to offend Mitchie. "If we did want to be related though, you marry Dylan Sprouse, I'll marry Cole."

Mitchie stuck her tongue out. "Ick. They aren't even cute."

Alex rolled her eyes with a smile. "Whatever."

Mitchie left after dinner, leaving Alex to her thoughts. Usually she would watch TV or listen to music, but after the day's events, she couldn't think of anything but how much she wished Nate would transfer schools. Looking at him gave her a knot in her stomach that she could only classify as an anger so intense it made her sick. Silently she promised herself she would never forgive him.

Nate sat in his care outside of a raging college party. Usually, he would escape the anger by getting wasted or high. That was his intention when he pulled up to the curb. It was mostly a matter of getting out of the house to escape his parents pleas to improve in his schoolwork, and get a lecture on his "poor choices". Hearing it day in and day out was too much; wasting away at home was never an option. Tonight was different, though; he typically would have dashed out of his Buick to the nearest keg, but tonight he couldn't bring himself to get out. Something about the way Alex provoked him and toyed with his mind using a simple threat—that would never be fulfilled anyways, stuck with him, to the point where he couldn't focus on anything else. Even though he couldn't stand her, he couldn't help but laugh at her attempts to piss him off. It was— dare he say it—cute. Tonight, he was making a list. He grabbed an old receipt and a pen.

Ways to ruin Alex Russo's life