𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 - lexi howard

- 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞

[no silent readers please]

𝗥𝘂𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘁 has officially fallen in love. She and Jules are together 24/7. Literally. Montana hasn't spent enough time with Jules Vaughn — or any time with her that she's sober — to have a proper opinion on her yet, but if she makes Rue Bennett, of all people, happy, she has to be somewhat good, right? Because Rue is, like, never happy.

But the absence of Rue leaves Montana Lestari in a funny position. She and Rue don't call each other friends, or acknowledge each other with titles or anything like that — it's been said before; Montana has no friends — but it's no secret that the two girls only ever really had each other. Now, of course, Tana could go off and have fun with Maddy and BB and them, but she hates the guys they hang out with, *cough* *cough* Nate Jacobs.

So it is for this reason only — the reason being that she has nobody else in the entire world — that since school started back up, the only person she's been seen with is Lexi Howard. Again, only because she's lonely. It's definitely not because Lexi makes her feel better about herself, certainly not because when she's with Lexi all her bad thoughts disappear, and it's absolutely not because Lexi is her favourite person.

Their sudden friendship became a shock to most students at East Highland High School, mainly because they're complete polar opposites. Not many people even knew Lexiʼs name until Montana Lestari started hanging out with her; everyone simply knew her as 'Cassieʼs sister'. But now the two are inseparable. Well, it's more like Montana can't last two hours without her. Seriously, she has tried.

To some people, she might seem totally obsessive. But in her mind, her relationship with Lexi is completely normal. She doesn't connect with many people, so when she does, her whole life depends on this one soul and it's completely crazy and it never ends well. When she tried explaining it to her therapist, she understood. It's actually quite common for somebody with her issues.

But she would never admit to anybody but Dr. Milburn how important her friendship with Lexi Howard is. It's only a thing because Rue is all loved-up and she has nobody else her own age to talk to. Like, seriously, is she supposed to bring Ashtray to high school a few years too early? He'd be expelled in an hour. Or Fezco, who would probably fall asleep in every class?

And because Montana is happy, the rest of the world is, too. Nobody is sitting around waiting for her to blow up, nobody is handing cash to hospitals, nobody is opening doors for social workers, and everything is just amazing. Her brothers, especially, are just glad to see her in good spirits for once, without being high.

"Okay, so if you could have any pet in the world, what would it be?" Lexi asks, slowly eating a thick fry.

Treating Monty for good behaviour at school — a perfect, green report guard — the girls decided to let him take a day off and go out to the park, then fast food for dinner at his favourite restaurant, Five Guys. He love, love, loves Lexi Howard. He wants his sister to marry her and keep her forever — he has never been so spoiled in his life. And nobody has ever kept Tana so happy for so long. She hasn't had a total meltdown in, like, weeks.

"I want a lion," Monty answers eagerly, holding up the stuffed animal in his hand and roaring.

"A lion?" asks Lexi incredulously with a dramatic gasp. "What if it eats me?"

Montana watches them with a light smile. She does that often these days. Smiles. It's hard for Monty to get comfortable with people after all he's been through with foster families and police investigations and shit, but what can I say? Lexi Howard is good with kids.

"Montana would rescue you," Monty tells her confidently, nodding his head along with the story.

Lexi laughs at the way Montana finally engages in the conversation at the sound of her name, her head perking up as she snaps out of the trance she was in whilst eating her burger.

"I think I'd just want a cute cat," the Howard girl states. She and Monty turn to the oldest girl and wait for her response.

Montana shrugs, eyes never leaving Lexiʼs, while Monty watches them with a knowing grin. "Scorpions are cool, I guess," she says.

Lexi raises a single brow, a huge smile on her face. "A scorpion?" she asks. "Out of all the animals in the world?"

Montana only shrugs in response, and both girls begin giggling for no apparent reason. Things just feel good. Really, really, good, and Montana Lestari doesn't want it to end.

(a/n: short chapter, but it's cute ig. is anyone reading this? say hi) — tay <33