Rue seemed off, well...she looked like shit. Lexi let her copy her homework in the bathroom.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to do weed?" She asked her friend "I know you have anxiety, and it helps, but doesn't it trigger something else?"

"Nah, I got it under control. I'm still going to the NA meetings, still have my sponsor, I've got Jules, and there's you" She finished writing and turned to her "I'll ask for help if I feel like I need it"

Lexi didn't fully believe her but smiled, it must be horrible for Rue to not be trusted, so she wasn't going to be the one that expected her friend to fail, she was going to trust her for now.

As she went back to class she was ambushed by an overly excited girl and a tired-looking one, the latter was Bobbi, they'd been in a few classes together but haven't really talked.

"Hi! Want to audition for this year's play?" The excited doe-eyed girl asked.

Lexi's eyes traveled down to the pamphlets she was holding. A dreadful cold-blooded crime, Oklahoma!

"Again?" She couldn't help but complain "Fucking Oklahoma?"

The nice girl shrugged "It's a classic"

"But wouldn't it be nice to do something different for once?" Lexi sighed

"I would kill to see that happen" the tired girl joined the conversation.

"You're in the drama club, can't you do something about it?" Lexi asked her confused

"Oklahoma is a tradition, and it's been approved. We need a miracle to get an alternative" the girl explained "plus there isn't another good option. If we're going to do a boring old play, might as well continue with fucking Oklahoma"

Lexi felt a light bulb lighting up in her mind "Actually, I have been writing a play. It's autobiographical, but not like a boring one. It involves some very known people in high school"

The two girls seemed interested.

The doe-eyed girl smiled "Like a mean girls sort of vibe?"

"Ummm in a way, I guess" she answered.

Bobbi tilted her head to the side "Send me the script, I'll see what I can do"

XXXX

"Yo, fuck Oklahoma" Fez agreed on the phone "I've seen that movie, boring as hell. Bet your play is gonna be the best choice"

Lexi chuckled, she sat on the patio's deck by their unused jacuzzi "Thanks, I don't even know what came over me. I mean, I have been working on that play for a long time, but if I'm being honest, I really didn't think that it would ever see the light of day"

"Why not?"

"I… I just didn't think someone might be interested in it. I still don't, Bobbi hasn't said anything" she explained.

"Don't be saying stuff like that" Fez said softly "I mean I haven't read it, but you're like the smartest girl in this place. I'm sure it's good and you're just being humble. Don't stress, she'll give you a call soon"

Lexi took a deep breath and smiled, his words comforted her uneasy mind "Thanks"

"It's nothing" he assured her, "you said it's about you, right? It's like a one-man, I mean woman, thing?"

"No, it's more like breaking the fourth wall and narrating and acting out my life. I changed all the names, but they're kind of obvious"

"Sounds fucking dope, is Rue in it?"

She scrunched her nose, it was a bit embarrassing admitting it out loud, but she trusted Fez "Yeah, I changed her name to Jade, please don't tell her. I want to do it myself"

"Nah, don't worry, I'm good at keeping secrets" he promised, "why Jade though?"

She laughed "It's a bit silly, I just thought of another precious stone name I could use"

"Precious stone?"

"You know, cause Rue's name is Ruby, so I figured Jade was the next best choice"

"Wait" he interrupted her "Rue's real name is Ruby? Yo, what the fuck?"

"You didn't know?"

"Fuck man, you think you know someone" he was legit confused "Imma call her, and she better do some explaining. Yo Ash! You knew Rue's name is Ruby?"

Ash's response could be heard in the background: I don't give a shit, man!

Lexi's eyes filled with laughter tears "I'm sorry, I just… are you okay?"

Fez finally laughed too "Yeah, fuck, I'll deal with Rue's ass later. What's your fake name in the play?"

"Grace"

"That one's pretty, not as good as Lexi though, but I like it. Why you choose that name?"

"My mom told us what her other options for our names were, Cassie's was Sophia and mine was Grace. When I was younger, I was actually resentful towards my mother for having picked Lexi instead of Grace, it was dumb, but it's fine now. I like to think names have power, and so perhaps I'd be a bit different with another name"

"Yo, that's really interesting, so what makes Grace different from Lexi?"

She smiled "I'm not sure yet, but I like to think she'd be bolder"

"You'd like to be bolder?"

"Sometimes" she confessed "What about you? Would you like to be different in some way or another?"

Fez sighed; he had an answer but stopped himself before sharing it "Can't think of anything right now"

Lexi blushed a bit embarrassed from oversharing "Sorry I asked"

"Nah, I…you've given me something to think about"

She smiled; her phone buzzed, and a new chat notification appeared on the screen.

Bobbi: Lexi, your play is the perfect amount of chaos we need. I have a plan.

"Oh my gosh" she let out "Fez, Bobbi texted!"

"What she say?" he was excited too

Lexi grinned ear to ear "It's happening"

"Course it fucking is!" he exclaimed "Never doubted you, shawty"

It was really comforting and just so…damn precious to be able to share good news about a personal project with someone who actually cared and was excited for her. For once, she didn't feel alone.