Chapter 6

"Hey, Lex. Are you…okay?" Lex snorted, raising her head from the comfort of her textbook/pillow. She looked next to her sleepily and saw Randy sitting at his desk, a concerned look on his face. That was about the third time she'd fallen asleep that day and either Randy or Howard had woken her up each time.

"Yeah…yeah. I'm fine." Lex yawned, rubbing her eyes.

"You're lucky a teacher didn't catch you sleeping." Howard commented.

"I know."

"Why are you so tired?" Randy questioned.

"No real reason. Just didn't sleep much last night, I guess." Lex stretched a bit as she spoke.

"Must've stayed up late, since you've fallen asleep in each class so far." Howard stated.

"Yeah, probably." Lex yawned again, but attempted to stay awake this time. Randy gave her a questioning look, but didn't say anything.

*Later, with Randy*

"Where is she?" He sat in English, listening to drone on about something.

"Maybe she fell asleep at the water fountain or something." Howard guessed.

"Or maybe someone was stanked and she was attacked!"

"Randy, if someone was stanked, you would know."

"…good point!"

"Maybe she was beat up and is lying unconscious in the hall right now."

"No, I've seen her twist Bash's arm. Not seriously, but still. She would definitely not be lying unconscious in the hall."

"Locker problems?"

"Nope."

"Got lost?"

"She had a map."

"Girl problems?"

"…I hope not."

"If that's it, she's all yours. Maybe she was picked up early?"

"Yeah…no."

"What could it be then, huh?"

"Sorry I'm late ! I got lost again! It's not my day!" Lex stormed in, panting as she handed the teacher a late pass.

"It's fine, just don't let it happen again. Now take your seat." said, pointing to her seat near the back of the class.

"Thanks!" Lex walked over and sat down, her forehead hitting the desk immediately.

"Where were you?" Randy whispered as the teacher continued his lesson. Lex mumbled something into the desk and Randy raised an eyebrow. She sighed as she sat up.

"I got lost again, okay? That's what I told and that's what I'm telling you." Randy said nothing else as class continued. 'But she has a map…' Randy thought. The same thing went on all day. In gym, she was barely moving and even just walking to Spanish seemed tiring for her. Lastly, during poetry, Randy noticed Lex still seeming out of it, but she wrote fast and with purpose once they were given their assignment. Once the bell rang, announcing the end of the day, she nearly ran out of the building.

"You know, from my perspective, she doesn't seem lost nor tired to me." Howard said as he and Randy got their stuff from their lockers.

"No. She doesn't."

"I say you should see what's wrong with her."

"What! Why me?!"

"Cause you can handle her 'fiery persona' and you love her 'beautiful eyes!'"

"…your point?"

"You like her and this is just one way to get closer to her. That, and I'm terrified that it's girl problems."

"Howard!"

"Alright."

The duo walked around the corner to their houses and immediately caught sight of Lex's house.

"Okay, we just walk up and ask to see her. Easy, right?" Randy reviewed.

"We're doomed." Howard muttered as they walked to the house and knocked on the door.

"Hello! Who are you boys?" A tall man with combed brown hair and green eyes answered the door with a smile.

"We're friends of Lex." Randy stated.

"Oh! So you're Lex's new friends?" They nodded.

"Hold on, I'll get her." He walked back inside and they heard him call Lex. Not long after that did Lex herself answer the door.

"Hey guys. What's up?" She asked, leaning on the doorframe. Howard looked at Randy, silently telling him to tell her.

"We…uh…we came to…ask for your help! The math homework seemed difficult and I thought you could help!" Randy blurted out as Howard facepalmed.

"Uh, sure? Come in." Lex stepped aside, letting the two walk in.

"Nice place." Howard commented.

"Thanks. Dad doesn't like the place to look less than amazing." Lex chuckled, walking into the living room and grabbing her backpack.

"Then he does a good job." Randy said with a smile.

"He'd love to hear that." Lex smiled and set her homework on the glass kitchen table.

"Now, we have math to do." They all sat down and did their homework, Howard occasionally giving Randy a look.

"…and then you…are you two listening?" Lex had been in the middle of explaining a particularly difficult problem to them and noticed their attention wasn't toward the explanation.

"What? Oh, yeah!" Randy said nervously.

"Oh gosh! Gotta go Cunningham!" Howard looked at the clock and quickly grabbed his stuff.

"What? Why?"

"Mom expected me home by now to help her with something. See ya Randy! Bye Lex!" He said, running out the door.

"See ya Howard!" Lex waved. "So, looks like it's just you and me, Cunningham." Randy blushed a bit and nodded.

"Yep. Just you and me."

"So, why did you REALLY come here, Cunningham?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you didn't come here for help on mathematics. What did you come here for?" Randy coughed and looked away.

"Well, I wanted to know why you were out of it today. Something clearly happened and I want to know what." Lex seemed genuinely surprised, though she didn't utter a word.

"I…don't know what you mean."

"Yes you do Lex. C'mon. You were walking around like a zombie all day and your eyes were red."

"…I told you. I just didn't get enough sleep last night, that's all."

"I know your lying."

"Leave Cunningham."

"Come on, I want to help you with whatever it—."

"I said leave! I don't want to talk about it!"

"Lex…"

"Enough!" Lex stood up shakily, her hands balled into fists and her hair hiding her eyes.

"That's enough. Please, please leave." Randy looked very concerned, but nonetheless respected her wishes and walked to the door. He turned back to see Lex standing there looking at him with red eyes that tears were brimming in. Without another word, he exited the house, thinking all the while what was wrong.

*back to Lex!*

Lex still stood in her spot in the kitchen, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Why can't he just pretend nothing's wrong? I'm not getting him involved in my petty problems." Lex whispered, wiping her cheeks.

"Dad! I'm gonna be out back!" Lex yelled, her voice nearly cracking.

"Alright sweetie!" Her dad's voice rang from his upstairs study. Lex grabbed her notebook that had been sitting on the table and hurriedly walked outside onto the back porch. It was getting darker outside as Lex sat down, hugging the notebook close to her chest. Opening it, she came across a page with a poem written on it, along with various doodles.

"May as well finish this while I still have my 'inspiration'." Taking out her pen, Lex wrote and wrote and wrote. She let out all of her sad emotion and lonely feeling into her pen and let it come out as a tragically beautiful poem.

"I bet you would've liked it mom. Although, I do know you'd want it to be on the happier side." Lex chuckled sadly, hugging the notebook. She suddenly heard a notice, silent but still noticeable.

"Who's there?" Lex demanded, standing up. 'Do I need to ninja up now? Not exactly in the best mood…' she thought dully. Walking forward a bit, Lex looked around as she tried to late what made the sound.

"Hey." She turned around suddenly, throwing the notebook like a frisbee toward the voice.

"Whoa! Easy now!" Came a chuckled. Lex looked up and gasped at the sight be holding her. It was the Ninja, sitting there with a smile hidden in his eyes.

"Hey there!" He said with a laugh, jumping down and giving Lex an adorably curious look.

"I believe you dropped this." He held up her notebook.

"Threw it, more like." Lex replied, taking the notebook back with a slightly wary look.

"And what do I owe the pleasure of being in the presence of no other than the Ninja himself?" Lex joked.

"Well, I just so happened to notice you not seeming happy or spunky like the day I first saw you, so naturally I was a bit curious."

"Do you notice every girl who's not in a good mood?"

"Not normally, though I can tell its something big for you."

"Is it really that noticeable?" Lex asked, chucking as she took a seat next to the Ninja.

"Well, to me. And I have a friend of a friend who's cousin's sister's aunt's nephew knows this."

"Is that an direct way of saying you know someone I do?"

"…maybe." Lex laughed and the Ninja blushed slightly.

"Then I don't know what to tell you. I didn't tell my friends what's wrong and I'm certainly not going to tell a stranger in a ninja mask."

"The let me make you happy."

"What?" Lex looked at him, confusion swimming in her purple irises.

"If you won't tell me what's wrong, I'll just have to make you fell better about whatever it is."

"Are you serious? You just officially met me. Why does my happiness matter to you?"

"I don't want to see someone like you sad. Now, are you gonna let me help or what?" Lex looked at him and, for the first time that day, gave him a genuine smile.

"Why not."

"Then come on. Let's make you feel better!" The Ninja grabbed Lex's hand and set her on his back (piggyback style) and set off.