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After Lexi had filled her mug to the brim with the steaming liquid, she stumbled into her bedroom to get together toiletries for the shower she so desperately needed. Digging through her pockets from last night, Lexi located her cell phone. A text from Chyna stated something about them needing to talk and expressing her feelings about the amazing night. Lexi shrugged off the needing to talk bit and veered towards the shower. The shower was refreshing and seemed to alleviate most of the aches that were permeating her body and completely dispelled any feelings of nausea. Lexi finished off her mug of now lukewarm coffee as fast as she could, changed into some sweats, and ventured back into her living room.
By that time, Lexi's other roommates, Claire and Elizabeth, had returned and were discussing the reading that Rachelle was currently skimming over for the umpteenth time. Lexi tilted her head to the side and ran her fingers through her hair allowing the waves to separate from each other. She moseyed towards the coffee pot and poured herself another glass.
"Did you hear us, Lexi?" Claire asked behind her.
Lexi turned around and surveyed the scene before her. She was the first to admit that she didn't exactly fit in with the other students at NYU. People came in from all over the country to go here, but they at least all had one thing in common: a sense of competition. Her roommates definitely had that feeling, and Lexi simply didn't share it with them. That was why when they were all together in one place; it was very unlikely that they would actually be talking to her. She hadn't heard a single word they had been saying for that exact reason, and told them as much.
Elizabeth upturned her nose at Lexi and mumbled something under her breath. Claire jabbed her in the ribs before responding. "We were just wondering how last night went," she ventured barely suppressing a giggle
Lexi stared at her with her mouth wide open. In the months that they had been living together, she had never been asked about her night. The only topics of conversation they focused on at all had to do with school. Something was up. "Same as usual I suppose."
"I saw your friend. What's her name Asia?" Elizabeth asked knowing full well that wasn't her name. Lexi rolled her eyes at her not enjoying their little game and wondering where this was leading.
"Chyna, actually," Lexi responded wishing she hadn't had so much to drink the night before. If she was going to have to deal with whatever game they were playing, then she needed to be a bit more conscious.
"Oh right, Chyna," Elizabeth said. "What kind of name is that anyway?" she mumbled just loud enough for Lexi to hear.
Lexi gritted her teeth and hoped the torture of petty social interaction would end soon. "Yea she went out with me last night."
"Did that guy go out with you last night too?" Claire asked giggling into Elizabeth's shoulder.
Lexi froze and stared at the three. Elizabeth's freckled face was nearly masked with the blush that took over her face whenever she found something humorous. Claire's thin blonde hair had been shaken free of its loose ponytail. Rachelle even let a small smile grace her features at the two girl's ridiculous behavior. God, were they twelve years old? Even though these things were put on Lexi's list of all-time rare behavior for her roommates, what made her body react was the fact that they had mentioned a guy. Yet, how could they know that she had met a guy last night? And was that even what they were talking about?
"Oh just look at her face," Elizabeth said through her giggles.
"She didn't want us to find out. That's why she made him leave so early," Claire announced smacking Elizabeth with her hand playfully. Though, it looked like this scene had been rehearsed.
"Did you see him though?" Elizabeth asked fanning herself.
"Yeah why would she want to hide him?" Claire asked letting the emphasis rest on the final word. "Even Rayray thought he was gorgeous. Didn't you Ray?" Claire questioned shoving Rachelle's notepad out from under her pen.
Rachelle looked up finally dropping her half-smile as she glared at her roommates. "What does it even matter what I think? I have work to do. Why not harass her somewhere that doesn't involve me?" she asked cattily.
"Um…guys, what are you talking about?" Lexi finally asked confusion written across her features.
Claire focused in on her assessing the situation. "That guy I let in the apartment last night. He was dreamy and couldn't stop blabbering about you."
"What guy?" Lexi gasped steadying herself on the counter top. Her vision had gone blurry at Claire's words. Had Jack actually been there last night? Her throat felt dry and she reached blindly for her coffee mug. Unable to locate it, she touched her hand to her throat and choked back a cough.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "No need to be so dramatic."
"Anyway, he left you a note after you kicked him out," Claire said producing a tiny piece of white paper. "We weren't sure if you wanted it."
Lexi moved forward robotically and snatched the paper from out of her fingertips. "Don't ever touch my stuff again," she snarled narrowing her eyes menacingly.
Claire and Elizabeth looked as if they'd never seen Lexi before. Their mouths hung open in shock. Even Rachelle had stopped to stare at her newfound malice. Lexi ignored them all in her anxious desire to read the note, find out if it actually was from Jack, and why he had left so early if it was the case.
She shut the door behind her and fell into her desk chair. She could feel her pulse in her stomach as she held the insubstantial piece of paper in her palm. She ignored her gut feeling that nothing good could possibly come from this and tore open the paper. Her heart fluttered at the text before her. It held one word – one lonely word. The handwriting was unmistakably Jack's, but still he had left her with nothing else but:
Sorry.
She stared numbly at the five letters scratched onto the blaringly white scrap. What was he sorry about? Her stomach sank further. Had she said or done something wrong? She'd been blitzed out of her mind last night and couldn't remember a single thing. Only a minute ago she had been certain she had conjured him up in a dream, and now he was leaving her with apologies. She buried her face in her hands a fresh wave of heartache taking over where hangover left off. A tear trickled down her face and she quickly swiped it out of the way in anger.
No.
She wasn't going to go there again. She had shed enough tears previously and now she needed to get over this. Jack had always and would always have a hold on her heart, but she needed to be smart about it. He was in New York and had found her. That had to count for something. Tossing the paper on her cluttered desk, Lexi rose and located her cell phone once more. After tapping out a quick reply to Chyna that they'd have to talk later, she found the number she was looking for and dialed the line.
