The Smirking Jerk (Blake's POV)

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

I woke up the next day after just a few hours of sleep and went for a run to clear my head.

I didn't want to think about anything, daydream about scenarios that could happen with Lexi, or conversations I wanted to have with her, so I tried reciting Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du mal

La sottise, l'erreur, le péché, la lésine, Occupent nos esprits et travaillent nos corps, Et nous alimentons nos aimables remords, Comme les mendiants nourrissent leur vermine...

When I got back home, free of any silly thoughts, I tried calling Kendall, but she never answered the phone.

I texted her, asking her how she was doing, hoping for a sign of life.

One of Kendall's ways to deal with her grief over the years had been to self medicate. Two years ago, we actually had to have a sort of intervention.

She hadn't gone to rehab though. Maybe she had gotten to a point where she needed to do that. Maybe she needed professional help.

Maybe I needed professional help... Not for any addictions... but for the way I was feeling so often. My parents had often wanted me to see a therapist to deal with Jayden's passing. I'd gone of couple of times, but it had never been helpful because I had never been in a mindset where I wanted the help.

It was a little different now.

If I wanted to actually be happy at one point, simply liking Lexi Grayson and potentially having her like me back wasn't going to fix everything.

I had more work to do on my own.

I debated whether or not to tell my parents as I grabbed food from the kitchen and they were there too, chatting with Anita about grocery and meal plans.

That might be a weird morning conversation though. Maybe I should talk about it another time with them.

But when was the right time to ask your parents for a shrink?

I postponed the conversation and drove to school.

I spotted Lexi's car immediately when I parked my own. I made my way to her.

"If I ever catch you wearing my bra Tyler Grayson, it's the last thing you'll be wearing!" Lexi was yelling after her little brother.

I had to admit, these two's relationship was quite amusing.

"Aw, we're already talking about bras and the first bell hasn't even rang yet. That's what I love so much about High School," I told her teasingly.

Lexi jumped a little. I was worried for a second that things still weren't okay between us and I had imagined our whole middle of the night conversation.

Lexi rolled her eyes at me and replied with a fake laugh. But she seemed amused. And not mad.

Back to normal.

"So, you're so obsess with me now that you had to call at two in the morning? You couldn't wait for the morning?" I asked her teasingly.

She slapped my arm. I wanted to grab her hand and keep it in mine.

"Please. You started it. And I was just being kind. I don't particularly like to hurt people you know," she snorted.

Maybe she didn't particularly like doing it, but she was damn good at it.

I laughed. "That's charming coming from the girl who gave me a wedgie," I pointed out amongst so many other things.

My poor mistreated manhood.