The Farm

3. Jack & Joe

Somehow Lexi managed to get through the day. It felt good to focus on her work and not her problems. When the day was finished, Lexi and the rest of the faculty went back to the Duke's Treehouse. This time they had a birthday celebration. One of the teachers turned 30. Where better to celebrate than at The Duke?

Lexi sat down at the bar. Danny poured her a vodka rocks. "It's on the house today." Danny smiled. "I've almost got enough money for my trip."
"That's great, Danny!" 

The door of the Duke flew open and Jack entered. He walked to Lexi, gave her a big kiss and sat down next to her.
"I've missed you today!" He smiled.
"I've missed you too." Lexi said shyly. None of her colleagues knew about what she'd been up to last night.  

Tom had seen what'd happened and wanted to know more. He walked up to the bar and introduced himself to Jack with a gentle handshake. He wasn't surprised Jack had taken an interest in Lexi, she always hung out with handsome guys.  

"Lex, wanna go out for a bit?" Tom asked after a while. Lexi instantly knew Tom wanted to smoke. He always smoked and drank too much when he was around her. Lexi took her glass and followed Tom outside, leaving Jack at the bar alone.

Tom and Lexi walked out, they saw Michael. The stood against the wall with a half smoked cigarette in his hand. It was obvious he was drunk. Lexi took the half smoked cigarette. She took a small drag, while Michael and Tom lit their, new, cigarettes. Drunkenly Lexi leaned against Michael, while Tom stood on her other side.

"Have you heard from Joe?" Michael said. He didn't mean any harm, but his words hit Lexi like a bullet. She felt her anxiety getting worse. Before answering Michael, she took a couple of breaths.
"No, I haven't."
"Good. Let that loser stay away from you. You're too good for him."
Michael knew Joe was back in town and worried Lexi might fall for him again. 

That night Lexi returned home alone. She decided she needed some alone time. While Jack kept texting here like there wasn't another day to come, Lexi spent her weekend inside. Filling her days with chores around the house and finishing backed up school work. All while drinking vodka from the bottle. When Monday came around, Lexi was done with her school work and bottles of booze.

She knew better than to drive herself to school, so asked Jack to sent her a car. He came himself and brought breakfast. Lexi didn't eat much Instead she slept of her buzz. Jack packed up a couple of items and put them in her bag. He dropped her off with a big kiss and hug. 

At school, she was met by Tom. They both had a meeting with the principal that day, something Lexi had told Jack.
"Morning, doll."
"Morning."
"Jeez, you've been at it. Haven't you?" Tom said when he smelled the alcohol on Lexi.
"Fuck it. I tried to get my life in order this weekend. Every time I even thought of Joe, I needed a drink."
"O, baby. It's that bad?"
"Tom, I love that man. The problem is, I also like Jack. I don't know what to do."
"So, you get drunk." Tom laughed.
"Basically" Lexi smiled.

When the both of them finished their smokes, they went inside. To great relieve there were only a couple of people in the teachers' lounge.
"Just sit down here, I'll get us some coffee."

Lexi felt Tom was in a bad mood, though he hid it well. Lexi herself wasn't in a great state of mind either. When Tom returned with coffee and water, Lexi felt her buzz wear off and a slight hangover set in.

Just before the principal entered the lounge, Tom and Lexi walked outside for another cigarette. They had tried to stop together, many times before. Each time they succeeded for a few days. Then something would happen to either of them, and out came the cigarettes.

"So, are you meeting Jack today?" Tom asked.
"He dropped me off here and will talked about picking me up around lunch time. It's a half day, today right?"