LEXA HAD LEFT CLASS QUICKLY, ushering Harper to her car. She'd insisted she'd drop her off instead of catching bus and Harper thanked her for it.

She knew Spider wanted to ask her what happened or what was wrong, but she didn't feel like addressing any of it. He'd tried to flag her down, but Lexa and Harper had turned their backs.

Lexa almost smiled when she thought the footsteps behind her were Spider.

"Lexie, wait up," She nearly cringed at hearing Dusty call her that again, he only ever did it when she was mad at him — it used to make her melt. Lexa spun around to Dusty clutching her backpack, "You're not waiting for Harper?"

"I'll catch you later yeah?" He sent a nod to Harper who nudged Lexa; she headed toward Lexa's passenger seat and shut the door as the girl and her new lover stood ahead of the car.

"What's up with you?" Lexa grinned, "If you're wanting to dedicate another song, wait till there's a crowd."

"Ah," Dusty smiled back, "Still harping on that even after class the other day?"

"Nah, I just thought of the dig after we spoke," She sighed, "Couldn't waste it. Was it good?"

"It landed," He tilted his head side to side, clearing his throat after, "Hey uh, I just... I kinda figured you and Spider are hanging out more-"

"How'd you get to that conclusion?" She said, crossing her arms. Dusty sniffled despite knowing exactly what he was going to say, "You guys just seem closer. Glad uh he's looking after you. Guess I'm just checking who else might be... O-Or is he it?"

"Curling iron accident," Lexa referenced the spot on her neck. She was amused though, amused that Dusty just couldn't fathom it was Spider; or at least, that's what she believed, "How come you haven't marked your territory on Harper yet?"

"I'm not like that," He threw his arms up, Lexa rolling her eyes in face of it, "Please. You love that shit."

"Ah, you know me so well!" Dusty remarked. She blinked her eyes quickly, "Did you have a point to this or just acting weird?"

"You dodged me the other night, just wanted to make sure we're cool," Dusty said, "Didn't think we'd gone 100 to 0, over here."

"Well, when you go 0 to 100 with someone else-"

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you?" He rebutted and Lexa simply sent him a sharp smile, "For cheating or for ditching you for a link the other night?"

Dusty bit the inside of his cheeks, "Glad all of this got you to be a truth teller."

"What's it any of your business whether I tell the truth or not? We broke up."

"Didnt think it'd last this long," Dusty cut it with a laugh, "Or that you'd actually get with Spider again, I mean, Lex, giving him false hope like that is fucked."

"Did he tell you that?"

"Didn't have to," Dusty revelled in her expression confirming it, "I'm not a fuckin' idiot, you've gotta know that somewhere deep down right?"

"Who says it's false hope?" She ignored him, bringing the conversation backwards, "Oh come on, don't tell me you changed your tune so quick. You couldn't stand him."

"We've always been friends."

"And for the longest time, you haven't been able to shutup about how much of an ass he is," Dusty shrugged, "I just don't see how that's past you. I mean, you hooked up with him in secret didn't you?"

"In secret from you, Dusty. From you."

Dusty smirked, "From me. From the rest of the school. False hope is letting him think you're gonna date him."

"Oh shutup," She groaned, "This whole social hierarchy shit is getting on my nerves now. And I don't even care if I'm the queen of it!"

"Fair, fair enough," Dusty let out a breath, "So you don't mind what he's said about you? All the queen bee stuff yeah?"

"I know what you're doing, Dusty."

"I'm not doing anything, I'm just looking out for you," Dusty started to walk, turning back to her, "I'm not the one who said you were a crowd pleaser."

——

the next day...
(1) new text notification!

ca$hy🤑
can u come by

ca$hy🤑
need some help

lexa👑
omfg PLEASE i severely
need a taste test rn

lexa👑
TBIS IS ALWAYS
MY FAV PART

lexa👑
i shouldn't be so eager

lexa👑
i'm just annoyed and
want the goods

ca$hy🤑
nah i mean like i
need my friend rn

lexa👑
say best friend
and im there

lexa👑
im already in the car don't even
punish me with a reply

"WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?" Lexa's eyes widened at the sight of Cash, his eye completely battered and bruised. Her instinct was to cup his face, though the boy shut his eyes and flinched away, "Who did that? Who the hell did that!"

"You gotta give it to Chook, he's got a good right hand," Cash tried to laugh, as he brushed softly over his blackened eye, "Doesn't hurt as much as it looks, honest."

"I don't believe you and your scouts honor," Lexa scrunched her face, "Bathroom. Now. Go shower and I'll find you something less eshay."

"Lex-"

"You're not gonna sit around here in pity and cry to yourself," Lexa insisted, "I'll clean your eye right up and you can still attend the fun night we had planned."

"Who's we?"

"You thought Darren just wanted drugs from you?"

"Nah, nah, I just... I just thought-"

"They want your eshay babies obviously," Lexa hummed, "Now-"

"Great, we can talk about Spider rubbing off on you after then yeah?"

Lexa opened her mouth but the sound of his nan paused her.

"Lexie? Lexa dear is that you?" His dear nan had wandered down the hall, Lexa pushing the boy into his bathroom. She felt his nan wrap her into a tight hug, "I haven't seen you around in a minute! Almost thought we lost you."

"Cash will never be able to get rid of me."

"And he's better for it," She gulped, "Your brother however-"

"Nan, we know how I feel."

"Right," She giggled, "That dirtbag... Shame to see how these kids are going, I tell him everytime Lex, Dougies not going in like his mum."

"He's got a good head on his shoulders, I can promise you that. He knows. Even if it's deep down."

"You're a good friend to him Lexie. I'm a big believer in loyalty," She nodded, "Thank you for being that."

"It's easy when he's been so good to me. Cash is the one good part of that side of my life."

"I'm glad you saw the light, you got those friends. 'Dougie make any other friend 'round Hartley?"

"Not quite, but uh, he's making progress. I can tell you that much."

Lexa and his nan rummaged through Cash's closet for his clothes, she ended up waiting on his bed with her legs kicked up.

He came out of the shower eventually, Lexa moving to the bathroom where she hopped up on the bench. She dried his hair while Cash put some cream over his eye; the sentiment was cute, but they couldn't help but laugh when their hands tangled.

"One day I'll deck school myself, I'll do it... I will," Lexa insisted, running her hands through Cash's hair to make sure it laid flat. He slid on some sunglasses, "Let's not even bother talking about him, yeah?"

(1) new text notification

spider🕸️
u want me to come get u still?

spider🕸️
didn't get to see u after class u ran

spider🕸️
i wanna talk to u about that too

LEXA THOUGHT BACK to Dusty's insult. It did sting. But she kept reminding herself why Dusty'd probably even brought it up. She wasn't so much of an angel either, Lexa knew she'd said much more herself.

lexa❄️
unless you wanna hang with
cash ams quinni and darren??

spider🕸️
as if ur not coming

spider🕸️
and don't avoid

lexa❄️
something happened w cash
i wanna stick with him

lexa❄️
drop it yeah?

lexa❄️
but like not in a cunty way

lexa❄️
just wanna make sure he's good

spider🕸️
save me a dance?

SPIDER WAS FRUSTRATED WITH HER. To his face, she wasn't what Dusty had started to paint her as — albeit, a girl with constant mixed signals. But then it bothered him again. It bothered him that Lexa had that side to her, that she could be so flippant.

lexa ❄️
obviously

"I did not just send that,"
Lexa shut her eyes tightly.

lexa❄️
i mean because we're at a slay ball

lexa❄️
i can't control that we'll be together

"This is so much worse," She scoffed,
throwing her phone to the floor.

spider🕸️
yeah we will :)
delivered 8:27pm

"YOU'RE DOWN BAD," Cash snickered as he reached down for her phone, taking the chance to scroll up "Since when are you fully back on that?"

"I am not down bad," She growled, snatching the phone while Cash laughed, "You so are. Guessing he's the hickey bandit then?"

"Shutup," Lexa rolled her eyes. Cash shrugged, "Can't believe youse hooked up again after everything you said. I mean, he'd be alright if he wasn't such a dick."

"Isn't that just the worst part?"

"I saw you telling him off for whatever shit he said in class," Cash said as Lexa nodded, "Well he can't talk about my friends like that. Especially not you."

"If what," He teased.

"There was no if, I didn't say if."

"But there's an if."

"Douglas Pickett-"

"Say it with me," Cash couldn't help but smile, slowing his speech to irritate her, "If we were together. He can't talk about my friends like that especially if we got together."

Cash continued, "He needs to shut the fuck up in general. But uh, I'm curious of your next move. Is this a Dusty thing now or for you?"

"Dusty's try hard Harper romance has seriously put me off," Lexa scrunched her face, "I just... like why would I have hooked up with Spider if I didn't feel something for him?"

"Could've just wanted a root," Cash strategically poked.

"It wasn't that," She groaned, "For fucksake, it really wasn't. I dunno, he just... Spencer never made those moves for me. It was always Dusty. Dusty asked me to the dance. Dusty asked me to be his girlfriend."

She trailed off, frowning, "Dusty's the hottest guy in school and I got the most attention when I went out with him. It just clicked."

"I thought you really loved him, Lex," Cash tilted his head, "I mean, everyone knows you loved the fun but I thought-"

"Oh my god, I do... Or did," Lexa quickly clarified, "I don't know how to explain it. I've always felt like a Princess around Dusty, or at least when we started dating. Anything and everything. I wouldn't have changed it. I just meant that it worked. I had the best of both worlds. Someone I fell in love with and someone who didn't make me a loser at school."

"You don't need any of them, you know that right?"

"Oh I did," Lexa shrugged, "I'll never be able to get over the social rankings and having all of these stupid meaningless friends. It's just so much easier with all that."

"You never hated the people that talked shit about you? Those meaningless friends? I bet they're the ones who probably had half those exploits sent to Ams for that map," Cash disagreed, "That shits not worth it."

"Hey, if Spider's gonna get you off the fake train with half of Harley, I'm all for it."

"I like the attention, Cash. Always have. And I can handle it," Lexa said, "It doesn't get to me. School's just better for me that way. I'd rather meaningless friends than dealing with my mum or Chook anyday."

——

PRES AT DARREN'S WERE NEAR PERFECT, the dress up being Lexa's favorite part — that and Cash wearing a thong as an eyepatch.

Malakai had wandered in after some time, he'd done a grand speech to win back Amerie. Lexa had finally thought about that little thing, she couldn't help but feel a small annoyance from Malakai spending more time with Amerie; even if Lexa had rejected him.

But she knew it wasn't that deep to her, just an ego bruise if anything. And the more she saw them interact, the more she saw a light fluff back into Amerie's eyes.

So, even if Malakai wasn't playing on her, she'd reignited her cupid mission.

Malakai on the other hand wanted to soak up all the Lexa time he could get, a rejection not enough to steer him away from at least trying to be friends. He liked her.

Lexa had settled into the couch with a bottle of white wine. She looked over at Malakai, "Look at you, stranger."

"See are you a sleepy kind of wine girl or is this gonna get you fucked up?"

"Wine drunk is a different kind of drunk," She giggled, taking a big gulp, "Dizzy spells and all. I love it."

He laughed too, tapping her boots, "Careful, you might stack it in those then."

"Please, I can run in heels," She stretched her arms out, "Just don't ask Dusty 'cus then he'll tell you about... Hm... Well. I guess I'm telling you."

"Go on."

"There was just one time I tried to race a rando on the street and I genuinely faceplanted so hard," Lexa scrunched her nose, "Like concrete to face connection for real. I don't think I made it like a few feet away."

"That's not really good for your track record then," Malakai teased, "Miss #1 track star in the district."

"Stalker much."

"There's literally a track and field trophy case at school, all of the plaques are yours," Malakai shrugged, the two laughing, "How's Coach Michael going to take it when I tell him you let a random beat you?"

"It was an unfair advantage okay!" Lexa rebutted, "I'd been drinking and they were not even participating in the race. I have a feeling they were just out for a morning jog."

"I can tell you guys have had some wild nights then," Malakai smiled, Lexa grinning at the thought of her friends, "Yeah well, they're the ones bold enough to use fake id's with me anytime!"

They fell into a comfortable silence, sipping at the drinks and flowing in and out of group conversations.

He finally broke their single silence, "And how's Spider?"

"Probably drinking his bodyweight in alcohol," She nodded, "Now, how's Amerie?"

"I think we patched it up," Malakai said, "I don't want it to be weird that I like talked to you then-"

"On, no, no," She hushed him, "Don't even stress. You shot your shot and you and Ams have good chat anyway, probably bound to happen."

He dropped his head, taking a final glug of his drink, "We've got good chat too though. I reckon at least."

(1) new text notification!

spider🕸️
boring without you

lexa❄️ is typing...
come to darren's then—

"DARREN, would you happen to care if Spider rocked up?" She paused her typing, Darren brushing out into laughter, "You've got to be absolutely high if you think Spencer White would step into my house. He probably thinks we're drinking cordial and reading horoscopes."

"Alright!" She threw her arms up defensively, "Didn't know there was such a harsh feeling there."

"Bullshit, Spider's a resident d-" Darren had started to ramble, though Quinni stopped them, "If he's friends with Lexa he can't be so bad. Obviously we just get the worst side of him."

"Quinni, you're too kind to the world," Darren sighed, their eyes darting to Lexa, "If you want him here, then sure. I just can't imagine him not draining the life out of it."

lexa❄️ is typing...

lexa❄️
it's ok i'll see u soon anyway

lexa❄️
i'll come find u at the venue

lexa❄️
i promise

lexa❄️
we're gonna leave really
soon anyway okay?

lexa❄️
should've said this earlier,
don't listen to any shit dusty says

lexa❄️
for real

lexa❄️
ugh can u just reply