It's not like Lexi enjoyed seeing her sister go through so many and sudden emotional breakdowns, but she'd be a hypocrite if she denied being blessed with content for her play, did that make her a terrible person? She liked to think she wasn't, in the end her sister's behavior was part of her life as well, it's like when Cassie and her friends talked about Lexi like she wasn't in the room, she wouldn't call them terrible people they just couldn't help being judgy...so she wouldn't either.
She was used to hearing Cassie tell her to stay out of her life and problems, but her sister genuinely was so off that Lexi couldn't ignore it anymore.
"You know you can talk to me, right?" Lexi called out one night...or morning? As her older sister made her way to the bathroom to start her ridiculous morning routine.
Cassie stopped by the door "If this is about Maddy's birthday... I'm okay, just had too much to drink, shit happens, but you wouldn't know"
"Being a bitch won't stop me from being worried" Lexi shot back.
Cassie sighed, the room was in complete darkness aside from Lexi's computer, she had to guess Cassie's expression.
"I'm fine Lex" she let out softly, just like she used to speak to her.
The door closed and she was alone again. Lexi put away her computer and decided to get some sleep, she turned to her right side and snuggled her pillow.
"Good night, Lexi Howard" a familiar voice whispered.
She immediately bolted up, how dare her imagination cast Fez as her faceless love interest she'd fall asleep with?
She hadn't seen him in so long, and he had even stopped haunting her thoughts for the last weeks, why show up again out of the blue? And in a character so private...so impossible to cast, perhaps the one who'd never have a face or a name, but the one she hoped to find one day, maybe in college or after she had a stable life with her own apartment and a stable income and job she loved. Not in someone she probably had nothing in common with, a man who's life depended on the thing that destroyed her father's, someone who hadn't called her even after he showed interest.
No, she stood up and gathered her clothes for school, she would have taken a hot shower but of course the bathroom was taken for an indefinite time.
Lexi used her mother's, and less than an hour later was ready for school, like 3 hours before and no sleep.
Taking a nap would not be enough, she took her bike and decided to go for coffee instead of waiting on her couch like an an anxious idiot.
Great, now she waited on a diner's table booth like an anxious idiot, but with coffee.
The place was almost empty except for some older people who looked like they stopped by before going to work. She had chosen the booth by the furthest corner and texted Cassie to let her know she had already left, no response.
She stared at her phone, Rue hadn't answered her text from last week, and the group chat with the girls was abandoned, not like she talked much in there. She wasn't looking for anything in particular, specially not a text from a certain someone.
Lexi found herself blocking her phone's screen and staring into her second coffee cup and bowl of finished oatmeal, a perfect miserable breakfast.
"Lexi?" Fez's voice called her name.
She was going crazy now, definitely, new curfew for writing set at midnight...okay maybe 2 am, but immediately go to bed afterwards.
"Lexi" he called again...that definitely sounded real.
She slowly turned not sure if she'd be more panicked if it was real or part of her imagination.
Real Fezco stood in front of her, he carried a brown bag of food with grease stain.
"Hi" she smiled casually, her tone dragging the "i" way too much, so embarrassing "what are you doing here?"
He lifted the bag a bit "Empty place, and Ash wanted real food or shit like that"
"Cool, umm don't ask for the oatmeal, or at least I hope you didn't" she sort of blurted out, gosh she was really tired.
"Nah, we aren't healthy like that. That bad?" He chuckled
Lexi was surprised he hadn't left and instead stood awkwardly by the table.
"Tasteless. You can sit, if you want to"
He sat across from her, the brown bag of hot food on the table, not seeming to mind it getting cold. He leaned back on the booth and placed his hands on the table making himself comfortable.
"What's up with Lexi?" He asked causally, a small sincere smile on his face.
"Lexi's okay" she answered "tired but thriving"
That was so fucking cringe.
He chuckled "Homework?"
"Not really. I'm actually putting up a play that I've been writing for a while now, it's for my school, so just tweaking some last details and considering the casting, nothing too serious"
How easy it is to talk to someone when they actually are interested in what you have to say.
"You wrote a whole play?" He seemed so blown away "Damn Lexi, that's fucking cool"
She smiled and probably blushed a little "I just... I really worked hard for a long time, and want it to come out good"
"Don't be trying be humble, course it's gonna be good, it's yours" His eyes shined and he cleared his throat "what is it about?"
She blushed "Umm it's about a girl and her sister and life and... Sounds kinda stupid when I explain it, I promise the script is better"
"Can I read it?" He suddenly asked in a softer voice.
"You want to read it?"
"Yeah" he smiled, his hands suddenly fidgeting "if you're cool with it"
"Yeah, I'll send it to you" She promised, and honestly it was probably the lack of sleep the one who added "if you haven't changed your phone number"
"Nah, why?"
"Cause you never texted me" who was she and who gave her the right to speak her mind? She almost wanted to cheer and bury herself.
Fez sat up straight, his hands began fidgeting even more.
"I'm sorry" she quickly apologized "I didn't mean anything by it, I just-"
"Nah it's cool" he stopped her and cleared his throat "Just thought you wouldn't want to keep on talking after what happened at the party"
"Nate" Lexi nodded "I mean it was unexpected and violent, but I don't doubt there was more to the story"
"His dad too" he added looking down "the shit at the store you had to see"
"His family is fucking mental"
Fez smiled and looked back up at her "Thought you'd be best away from all that drama"
"You should see my mother and sister, I live with drama" Not the same drama, but she didn't want him to feel like some sort of monster or public enemy.
"Send me the play" he smiled despite a dark shadow trying to take over the glint in his eyes "I'd really like to read it"
She got her phone out and immediately did "Umm I should be going to school now, it's kinda far"
Just as she was sliding out of the booth he did too.
"I can give you a ride" he offered
"Oh, don't worry. I have my bike"
"Can't take the chance of you being late, your record needs to be clean" he joked and added "let me make it up for not texting you"
"It's fine" She was now embarrassed for making him feel responsible for it.
"Please, Lexi Howard"
It was strange to have her mind go crazy over the thought of him, but now be completely fine with her riding in his car, if she was being honest her mind hadn't been so quiet in so long. Rue, Cassie, her mom, the play, all so small and distant from her, Fez so close.
He stopped a block before and helped her get her bike from the trunk.
"Well then, thanks" She smiled shyly.
"You have a good day Lexi" He smiled sweetly "I'll be reading your play, and texting you"
She chuckled a bit embarrassed, and a bit relieved."Have a nice breakfast" she added.
He looked confused at first, but suddenly remembered the greasy cold bag "Ah yeah"
She got on her bike and smiled back one more time. The smile wouldn't come off, she probably looked so ridiculous, but it was okay, she was so happy.
Lexi noticed his car sided next to her and matched her speed.
"What are you doing?" She called laughing.
"Just wanna make sure you arrive on time, the record Howard, gotta keep it clean" he shouted.
Lexi laughed and pedaled the rest of the way with Fez by her side making remarks on her punctuality record, which by the way she was totally obsessed with, but wouldn't admit it.
As she reached the school she turned to Fez and shouted a playful "Text me this time"
He laughed and waved at her one last time. "I swear, Lexi Howard"
Okay maybe it wasn't so bad to think about him from time to time, or that her imagination had made sure to not leave him out, and maybe she had also Cassie to thank.
