Disclaimer: I don't own WOWP or any of the characters. Just using them for fun.

After Heartbreak

Idly she picked off petals from her corsage. The moment she and her family got home from the banquet, Alex had locked herself away in her room. She didn't want to see or speak to any of them. It was bad enough she still had this corsage but that was why she was doing all she could to destroy it.

With each petal her mind played back another painful scene. The hurt pulsed through her heart, going through her veins until she could feel it even in her fingertips. It would probably feel better if she could just cry but she was so filled with emotion she couldn't manage it.

She couldn't even pinpoint what about this hurt more. She quit the competition for him, then got back in to fight for their love. She received the most envied prize any wizard could obtain, and her special night was ruined. How could Mason do this to her?

A knock interrupted her gloomy thoughts. She ignored it, pulling off more petals from her corsage instead. A second knock came more insistently than the first.

"Go away," Alex groaned to whoever it was, emphasizing her words by throwing petals toward the door.

"Alex, it's me."

"Justin?" Not the voice she expected. She made her way to the door and pulled it open. "What do you want?"

"Can I come in?" he asked gently. Alex hesitated, frowning at him. After an internal debate she stepped aside to let him in. She turned away from him without a word and went back to tearing up her corsage. "Didn't you buy that for yourself?" Justin asked in an attempt to break the tension.

"So Mason could give it to me," Alex huffed, "and now I'm tearing it apart." With that she shredded the last few petals.

"I'm really sorry about Mason," Justin sighed. He approached his sister and cautiously put an arm around her. It was never easy to tell whether or not she would actually welcome the sign of affection.

In this case, Alex leaned into the touch and even rested her head on his shoulder. The two siblings seemed to be in this position a lot: one comforting the other after a broken heart. Justin rubbed his sister's shoulder while he fought for the right words to say. Earlier that evening he was furious because she was winning an award he didn't think she deserved, but all that anger was forgotten now. All he could think about now was how to best help his sister through this.

"All this time," Alex murmured, "I knew I was dating a werewolf. But this is the first time I've ever seen Mason as a monster."

"I know what you mean." Justin gave her shoulder a sympathetic squeeze. "When I found out Rosie was an angel of darkness, I didn't want to give up on her. You're a lot stronger than I am, Alex." Alex pulled back enough to look him in the eye.

"Wait a minute. Are you actually admitting I'm better at something than you?"

"Don't get used to it," Justin said, nudging her playfully. That got a smile to flicker on the girl's lips.

"Thanks, Justin." She nudged him back. "Probably shouldn't get used to me saying that, either." This time they both smiled. The hurt was still there but it wasn't as consuming. And as Justin reminded her, he was no stranger to heartbreak. Alex would never say it but she was glad to have an older brother who understood.

"I know you got back in the competition for Mason," Justin said after a comfortable silence, "but I hope you stay in for yourself. You're going to make it through this, Alex. I know it doesn't feel like it now, but trust me." He offered her an encouraging smile before slipping away to leave her alone.

Alex sat on her bed passing the shredded remains of her corsage between her hands. It was easy to dwell on everything she and Mason went through and let that drag her back down into sadness.

She tossed the corsage on the floor. Maybe she wouldn't recover from the hurt for a long time, but she was strong enough to keep going anyway. Not even Mason would hold her back.