Chapter 1



Alexandria Clark was a beautiful 18 year old girl. She had dark brown hair that came down below her sholders, and bright green eyes. She had graduated high school the summer before. She still lived with her mother and stepfather because she didn't have enough money saved up to get her own place. The only available job was at Wal-Mart, so she had to take it.
Her father had died of cancer when she was 12. She took the news hard, because she was very close to him. Her mother remarried right after her 14th birthday. She complained to her mother that she didn't like her stepfather, David, because he was mean. He mother ignored it, and told Alexandria that she get used to him.
After a couple of months David starting beating Alex. He would come in her room at night an drag her out of bed. He'd hit her arms and legs while mumbling things like, "Spoiled Brat," and "always in the way." She tried to tell her mother, but she thought it was just another childhood excuse. The beatings continued for the next couple of years. He beat her everytime he had a bad day, which was almost everyday. He swore to her that he would kill her mother, Lucy, If she told anyone. That was enough to keep Alex quiet.
"Hey Frick, wanna go out for a burger?" asked Nick.
"Nick and Brian were at Nick's house in Florida, hanging out, playing basketball.
"Sure," said Brian.
They went through the house and out the front door. They got in Brian's jeep and drove to the closest McDonalds. Nick ordered a quarter pounder meal. Brian, who wasn't supposed to eat too much junk food ordered a chicken sandwhich. They got their food and drinks and sat down.
Nick noticed a dark headed girl sitting by herself in a booth in the corner.
"Hey Frick, lookk at her," Nick motioned towards the girl.
"She's pretty."
"Yeah, and she's all alone."
"Why don't you go talk to her," said Brian.
"Okay, be back in a minute."
Nick got up andd went over to the girls booth. "Mind if I sit down?"
She looked up from her food at him. Her eyes were beautiful. "No, go ahead."
He sat down across from her. "Hi my name's Nick, whats yours?"
"Alexandria."
"That's a pretty name," said Nick.
"I don't like it very much."
"Can I call you Alex?" asked Nick.
"Yeah, some of my friends call me that."
"Do you live around here?"
"Yeah. What about you?" asked Alex.
"I live a couple miles from here."
Alex finnished her sandwhich and crumpled up the paper. "Well, it was nice talking to you, but I have to go or I'll be late for work."
"Okay. Can I have your phone number?"
"Sure," she said surprised. She pulled a slip of paper out of her bag and wrote her number on it. She handed it to him. She looked in his eyes. When he returned her look she quickly turned her eyes away.
He stood up. "I'll talk to you later, Okay."
"Yeah." She stood up. "Bye."
"Bye," he said. She turned and leaved.
Nick watched her leave, then went back over to Brian and sat down.
"How'd it go?" asked Brian.
"Good," said Nick.
"That's all? Just good? Whats she like?"
"She was kind of quiet..."
"Shy?" asked Brian.
"No, like something else... like she had something on her mind."
"Did you get her number?"
"Yeah," said Nick.
They finnished their food and left.
Later that day, when Alex got home from work she checked her answering machine. The light was flashing so she rewound the tape andd played it back. A male voice came over the line. "Hey Alex, its Nick. Call me when you get home. My number is 486-3210. Later." She went in her room and plopped down on her bed. Her step dad and mom were at work, and they wouldn't be home for at least an hour. Nick seemed really nice, but she didn't even know his last name.
She picked up the phone and dialed his number. A woman picked up the phone. "Hi is Nick there?" asked Alex.
"He's outside, who's calling?"
"Alex."
"I'll go get him."
After a minute Nick picked up the phone. "Hello."
"Hey, Its Alex," she said.
"Hey, how are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm fine. I just got home from work."
They talked on the phone for about 45 minutes. The subject of music never came up. She looked at the clock. It was almost 6:30. She got up and went in the kitchen. She was starting dinner when her step dad came in the door.
"Why isn't dinner ready?" he asked in a gruff voice.
"I got home late," she lied.
"You can't do anything right." He shoved Alex out of his way, right into the refridgerator. Her right arm slamed into the refridgerator door. "Just get out of here, I'll make dinner." Alex went in her room and shut the door behind her.

Chapter 2