AN: As their feelings grow, some secrets are going to be revealed...

Chapter Five: Love in Progress

As Alex was walking home from school, she began to think about David. She only knew him for a really short time, but it was like she knew him forever. He went through the same amount of pain and heartache that she went through, and to take things in a different way, she was starting to have feelings for him. She blushed as she thought about that. As she walked around the corner, she heard someone calling her name.

"Alex!" David called, catching up to her. Turned to him, and smiled. David took a breath, and asked her, "What's up?"

"Nothing, really." Alex said, walking with David at her side. "What's up with you?"

"I was just about to head home and chill out after a draining day at school." David said, smiling at her. "Want to come with me?"

Alex knew that Ryan wouldn't be home for a while, so she said, "Sure, that would be nice."

"Alright, come on." David said, grabbing her hand, and walking towards his home.

Alex was impressed by David's room. Poster's of the Finnish band H.I.M. littered the wall, and Red Jumpsuit Apparatus also hung in different places. Alex took a seat on his bed, and continued to admire his room. A computer and the desk it was sitting on was next to a bookshelf, and his normal size tv and entertainment center with various gaming systems littered the room.

"Nice room." Alex said.

"Thanks." David replied. "All of this stuff my parents bought me before they were killed. I don't play it much, just every now and then when I am bored."

"Wow, I wish I had some of this stuff you had." Alex said. "My room isn't as nearly as cool as yours."

"I'm sure that your room is just fine." David said, sitting next to her on his bed. Alex kind of blushed as he sat close to her. Alex smiled as he moved within arms length of her, and leaned back, laying on the bed as he sat there.

"David, what do you want to be when you grow up?" Alex asked, trying to make conversation.

"Either a homicide detective like Louis, or a writer." David said. "Both have the requirement to think outside the box."

"That's good." Alex said, leaning back. She soon realized that her face was only inches away from David's.

"David, do you know how to keep secrets?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, why?" David asked, looking her way.

"No reason." Alex said. She came damn close to revealing her secret, and she was slapping herself mentally for almost doing so.

"You know what Alex?" David said. "I think that you are really pretty."

Alex looked over at him, and was red in the face. "Thanks, that's the sweetest thing that any one has ever told me."

"I mean it." David said. Alex smiled, and snuggled up against him.

Maybe, just maybe he's the one...

Alex walked into her home in a daze, and was completely flushed about what happened. David actually said that she was pretty. Alex heart was a twitter as she walked into her home. She closed the door, and was right in the face of Ryan. Shocked, Alex took a step back as Ryan approached her.

"Where have you been?" Ryan asked her in a demanding tone.

"N-Nowhere." Alex said, fear returning to her body. Ryan leaned in, and took a whiff, leaned back, and looked down at her. Without any warning, Ryan slapped her across her face, knocking her to the ground.

"SEE!?" Ryan screamed at her. Holding her cheek, tears steaming her eyes, she stared up at him. "That's what you get for lying to me!"

"I wasn't lying!" Alex pleaded with him. Ryan grabbed her by the hair.

"I see that I am going to have to teach you a lesson." Ryan said gruffly. He began to force her into another room, smiling as he did so. Ignoring Alex's pleas, he slammed the door, and walked right towards her.

AN: Sorry to end the chapter there. Next time, David and Alex grow a lot closer, and some truths come to light. R&R!