Chapter Text
Lexi had never really had any friends.
When she started kindergarten, nervous yet excited to be around kids her own age rather than just her sister, she was ignored by most of the children. They were bullies, as her mom told her. Spoiled, rotten children that needed to get their heads out of their asses.
Five year old Lexi had stifled a giggle at the naughty word.
Distraught and convinced something had to be wrong with her for absolutely no one to like her, she went home and cried into her pillow. Were people always this cruel? The thought stuck around in her head for hours until she heard the sound of tires driving over gravel.
Trying to control her sniffling, Lexi wiped her eyes on the back of her hand and appeared in front of her window. Peering down at the ‘for sale’ sign in the lawn of the house next door, Lexi’s gaze traveled to the car that had just pulled into the driveway.
An older looking woman hopped out first, a scowl plastered across her tired face as she yelled heatedly. The victim of her words was a man who was her age, his hair dark and his eye bags prominent. From the back seat, two younger looking children jumped out. The girl was the spitting image of the two adults and the other - a boy, had light brown hair with copper freckles splattered over the span of his cheeks.
Lexi brightened immediately. Running down the stairs so fast her mother had to yell at her to slow down, she raced out the front door and into the yard next door.
Intimidated by the rhinestones on the girl's eyelids, Lexi shyly introduced herself, politely inviting her over to play with her new tea seat. Maddy - as she said her name was, grinned sweetly and eagerly agreed.
From that day on, the two were inseparable. Maddy enrolled at east highland and stayed put at the house next door, making it easy to see each other whenever they wanted. Even though they were quite different when it came to personality and hobbies, neither of them had ever gotten along with anyone else as well as they did with each other. Lexi read while Maddy filmed makeup tutorials, and entertained her when she ranted about never wanting to get a job. She was there for her when her parents fought and in return, Maddy did the same.
They rarely fought themselves but when they did, it was about silly things like school, shoes, or people. In the end, they always made up.
Maddy and her brother were such opposites, Lexi wasn’t surprised when she found out they weren’t related.
Whispers under their makeshift fort were shared, revealing that the Perez family adopted Fezco when he was eight years old.
When Maddy and Lexi were in their senior year, Fezco had already graduated. His parents pushed and pushed for college, but he wasn’t interested. It seemed he was only content in doing what he did, which really only included weed and skating.
Even though Lexi raved about how boring and incompetent he was, she couldn’t stop how flustered and red she got around him. It was embarrassing when her words stuttered, when she got so tongue tied that she had to excuse herself. Fezco never seemed to notice the odd behavior though. He always seemed so caught up in himself and in his friends to ever truly see her.
She was lucky she was able to control herself around Maddy.
At least, for the most part.
❊❊❊
“I don’t know, he’s just really sweet. Like, he leaves flowers in my locker everyday.” Maddy’s stare was fixated on her nails as she dragged the blue polish over them, her feet kicking slightly behind her in the air.
Lexi peeked up from the corner of her computer, taking a break from the current essay she was working on and scoffed.
Clicking her tongue, Maddy pushed herself up straight on the bed. “Jealous much?” She taunted with a cheeky smile.
“Jealous of Nate Jacobs? I don’t think so,” Biting her tongue to keep from laughing, Lexi twirled herself side to side in Maddy’s hanging chair.
“Lex, he’s seriously sweet.”
Looking up when she heard Maddy’s tone shift, Lexi softened. “I believe you, I’m happy for you, Maddy.” She giggled defensively, smiling at her best friend.
“You better be, bitch.” She punctuated her words by flicking her finger in the air, the blue polish glinting in the soft light.
Lexi often found herself wishing she had Maddy’s confidence. It was something the girl had mastered so perfectly. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and for that, Lexi envied her.
“Gotta pee.” When Maddy hopped up from the bed and sprinted from the room, Lexi went back to typing vigorously. Chewing her bottom lip, she didn’t even realize someone had walked into the room until Fezco was digging through the pillows on the window seat.
Eyebrows wrinkling with confusion, she ogled the way his arm muscles stood out as he lifted the cushion from the seat. “What are you doing?” She forced herself to speak.
“Hiding somethin.” His response was nonchalant and it made her roll her eyes.
When the baggie revealed itself in his hand, a spot of green showing through the plastic, her eyes practically popped out of her skull. “Oh my god, are you hiding weed in here?”
Not responding, he only continued his quest and stuffed the bag between the cushion and the wall.
“You can’t do that…” Her fingers staggered on the keys as she tried to be more forceful with her order. It was no use. Her voice squeaked and she cringed at the way she sounded.
“Oh yeah? You gon’ tell on me, kid?” Fez taunted, finally standing and turning to look at her.
Kid.
Lexi hated that word. It was demeaning to be compared to a child, especially by Fezco.
Hovering over her, his eyes bore into her own as his fingers rested against the material of the chair, right beside her head.
Breath hitching when he stepped closer, she leaned back further, her laptop almost dropping from her hold.
The cocky smirk when he pulled away from her space made her want to punch him. As he was leaving, Maddy returned, shooting him the dirtiest look Lexi had ever seen. “Uh, what are you doing?”
Fez said nothing, only pushed past her and disappeared into the hall.
Maddy turned, confusion written all over her face as she stared at Lexi.
“Why are you looking at me? I’m literally just as confused as you.” Ducking her head to hide the rising blush, she forced herself to put her focus back on her essay.
Maddy only shrugged and landed on the bed with a silent thud, dialing a number on her phone before holding it up to her ear and talking sweetly into it. It was almost nauseating how many times Lexi heard, ’you’re so sweet.’
She was glad she got away with the faint ‘ew’ she muttered under her breath.
❊❊❊
As Lexi stumbled down the dark hall, using her hands on the wall to guide her, she noticed that the door to Fezco’s room was wide open. The glass of water she was planning on getting forgotten, she peered inside, only to be hit by a soft breeze.
Outside his open window, Fezco sat on the ledge of his roof, smoke blowing sideways from his mouth as he stared off into space.
Courage slowly building, Lexi wandered into the surprisingly clean room. Adjusting the hoodie on her shoulders, she climbed through the open window, startling him with her sudden arrival.
“‘Sup kid,” He mumbled, his lips wrapped around the brown tip of his blunt.
“Hi,” Her voice was gruff from sleep and he smirked at the raspy sound. Squirming comfortably in the blanket he’d set out, she held her hand out towards him - a silent request.
Wordlessly, he handed her the blunt and watched with lazy eyes as she inhaled the smoke.
This was a routine that had surprised both of them when it first started. Of course, Maddy had no idea. The night had started much like this one, only she’d asked before she climbed out. He showed her how to smoke for the first time on the roof, denying every claim his friends made when she gossiped about it the next day. He was mad at first that she’d invaded his secret spot but overtime, he learned it was rather nice to have a buddy.
They barely spoke when they sat up here together, mindlessly smoking as she pretended to be someone she wasn’t. She was grateful he let her.
When they were up here, alone, he didn’t tease her, didn’t act like he was too cool to be around her. He acted as though he were her friend.
“You’ve never actually told me why you like to come out here,” Lexi had always been too curious for her own good.
“Didn’t know it was your business.” His fingers brushed hers when he reached for the joint and although it was cliche, Lexi was positive she felt a dull spark.
Smirking, she nudged her shoulder gently with his. “Be nice to me or I’ll push you off.” It was nice to joke with him when no one else was around.
“Never really mean to be mean to you.” Fezco’s words suddenly turned serious, his head falling back to lean against the house.
Inhaling again, Lexi reveled in the burn that centered in her chest, her legs stretching out so her feet dangled over the edge. “I didn’t even notice,” Swallowing nervously from her lie, she fiddled with her friendship bracelet and gazed up at the star that shone the brightest.
“S’nice up here. Plus, moms can’t smell this shit,” he gestured vaguely to the joint and turned to look at her. “Always had this feelin somethin bad was gonna happen.” He shrugged, embarrassed about how he opened up to her. “Sittin out here keeps me chill.”
Instead, her eyes shifted to him, her lips parting at his statement. “Me too,” Lexi whispered, her voice loud amongst the quiet neighborhood. “Thanks for letting me.”
For a moment that seemed to last forever, they leered at each other, lazily blinking the sleep from their tired eyes. “Shit, I really need that water.” Massaging her throat, Lexi sat up on her knees and angled her body so she could slide back through the window.
“Goodnight, Fezco.” She was careful to keep her voice hushed, considerate of the other sleeping participants.
With an awkward nod, he cleared his throat and pulled his knees up so they were just below his chest. “Night, dork.” He mumbled, flicking some ash onto the roof tile. There wasn't a joking tone to his voice but she forced a smile anyway.
Although she was long gone, the faint smell of her shampoo still lingered. Fezco was never aware before of how attracted he could be to a smell. It made him recoil, remembering the voices of his friends echoing in his ear about not being a ‘simp.’
All she was to him was his sister's friend, who somehow became a smoke buddy. It didn’t mean anything when his mind wandered to her in the middle of the night, when she tainted his thoughts with her pretty smile and rosy cheeks.
It didn’t mean anything.
Or at least that’s what he’d have to keep telling himself until he actually believed it.