A pang of hurt hits me hard in my stomach as I take in the sight. He and another girl- one who wears a tight, short, pink dress which leaves nothing to your imagination- are eating each other's faces off as Alex presses her against the wall. I frown. The Rebels who are around him don't even seem bothered. It's as if this is normal.

It is Sophie. Alex; the notorious player of Ridgevale High is making out with a girl. Big shock.

Suddenly my happiness disappates. I thought he wasn't playing with girls any longer.

Why do I even care? Why does Alex affect my happiness so much anyway? It's his life, he can do whatever he wants...

"Sophie, are you alright?" Chris asks, making me snap my attention back to him. I then notice that I am standing still in the middle of the dance floor. I nod at Chris, "I'm just tired, I'm going to go sit down." I hastily go back to the bar, realising that I also forgot about my strawberry daiquiri.

"Hey pretty lady, I was wondering where you went. Can I make you a new drink?" The bar tender asks politely.

"Thank you, I'd appreciate that." I say with a small smile. He returns to where all the alcohol is stacked and begins making me new drink while my head swirls with a million and one thought. I lean my head into my hands with a sigh and close my eyes to try and get my thoughts into order.

I don't understand why seeing Alex with another girl has pissed me off so much. I shouldn't care.

It doesn't matter. It shouldn't matter. I won't let it matter.

Just then I feel somebody sit beside me. "Are you going tell me whats wrong or not?" Chris asks. I open my eyes and look up at him "I don't feel too well. A little dizzy."

"The rest of us are going outside. You guys coming?" Tyler asks when he shows up behind us.

"Lets go Soph. Maybe you need some air." Chris suggests to me. I purse my lips in thought before nodding and standing up.

Chris grabs my hand, guiding me through the house to the back garden where the rest of the Elite seem to be heading to. We squish between the grinding bodies and eventually make it out onto the now littered patio. Chris guides me as we follow Courtney and Logan when suddenly the air clouds over with tension. You know in those movies when the villain has supposedly taken over the world and suddenly the clouds start rolling in and the sky gets all dark? Yeah, that's how sudden the tension makes an appearance. I look passed Courtney's shoulder to see the Rebels glaring back at us.

Of course.

I immediately move forward, letting go of Chris's hand and moving closer to Courtney to hear whats going on. I don't understand why we can just never have a peaceful evening when the Rebels are around.

"Watch where you're going next time asshole." Logan growls at Alex.

Alex gives him a blank expression, "The last time I checked you're the one who walked into me. Not the other way around, Logan." Alex sneers his name as if it leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. I purse my lips. The music in the house is no longer playing and everyone- who is still sober enough to notice the soon-to-be-fight- surround us.

Logan takes a step forward and Courtney watches in amusement from my side and I feel like slapping some sense into her. Not everything is damn joke! Alex takes a step forward too, the Rebels close behind him, all looking ready to act if they need to. However, I do take note of the fact that Dylan isn't here today.

Which isn't too much of a surprise considering he seems to be ditching the Rebels a lot lately.

"What are you trying to say Rosewood?" Logan asks, his voice holding a warning tone to it.

"That you, Ross, think the world owes you something when it doesn't." Alex spits back, scowling at Logan with distaste.

Ross. The name lingers in the back of my head.

The crowd of teenagers murmur in response to Alex's words and Logan's eyes harden considerably. Fights between the Elite and Rebels were often. Too often. It's been a while since our last one so I can only imagine how everyone is looking forward to this performance.

"You got a big mouth there Alex, how about I cut it down to size?" Logan asks while letting out a humorless laugh.

"You seem to think you have a big dick, how about Courtney measures it for you?" Alex growls back with a smirk. They both take another step forward when I push pass Courtney and get between them. I can't let them fight- especially when Alex is involved. I don't want to see him get hurt. I won't let him get hurt. I'm now involved with the Rebels and I refuse to let the Elite hurt the people who are willing to help me.

I put my hands on both of their chests and stand in the middle, acting as a barrier. I know that if one of them were to throw a punch, I would not be able to stop them but at least this way I can try and keep them as far apart as possible no matter how difficult it is.

"Guys," I say sternly. "Cut it out."
They continue to stare at each other, blatantly ignoring me and I try and push them back even more.Everyone holds their phone up, recording the event waiting to unfold. I notice that neither of the boys are backing down so I prepare myself for one of them to swing at the other, for the blood to come and the endless remarks to flow out of everyones mouths. However, that is not the case this time.

Alex takes a hold of my hand, making tingles errupt all over it, and gives it a slight squeeze as he removes it from his chest even though he doesnt look at me. I drop my hand from Logan's chest too, knowing no one will throw a punch now.

"C'mon Sophie, lets get the fuck out of here." Logan sneers, finally breaking eye contact with Alex. He gives Alex a dirty look before the Elite all turn around, ready to head back inside with scowls on their faces.

"No, she's not going with you." Alex says, causing all of us to halt in our steps. I tense.

"What?" Courtney barks.

"I said, shes not going with you." Alex mimics. Behind him the Rebels catch on to what he's doing as do I. My eyes widen considerably and my heart rate speeds up. I don't know if I should be happy about what Alex is about to do or scared. Maybe both. However, I'm not sure I wanted it to go down like this.

"Who's she going with then?" Courtney asks with a laugh.

"Me." Alex quips, monotone. They all look at him amused although Courtney's amusement seems to sober up a little.

"And what makes you think she would want to go with you?"  Chris pipes in. Alex looks at him with so much anger in his eyes, it scares me, and shakes his head at Chris.

"Because I'm not a dick like the rest of you." Alex sneers and I send him a warning glare to tell him to stop. I may want out of the Elite but I don't want to slam them before I do so.

"She doesn't even know you, idiot." Tyler laughs. Alex raises an eyebrow at them and smirks smugly before fixating his gaze on me.

"Sophie," Alex calls to me waking me up from my daze. His voice is stern but his eyes soft, making me loosen up a little bit.

Everyone looks at us in confusion and all I can hear is ringing in my ears. He extends his hand towards me and I take in a sharp breath. I look at it and then back at the Elite, trying to chose my final move.

This is it. My way out.

But one question keeps ringing in my mind; do I really want to leave?

I could stay with the Elite; the poeple who I called my friends for the last four years, who knew me since freshman year, and who have hurt me beyond recognition. Scrap that. They didn't know me. They never bothered to try.

Or I could go where happiness lurks; the Rebels. I've never felt like I've belonged somewhere as much as I do with them. They make me feel happy and I can act myself around them without having to put any walls up. And then there's Alex. Oh Alex. Those eyes that have warmed me when I've been cold, those arms that have held me when I needed them most. How could I turn my back to him when all he's done is help me?

He makes me laugh and forget what I have to face everyday. I cant let him go.

I swallow thickly as I grab his hand, intertwining our fingers together. The crowd gasps and breaks out into snickers and whispers. The Elites eyes widen and their eyebrows furrow together in confusion.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Courtney asks, taking a step forward. However, she doesn't look like surprised but rather just simply annoyed and agitated.

Did she know that I had some dealings with the Rebels? Did I slip up? Did I accidentally say something?

You're being paranoid, I tell myself.

"No." Alex's voice catches my attention and I remember I'm still here.

"Sophie," I hear Kelcy ask, her voice holding an edge to it. "Are you drunk?"

I scoff, "No, I'm not drunk Kelcy. I'm sober." I say

"Please tell me you're kidding Sophie" Chris pleads, looking at my face for any source of reassurance. Then a scowl takes over his face as he shakes his head in disappointment.

"I always knew you were a slut, Sophie." Logan spits venomously. The comment hits me hard in my stomach and I purse my lip before Alex steps forward.

"Fuck off Logan. Sophie isn't a slut." Martin defends me from behind Alex. "Watch out about your girlfriend though."

Her eyes widen in anger  "Fuck you, Martin!" Courtney hisses
and once again the boys want to fight. "Lets go." I say softly to Alex, tugging at his hand. However, he doesn't seem to hear me so I say it louder. "Let's go, Alex." He looks away from the Elite and back at me.

He nods, slowly stepping away from Logan. Alex pulls me by the hand to the direction of the garden's gates.

"Are you really giving us up? We've known you for four years Sophie." Courtney yells at me. I halt in my steps once more and look at her over my shoulder, "You didn't know me Courtney. You never even damn well tried."

"You're a bitch, Sophie! You never belonged with us."  Courtney shouts and although I want to throw one of my heels at her, I continue walking while ignoring the way Logan shouts at everyone to mind their own business.

With Alex's hand in my and mine in his, we follow the rest of the Rebels to the parking lot. The cool air blows my hair around and my hand still tingles from Alex's touch. I try to understand what just happened and what I've just done.

I can't believe I am finally out of the Elite; that I'm finally moving on. How did everything happen so fast? How did everything happen so right?

As we reach the parking lot, we stop near Alex's car.

We all look at each other, not knowing what to say.

"Well that didn't go as planned." Nina mutters with a sigh. Martin scoffs beside her, "Tell me about it."

"At least she's out." Christina pipes in.

"But this wasn't the plan." Cole adds while rubbing his one eye.

I rub my hand over my face in pure frustration. "Guys, it doesn't matter." I mutter, making them look at me. "I'm out and I couldn't be more relieved. Thank you for defending me." They all give me small smiles.

Nina's eyes trail down my arm to mine and Alex's intertwined hands and she smirks, a naughty glint in her eyes. However, she doesn't say anything.

Alex smiles down at me, "What's done is done. Now," he says, searching his pockets for his car keys. "How about we get some food?"

****

We're currently sitting in a booth at a small pub and grill which is open 24/7. It's dimly lit, with dark booths all around and a pool table in one corner. Old songs play in the background from a jukebox giving off a vintage vibe. The bar which has a mahagony desk is empty as we're the only people here, beside an older couple and a young guy reading a book in another corner.

Me, Alex and Cole are sat on one side of the booth while Nina, Martin and Christina sit on the other side. I sit next to Alex beside the window,  looking beyond the parking lot which is dark with only the glow of the moon offering light.

The Rebels discuss what's better: Cola or Pepsi and I laugh until Alex casually slings his arm over the back my chair. I look at him, taking in all his features from the smallest little thing to most defined ones.

"Thank you for doing it." I eventually say. letting his eyes take me in. He smiles, making my heart stop, and laughs lighlty at me, "Arent you mad?" He asks. I shake me head, "I'm happy I'm here. I've being waiting to leave them forever." I laugh, not breaking eye contact.

"I'm sorry you've had to go through all that Sophie," He says with a frown. I smile at him, "I'm here now. That's all that matters." I answer softly. And for just a moment we just sit there staring at each other, the world around us disappearing as if we are the only people in this little bubble.

I've never thought Alex Rosewood- the Alex Rosewood- would've helped me out of the Elite and made me happier than I've being in a long time.

He smiles at me and suddenly I have the urge to hug him close to me and never let him go- why does he make me feel like this?

The image of him kissing the girl at the party pops into my head and I internally wince.

I can't be upset with him though. He isn't mine. I have no right to be mad. Right?

The sound of someone clearing their throats interrupts our moment, and we snap our heads to the others who all watch us with raised eyebrows. I immediately blush crimson and try my best to act like Alex and I weren't just having a moment.

They all look at us expectantly, "What?" Alex asks, looking at all of them.

"We asked what you wanted to have?" Martin says. It's then that I notice the waitress who is standing by our table patiently waiting for our orders.

"Oh... Two Chocolate milkshakes and two servings of pancakes with blueberry syrup- extra please." Alex says ordering for me too. He winks at the older waitress and she gawks at Alex before she saunters off while scribbling down our order.

I gape at Alex, how did he know what to order for me? Am I that easy to read?

Alex chuckles at my reaction before joining in on the conversation.

And as we speak and eat, I can't help but smile.

Hey hey guys :)

Soooooo this chapter and chapter twenty-four were actually supposed to be one chapter but after I realised how long it was, I decided it was best to split it. It was such a long chapter as one.

Anyways... You guys finally got a little bit of  insight from Alex's POV. Did you guys enjoy it? Because I loved writing from his perspective.

Also... SOPHIE FINALLY LEFT THE ELITE! About time, am I right?

Please let me know what you think and thank you guys for reading. You're all AWESOME!

Vote♡Comment♡Share