The party was arranged for three days later, on the Saturday night. During those three days the mallrat's were damn excited, and did a lot of organizing - decorating, sorting out music and such what. Bray did mumble a few times about the mess that would be made but the others ignored him. Once he got stuck into the tidying after the party he'd be happy and occupied.

Alexis would just listen to them talk about the party and get things sorted out, looking uninterested. Ebony kept trying to get her to change her mind and go, saying she'd help her pick an outfit and how fun it would be and to make the most of having the party. "Come on girl it'll be fun and cool!" Ebony told her.

"Don't call me that!" Alexis snapped getting up from the table in the cafeteria, "and stop going on okay, I'm not going and that's it!" she slammed her coffee cup down and stormed out.

"I know Lex doesn't mean that, she's just got to come! She can't miss out on a party, no-one can" Ebony said about to stand up.

"Just leave it Ebony, after three days I think she's made it clear she doesn't want to go" Bray interrupted.

Ebony scowled and stood up, "don't you care that our friend.. My friend, is going to be shut away in their room all moody and stuff for an entire night, missing out on something fun, and live to regret it for the rest of their life huh? HUH?"

"Ebony, there's a thin red line that I think you've crossed, so much that the line is just a pink dot" Salene said and Ebony glared at her.

"Just accept it Ebony, No means no, now focus on more important things" Bray said.

"Yeah like colour co-coordinating the outfit you're going to wear tonight" Trudy suggested and Ebony sighed, leaving the room shaking her head.

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Alexis sat in front of the mirror in her room and stared at her reflection. She frowned at the person staring back and looked down at her hands resting on the desk. She looked at the long nails on long thin fingers and quickly clenched her hands into fists and glanced sadly at the row of stuff of men's deodorants and aftershaves and other stuff that she used to use, when she was well, the proper Lex. She stood up, quickly turning the mirror around so the wooden back was facing her and knocked all the men's stuff she used to use off the desk with a massive sharp sweep of her arm. Quickly she grabbed the trench coat off her bed that she continued to wear and shrugged it on as she left the room, leaving the door open and the pile of male clothing she used to wear that was on the bed started to fall off as she brushed past.

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"Look Pride just talk to Alexis that's all I'm asking!" Ebony whined.

"Ebony" Pride rubbed his eyes with his thumb and fore finger in a tired manner, "We went through this."

"But Alexis will probably listen to you, you know what with male support and backing and stuff" Ebony waved her hands around as she talked.

"Look if I go talk to Lex, will you shut up and leave it, no matter what she says?" Pride sighed glancing up at her.

"Thanks Pride!" Ebony squealed and ran off to her room to start sorting out her hair.

Pride rolled his eyes and got up from his bed, walking out of the room her shared with Salene and walked across the floor to start heading towards Lex's room. He looked around, seeing everyone run around for this party as he approached the door to Lex's room, seeing it was open. Pride chewed his lip and just walked in, to find it empty.

He looked to see Lex's 'old' clothes in a massive messy pile on the floor, scattered about and he stepped around it to see the mirror turned around. He sighed sadly as he noticed the stuff that was on the desk scattered around as if thrown. He just stood there looking around a moment, before moving to walk back out. He felt something under his boot and he stepped back looking down to see a crumpled photo facing the floor. Curious, Pride bent down and picked it up turning it around- to see a picture of Lex sat next to Ryan on a sofa at some place, before the virus he guessed, and he blinked. It was the most genuine moment he'd ever seen Lex happy, what with the old Lex's face there, grin, sparkling eyes, long brown hair, not black which made Pride smirk. he tucked the photo into his pocket and headed out the room.

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"What do you mean she's gone?!" Ebony shrieked.

"Well Lex is gone, as in left" Pride told her.

"But she was here a while ago, she can't be gone, not just like that" Ebony continued.

"You're right Ebony I just walked past an invisible Lex and didn't see her" Pride rolled his eyes.

"Wouldn't put it past Lex, I mean he changed into a she didn't he?" Cloe raised an eyebrow.

"Great, Lex is gone, and its only a few hours until the party!" Ebony whined.

"Yeah well I blame you" Jack spoke up and everyone looked at him.

"What? It's not my fault she took off!" Ebony protested.

"I didn't say it was necessarily your fault, I just said I was blaming you" Jack said and Ebony glared at him.

"Oh that's it, something goes wrong blame it on the one everyone loves to hate" Ebony folded her arms.

"Well if YOU hadn't kept going on, then she wouldn't have run off" Jack said.

"Well.if you. uh." Ebony faltered.

"Look let's not start jumping to conclusions or accusations" Pride spoke reasonably, "look calm down guys, we have a party to attend to soon" he looked around the group, "I'm sure Lex hasn't done anything stupid. yet" he shrugged, "and she can't have gone far. I'll go look for her, talk and bring her back okay, in time for the party"

"So you'll make her go!" Ebony asked hopefully.

"Not if she don't want to. Well I better be off then, see ya soon" Pride adjusted his coat.

"Good luck" Amber said as he turned and walked down the stairs.

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After about half an hour of searching in the city, Pride started to head towards the countryside and finally came across Alexis. She was sat on a wall by a bridge, looking down at the water.

"LEX!" He called out jogging over.

Alexis looked up and blinked when she realized who it was. "Oh hey Pride. what you doing here?"

"Stopping you from doing anything stupid!" Pride quickly said stopping by her side.

"Nothing can help you there" Alexis shrugged and swung her legs lightly.

Pride blinked a few times, "The others are worried because you were missing and weren't at the mall"

Alexis looked a bit confused, "wait does that mean you usually expect me to be lost at the mall?"

Pride rolled his eyes and shook his head. "No. You're room was messed up. more than usual, Ebony was worried she pushed you into leaving or something because she kept going on about the party"

"Oh that" Alexis muttered and looked down at the water again, "Nah it weren't that, I just wanted to be alone and think you know"

"Well yeah." Pride sighed and folded his arms on the wall, looking down at the water too. "Wanna talk about it?"

"You think there's an it to talk about?" Alexis asked back.

"I was just asking because if there is, you can talk to us you know" Pride told her.

"Yeah I know" Lex sighed, "its just weird . well everything is at the moment"

"Yeah" Pride nodded in agreement and glanced up at her, "so. I suppose that's why you don't want to make an appearance at the party huh? It be too weird for you"

"Well yeah but.well maybe.I don't know" Alexis shrugged.

"Look if you're worried about people staring or - well no-one knows anyway apart from us and we won't tell anyone. And hey, since when has the Lex I known cared what people think about Lex, hmm?"

Alexis laughed, "yeah well they're not thinking about Lex, they're thinking about Alexis"

"So? Who cares what people think, just go out there and have fun and stuff. Alexis, Lex- the same person, just look different. So go out there and kickass and cause havok like you usually do. Don't let being a girl stop you"

Alexis smirked and faced Pride, "You're right what was I thinking?" Pride smiled back. "Before when I got in trouble it was like give him a punch and yell. Now I'm a girl I can claim 'woman abuse' and batter my eyelashes and get out of it so easily, what with my natural charm and stuff"

Pride laughed, "you really haven't changed"

"Hmm yeah" Alexis turned and hopped down off the wall onto the path, "thanks for saying that stuff and. stuff" she shrugged and shifted on her feet.

"No problem" Pride laughed, "come on, we got a party to get to"

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"ALEXIS!" Ebony squealed, running over and enveloping the slightly taller and thinner girl in a hug, "I'm soooo glad you're here!"

"What do you want?" Alexis raised an eyebrow as they parted.

"Well, I could do with someone to give me a running commentary as I get ready for the party, so I know if I look bad or decent" Ebony looked hopeful.

"And who better to crush your ickle itty bitty ego then me" Alexis grinned and linked arms with her.

Ebony squealed, "Yey! And will I be able to give commentary on your looks for the party hmm hmm hmm?"

Alexis glanced sideways at her and sighed, rolling her eyes as she smiled. "Go on then"

"YES!" Ebony shouted, "Girl when I'm done making you over, you're going to look so hot!"

"Don't I always anyway?" Alexis said as Ebony dragged her off. Alexis mouthed over her shoulder to the others 'Saaave mee' as Ebony yanked her into her room.

The others turned to face Pride. "What did you say to make her change her mind?" May asked in disbelief.

"Did the same weird forces that changed Lex somehow work their stuff again?" Salene raised an eyebrow.

Pride shrugged, "we walked, we talked" he sat down next to Salene, "and I bribed her"

"Oh?" Bray raised an eyebrow as the others chuckled. Pride just smiled.