Chapter 1 - by ijustlovemesomefriedchicken

Me and Carrie. You could call us enemies if you so wished it. A hate-hate relationship. She hates me, I hate her more. She's a bitch, I'm a scoundrel. A devilishly handsome ladies man, though. And that's probably what she hates the most about me. She could never have me and I coud never have her.

At school we're the two that will never get along. Every time the infamous Carrie and Alex are paired up for a project, the whole class turn to each other, whispering. And it usually ends in a fight- in which I sometimes let her win if I'm feeling gentlemanly that day. Which, let's face it, isn't a lot when it comes to Carrie: I have a reputation to keep up, y'know.

Alex Day and Carrie Fletcher. Like the muggle version of your Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. During the day it's who can get the most insults to the other, who can trip the other in the corridor, who can genuinely be the biggest prat. Oh there's another one of my little pet names: Prat. Or King Prat. To be frank, I prefer the latter.

We hate each other more than anyone could ever describe. But during the night it's...well it's not different, it's the same, but-

Okay, new piece of paper, the old one is currently scrunched up within an inch of it's life, lying in the bottom of the wastepaper basket. We hate each other, but it's a different type of hate once the sun goes down. It's a hateful kind of lust and I'm ashamed to say I love every second. During the night we don't have to put on a big show for everyone. The hate is hate, but it's not simply pure hate, it's something deeper than that, something rippling below the surface. Am I making any kind of sense here? No, I didn't think so.

It's my turn tonight. I sneak along to my parents room and press an ear to the wood; snores come from within. Fantastic. Bryan? The same. My room is an obstacle course to the window but I somehow make it without standing on an upturned plug or a guitar- both have happened before and let me tell you it's bloody painful, not to mention I was an hour late to Carrie's. That was painful too in a sense.

Once I've gotten to the window and slid it open, wincing as it squeaks, I'm out into the fresh air. Full moon, clear night; thank God. This shimmy-ing down drain pipes and trees is so much harder when it's foggy or raining. I had to do it in the snow once too. Carrie doesn't accept excuses, she slaps them in the face. I can't help but smile as I think of all those times before where I just haven't even bothered sending those texts to cancel.

As I get to the bottom of the tree, I lower my skinny body down as silently as possible and then I'm off. I know the route like the back of my hand, I've been along it so many times. I've walked these streets hating myself one way and being extremely pleased with myself the other. The next day people would ask why I'm positively glowing despite my lack of sleep but how could I ever tell them? We'd made a pact- more than a promise, an honour- never to tell another living soul. And as far as I could tell we'd both kept our side of this long and complicated bargain.

One day I'd found a number in my locker, and being the inquisitive little shit I am, I texted it. I simply received an address in return. As I stood on the front lawn, my phone pinged yet again; "Climb up to the window at the back, right hand side." And that was how my body had to get used to about three hours of sleep a night, tops. And maybe the odd snooze in maths class.

Here I am, standing on that same lawn. Hasn't changed a bit, even though this has been going on for well over a year now. Sometimes I just like to stand and wonder what would happen if one night I decided not to climb up. Maybe one night I'd gather up the guts to turn and go back to bed. Maybe, but I doubted it. I knew I wouldn't be able to. There's another thing I hate to admit as well. I need Carrie, whether I like it or not.

She doesn't need me, though.

I take the same path round to the same tree, avoiding those same windows just in case. Her damn dad keeps cutting this tree back, which makes it harder and harder for, say, a little scoundrel to climb into his precious little princess' room. I'd heard him call her Princess a few times, and that had become one of my annoying pet names for her. Not nearly as utterly fabulous as mine, obviously.

Usually when I'd get up to her window, she'd be in bed, dozing. But this time she's on the little window seat, curled up with a book; her eyelids are a bit droopy though. Call me a stalker, but sometimes I just like to watch her for a minute or so. I'm not sure why. Know thy enemy and all of that. So far all I had learned was that she sleeps on her left side with nothing sticking out of her blanket.

I scuttle over to the middle window and tap lightly with my finger. Her head shoots up as she's obviously startled out of The Book Thief and she gives me the finger, not to mention a death glare, as a punishment for scaring the life out of her. She lifts herself up gently as her legs are still asleep and unlatches the window. She pulls my head in by my collar, roughly kissing me before letting go. "C'mon in, Prat."

"Nice to see you too, Princess."

Her room is the same as ever, pictures and postcards all over one patch on the wall with her guitar, laptop, half a dozen bookshelves filled with books and various other items surrounding her bed with it's rose patterned duvet. It's almost ironic how lovely her room is compared to the occupant.

"Louise was wanting to stay over tonight, but I told her I had plans."

"Why'd you cancel?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Because I know you can't live without me," she smirks as she pulls me in for another rough kiss. For everything else I would've had a comeback ready to throw at her like a hand grenade, for it to explode in her face with a sting of insult, but even I can't deny how hungry I am for those few and far between kisses with the girl I hate the most in the entire world.


A collab piece with the wonderful ijustlovemesomefriedchicken- some Carrie x Alex to mix it up from all the Phan/kickthestickz, we hope you like it! Next chapter will be uploaded in a moment~

xxx panfs