Lexi
September 30th, 2016 | 4:00 pm
After school, Lexi started at her new job. Lexi thought everyone ignoring her at school was bad, but her new job was even worse. Lexi had to work three days a week at the rec center. Apparently getting a job was harder than she thought, especially with her stint in rehab and a not-so-glowing recommendation from her last boss. Macy managed to get her a job at the rec center but it was working as a dishwasher in the kitchen. The only highlight was the free meal, the rest of Lexi's shift consisted of washing leftovers off of plates and loading a dishwasher.
She wondered if this was her punishment, she had gotten off easy with rehab, maybe this was the universe trying to make her actually pay. Her home life was hell, her job was hell, her ex-boyfriend was giving her hell, her school life was hell. Actually, one person had been kind to her today: Liam.
She still wasn't sure why he had been nice to her. Twice he offered to work with her and both times no one forced him to. He had come up to her, Lexi wasn't sure why. She knew he had a girlfriend. Although Liam did say that he just wanted to help her out. Lexi felt bad for questioning his motives, it would have been ten times more embarrassing for the teacher to have to force someone to work with her. Still, life currently sucked for Lexi and nothing seemed to be fixing that.
She had tried to talk to Austin who flat out ignored her. She found him after school and thought that if she tried to talk to him after he was high he would answer her, that hadn't worked out too well.
She had found Austin behind the school smoking pot with Rick and things had gone south rather fast,
"Can I talk to you?" she asked him.
Austin didn't answer her, he just stared at her. Eventually, Rick started laughing.
"You should realize by now he doesn't want to talk to you," Rick said, not even trying to hide his joy at her embarrassment.
Lexi was hurt, did the past year really mean nothing to Austin anymore? She looked at the ground and tried not to let them see the tears that had welled up in her eyes.
"Please," she asked quietly.
"Seriously? Desperate never looked good on you," Rick said mockingly. "Austin moved on, you should too."
Lexi tried to get Austin to look at her but it was almost like he refused to make eye contact. Eventually, Lexi gave up and walked away. The entire time she worked the shift at her job, Lexi couldn't help but feel hopeless. She would just have to do what Rick said and move on, with or without Austin's side of the story.
When work was over, Lexi went home and found her father staring at the broken television that had been smashed all over the floor. Lexi walked over and stood next to him.
"What happened to the television?" she asked very slowly and clearly.
He took a moment to reply. "Moved it."
"Why?" she asked, pressing her luck.
"Pay bills."
Lexi sighed that was probably all she was going to get out of him tonight. It was good to know he had at least tried to take care of himself while she was gone.
She went to her room and did her homework. Before it seemed pointless, she hadn't really excelled at school so why try at all? But now, it seemed like it was all she had now. Her boyfriend was gone, her friends were gone, her father was, well, complicated. All Lexi could do at this point was go to school, then work, and do her homework. It was a good distraction too.
The next day Lexi went to math class and before she sat down, she turned in her math homework on paper.
"How come you don't do the homework on your laptop?" Liam asked her when she sat down next to him. "It's much easier to turn it in online."
Lexi glanced over at Liam and saw that he was genuinely curious, Lexi thought it was obvious but still she responded as politely as she could.
"I can't afford one."
Liam's cheeks flushed red. "Oh sorry," he mumbled.
"It's not your fault."
Liam nodded awkwardly, but Lexi could tell he was still embarrassed. That was just how things were in a town like this. The suburban kids had the big houses and the poor kids had nothing. Lexi wondered what Liam would say if he saw what her home looked like.
"I'm throwing a party tonight if you want to come," he said politely.
Lexi wondered if he felt obligated to invite her. She smiled softly. "Thanks for the invite, but I'm probably the last person that would be welcomed at a party right now."
Liam frowned. "It shouldn't be like this, I mean what did you even do?"
Lexi felt a huge sense of relief that she wasn't the only one thinking that. "I guess I just got dumped by the wrong guy."
"Look, the party is at my house, no one can really say anything to you."
Lexi smiled half-heartedly. "I have work, but maybe I'll come by after."
Just then Rachel came over and tapped Lexi on the shoulder. "Are you guys done with your work?" Rachel asked. "I'd like to plan things for the party tonight."
Lexi was surprised by Rachel's newfound politeness, maybe Lexi really had scared her. Lexi nodded and got up. She switched spots with Rachel and then watched Austin for the rest of the class. He had his arm lazily around some girl and was laughing at something Rick had said. Lexi wondered if he would be at the party tonight. Maybe she should go, it would be good for her to have fun and maybe, just maybe, she could make Austin feel bad for hurting her in the first place.
After a long school day, and a particularly disgusting shift at the rec center, Lexi was back home staring at her reflection in the mirror. She had on a red mini skirt and a black jacket over a white halter top. Her dark brown hair was in soft curls and she had even done her makeup. The entire afternoon Lexi envisioned how tonight would go. She would show up and prove to everyone that Austin dumping her was the best thing that ever happened to her. She would remind everyone that she was still Lexi Cross and nothing was ever going to change that.
She walked out of her bedroom and found her father once again staring at the broken television. This time, he was sitting on the floor picking up some of the pieces that had broken off. She watched as he collected the pieces and then started moving around the broken bits of the television.
"I am going out," Lexi said.
Her father looked up and stared at her for a moment then back at the pieces.
"Broken," he said.
Lexi didn't know what that was supposed to mean.
"Did you hear me?" she asked.
He didn't respond. Eventually, Lexi gave up and just wrote it down for him and then left for the party. She wondered what her father would do with the broken television. She highly doubted it was worth anything anymore. Maybe he was just trying to clean it up, the house had never really been clean, not since her mom had died.
When Lexi got to the party, she put those thoughts aside and braced herself for the staring. People had always stared at Lexi. She didn't mind, she knew that her presence radiated wherever she went. People stared at her clothes, or her shoes, or were in awe of whatever new way she had styled her hair. Lexi knew people would look, but now they were staring at her because she was the talk of the town for another reason. Everyone whispered and gossiped about what had happened between Austin and Lexi and tonight she was going to change that. Not a single person would ever give her those pity stares ever again.
Lexi walked in and all eyes were on her, she smirked to herself as she walked into the kitchen. Part of rehab was staying away from all drugs and alcohol. Lexi wasn't about to get herself sent back to rehab but she knew she had to pour herself something so no one offered her any later. She grabbed the sprite bottle and poured some into a cup. She smiled at a few of the boys watching her.
"Oh Lexi, I am so glad you made it."
Lexi turned around and saw Rachel was standing behind her. Now Lexi was really freaked out by Rachel's behavior. Why was she acting so nice to her?
"I know Liam is worried about you, so it's great to see you out here not worried about what people are thinking."
She had said it so sweetly but it was such a strange thing to say. Lexi wasn't sure how to respond. Thankfully, Rachel saw Liam and left her.
Lexi was happy when she was gone, she looked around for Austin and found him with some of his friends outside. For once, she didn't stare longingly, and instead, she walked back inside. Lexi looked around and looked for people from other schools who wouldn't know the rumors surrounding her. She flirted and laughed with a few guys and danced with some other ones.
When people saw her having fun, even a few a few guys from her school joint her. For the first time in a long time, Lexi felt like her old self again. Everything seemed okay. She felt like she could get her whole life back. That was until the guy she was currently dancing with was punched in the face by none other than Austin himself.
"What the hell?" Lexi asked angrily.
The room got really quiet and it felt like everything around her was a blur. It seemed as if everyone had gone silent to watch the altercation between Austin and Lexi. She could barely think over the loud music but she glared angrily at him. Austin finally looked over at her, but Lexi was furious. First, he ignored her and broke her heart, then he punched the guy she danced with. Lexi had had enough of it.
Lexi ignored everyone's stares including Austin's as she bent down and helped the guy up. He was holding his cheekbone gingerly. Lexi felt bad she didn't even know the poor boy's name, and the lights were too dim to even see if she recognized him.
"Are you okay?" Lexi asked him.
The boy nodded but it was clear he was only nodding because Austin was still standing there glaring at him. Liam suddenly came over and helped the guy as Lexi turned back and faced Austin.
"What is your problem?" she asked angrily with her arms crossed.
Austin's eyes were drilling into her. He looked so angry and Lexi couldn't understand why. He was the one who left her. He was the one broke up her. Lexi watched as he just turned away from her and started walking away. Lexi quickly followed him outside and angrily grabbed his arm. Austin turned around and pulled his arm back.
"What's your problem?" he asked angrily.
"What's my problem?" Lexi asked equally as angry. "You're the one who ignored me for a whole summer and then punched the guy I was dancing with!"
Austin sighed. "Forget it, Lexi."
"I can't just forget it," Lexi said painfully. "You broke up with me, Austin. I have no clue why and you refuse to talk to me. How am I supposed to just forget that?"
"Lex," Austin said, clenching his jaw.
"What did I do?" Lexi asked, trying to hold back her tears.
Austin looked pained.
Lexi looked away. "Screw you, Austin." She left him standing there and walked back into the party. Things had gone back to normal more or less but Lexi was over it all. She just wanted to go home.
"Hey, are you good?" Liam asked her.
Lexi looked up at him and sighed. "Would you be okay if your ex-boyfriend punched a random person you were dancing with?"
Liam sighed. "Yeah, I wouldn't be good either."
"Is that guy okay?" Lexi asked half-heartedly.
She didn't even know his name, but she still felt kind of bad for the guy.
"Yeah, probably just a bruise," Liam said.
"I'm going to go home," Leah said sadly.
"It's okay, everyone saw Austin do it, it wasn't your fault or anything," he said, trying to reassure her.
Lexi bit her lip nervously. "Look at the way everyone's staring."
Liam took a look around and seemed to understand, he nodded. "I'm sorry tonight kind of sucked."
"It wasn't your fault," Lexi said softly. "I'll see you on Monday."
Liam nodded. "Goodnight Lexi."