Because she needs escape from the pain.
-o-
"Why can't you be more like her?" Theresa spat at her daughter one day when a pretty yet polite girl came into the substation.
"Maybe it is because I don't want to be someone else," Alex spat back.
"You shut your mouth, young lady. You need to learn how to be more like a young lady. Instead you live like a slob and walk like a sloth," Theresa snapped at Alex before slamming the cash register closed.
"Oh how wonderful!" An elderly lady exclaimed. Alex turned. She was talking to her friend Harper.
"I'm vegan now," Harper beamed, "It's honestly the best thing ever. I don't have any cravings at ALL."
"Wow, you seem to be a health conscious person," the lady smiled, "Mrs. Russo, is this your daughter?"
"Yes, of course she is," Theresa beamed, "She is my daughter and this is her friend Alex."
"Oh," the lady nodded tersely once she saw Alex's serious face, "Nice."
"Go away Alex, you're making her feel very uncomfortable," Theresa glared at Alex.
"So now your banishing your actual daughter from her family's sub shop? Nice," Alex glared at her mother before slamming the apron down and stormed out the door.
"That can't truly be your daughter, right?" The elderly lady asked skeptically.
"No, no of course not!" Theresa laughed nervously, "Harper is my only daughter."
"She is such a disrespectful lady. How can she even work in the sub shop? And how is she even this beautiful girl's friend?" The lady asked.
"I'm not. She constantly bugs me," Harper laughed, "I only put up with her just to keep her off my back."
"You shouldn't hang out with bad influences like her," the lady went on, "She's a bad luck."
-o-
Bad luck…
Those two words echoed at the back of her head as she continued to walk down the streets of New York City. Through her ear of a bat, she could pick up their conversation from a distance.
So this is what she evolved into – a useless piece of trash.
Her vision blurred as she bumped into someone.
"U-Um, I'm sorry," Alex whispered, then started walking in another direction until a hand on her shoulder held her back.
"Are you crying?" A male's voice with a British accent stopped her in her tracks.
"S-Sorry," Alex stuttered, as the accented voice served to remind her more and more of Mason (who dumped her because he liked Justin's crazy werewolf ex more than her).
"You shouldn't be sorry," the stranger said, and without a warning, drew her into a hug.
When was the last time someone hugged me? Alex asked herself.
Nobody wanted to be around her. Justin was the headmaster of Wiztech and now married to Juliet. Right to his promise he moved far away from the Russo family, and promised never to provide hospitality to Alex whenever she came, against Juliet's protests (because she and Alex are great friends). Max ran the sub shop because he lost the wizard competition. He is engaged to a wealthy girl. He is the golden boy of Jerry and Theresa. And finally… her parents hate her because she isn't Harper. And Harper was only her friend to keep Gigi off her back. That… and she is the family wizard.
"What happened?" The stranger asked. Normally Alex would scoff and say she doesn't spill her guts to strangers, but she was too far gone to care.
"My mom doesn't think I am enough," Alex mumbled, "And my friend backstabbed me today."
"I'm sorry to hear that," the boy said, "Would you like to get something to eat? You know, spend some time together?"
"Yeah but what's your name? I wouldn't want to hang out with someone I don't know," Alex asked in confusion, studying the stranger's facial features properly.
The stranger's eyes widened but then his face broke out into a smile.
"My name's Harry," he admitted shyly.
"Harry Styles? Thought he had hair long enough to pass him off as a girl," Alex teased, wrinkling her nose to add humor.
The boy laughed, one of the most refreshing sounds she heard ever since she heard her mom's annoying whining a half hour before.
"No, no, my name is Harry Potter. I usually got annoyed when people would gasp when seeing my face, it's nice to see people not flip when they see me here," Harry said.
"Wait, Harry Potter?" Alex asked.
"Yes…"
"Do you know my brother has a poster of you in his office?" Alex laughed.
"What?" Harry asked, purely stunned. Only wizards knew him.
"I'm a wizard, Harry, that's how I know," Alex laughed quietly, "I am an American wizard though, so our magic is completely different."
"But how come you didn't recognize me then?" Harry asked.
"Conceited are you? Just kidding. I didn't recognize you because I'm not a creepy fangirl, unlike my brother," Alex shrugged, "And by creepy I mean full out; he has little dolls of you, your poster, blankets, rugs, jackets, everything you can think of."
"Tell him I am not flattered," Harry said.
"I'm not in contact with him anymore," Alex shrugged, "But I did tell him it was a creepy obsession and you wouldn't feel appreciated with this high level of devotion. Of course, he disregarded me."
"Why don't you talk to him?" Harry asked.
"My family's dysfunctional. You see, we had a wizard competition. Here, siblings have to compete to keep their powers in adulthood. I won, Justin was appointed headmaster of Wiztech and he married his longtime girlfriend, Juliet. He never really liked me, and even though I thought he regarded me like a sister, I guess all the sentiments washed away," Alex sighed, "He won't even let me visit him."
"How do you even cope with it?"
"I cry. Sometimes write about it. Draw my anger out. But the harsh criticism took its toll recently," Alex whispered, "I recently started to cut."
"That's not good," Harry argued.
"Easy for you to say," Alex bit back, "But when you're in my shoes, you feel like you have no air to breathe. Sometimes you have to let the pain out."
"But by cutting?" Harry asked.
"Well the suicide hotline isn't very helpful. They always keep asking, 'Is that all?' like they are tired of hearing my problems. No one wants to be around me," Alex said, eyes welling up with tears, "No one understands. This is the only way."
They were quiet, watching the happy scenery in front of them, when Alex suddenly asked, "So how long are you going to stay here?"
"I actually moved into one of the apartments here in New York. Maybe you could visit sometime?" Harry asked.
"That would be great. I'm Alex Russo by the way," Alex grinned, "My family owns the Waverly Sub Station, so maybe you should come by."
"That would be great, considering I still need to buy my groceries," Harry laughed, "Do you have a phone number?"
"Sure, write it for me, as well as your address and I can text you a confirmation text, that way you will have my phone number to save," Alex nodded.
"Okay," Harry said and he wrote his phone number and address down.
"Well," Alex sighed, "I gotta face my parents sooner or later."
"You can always talk to me," Harry said, "Whenever you feel like your parents are just going out of line, you have someone to talk to."
Alex smiled. Genuinely. Even Harper never sounded this sincere with her.
"I bet you got it rough to, don't you? Most people just laugh at me when I try to seek help. But you didn't laugh one bit," Alex noted.
"I don't have parents," Harry said.
"Oh," Alex awkwardly said, "I can't say I have it better or worse, but let's just say we're on the same boat. I sometimes feel like whether I had parents or not, I wouldn't feel any better now. But I get how you feel. It's hard, I guess."
"I vaguely remember them," Harry admitted, "But from pictures I could guess we were one happy family."
"Happiness," Alex sighed, "We're seeking for it harder and harder in this world. It's quickly being exhausted like a nonrenewable resource."
"Exactly," Harry said, "But unlike you, I have some really close friends, but they're in London. They moved there after completing education and they are married."
"Married. At the age of 17?" Alex asked skeptically.
"That's what I said. But they truly do complement each other," Harry shrugged, "But how do you know my age?"
"Like I said, I have an older brother who is obsessed with everything and anything with the slightest bit of connection to you," Alex said.
Harry rolled his eyes and Alex checked her watch. Alex gasped.
"I really have to go, or else my parents will yell until I go to sleep. Nice meeting you Harry! I will text you tonight!" Alex smiled at Harry before scurrying home.
-o-
Theresa was yelling something mean and hurtful at Alex that made her lose appetite and want to go upstairs. Harper of course, ate like nothing was happening. But then again, she wasn't a true friend.
Alex rolled her eyes. It was the usual blow. It didn't hurt as much as when the condescending treatment first started. But still, it was something.
Alex flopped onto her bed and checked her phone. She remembered to text Harry her name and address and went to go do so.
After sending him a quick text, Alex remembered some tension building up in her body. This was normal when she had a long day of her parent's whining and bitching about not being good enough. And there was only one way to release it.
Opening her cupboard in her bathroom she found it – her secret stash of razors.
Peeling down her sleeves, she positioned one a little strayed off of her radial artery and pressed not-so-gently.
When the sting came, Alex released a puff of breath she had been holding. You may think it was masochistic to do this but after the sting came the sweet yet brief sensation of bliss.
In that moment Alex envisioned herself not in that prison she called her house in New York City. She envisioned herself with someone she loves, growing and raising a family with lots of love. If she didn't have this kind of optimism still in her, she might have just killed herself.
Suddenly, after making a couple of cuts, Alex wanted to become more adventurous and dig a little deeper into her skin. But then, all of a sudden, her phone buzzed.
Alex cleaned the razor and sighed, calling it a night. After cleaning her wounds with hydrogen peroxide and bandaging them up, she pulled her sleeves up and checked her phone.
It was a text from Harry.
Are you ok?
Shrugging, she remembered revealing to him she cuts. Sometimes she wished she kept her mouth shut.
She replied:
Yes. Just cutting.
Two seconds later, he texted:
What happened?
Alex bit her lip. Should she tell? But then again, Harper wouldn't be of much consolation.
Mom was just being mean to me again. Putting me in the spotlight of shame. I had to get rid of this anxiety, because it just seems that other than you, I have no one to run to.
She hadn't even placed her phone down before he replied.
I could always take you away from here.
Alex texted the question that she had on her question: how?
His reply was simple: meet me in the park.
-o-
Alex flashed herself to behind the bushes so that no mortal could see her magic abilities. Then casually stepping out of the bushes, she tried to pretend like she had some business to be there at 9 at night.
"You wanted to see me?" Alex asked.
Harry jumped and turned around.
"How did you-"
"Teleportation. Now, how?" Alex asked her question very briefly.
"Just like how you got here, we could leave here, simple as that," Harry said.
"But how? We only met TODAY. We talked for A COUPLE OF HOURS. And then the very night you want to leave?" Alex asked incredulously.
"That, or you could erase all traces of your problems. Erase their minds, make a universe just for you or just flash out," Harry said, "When you're a wizard, you can do all of these things. But why didn't you?"
"Because magic is temporary. Even if you make it last a long time, it is all fake. I wanted them to really accept me, and the old me doesn't want to buy that love," Alex's eyes filled with tears, "It's never going to happen. They're never going to turn around."
"Then we can leave. Don't you have a dream? A dream you want to make reality?" Harry asked.
"My dream was only to escape this hell hole," Alex said.
"Then take my hand, and let's go," Harry held out his hand.
Alex took one long look in the direction of her home, took a deep breath, and took Harry's hand.
-o-
"Did you pack everything?" Harry asked.
"You asked me to meet you here, you never said to pack," Alex rolled her eyes, "Hang on."
Alex took out her purse and teleported all of her stuff into the purse by shrinking it so that it fit inside. Wedging her wand inside her boot, she nodded.
"Now I'm done," Alex sighed and plopped down on the couch.
"Now unpack," Harry said.
"Why? I'm not your girlfriend," Alex shrugged.
"Unless you would like to move here and get away from your family," Harry said.
"You didn't really plan much from here, did you? It happened so fast. I met you, we talked for a couple of hours and then at night after I cut, you told me to elope. I don't think friendships take that long to form," Alex said.
"You said your parents don't want you anymore," Harry said.
"I said they hate me, Harry," Alex threw her hands up.
"But the way you described your parents, they seem no different than having no parents at all," Harry shrugged.
"True," Alex made herself more comfortable, "But what happens from here out? Are you even going to stay here?"
"Yes," Harry said, "Like I told you, I moved here. You could officially move here. You could continue your education."
"Since you went to a boarding school, you don't know how education works. You are seventeen. You have to go to mortal school. High school. And you have to apply for college and further study so you can get a good degree and get money and all that nonsense," Alex said, "If you're going to live here, you're a minor and you have to comply."
"I know. I enrolled to your school, Tribeca Prep, isn't it?" Harry asked.
"Yep. Have you applied?" Alex asked.
"No, because I do not have grades in a mortal school, but I have conjured a transcript that the school accepted, so maybe when school starts I can apply. Have you applied?" Harry asked.
"Yep. The only place on Earth. Julliard school of music. Tough to get into. I don't care about the pay but playing the violin helps me get my stress out," Alex shrugged.
"Do you have your own violin?" Harry asked.
"No, I use the ones at school," Alex shrugged.
"Then how did you audition?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"I asked the principal to let me borrow an instrument," Alex said.
"Did you get in?" Harry asked.
"No, but I'm waiting," Alex said, "But if I do, I don't know about the money."
"That's no problem. I can make some money, and it won't get caught because it won't look counterfeited," Harry explained.
"Gosh look at me now, run away from home to become a criminal. I like this new outlook on life," Alex teased, making Harry grin.
"I guess we should get some sleep?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, because we need to go supply shopping. Because in a week, school will start," Alex shrugged.
"You can take the guest bedroom. Use magic to accommodate yourself," Harry showed her to her room.
"Thank you once again," Alex smiled and closed the door, not knowing she made him blush bright red.
"It's no big deal…" Harry muttered before going to his own room.
-o-
Get it…? It's No Big Deal? Katy Perry? No? Okay… I'm lame.
ANYWAYS… I HAVE been promising a HP/WOWP chapter story but I don't want to do that lame setup where the Russo's go to Hogwarts and that boring stuff. Seriously, there is 100 of those in Fanfiction.
I hope you like this short story… don't worry, eventual Harry/Alex, because I ship them hard.
Love you all!