13 Flames | gxg

41 - deserving

Palmer

The tv plays the next episode of Grey's Anatomy as I dive into my lunch. It's only leftovers from last night's dinner with Lexa, but I slept past breakfast. I woke up to call Matt and fell right back asleep.

I needed a day. To collect my thoughts. I need to tell Lexa how I feel, but I don't know how she'll respond. I know there's something going on between us, but she still loves James. I don't want to make her choose between the two of us.

I've decided to ask her over tonight, around 8:00, just so we can talk. Through everything. And if she storms out hating me, fine. But I need to tell her the truth.

I stand at the sink, rinsing my plate, when my phone rings. I wipe my hands on the dish rag and rush to the coffee table. I grab my phone and pause the tv. It's Alex.

I answer with a smile. "Hey, what's up?"

"We need you here. Right now." His tone surprises me with its urgency.

"Alex? What's wrong?"

"It's Lexa."

My heart skips a beat. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

I hang up and stick my phone in my back pocket. Rushing to the door, I slide on my shoes and put my wallet in my other pocket. I hail a cab as soon as I get onto the street and I'm at the set within minutes. I wring my hands nervously. What happened? Is she okay?

Alex, Brayden, and Matt meet me at the door. "Palmer!" Matt calls. "Thank God."

"What's going on?" I call urgently, already heading for the dressing rooms.

"We don't know. She showed up crying," Alex explains, "and ran into her dressing room. She won't let anyone in."

"So we called you," Brayden adds.

"Why wasn't she already here?" I ask as I shove through the door to the side hallway.

Brayden and Alex exchange a glance. "She went home to talk to James about something," Alex says briefly.

James. Did he do this?

I walk over to Peyton who leans against Lexa's door. She's speaking softly but straightens when she sees me. "Palmer, thank God. She needs you."

I look around at the worried faces of my friends. I gesture to the door. "Go. I got this."

"Palmer..." Peyton whispers.

"Please. Give her some space." They all agree and trudge out the door. I turn back to Lexa's dressing room. I press my ear to the door and can hear her crying inside.

"Lex?" I call softly, tapping my knuckles on the door. "It's me."

I hear a brief pause in the crying. The door remains locked. "Lexa, please let me in."

The sound of footsteps reaches me through the wood. She's right on the other side. "Lex," I whisper. "I promised to stay close. And you promised to let me in."

I finally hear a click as the door unlocks. She doesn't open the door and I assume she's gone back to the couch. I slowly turn the knob and slide into the room, closing the door softly behind me. The lights are off and it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Like I thought, she sits on the couch, curled into a tight ball in the corner. She sobs quietly.

What the hell did he do to her?

I take a seat beside her and open my arms, allowing her to make the first move. She doesn't hesitate to scramble into my embrace. The force of her body knocks me back into the cushions as her arms wrap around my shoulders. She buries her head against my neck. I can feel warm tears on my skin. I wrap one arm around her waist and rock her gently, the other hand holding the back of her head. We remain tangled in the dark long after her tears stop.