Hiya

Thank you for all the reviews, i really appreciate it, especially Alo Amicus. Also thanks to all the people who have added this to their story alerts and favorite storys, i hope you like it. I can't space this out without deleating the paragraphs, so sorry about that. Next chapter should be posted by the end of the week, hopefully. (Cherise your Not supposed to grass up your friends)

Chapter 2

Uh oh, if looks could kill, was Toms first thought when he saw Alex heading his way. Then he laughed quietly thinking of what Alex had been though and that it would take more then just a look to kill him. Alex sat gracefully down beside the sycamore tree Tom and his friends were sitting under, he didn't even seem to realise that he was sweeping the area for threats until he caught Toms frowning expression.

"Hi", Alex replied back to a few nods and hellos he had gotten from the group, then he took out his iPod stuck the headphones in his ears and turned it up loader then usually to block everything out. His unrelenting eyes were darting this way and that, constantly searching for signs of danger. Tom smiled sadly and went to carry on a conversation he had been having before he got distracted.

"Yeah, so as I was saying, the it looks like Arsenal are going to be out of this years Barclays premiership league match but ManU and Tottenham are neck and neck in second place. Chelsea's winning at the moment so Alex must be hap-"

"what I want to know" a snide horse voice interrupted them, they turned to see the source of the curious voice and Tom stifled a groan with difficulty. "Is where Alex goes when he's out of school and why? I mean it obvious he's on drugs and I don't doubt that he got himself involved in-"

"I think you should shut up" Luke interrupted unhappily "It's not our business where he goes and what he does." Every one turned to look at Luke, he was normally the quiet reserved one, he hardly ever offered up information or his opinion. This is getting weirder by the second, Tom thought.

"Yeah leave Alex alone Dan"

"well we all know that your in on this little secret Tom, so why don't you tell us."

"Because it's not my secret to tell" said tom simply, and with that he reached into his bag took out a book and buried himself behind it. Every one there knew that tom hated reading and only brought a book to school so he didn't get detention, so it was pretty obvious that he didn't want to participate in the convocation any longer. They gossiped about Alex, with Dan fuelling the fire, while Tom and Luke sat there refusing to join in, and Alex apparently oblivious till the bell went 10 min later. Of course, nobody moved.

"Hey, what lesson do we have" Fred yelled form ten feet away walking slowly past".

"Last lesson is…history" Luke said checking his journal as he said it.

"Oh good I like history" Dan exclaimed

"only coz you like to see people get blown up, and you know were watching a video today." George smiled innocently as Dan turned round to see who had said it. With a confused look he turned back to talk to Adam, causing a bust of laughter from George, Brian, Fred and Tom. Alex who had been seemingly out of it since he had joined to group walked at the back slowly putting away his iPod. Luke was walking a few feet in front of him next to Tom. Alex picked up the pace and was soon walking on Luke's other side, both Luke and Tom looked at him in surprise, as he had made it clear that he didn't want company all though lunch.

"Thanks" Alex said gratefully to Luke. Tom smiled, but Luke said

"what for?"

"For respecting my privacy and not trying to guess what I'm doing when I'm not at school" Alex said in a rush. Luke's eyes widened slightly, he had been able to hear Alex's music from 5 feet away so how Alex had heard the convocation was beyond him.

"Oh, no problem", they walked in a companionable silence till they reached the door of Tom's history lesson.

They said goodbye and Alex and Luke carried on to the next door where Alex made a beeline for the seat at the back by the window and resigned himself to another hour of boredom. He reached down to take his books out of his bag and felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. He sat bolt upright to find Luke stood next to his desk.

"Can I sit here?" he asked uncertainly;

"sure" answer a bemused and curious Alex, though he kept both emotions off his blank face. No one wanted to sit next to him anymore, not since they thought he was into drugs and gangs, so why did Luke. He noticed Dan shooting confused and murderous glares at Luke.

It had been known long before Alex's uncle died that Dan hated Alex and would go out of his way to get him in trouble. This had never affected Alex much and it didn't bother him now, but he got a small comfort in knowing that it wasn't prearranged. Mrs Owen, their newest history teacher, the last one had ended up running down the school drive screaming about 'god for saken' kids with no manners and murderous attitudes towards their elders, entered the room.

The corner of Alex's lip cured up as he remembered the incident, this was as closest he got to a smile these days. Luke saw Alex's lip twitch and though for a second that he was going to smile, wishful thinking he thought to himself but as he looked around at the new teacher he couldn't help smiling to, they had had temps for so long. His smiled widened as he too remembered the last time he had seen their last teacher.

Mrs Owen called the class to attention, gave up when hardly anyone listened, and stared her lesson determined to teach the few teens who wanted to learn.

Alex tuned it out easily and was staring out the window thinking of his last encounter of Scorpia, when Luke interrupted his brooding.

"Hey" he said Alex turned his gaze on him and Luke flinched backward, Alex quickly rearranged his facial features into one of boredom, but not before Luke had seen his face completely emotionless, with his eyes burning full of anger and hate.

"Sorry" Alex murmured.

"No, never mind, it was just that I wanted… to tell you that in…in my old school I was talked about a lot… rumours went round, people whispering and pointing behind my back." Alex was intrigued Luke never talked about his old school, not once since he moved here 3 years ago. "I just want you to know, that I know a bit about what you going though, and if I can help at all…"

"thanks" Alex whispered "I know that cant have been easily to tell me that and I appreciate it." Alex went deep in thought, Luke was about to turn away when Alex spoke unexpectedly. Alex didn't know what prompted him to say what he did, maybe it was the fact that Luke had given up a piece of himself and Alex felt like he had to give him an insight into his life in return. The only thing Alex knew was that words were coming out of his mouth and for once they were no lie.

"When my uncle died, it hit me hard…harder then I think anyone realises." Luke, understanding that Alex was opening up to him a little, turned his head to study him. His face was blank, but not the emotionless, completely perfect statue blank it had been before; the only emotion that showed was in his eyes, but only for a second before they, too, went blank. The pain and sorrow Luke saw in Alex's eyes, if only for a second, pierced him deeply.

No-one knew Alex felt like that, in truth, Alex himself hadn't known, but it made sense to him know, as he thought he had never had a chance to mourn his uncle before being thrown into the world of lies and secrets. Where any attachment or emotion could get you kill, instantly. He realized that Luke was looking at him and turned to face him.

"I'm sorry" Luke said gently "I had no idea". Alex smiled that half smile, but their was no happiness in it.

"No one did, except Jack" with that he turned to look out of the window again. They didn't speak for the rest of the lesson, each lost in their own thoughts.