January. Lex thinks it's one of the most beautiful months of the year: thirty-one blissful crisp mornings where frost covers every surface and rain descends on the town in thick sheets. There's nothing more gorgeous, she thinks, than watching the clouds roll in over the miles of forest surrounding Forks, making her feel as if she's in some kind of American Wuthering Heights. Lex can almost see it: her, traversing the rugged terrain out near Mount Rainer, wailing for her lost love, gazing thoughtfully across the frenzied ocean upon the cliffs at La Push, exploring the dense thickets near her house as the frost rolls in. Okay, she'd admit to being a bit of a closet romantic, but only when it came to nature. There was something so wonderful, so captivating, about the vast expanses of forest that surrounded her, full of a different kind of magic than the logging plantations she was raised on.
January, despite its bleakness, is a lovely month for nature. She could stare out the window of the campus bus for hours without a care, enjoying the long trundling journey that somehow made the small town feel so much larger. She'd grown used to travelling to and from Port Angeles in the previous quarter, and even though she was grateful she didn't need to go so far anymore - how could she turn down the shorter commute? - she did feel a slight trepidation at adjusting to the new campus - new people, new buildings, new ways to get lost and confused and disjointed. Lex had a way of doing that - overthinking to the point of worry, when really there was nothing too significant to fret over. She guessed it was a hangover from her previous life, where nothing and nobody changed in the eighteen years she had lived there. Her nineteenth year was one of tremendous change, and Lex still found herself getting hung up on the tiniest of things that really, truly, should not have been stressful.
Lex sighs as she glances out the rain-streaked window, noticing the campus coming into view. Peninsula College, despite its glowing online endorsements, amounted to little more than a small smattering of white panelled buildings that vaguely resembled an old shopping mall. Still, it had its perks: Lex has virtually no way of getting lost on campus, and there couldn't be too many new names to remember. The bus pulling in close to the office gives her a good opportunity to take stock of the small clusters of students huddled by cars or under the main building's awning. One group stands out to her in particular; a group of men, easily approaching seven feet tall, and one petite woman were grouped by an old Volkswagen. The height difference between the woman and the behemoth of a man hugging her is near comical, and as the man bends down to whisper in the woman's ear she can't help but watch. They seem to radiate pure intensity, a kind of loving energy she'd never seen before, and even though it feels as if she's intruding on something private, she still can't drag her eyes away.
It's only when one of the other men looks in her direction that she turns her head, mortified by her obvious voyeurism. There was something so enthralling about the couple's connection that drew her in like a moth to a flame. Perhaps it was her sad little romantic heart, drawn to any sign of youthful love. Romance in Beaver was strictly limited to loggers: older, off-limits and highly reminiscent of her father. Sure, she carried herself through school with a small handful of kids her age, but none of them really posed any real interest to Lex. Her first quarter at college was overwhelming in a way, with so many new people to meet, to talk to, to learn more about. She wasn't at college to date, that was for sure, but she wasn't entirely opposed to it. Nervous, though? That was a given.
Her schedule was straightforward enough - a simple grid of classes, almost all conducted in the same room. As she headed to her first class, she began to notice a steady trickle of students entering the building. The corridors began to hum with the din of chatter and laughter, a definite improvement from the eerie silence of the morning. She found her class with plenty of time to spare, sliding into an empty seat that was perfectly in the middle of the room. Lex liked to learn, to think, but she hated to be noticed or called on, and so the centre suited her just fine - it was a great place to blend in. Students entered the class in short bursts, the seats quickly filling with little fanfare. It was a good opportunity for people watching - a hobby best-suited to the shy, she thinks, allowing her eyes to skim over the range of people surrounding her. She scrutinises the lanky, red-headed man, loudly guffawing at his desk-mate; the blonde woman with ridiculously long hair, weaving it into a neat braid; the two Native American women at the class' doorway, whispering to each other. People watching was comforting, in a way. Speculating on the lives of others was far easier than actually learning the truth, especially when the truth came with complications -
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"
Embarrassed, Lex tears her eyes away from the couple she had been watching - God, I need to get a grip - lifting her gaze to assess the newcomer. The voice had come from a tiny woman, her arms laden with a comically sizeable stack of books for a 9 AM class. She looks familiar, somehow, and after a moment, Lex realises it's the petite woman from the parking lot.
"Uh...can I sit here?" she asks quietly, her mouth twitching into the ghost of a smile.
Lex nods, realising a moment too late she'd been silently staring like a freak. Regardless, the woman offers her a bright smile that somehow sets her at ease, as if they've been friends for a million years. The stranger dumps her belongings on the desk with a huff, collapsing into the seat like she's just run a mile.
"God, I think I'm already behind," Lex groans, eyeing off the large pile of books.
The woman shakes her head, instantly dismissive. "Ugh, don't even worry - these are all my returns I finally found from last quarter. I'm Kim. It's nice to meet you! I don't think I've seen you around before…" Kim trails off, seemingly lost in thought.
"Oh! Yeah, I was in Port Angeles last quarter. I'm Lex. You're actually the first person I've met here," she confesses, a little embarrassed at her social ineptitude.
Still, Kim seems friendly enough, and she's mentally willing her to continue chatting; in all honesty, Lex is in dire need of friends. She has her housemates, but they're friendly out of necessity, and not out of free will. Thankfully, Kim's clearly up to the socialising task, quickly launching into a run-down of the campus and its students. She can't help but raise an eyebrow a little, almost involuntarily, momentarily taken aback by Kim's enthusiasm. She spoke as if every detail, every question, was of utmost importance, and she was endlessly keen to share what she knew. Lex shakes her head slightly, trying to focus on what Kim is saying.
"...they're a little stand-offish to new people, so maybe just take it easy for a little while. Oh, and then there's me and my friends, we're from the Rez," Kim says, pausing to note Lex's confusion. "The Reservation. It's off in La Push, like twenty minutes from here. We all grew up together, so we're super close, but you're totally welcome to hang out with us. I'm pretty much always with Jared when I'm here - that's my boyfriend, he's getting a certificate to be a mechanic. A few of his friends are studying that as well so they can start a workshop on the Rez."
Lex nods, taking in the information. "That's pretty cool. What are you working on?"
"I'm thinking elementary teaching, maybe older kids? I'd love to teach at the Rez school one day. My mom teaches as well, so growing up that was always what I thought I'd do. Didn't really stop to think otherwise," Kim shrugs, looking pretty blasé about the whole thing.
Lex doesn't think she could put so little consideration into something so major, but it's pointless to judge – it's not one of her countless worries she needs to focus on. Instead, she smiles, trying to find something to say. "I was thinking Kindergarten – little kids are the cutest! I always wish I had siblings."
Kim nods enthusiastically. "I have a little brother - he's not so little now, I guess, but I totally get what you mean. My friend's cousin is the absolute cutest – she's seven this year, and my god can she talk."
"What, more than you?" Lex teases, and the two devolve into giggles.
Just as their laughter dies down, their professor enters the room, a tall spindly man whose glasses seem to swallow his entire face. He launches into a lengthy lecture almost instantly, the kind that ties Lex's brain in knots and leaves Kim scrambling to note down everything vital (essentially, the entire lecture). By the end of their class, they're both bewildered by the mountain of work ahead of them, the assignments stretching ahead into the coming months like a promise of future stress. Still, Lex is grateful she's found someone to share her woes with; last quarter was lonely, almost an experiment in solitude, and she'd expected this year to be much of the same. And yet, Kim's already grabbing Lex's hand and tugging her towards the exit, saying something about delicious coffee and taking breaks and it's abundantly clear that this year is going to be very, very different.
The rest of Lex's first week passes by in a hectic blur of classes, readings, and the occasional late-night shift at the derelict gas station across town. In a way, taking a job there was almost like a weird rebellion against the expectations she felt her father had for her, expectations to take on a real, working-class job with order and regulations. Instead, Lex had seen the faded "help wanted" sign propped against the grimy window on one of her first jaunts around town, and had impulsively dropped in her resume. She could probably list all of her working experience on the back of a postage stamp, but the owner couldn't seem to care less - one glance at the store made it clear that the job was less than appealing, and so anything with a pulse would do. The place was seedy at best, and mildly frightening at worst (especially during the night shifts), and so she could easily spend long stretches of time alone in the small store. The customers were infrequent and her coworkers virtually nonexistent, and so downtime was an inevitability. Between working late and heading to college early, Lex was tired, but the bills were paid and her homework was done. She figured it would be a good exercise in discipline, or maybe a lesson in appreciating the power of energy drinks and coffee. Her father would say it would build character - at least, that's what he'd claim when he'd have her working long hours stacking and unstacking the endless piles of wood, working until her hands stung from the bitter cold.
By the time Friday rolls around, Lex is ready to collapse in a heap. Somehow, Kim's bubbly demeanour manages to endure the work week, bringing sheer enthusiasm to every moment of the day as if she could never grow tired. They were presently cooped up in the college's boxy library, organising their notes and readings for the upcoming quarter. After comparing schedules, it was clear that they shared nearly every class, and so studying together was shaping up to be a regular thing. Lex quite liked the company - Kim was incredibly studious, and her company was refreshing. By the end of their study hour, they've worked out a lot of the material, and for the first time in a while, Lex actually feels relaxed. Calmness is almost alarming; after being on edge for so long, any alternative just feels wrong.
Kim's chatter keeps Lex's good mood afloat as they make their way into the parking lot. Kim's all about her weekend plans: making good use of the slightly improved weather forecast to have a cookout at a friend's, and she's more than friendly in inviting Lex to join. Lex, after hesitating for a moment, ends up declining - making one friend was surely sheer luck, and the thought of trying to relate to those huge guys she'd seen in the lot earlier in the week was more than a little intimidating. Those guys were scary in both their size and intensity, and she was honestly surprised that Kim was so fond of them. Kim eventually manages to squeeze this thought out of Lex, instantly breaking into surprised laughter.
"You've got it all wrong! They act all tough and scary, but Jared's a total sweetheart. I swear he's nicer than I am sometimes. Honestly, you have nothing to worry about. Think about it at least. You have my number."
Kim waves goodbye, squeezing her tiny frame into what was quite possibly the most dented car she had ever seen. Apparently it was a hand-me-down learner car, and its history of inexperienced drivers was very obvious. Even so, Kim loved her car, going as far as calling it her baby whenever it was raised in conversation. Lex was a tinge jealous - she'd love a car of her own, especially when it came to her only option: the public bus. Still, transport was transport, and Lex knew better than to turn her nose up at what was on offer. Her father had taught her better. Maybe after a few months at the gas station she'd be able to afford some shitty junker car, or she'd finally acquiesce to riding a motorbike. It was a solid maybe.
Saturday morning passes by in a flash. Lex's usual routine of housework and errands keeps her happily occupied, and she gladly welcomes the fleeting rays of sunshine that the afternoon brings. Her afternoon plans are positively scintillating - getting ahead in the week's work, organising her materials for her upcoming classes, and trying not to think about absolutely everything that could go wrong. Her plans evaporate with a single peek inside her backpack, her heart sinking as she takes stock of the bundle of books all neatly labelled Kim Connweller. She doesn't know a ton about Kim, but what she does know is that she lives far out on the Rez, well beyond her usual bus route and the bounds of her athleticism (or lack thereof). She slowly lowers her head to rest against the table with a solid thunk, cursing her disorganisation in language definitely not fit for a polite person's ears.
"The hell are you doing?" Liz asks, emerging from the kitchen.
Lex raises her head slightly to see her housemate rolling her eyes, looking a touch amused at her stress. Liz was definitely the more animated of the two, taking pleasure in swearing like a sailor and laughing raucously as the mood struck. She was passionate and enthusiastic, the kind of uninhibited that lit a spark of jealousy as she'd witness Liz's late-night antics from her bedroom window. Liz sure knew how to enjoy a weekend bender, managing to pull herself together to go about the rest of her week like the world's most organised person. It was impressive in a hot mess kind of way.
"God, I mixed all of my shit up with someone else in my class, and she lives way too far from here to walk," Lex says, rubbing her forehead tiredly.
"You seriously need to get a car. No freakin' idea how you lived your whole life in a small-ass town without one. But hey, you're in luck. I have to run some errands before work anyway, so you can bum a ride from me," Liz offers, jingling her keys.
Lex brightens at the thought. "Really? She lives on the Rez though. Is that too far?"
"I mean, you're testing my charity, but I'll take you. Good to get your lonely ass out of the house," Liz chortles, leading the way to the pickup parked askew on the front lawn.
Lex hurriedly gathers Kim's books, pausing to shoot her a quick text - Hey, I've got your study stuff from yesterday. What's your address & I'll come by? - before hopping up into the truck. The cab reeks of pot and tobacco, as well as a particular heady scent she'd rather not identify. Between the smell and the smattering of empty beer cans on the passenger side's floor, the car is a real sight for sore eyes. Liz, noticing Lex's gaze, rolls her eyes again.
"Yeah, it's a mess. Maybe I'll clean it later. Or maybe you will, a nice little thank you?" she teases, watching Lex's nose wrinkle in disgust.
"As if!"
The ride to the Rez is pleasant, a journey full of long winding roads framed by thick clusters of trees and shrubbery. It's a continual parade of green, of endless beautiful shades that seem to gleam in the light after the afternoon's brief shower. Lex is used to forests, sure, but Beaver could not hold a candle to the kind of woods La Push had to offer. Thick, full stretches of untamed woods were dotted with homes, businesses, before expanding again to swallow up any empty space.
As they approach the address Kim had texted though, the roads begin to narrow, eventually turning into unpaved stretches marked with the occasional sign. The extreme isolation is pleasant, serene and secluded in a way that reminds Lex of home. The truck rounds the final bend in the track, leading them towards a small homestead-style house. The building's clearly old, but there's something charming about the many renovations and improvements it had undergone over the years, with the extra additions jutting from the main frame like a haphazard creation. Lex takes in the wide front porch, dotted with various home-made wooden seats and plants, feeling a strange sense of longing bloom in her belly. For a stranger's house, it's awfully inviting, cozy in a warm, winter fire kind of way. She hops from the toasty cab as Liz pulls to a stop, immediately feeling the January chill seep through her countless layers. The air in La Push feels crisper, harsher than what she'd grown used to in Forks, making her wish she'd brought an extra parka for the ride. She jogs towards the porch, belatedly noting the loose floorboards in the steps. It would truly be awkward, she thinks, if I accidentally ate shit falling on this stranger's porch. Her train of thought shudders to a stop as the door abruptly jerks open, revealing Kim in all her smiling glory.
"Hey! Knew you'd make it in some way or another. Thanks for bringing my stuff over!" Kim smiles, opening the door wider. "You want to come in for a bit? I'll introduce you to Jared. I'm sure he's bored of hearing about all our classes this week."
Lex hesitates for a moment, looking over her shoulder at Liz, who seems wholly preoccupied with the truck's radio.
"I can give you a lift later if you want to stay. It's no biggie," Kim offers. Looking at Kim's smiling face, feeling the warm air drifting from inside the house, gives Lex pause. Maybe she should try and do things differently this year.
"Okay. Let me just go tell Liz," Lex says, turning to jog back to the truck.
Liz is all too pleased with the change of plans, quickly manoeuvring away from the house without a second glance. Lex, however, is full of second thoughts, her mind whirring with sudden doubts. Was it really a good idea to barge in on a near stranger's entire group of friends? Nevertheless, it's too late to change her mind, and so she hops up onto the porch, doing her best to appear carefree. Kim beckons her inside, greeting her with a tight hug.
"I am so glad you came by. If I have to hear about baseball for another minute I am going to scream," Kim huffs, making Lex giggle.
"Hey! There's nothing wrong with baseball!" a deep voice calls from further inside the house.
The voice is quickly followed by the sound of light footsteps as the man draws closer. Lex recognises him - he's one of the guys from the parking lot earlier in the week, and she's more than a little intimidated by his size up close. Craning her neck to look up at him, she notes that he's more than a foot taller than her - a fact that makes her head spin and her neck ache. Odd height aside, the man is positively gorgeous; he has the same deep russet skin as Kim, a warm complexion that makes his gleaming smile almost beaming in comparison. Lex can't help but wonder what was in the water in La Push, internally marvelling over the fact that all the residents she'd seen so far were gorgeous.
"Hey! I'm Quil. As long as you don't shit on baseball, I'm sure we can be friends," he says, offering his large hand to shake.
Lex laughs, grabbing his calloused palm in greeting. Her fingers tingle from the heat; the man's hot in more ways than one, but Kim appears nonchalant, and so Lex does her best to mirror her relaxed attitude.
"Lex. No real opinion on baseball. I'm sure we can change that," she flirts, surprising herself a little. Then again, his good looks are pretty disarming; he makes it easy to keep a friendly attitude afloat.
Quil laughs a deep throaty chuckle that's almost as welcoming as the home itself. "I like you. I think you can stay."
Kim rolls her eyes at his comment, grabbing Lex's hand to lead her deeper into the home. "You only like her because she hasn't talked shit on you yet. Your time will come," Kim calls, glancing at him over her shoulder.
The banter between the two is so friendly, so natural, that it almost entirely puts her worries to rest. How bad could things be, she thinks, if these two are so happy here? Even though she's starting to think that staying was a good idea after all, the undercurrent of hesitancy is quick to creep up on her again, especially as she feels all eyes in the room turn to her. The room's packed with so many people that look eerily like Quil, almost as if they're all clones, or maybe (more logically) brothers. The only point of difference in a sea of similarities is the short woman leaning over the breakfast bar in the kitchen, stretching to smack one of the men with a rolled-up newspaper - feisty, Lex notes. The woman straightens up, turning to look at her, and Lex feels her breath catch in her throat. She knows staring is rude, but it feels like an impossible task to tear her gaze from the long, thin scars running over the surface of her face, angry and red and confronting. The marks remind her of her father's warnings about camping in bear season, of his lessons in how to use bear mace to avoid attacks. Guess she wasn't so lucky, Lex thinks, fixing her vision squarely on the tops of her sneakers.
Kim clears her throat. "Guys, this is Lex. We have a ton of classes together. Be nice, please," she says, almost sternly. Seriousness isn't generally Kim's style, and it's kind of odd to see her unsmiling.
One of the men closest to the door, a slender man with an angular face, reaches over to stroke Kim's arm. "Don't let these fools give you trouble, Lex. They're all a bunch of jackasses in disguise," he says, grinning as the others begin to argue.
With that, the tension's diffused, and Lex can't help but laugh at the unfolding chaos. Two of the men are wrestling by the couch, playfully throwing jabs and hooks as they spar. The hoots and hollers quickly diminish as the woman in the kitchen calls to them, ordering the boys outside.
"You know the rules, Paul, Collin, no fighting inside," she scolds, raising her voice to be heard over the din of conversation.
Surprisingly, it works, and the boys dutifully scramble outside to continue their shenanigans. Lex glances across at Kim, who shakes her head with an amused expression.
"They're idiots. What can I say?"
With that, Kim proceeds to introduce Lex properly to the crowd, providing a flurry of names that Lex knows she'll struggle to keep straight. Of course, she'll remember Quil - how can she forget that gorgeous face? - and Jared's pretty recognisable by his clear adoration for Kim. His dark eyes rarely leave her, as if he's in a constant process of appreciating and studying her. It's cute, albeit in an unusual way. She meets Emily, the woman with the scars, who somehow manages to rival Kim in friendliness and warmth. Emily has an infectious smile and a laugh that could put even the tensest of people at ease - and thank God for that. Kim introduces her to the other men, too - Seth, Brady, and Paul and Collin; the latter two who had since finished their scrap. The former are quieter, more reserved than the disorderly bunch that seem to dominate the room, and Lex feels more at ease with the younger men.
Lex ends up nestled into the soft cushions of the couch next to Kim and Jared, who are well and truly lost in each other. Despite the blatant PDA, Lex is content - the group is friendly, and she's more than content to sit back and observe. She likes watching Emily in particular, seeing how the men take special care to help her in the kitchen to prepare for the meal. The sporadic showers had prevented a full-blown cookout, but that doesn't stop Emily from coordinating a feast suitable for an army. Lex watches in awe as the men began to cart dishes to the long wooden table in the centre of the room, which is beginning to resemble an extravagant buffet. With a rap of a wooden spoon here and a newspaper there, Emily fights to maintain order, or at least, to prevent snacking, despite Paul's determination.
The men are laying the final dishes on the table when the sound of unfamiliar voices draws closer, the noise complemented by footsteps pattering on the back porch. At once, the screen door flies open, with three more figures filing in. The first, a stoic man with a hulking figure, immediately approaches Emily to sweep her into his arms and kiss all over her face. Emily's squeals and giggles bring a smile to Lex's face, who can't resist watching the adorable display of affection. She glances back towards the doorway, noticing the serious expression on the new woman's face. She's unusually tall - seemingly a standard on the Rez - with the impressive wiry physique of an athlete. The woman is objectively gorgeous - seriously, what's the deal with La Push? - though her scowl certainly detracts from her beauty.
All thoughts of the woman entirely leave her mind as she sets her sights on the third entrant. He's a little shorter than the rest, though still a giant, with the serious muscular build of a man beyond his years. She catches herself staring, ogling even, and feels her cheeks warm with that all-too-familiar heat of embarrassment, and still, she does not turn away. Instead, she directs her gaze further upward, taking in the similar chiselled jaw and high cheekbones that the other men share. His dark eyes find hers, and she drinks in his intensity, his serious stare. He offers only an unreadable expression, his mouth set in a firm line that betrays no feelings. She finds herself skimming over his features as if committing the details to memory in some gross, blatant display of lust. Lex probably could have continued her study all day, if it was not for the scowling woman clearing her throat.
"Seriously? Pathetic," she says, shaking her head. With that, she steps around the man standing in her way - Brady, maybe? - and makes a beeline for the table to fix herself a plate. Her comment's enough to break Lex's spell, and she quickly looks down at her lap. What the fuck was that? Jesus.
The room's quiet, too quiet, and it does little to help to drown out her swirling thoughts. She mechanically follows Kim and Jared to the table, sitting down with the others, making herself a plate. Every action feels robotic: realising the man's missing, cursing herself for noticing. Trying to act normal. Failing.
Kim tries to make conversation, though Lex can't help but feel like things are different. In that fleeting, delicious moment, it felt like there was more going on than Lex's unchecked lust, but it's clear that nobody at the table is willing to raise the topic. Lunch proceeds with no further fanfare, and though conversation resumes between the men, it's stilted and a little odd. Lex's mind drifts, checking out of the present conversation. She keeps replaying the moment again and again, rewinding her memories to analyse that intense stare. Has she met him before? Was that it? No, surely she would remember him, she couldn't imagine forgetting someone who had so quickly caught her attention. And that's the strange thing - she isn't typically bothered with men, with dating. It isn't that she's asexual - her desires work just fine, thank you very much; she just doesn't care too much to pursue anything. And why should she? Being in Forks, being away from Beaver, is about focus, about working hard. Forks is just a stepping stone. Settling down in a small town like her mother isn't part of the plan.
Kim elbows her. "You good? Swear I've said the same thing three times."
"Sorry. I was thinking. For once," Lex says, trying to joke, though it definitely comes out weaker than intended.
Kim snorts. "For once? I swear you never stop. You're the perfect case study in overthinking."
That actually earns a real laugh from Lex, and it's a good segway into conversation, a welcome distraction from her ruminations. Kim's right: she's a chronic overthinker, a fact that frequently drove her father crazy. With few people to talk to, especially at home, Lex had ended up entertaining herself as a child with long, sprawling daydreams that distracted herself from the world around her. Impractical, sure, but entertaining nonetheless.
The rest of the afternoon passes by at a snail's pace, with the small seed of discomfort continuing to grow within Lex's stomach. It feels like an ache gnawing away at her, both causing and feeding her anxiety. She's used to being on edge, but this kind of restlessness is new to her. She throws herself into conversation with Kim and Emily, feeling extraordinarily thankful for Emily's enthusiasm in detailing her upcoming wedding in excruciating depth. After a long while, Kim finally acquiesces, offering Lex a lift home. The introvert in her had wanted to flee right after her embarrassing interaction earlier, but she didn't want to seem like the pathetic type by immediately requesting a lift. God, add embarrassing moments to my ever-growing list of reasons to get a car, she thinks, mentally calculating how much of her time she'll need to sacrifice to afford some wheels. Hell, even rollerskates would do. Bidding everyone goodbye, Lex leads the way to the yard, her reluctance to hide her eagerness diminishing with each step.
Lex's hand closes on the cool metal of the door handle, intending to swing it open and hop down the porch steps. What she didn't anticipate, though, was the strange man from earlier sitting on the porch steps, his head in hands. He straightens up in an instant, turning to face her, the transition so quick that Lex starts to wonder if his previous posture was entirely a figment of her imagination. She notices the furrow in his brow, the tense expression, as if he's conflicted about something. This would normally be the point where Lex would flee, detesting any kind of confrontation with every shred of her being. Generally, fleeing was a good plan, and may have just worked here, too, if he was not in her direct path.
He stands suddenly, towering over her despite her higher ground on the porch. "You're leaving already," he says, his voice a delicious low tone that makes her feel a little weak.
She can't tell if it's a statement or a question, but she nods nonetheless, not trusting herself to speak. He raises one hand to rub the back of his neck, and she curses herself for paying such close attention to him, for allowing her eyes to follow his every moment.
"I'm Embry. I had to...take care of some things before. Hope I'll see you around again," he intones, fixing her with that same intense gaze that makes her feel a little lightheaded.
She nods again, watching as he steps aside to allow her through. Moving is the last thing on her mind right now, but she's acutely aware of Kim's eyes burning holes into her back. The rest of the house is probably staring, too, if this is truly as weird as it feels. She wordlessly descends the porch steps, pacing towards Kim's car without another glance at the man. She can't– not without making an even bigger fool out of herself.
She allows herself one final look at him as Kim turns towards the road. His dark eyes bore into hers, burning with an intensity that sends her gut into a flip-flopping mess. Lex turns to Kim, bewildered.
"What the fuck was that about?"
A/N: 30/9/2020: Edited for quality & consistency.