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“Nah, I’m good with you.”
“Mmhm.” He’s partially right.
“Who is it?” Lexi’s voice comes through the door.
“Noah.”
Without another word the door flies open and my heart clenches at the sight of her. It feels like I haven’t seen her in so long. And I realize how much I’ve missed just seeing her face.“Hi.”
“Hi,” she says wide-eyed. “What are you doing here?”
I hold my finger up and reach beside me and pull Drew back into view at my side.
“What did he do now?” she asks, then swiftly turns her head to her brother. “What did you do?”
“It wasn’t my fault this time. I was minding my own business with some of my friends when these guys bumped into us. One of them spilled his drink on us and we’re like, you're not going to say anything? Then they start mouthing off—like what? Dude, you’re in the wrong. Next thing I know fists are flying—I was not the first to lay hands on anyone. You believe me right? Noah, tell her?” He finishes his rambling with a beseeching look my way. “I’m the injured one here. I’m the only one that got hurt.”
“That last part is a lie. A few faces were hurt, including yours,” I say.
“Oh come on, Drew.” She sighs. “I thought we went through this and had an understanding, you were going to stay out of trouble.”
“I was sticking to the agreement and minding my business, Lexi!”
“It doesn’t look like it,” she snaps back.
I can see this escalating into something it doesn’t have to and ruining my chances to have that talk with her. “Okay, let’s calm down. Lexi, I’m sure we can agree, right now, the most important thing is he’s all right. No charges are going to be being pressed as long as the minor damages are paid for by all parties involved for the damages, which won’t be much.”
She plants a hand on her hip and shakes her head. “At least that’s something.”
“Whatever. I’m going upstairs. I need to rest my hand.” He brushes past Lexi into the house still holding the ice pack over his hand pressed against his chest, making a face at her.
“Here’s the info you need for the game store.” I take a folded-up paper out of my pocket, unfold it, and hand it to her. “The owner will be expecting a call from you.”
She takes the paper from me and looks at it. “Thanks once again for bringing him home. I’m sure he appreciates it too. Even though you might not know it by him being…well, him as usual.”
“Not a problem. He’s not really a bad kid. By the way, are things better between you two? Things don’t seem as combustible as before.”
She chuckles. “They are.” She keeps looking down at the paper she’s now toying with in her hands.
“That’s good,” I say, wishing she’d look at me again. “I wish the same could be said for you and me.”
“We’re fine.”
“No, we’re not.”
“We are,” she mumbles unconvincingly.
“If we’re so fine, look at me and tell me that.” I lean in putting my hand on the door frame.
She barely raises her head, peeking up at me from under her lashes.
“Not good enough.” I have so much to say but don’t know where to start. I sigh in frustration. “Lexi, we need to talk. Can I come in, please?”
“Okay.” She lowers the paper in her hand and lets me pass. Closing the door she leans back against it. “I—”
“I—” We both say at the same time then stop. I smile and move a little closer to her. She returns a nervous smile. “You go first,” I say.
“No, no, you go.” She fumbles with the paper still in her hand like she’s afraid to put it down.
