You guys are lucky...I decided to post two chapters today...so here you go, hope you like em!

CHAPTER 10 - Long Way Home

ALEX'S POV

I've been walking for over 30 minutes not really going anywhere when I see Marco coming from across the street toward me.

'Shit. Paige must've told him what happened...What the hell am I suppose to say to him? I don't even know what to feel right now...I mean on one hand he knows Paige more than probably anyone...he could probably help me figure out why she did what she did or said what she said...ugh…don't cry Alex toughen

up!...she's the first girl I've felt like this about. I mean I've thought about other girls…but it hasn't been like this...'

"Alex!" I slow down to let him catch up to me. "Alex…hey, what's up?"

"Nothing…just walking home..." I say looking at the floor.

"Uh, don't you live that way?" He points behind me.

"Oh…uh yeah…I'm just walking, got a lot going on right now…"

"Yeah I heard. Personally I think you two would be good together. And whatever happens…I just want you to know I totally support you both, I mean how could I not? You both have been there for me."

Sighing I stop and look at him.

"Alex what's wrong? Did something happen?" He stops and takes my arm into his hand pulling me over to a bench in front of a small shop.

"I don't know what happened Marco…I don't understand it…Paige and I had so much fun last night at the premiere...and the after party...the dancing...it felt like we were the only ones in the room...everyone was watching us dance.." By now I am looking down shyly at the floor. "Then she came to my house…" He smiles a little.

"The kiss didn't happen there…we went to my apartment to pick up some shoes for her..." He looks at me confused.

"What? Paige was wearing her shoes...the cute silver ones..." I roll my eyes. "Yes...the cute silver ones, I guess... anyway let me finish!" I say still looking at the ground avoiding eye contact.

"She kicked her shoes off at the club sometime while we were dancing...So like I said...we stopped by my apartment to pick up A pair of mine so we could walk to her place..." He let out a small, but noticeable laugh. "What?"

"You walked her home?" He asks raising an eye brow at me.

"Well yea...I couldn't let her walk alone…" I casually reply.

"Uh huh…sure." He says teasingly.

"Whatever...anyway..." He stops me again.

"Wait, Alex how long have you been feeling this way about Paige? Or did this just...happen?" He looks at me and waits for my answer.

'Damn...'

"Actually...its been a while…I caught myself starting to think about her a lot like a month after Jay and I had broken up. I never really spent as much time with her before until we started working together…every time since then even a small brush passed

me it would make my skin tingle...and you know…for the longest time Spinner? Got on my damn nerves. Even before I started feeling this way I felt she deserved better than that little...furby." Marco burst into laughter at my last remark. After the laughter stopped I looked up at him again. "She always deserved better...Matt was a jerk. I'm not even good enough for her.." At this he smiled.

"You really do like her don't you?" Looking down at my lap at my fingernails, I respond.

"Yea…I do…she talked to my mom." I whisper to him, covering my face embarrassed, remembering their conversation.

"My mom told her that I never stop talking about her...And Paige wanted to know what I was like as a kid...God it was embarrassing..."

"But you liked it."

"It was cute…" I look up and see a grinning Marco sitting next to me. "Shut up. You tell anyone and I'll kill you!" He raised his hands surrendering.

"So..." He pushes for me to continue.

"So after she had talked to my mom for a bit she excused herself to the restroom, my mom went to bed...and she came back and sat with me on the couch..." I let out another quiet laugh as memories of the night before flood my mind.

"I feel kinda dumb now…I actually called her my lucky charm...I don't know what it is Marco...when she's around I just get all flustered and giddy...and so damn cheesy apparently...And to make everything even more uncomfortable for her...I was about to lean

in to kiss her...and then my mother and her boyfriend started fighting...I tried to get Paige out of there as fast as I could...I didn't want her to go through what I have to go through every week. When my moms boyfriend…Chad? Drinks...and he does a lot. He gets stupid… They came out of their room yelling at each other and I got in the way… He knocked me down and I got pushed over the table by the sofa." I rubbed my elbow remembering it all. Marco must have noticed this because he looked down at my arm for a second with a concerned look. I stood up and he followed me as I started to walk in the direction of my apartments. "Paige was so scared…but she was amazing...she convinced my mom to let me stay at her place for the night...we walked to her place...and up to her room...she was so delicate…she cleaned my arm for me...took care of me…I felt so safe. Safer than had felt in a long time, almost ever. I told her I was in trouble though…And that it had nothing to do with what happened earlier with Chad."

I look to the ground and stop in front of my apartment to finish telling him.

"I could tell by then that she was nervous, and could sense what was about to happen…The room was spinning but everything was still all at once...it was silent but there was a ringing that was so loud, almost like an alarm trying to get me to realize what was about to occur. Then I leaned in to kiss her...She kinda met me half way actually...I was so scared that she would pull away the second our lips touched…but she didn't...I'm not going to go into detail about everything she did, because I'm guessing that would be weird for you...but damn that kiss was the best I've ever had. Her lips were so soft...She was gentle…and the temperature of the room went up like 1000 degrees..."

"Wow...well...I'm happy for you…" He says touching my arm.

"Don't be…" I feel the confusion and frustration rise back up in my chest again.

"Why not?" He looks up waiting for me to explain my reply.

"She freaked last night...and left the room. Then in the morning she told me she 'couldn't deal with me.' After Simpson's class she meant up with me in the laneway...and we kissed again. But Jay's stupid ass saw us and told Hazel. Hazel questioned her about it and that's when she said it..."

"Said what?"

"She only kissed me cause' she 'Felt bad'. It was horrible…I had to leave…" I answer.

Baffled he yells, "She said that!?"

I lower my head and sigh.

"Well...there has to be something else...Paige doesn't do anything she doesn't really want to do...trust me I know. It'll

Be fine Alex just give her time. Maybe she's just confused...It's a confusing thing to deal with...How about you? How are you dealing with it all? I mean...Being attracted to a girl?"

I shake my head.

"Really I don't know…I never really thought of it like that…I mean yea I've looked at girls and thought one was cute or whatever...but having feelings for one...this is new. But, then

again it's Paige…So, I'm ok with it. It makes it easier… Because she is someone I see myself totally trusting...even more now…"

"Good…I'm glad. Oh, hey! I'm guessing you didn't hear about Paige's little uh...performance then..." I give him a confused look and he laughs. "The squad had to do a cheer today...I tried to ask Hazel what happened but the only explanation she gave me was that Paige didn't have the cheer ready for them that they were suppose to do...It was sad Alex…She looked like a cheerleader for a spelling bee Kevin Smith was participating in. At the end she actually said yay and did a little jump..."

"Oh God...Paige...She must feel so embarrassed…"

"Yea I'm guessing she does...she just ran out of the room without saying anything.." He shook his head and looked down at his watch. "Hey listen Alex...I really have to go my dad will kill me if I'm not home in time for his famous Puttanesca for dinner tonight."

"It's cool. I gotta get going too…probably gonna end up making my own dinner like usual…" He looked at me apologetically and touched my arm.

"See you later K Alex?"

"Yea, later." I smile over to him. "Oh and Marco...Thanks."

He looks back before walking away. "No problem Alex, what are friends for? Call me if you need to talk ok?" I nod and walk up to my apartment.

In the apartment building

Turning the corner down the hall way two kids run passed me, I was much happier seeing those two brats then the person sitting in front of my door.

"Why is it that every time I turn a corner...there you are."

'Come on Alex, rats in this apartment...not exactly a new thing.'

"Im like one of those annoying pop songs, once I get stuck inside your head I'm impossible to get rid of."

'Annoying yes…inside my head? You wish...Impossible to get rid of...eh two outta three aint bad.'

"What do you want Jay...Really…" I look down at him annoyed and lean against my door.

"My life sucks…ok I'm kicked outta school...Sean moved away...Spinners found the Lord."

I let out a small laugh hearing that Spinner 'found the Lord'.

"And the only other person who ever got me, wont even give me the time of day."

'Uh…You cheated on me and gave me an STD. Ass.'

"I'm not perfect. I know that."

'Doesn't take a genius to know that Jay, You're far from it.'

"But...I get you, ya know?"

'Yea? Cause I don't even get me right now.'

"The real you…Cause you and me we're the same."

'Yea we both like girls, ha…'

"Ya know? Why do you wanna fight that?"

'Nevermind, I'm too tired to fight.'

I turn and open my front door letting him in behind me.