Alex sat alone in the library, his potions books open around him. He was going to make a forgetfulness potion, but where he would find Jobberknoll feathers was beyond him. He could always steal them, but Alex was never very good at stealth. He bit his lip and jotted down a few more notes before finishing up for the night. Sighing he got to his feet, a large book enclosed in his thin arms. Where would he go now? The common room, where everyone was in bed? Wander the corridors before getting told to go back to the common room. Go outside and wander by himself. All his options seemed as bleak as the next. He hugged the book closer to his chest. He felt so alone, so scared. He didn't have anyone to turn to. Gary was with Rose, Faith and Edward weren't in school anymore and he wasn't on best acquaintances with the teachers either. Slumping down behind a stack of book to avoid being caught, Alex pulled out a muggle story hidden away amongst the spell books, Romeo and Juliet. Alex had read it before, believing one day he would find his Juliet, but no such luck. He'd got a better deal and a worse one. He would love Gary until his heart gave in to death, but Gary wouldn't do the same. No matter what he promised. Alex would just be another relationship to tick off his list of things to do. Gary wouldn't sit there and watch him grow old and decrepit. He wouldn't love him when he lost his mind. Alex slammed the book shut in anger and confusion. Why couldn't one thing in his life be stable and true? Why couldn't he fall in love with a human? A single tear ran down his nose and dripped onto the illustration on the front cover. The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy, Alex closed his eyes, of Aleksandr and Gareth Nightshade. But Alex couldn't dwell on that forever. He had too much to do. Sighing again he leant back against the book shelves, just wishing he had some friends, someone to talk to. But right then, he had no one, not even his rat spent time with him anymore. That was the problem of being a werewolf. No one cared.

Jack was wandering around the library, letting his thoughts wander all over his past, his present, the possible future. He hated not knowing what was going to happen to him, he hated knowing that no one really cared and it was all truly a lie. He frowned down the rows of bookshelves that he passed, each as dark, empty, and hopeless as the next, until he saw a figure; he quietly approached it and saw that it was Alex, the boy he'd met earlier. He looked downright miserable. Jack walked towards him and said, "Does the world hate you too?"

Alex smirked as the man came into view, "You could say that," he mumbled picking at the sleeve of his already worn down jumper. "Nevermind eh, it can only get better right?" he asked smiling, Wrong! his brain screamed. Alex sighed as his smile faltered a little, It better get better, if it gets any worse I might just give up he thought darkly pulling his knees up to his chest, "What are you doing here? Not hanging with your girlfriend?"

"If it gets better, why hasn't it by now?" Jack wondered aloud. "No, Melody and I aren't... together..." he trailed off, not really knowing how to describe that relationship. He wasn't sure what they were. Shaking his head, he said, "I don't know..."

Alex snorted, "Right, okay. So what are you? 'Just friends'?" he smiled leaning back against the book shelves again. This was what always happened - Alex would want to talk to someone, and the moment he did he would never talk about himself. It was strange. He needed to talk about him, but when the opportunity came he wouldn't dare. As if he was scared of something but couldn't quite work out what. "It doesn't matter. You know, I broke her arm a few weeks ago," he mused, more quieter than before.

Jack stiffened at Alex's comment about Melody's arm, but then realized that he was being stupid- she had told him countless times that she could handle herself, it wasn't his job to be protecting her all the time... "She's a big girl," he said, "she can handle herself." He shook his head. "But what's the world done to you, to make you so miserable?"

"She's not that big if she was reduced to tears and on her knees begging me to stop taunting her. You'd be better off with someone who can look after themselves. Not just someone who says they can." Alex bit his lip and pulled out a bar of chocolate from his bag to calm himself down. "I think the easier question would be, What hasn't the word done to make me miserable, because no doubt that list will come true in the not so distant future," Alex paused and looked up at the man, "You know about vampires, right?"

"Yes, I'm familiar with vampires," Jack said. He'd had some... not very positive experiences with them, but knew that they weren't all 'bad'. In fact, some of the vampires he knew he quite liked. "What happened?"

"Nothing...yet. I-I'm getting married to one. But I don't know if it's really such a good idea. I mean. I love him to pieces, but we mate for life. They don't. He's not going to want me when I'm old. When I can't take care of myself. No one's going to want me then. So it might just be easier if we don't...and then he doesn't have to be tied down to me. I can't help but feel his life would be so much easier without me around," Alex said quietly as he continued to pick at his uniform, "I just...want him to be happy."

Jack nodded as Alex spoke, knowing the feeling. "It's almost," he said, "like it would be easier just not to care... and it's as if life would improve for everybody else around you if you just disappeared." He sighed, that feeling sucked. "But if he loves you and you love him, isn't that enough for now?" He asked. "At some point, yes, you may have to make some big decisions, but maybe... maybe just sitting back and letting go would work..." he trailed off. "Sorry, I'm trying to give you advice," he said. "But if it's any consolation, that feeling sucks, and I'm sorry that you're dealing with it."

Aj walked into the library, her wand lit as she headed for the restricted section. She had to find a certain book, and the only copy in England was at Hogwarts. great. She heard two people chatting it up under a light, all about their pathetic problems. Aj smiled to herself- this was going to be loads of fun. She stood up form her crouch and walked over next t the pity party. "Well, if we don't have two little dogs curled up on the ground." She spat on the floor. "Who started the pity party?" She asked. "Make-out-man or the vampire lover?"

"What the hell do you want?" Jack said, his temper flaring immediately. He knew of this girl, and he disliked her intensely. "You're not welcome here." He remembered how she had made Melody so anxious and continued to glare at her.

"Hey Hey, let's not get hostile beastie boy." Aj grinned, giving him a little kick with her foot, as he was right next to her on the ground. "I just asked an innocent question." Aj looked down at him. "The least you can do is answer me."

Jack glared at her. "Why would I answer you?" He snarled at her. "It doesn't matter to you." He couldn't believe that she would treat him like that- wait, no, he could. "Leave," he said. "Like I said to you before, you are not welcome."

"Please. Maybe I want to be here." Aj leered at Jack. "Way to get hostile over the qu-" Aj stopped herself, pretending to just understand. "Oh, the puppy's upset because I was talking about his little girlfriend." Aj smiled. "Someone's a little touchy about his little one night stand."

Jack was astounded at this new observation. So astounded, in fact, that he burst out laughing. "No," he said, "I just know riffraff when I see it." He was still grinning, concealing the bubbling loathing that he had for this girl very well. "At least I can get a 'one-night-stand' if I chose to." He commented, smirking at AJ.

(btw, kudos for 'make-out-man', that almost made me fall out of my chair from laughing!)

(I knew you'd find it funny. lol- I know you...)

Aj rolled her eyes. "Believe me, I'm no stranger to that world." Aj had to give it to him, he could shrug it off pretty well. But she could see it on hie face, he hated her. Good. Hate was better, more natural, than anything else. Even for a dog.

Shaking his head and shrugging, Jack replied, "Whatever, this whole conversation is pointless." He stood up and faced AJ. "Why are you here, anyway?" He frowned, he didn't trust her. Not one little bit.

"Ahh- I have a book to get for the Dark Lord. The only copy is at this godforsaken school. I would never have gone here- filthy England." Aj spat on the floor again. "I don't understand why it's still standing." Aj looked from Alex to Jack, then back to Alex. "Well nevermind the cranky little bitch down there- what's your problem?"

"No problem here," Jack said, a grin playing at the corners of his mouth. "If you hate it here, then you're welcome to leave." He said, mocking politeness. "I'm sure we all would be happy to see you go." He made no mention of the book that she said she was getting or the Dark Lord- that's not what he cared about at the moment. "In fact, we'll probably help you pack and get the hell out." He added cheerfully.