~!Alex's POV!~
"Bro, if you try to say she's not hot, then you're a fag." Jack said to me.
"I'm not saying she isn't hot, I'm saying she isn't legal." I told him.
"Who cares? Dude, she's amazing!" Jack punched my arm.
"Ow, watch it!" I said. "I know she's amazing but we can't! Do you not understand that?"
"I understand, but I know you. Since when do you care whether or not you're supposed to do something?" He laughed.
I sighed, "I don't know, man, this can cause a lot of shit."
"Just give it a shot."
I shook my head, "No. I don't even know if she likes me."
"She does."
"And how can you be so sure?" I turned towards him, barely taking my eyes off Annabeth.
"Are you fucking blind? She looks over here every five seconds, most likely hoping that you'll come over and dance with her. She has that lost puppy look in her eyes, hoping that you'll be the one to rescue her. It's obvious, even to me." He pushed me forward.
"I...I just can't!" I said.
"Do it! Trust me."
I nodded and stepped forward as a slow song came on the radio.
"Annabeth, will you dance with me?" I asked.
She grinned up at me and nodded.
I took her hand and led her back onto the "dancefloor" which was really just a large wooden board in the middle of the room.
I placed my hands on her waist and she put hers around my neck.
She stepped closer to me and pressed her body against mine.
We slow danced for hours, even to fast songs, we didn't care. All we cared about was the moment, how we never wanted it to end.
"That was so much fun!" She laughed as we stepped off the danecefloor hand-in-hand.
"I'm glad you liked it." I smiled.
I glanced over to the couch where Rian and Zack we sitting, they started making kissy faces and I blushed.
"Annabeth!"
"What is it, Trish?" Annabeth tore her eyes from mine and looked at her friend.
"It's nearly 3 am! We have to go!" Trish yelled.
"Fuck!" Annabeth got her phone out of her pocket and dialed.
She waited a few moments before snapping the phone shut.
"Kyle didn't answer. He's probably asleep." She said with a frustrated sigh.
"Ben didn't answer either." Trish groaned.
"Ebenne che cosa facciamo adesso? Mia madra sta per uccidermi! Questa notte doveva essere divertente e che era, ma ora siamo cosi morto!" Annabeth yelled.
"What language was that?" Jack whispered.
"Italian, I think." I whispered back.
"Come faremo a tornare a casa? Si tratta di quindici miglia di distanze!" Annabeth said to Trish.
"Annabeth?" Trish put her hands on Annabeth's shoulders. "Annie, relax! It's okay. I'll have my mom talk to your mom, everything will be fine."
"Come puoi essere cosi sicuro?" She whispered.
"Because, I know how to handle these situations."
Annabeth nodded and sat down.
"What was that all about?" I asked Trish.
"She's part Italian, like, her distant relatives, so she speaks fluent Italian. She starts yelling in Italian when she's upset or whatever. You know, like what happened just now." She explained.
"And what exactly was she saying?" Jack asked.
"Umm, her mom's going to kill her, how are we getting home, this night was supposed to be fun and it was, and then she asked how I was sure everything would be okay." She nodded.
"Ohhhh." Jack nodded back.
"I could give you guys a ride if you want." I offered.
"Would you really?" Annabeth was standing with us again.
"Of course, come on." I grabbed her hand and she grabbed Trish.
I led them out to my rental car and opened the doors for them.
"Alright where to first?" I asked after I started the engine.
"Trish, we'll drop you off first. So, 425 South Chestnut."
I sped off and soon enough we were sitting in front of a house. "This right?"
"Yep. Thanks." She grinned and got out the car.
"No problem."
"Bye, call me later." Annabeth yelled.
"So, now I have to take you home?" I asked upset.
"Unfortunately." She sighed.
"Is it wrong to say I don't wanna leave you?" I whispered.
"I don't know, I feel the same way." She admitted.
"I wish you were older, or I was younger."
"Me too."
I reached over and brushed a strand of hair out of her face.
She leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine, I kissed back, first wth caution but then we both relaxed.
I broke out of the kiss and sighed, slightly frustrated.
"I'm sorry." She whispered.
"No, don't be. But, I mean, like I told Jack, this can cause a lot of shit."
"I know." She said, still whispering.
"But?" I knew she still had something to say.
"I don't care." She met my eyes and I could tell she meant it.
I sighed and started driving towards her house.
When we got there she immediately reached for the door handle.
"Wait." I grabbed her wrist.
She turned back to me with tears in her eyes. "What?"
"Can I at least have your number?" I asked and held out my phone.
She nodded and typed her number in.
"Will you walk me to my door?" She asked.
"Of course." I got out of the car and took her hand.
We stood on the porch for a few moments in silence.
"I'm really going to miss you." Annabeth whispered.
"I'll miss you too, but I'll call, whenver I can." I assured her.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
My phone started beeping and I groaned.
I pulled my phone out and saw I had a text from Jack, "wher r u?"
"And now you have to go." She whispered.
"And now I have to go." I pressed my lips softly to her cheek and hugged her.
"Goodbye, Alex." She said as she opened the door.
"Bye, Annabeth." I waved.
She smiled and closed the door, I lingered on the porch.
I heard yelling come from inside and it startled me.
"Stop!" I heard Annabeth scream. "Get off!"
"Annabeth!" I yelled and burst into the house.
"Stop it!" She cried.
A man (her dad? step dad?) was holding both her wrists tightly, she couldn't get loose.
"Alex, help me!" She yelled.
I ran forward and pushed the guy, "Don't ever hurt a girl, you prick."
He swung at me but I pushed his arm away.
"Get the fuck out of my house!" He bellowed.
"This isn't your house! This is my mom's house, this is my house. I don't want you here!" Annabeth screamed at him.
"Shut up, you stupid bitch!" He yelled.
I punched him and he fell to the ground, hands clutching his face.
~!Annbeth's POV!~
Alex's fist connected with Kevin's nose and he fell down.
I was terrified, yet I felt safe, Alex was protecting me.
"Alex, I can't stay here." I whispered through my tears.
"Come with me, with us, on tour." He said.
I nodded, "Will you help me get some of my stuff?"
"Of course."
I grabbed his hand and pulled him up to my room and locked the door.
I got two suitcases out of my closet and threw them on the bed.
Alex started pulling clothes out my dresser and throwing them into the suitcases.
I ran into the bathroom to get my small bag of toiletries and then started pulling more clothes out of my closet.
"Oh, I thought I lost this." I said as I picked up a red blouse that I had dropped on the floor.
"Really?" Alex asked, frustrated.
"Sorry, distracted." I said and zipped up the bags that were now full.
"Goddammit! Annabeth, open this door!" Kevin shouted.
"How do we get out of here?" Alex asked.
I opened the window and grabbed the two suitcases and threw the out the window.
I stepped cautiously onto the roof of the porch and signaled for Alex to do the same.
"We going to jump?" He asked.
"Course not." I grabbed onto the gutter and slid down easily.
"Why do I get the feeling you've done this before?" Alex asked.
"Hurry!" I whisper-shouted.
Alex followed suit and we grabbed my bags before running to the car.
We put my bags in the backseat and sped back to the venue.
Alex pulled out his phone and dialed Jack's number.
"Hey, man, where you at?" Jack asked.
"On my way back with Annabeth, can you clean off the extra bunk?" Alex asked.
"She coming with?"
"Yeah."
"Alright man, I'll tell Zack and Rian, and Flyzik. As long as both of you explain what exactly is going on when you get back."
"Jack I don't-" Alex began.
"Of course we'll tell you." I said to the phone.
"Alright then. See you in a few." Jack said and hung up the phone.
I wiped tears from my cheeks and touched my eye.
"Did he hit you?" Alex asked.
I nodded.
He gripped the steering wheel tightly.
"Your knuckles are turning white." I whispered and he loosened his grip.
"Who was that?"
"My step-dad, Kevin." I told him.
"Why did he flip out like that?"
"Because I'm supposed to be grounded. But, usually, I just run around doing whatever I want, he's not my family so he can't order me around." I shrugged.
"So he does that, when you don't listen or when you misbehave?"
"Yeah, pretty much. He does the same thing to my mom. The first time I saw him hit her, I threw a jar of pickles at him." I said with a small giggle.
"Pickles? Why pickles?"
"You ever been hit with a jar of pickle. Fucking sucks to get hit with." I laughed.
Alex laughed and took my hand.
"Are you going to help me get through this?" I asked.
"Of course, I'll always be here for you."