Suze had been insisting she invited Fez to hang out at home, she had refused at first, but Rue had asked for help with homework (they hoped that if she delivered all her past due homework, she might not lose the school year) and so Lexi would be helping her, so why not invite Fez along so they could talk and reunite, he had accepted gladly.
As they sat on the dining room, Lexi could tell Rue was actually trying to catch up, perhaps it was the first time she seemed to try to focus while being tutored. They had made some progress when Fez finally knocked on her door.
"BREAK TIME" Rue announced exhausted.
Lexi chuckled and went to open the door while Rue stayed put. It was quite the surprise to see Fez standing in the porch light holding out a rose to her.
She wasn't sure which was more beautiful, the gesture or the way his eyes and smile shined just for her, the latter, definitely the latter.
Lexi took the rose and his hand, she pulled him inside. He looked around to verify her mom wasn't around and kissed her on the lips. God, she could just die in peace now. Okay not really because she still had the play, responsibilities, and plans, but aside from that, she could die in peace.
"Oh shit, it is true" Rue's voice called from behind them, she laughed nervously when making eye contact with Fez "Lexi told me everything, I'm really happy for you two. I just... I'm sorry about everything Fez- I"
He pulled her up into a big hug. "You scared the shit outta me, bro. Don't ever do that shit again"
"I'll try" she laughed and patted his back.
Fez insisted they kept on doing homework, he sat with them and paid attention to Lexi's tutoring, he even repeated some instructions to Rue when she got stuck.
After a while her mother offered them some snacks and announced she would go and watch a movie, she invited Fez to join her seeing him getting pretty bored despite trying to pay full attention, Lexi gave him a reassuring smile. The thought of mom and Fez hanging out was so fucking weird, but it was kind of cute too.
After a few more math problems Rue finally gave up and begged for them to join her mother and Fez. Lexi would have probably forced her to continue, but Rue had actually made progress, so they joined Suze in the living room, quite a group they were.
They watched Seven, her mom kept on making inappropriate comments about Brad Pitt's "raw and pure attractiveness, a natural sensuality"
"Mom there's people getting murdered" she tried stopping her every time, but eventually joined the laughter coming from Rue and Fez.
"I get it" Rue agreed with Suze after a while.
"Shit, even I get it" Fez added.
"Can't believe you're turning a crime movie into a thirst trap" Lexi laughed.
"They knew what they were doing by casting your dad, yes, Brad Pitt is your real actual dad" Suze continued joking.
Lexi had always considered herself to have a good ear, however she had not heard the door open or footsteps coming their way.
"What is this?" Cassie exclaimed as she walked into the living room.
"We're watching Seven" Fez explained calmly.
Cassie stared back in confusion and... outrage? That bitch and her audacity of coming back just to yell at them.
"Cass" Rue began "listen I'm really sorry-"
"You fucking ruined my life Rue" she stopped her "I don't ever want to see or talk to your fucking face again"
"Hey!" Suze stopped her and went to calm her down "let's just sit down and talk"
"No!" Cassie continued "and why…why the fuck is Fezco here?"
"Imma head out" He announced and pulled Rue up as well "let's get you home, Rue. Nice seeing you Mrs. Howard, Lexi Howard…Lexi Howard's sister"
Lexi waited until they were gone, she didn't want them to see the murder of her sister.
"Why are you such a fucking bitch?" She yelled at Cassie
"Lexi, enough!" Her mother stopped her "I'll have a word with her, go upstairs"
"I'm a bitch?!" Cassie grabbed her on the way up "Why have you been so insisting on me coming back when you're still friends with Kat and Maddy? Why the fuck are you hanging out with Rue and… wait is, is Fezco your mystery guy?"
"Don't fucking touch me" she pulled away "You can't just leave the house, ruin your friendships for fucking Nate? And expect me to be crying around? You haven't even talked to me in days, Cassie!"
"I just need time on my own to think!"
"THINK ABOUT WHAT?! Other ways to ruin your life?!"
"GIRLS" her mother tried again.
"My life? Says the one who's seeing Fezco"
"You don't know shit about him!" Lexi yelled back, her blood boiling and her sister's hair just inches away from her grasp…she was literally fighting back the urge to drag her down.
"He almost killed Nate!"
"And I thanked him" Suze jumped in "I can't believe you're letting that boy mess up your life, Cassie"
Cassie turned to her mother "I leave, and you replace me with Lexi's boyfriend? You didn't even talk to McKay for more than 5 minutes, but are best friends with Fezco?"
"All the people that you've dated are fucking toxic" Suze refuted.
Lexi could tell the next words coming out of her sister's mouth.
"Lexi, I have a question, have you told our mother that he's a fucking drug dealer?"
"Shut the fuck up!"
"Lexi" Suze tried again "go upstairs!"
Cassie's stupid fucking smug added "You're so desperate for affection that you literally hanged onto someone who's responsible for selling shit to people, have you forgotten our father Lexi?! HIS BLOOD COULD BE IN FEZCO'S HANDS FOR ALL WE KNOW"
That's it.
She pulled Cassie's beautiful golden hair, suddenly she was 8 years old again "WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO RUIN FUCKING EVERYTHING"
"BITCH" Cassie began pulling hers.
Lexi was one of those people that took a while to get angry, so when she did, she was overwhelmed by it. Her vision blurred and she could feel hot angry tears falling down her cheeks, they were kicking and screaming like a fucking shit show.
Her mother had to physically get between them to separate them, Lexi didn't know how or when, but she was suddenly pushed on the ground away from Cassie.
Her sister sobbed uncontrollably while their mother tried to calm her down "I WAS GOING TO COME BACK"
Lexi wiped away her tears and ran upstairs to her bedroom, she threw herself onto the bed and noticed Cassie's nails had ruined Fez's sweater, as if she needed another reason to hate her more. She was fucking furious with Cassie for bringing this side of her, what she had said, what she had implied… Fez wasn't like that.
But he does sell that shit.
She knew he wasn't just dealing lowkey drugs, he had kept that side of him away from her…that didn't it stop it from being real. Lexi had been so focused on the present that didn't see coming the huge wave of the uncertain future suddenly crashing against her, she couldn't breathe, she was drowning.
What if Fezco got arrested? What if he got killed? What if he got hurt? What if she was in danger for being with him? What if someone tracked and used her family to get to him?
But what if Fez quits?
She fought away the savoir complex, no, she could not depend on him wanting to be saved by her, she couldn't even save herself. Why would he change his lifestyle? It's all he knew, she accepted him that way, and they could work…but for how long?
Suze joined her after what felt like hours of staring at the ceiling and silent weeping. Her mother didn't say anything and instead joined her in bed and held her.
"She's gone?" Lexi whispered.
"She'll come around" her mother hoped "I hope she does"
"Fez isn't a bad person" Lexi spoke after a while
"I know" her mother patted her head.
"I think I love him" she confessed.
"I know"
Tears kept coming even when she felt there could be no more "It's not going to work, is it?"
Her mother didn't answer, but she already knew.
