𝐔𝐆𝐇! {𝐋. 𝐇𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝}

Three

Lexi was having flashbacks to the last time she was in the Morales household as she waited in the same dining room she lost her virginity in. Grace had been the one to welcome her in as she had left her home slightly early, and Faith had yet to finish her choir practice. So as she sat at the same dining table where she got fucked by Grace's daughter, she was trying her hardest not to blush.

"Thank you for helping, Faith," said Grace when she walked back into the dining room, sitting down next to Lexi at the head of the table. "It really does mean a lot to me that she has a friend like you."

"T-thank you," Lexi blushed harder. The two of them fell into silence, and both looked up when they heard Faith in the other room with her choir group, singing an a capella version of "The Longest Time" by Billy Joel. Grace motioned silently for Lexi to follow her, so she complied, her course books tucked safely under her arm. Grace and Lexi stood in the doorway of the living room, where they could see a group of five sat in a circle, with Faith standing in the centre, singing the lyrics as the others harmonised.

[Faith singing, group harmonising, all together.]

"Once I thought my innocence was gone
Now I know that happiness goes on
That's where you found me
When you put your arms around me
I haven't been there for the longest time."

Faith caught Lexi's eye as she sung, and sent her a small smile. Lexi couldn't lie, she'd never heard Faith sing before, but it was suddenly becoming her new favourite sound.

"Oh, oh, oh
For the longest time
Oh, oh, oh
For the longest
I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall
And the greatest miracle of all
Is how I need you
And how you needed me too
That hasn't happened for the longest time."

Lexi wasn't one to openly admit when she was jealous, she even refused to admit it to herself, however when she watched Faith sit down on a boy's lap, giggling as he dipped her, before springing her back to her feet, even she couldn't deny the pang of jealousy in her heart. Lexi was thankful that Faith went nowhere near the unknown boy for the rest of their performance.

When it had finished, and Grace started clapping, Lexi made sure she followed suit by clapping even louder than the unidentified boy, who had clearly been turned on by Faith and her plaid skirts.

"Bye, Brad!" Lexi overheard five minutes later as she watched Faith wave the boy she now knew as Brad away. "So, what'd you think?" Faith asked her, biting her lip as she stared up at Lexi.

"Voice of an Angel," said Lexi softly, causing Faith to beam at her. "So, Math. You're failing, right?" Lexi asked her, following Faith upstairs to her room. Lexi wouldn't lie when she says she had seen Faith's bedroom a thousand times when she had been aimlessly staring at Faith throughout the day, but actually being in Faith Morales' bedroom was something special.

"Failing? That's a bit of an exaggeration," Faith flopped dramatically on top of her bed, clutching her last devastating test in her hand. "I think Mr. Burke's just an asshole that won't give me a fucking break."

Trying to console her, Lexi walked over to the edge of the bed and smiled, nudging her best friend in a playful manner.

"Come on, it's just one stupid test," she sympathised. "I'll make sure you pass the next one, and we'll figure it out together."

"You'd do that?" Faith's face brightened slightly as she sat up. "You'll help me pass Calculus?"

"Yeah, of course," said Lexi, pulling the desk chair over from across the room, moving it only a few inches away from Faith. "We can get started right now," she added, with a glance towards their backpacks, "But I don't have my Calculus textbook with me, so we'll have to share one..."

"Fine," Faith sighed, scooting closer and reaching for her bag. "Good luck trying to teach me the entire course in six hours."

"We'll just start from the beginning and take things slow," Lexi laughed, leaning over the bed to get a better look at the textbook now in Faith's hands as she flipped to the first chapter inside. "Okay, let's start with limits..."

"I'm bored already," Faith whined as she inched closer to Lexi, who was patiently reworking some of the examples until they reached a method of understanding. "Like what the fuck is the chain rule? How do you know when to stop? Or when to even start?"

"Relax," Lexi cautiously put her arm around Faith, calming her down. "Come on, Fifi, I know you know the concepts."

"I do, and I swear I'm not this stupid, but Calculus just confuses me," Faith blushed feverishly, frustrated and embarrassed by her inability to grasp Calculus. "All these numbers and bullshit theorems..."

"It's difficult to get used to at first," Lexi looked up at Faith, admiring the way she bit down on the end of her pencil when she was concentrating. "Just remember that Calculus is one of the hardest classes you'll ever take, so don't feel too bad about it."

"Wasn't so hard for you," Faith muttered.

"Which is why I'm the person who's going to help you pass the course," Lexi returned, placing her hand on top of Faith's, as the two shared an intimate moment together in the small bedroom. "No pressure, okay?"

"I hope you're as amazing as you think you are," joked Faith lightheartedly, breaking the tension between them ever so carefully. "Because I really need this grade."

"You'll be fine," Lexi swatted her arm playfully. "Because I believe in you."

"And I love you," whispered Faith softly, and as soon as the words fell from her lips, she felt Lexi's hand jerk away from hers out of shock. "For helping me," she added quickly, stuttering. "I love you for helping me..."

And with an understanding nod, Lexi shifted her gaze back towards the Calculus textbook in silence. They studied together for the next two hours, exchanging minimal words other than that related to the mathematical equations on the page, for neither knew how to follow up those three little words...

"What's going on between you and Brad?" Lexi muttered bitterly, trying to break the awkward tension in the room as she looked down at Faith's answers.

"Nothing, he's just another douche trying to get in my pants," Faith rolled her eyes, her legs swinging back and forth off the side of the bed. "What about you and Rue? Still crushing on her?"

"Uh- I don't know," said Lexi, deciding to be semi truthful. At Faith's raised eyebrow, Lexi continued on. "There's another girl-" Lexi playfully slapped Faith's hand when she began wiggling her eyebrows. "We, uh, we slept together a few years back-"

"Wow, Little Miss Prude Howard isn't so much of a prude as we thought," said Faith teasingly, watching Lexi's cheeks redden in embarrassment. "So, what's the problem? Why don't you tell her?"

"We were drunk, and she doesn't remember," said Lexi, her heart clenching slightly. "Besides, I'm pretty sure she doesn't like me back."

"Someone would have to be brain dead if they didn't like you, Lex," Faith put it bluntly. "Look at you, you're drop dead fucking gorgeous with a heart of gold. You're selfless, you're smart, you're funny as fuck. Lex! You're a hot ass bachelorette!" Lexi couldn't contain her smile at the words. "So, who's the lucky girl?"

Fuck, is what Lexi immediately thought. She couldn't exactly just tell Faith that she was in love with her. Fuck no.

"Suit yourself, but you should take them to the carnival," Faith pointed at the flyer on her desk, advertising the annual carnival that takes place in East Highland. "Maybe tell them how you feel on the ferris wheel. God, that's romantic."

Another thing about Faith was that she was big on love. Not like Cassie, who had the constant need to be loved. Faith wanted to loved unconditionally by one person for the rest of her life. She wanted to build a home from the ground up, adopt a few animals, raise a few kids and grow old with her partner, but die to her unspoken promise with Cassie, the girl she truly wanted that with was off limits.