Overprotected

Chapter Twenty-Seven

It's taken three days for me to partially recover from that journal. When I am finally ready to share it, I call Blair. She picks up on the third ring, "Lexi! I've been so worried, you've been ignoring my calls and texts! It's like you dropped off the face of the earth darling, don't scare me like that again!"

I smile tightly into the receiver. "Blair I need to talk. Can you come over?"

Silence, and then a sigh. "I'm leaving on a date with Nate in ten minutes, but I can cancel if you need me-"

"No no, don't cancel. It's fine," I say, trying to hide the hurt in my voice. "Have fun then."

"Lexi, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I say. "Good night."

"Good night."

We hang up. Blair rarely talks about her relationship with Nate, because it's painful for me. Hearing about other relationships just reminds me of how irreplaceable mine was.

I call Bryce. He answers right away, "Hey Lexi! I'm so glad you called, I'm literally so bored and I have nothing to do."

"I guess that's good then," I say softly. "Because I need someone to talk to."

He gets serious. "You okay?"

"Not really. Can you hang out?"

"Yeah you want to come here, or want me to come to you?" Bryce asks.

"I'll come there. See you soon."

"Bye."

I get up and run to my room, putting on a little mascara and blush. My red hair is thrown in a ponytail away from my face, and I lace combat boots over my jeans. It feels nice to put some effort into myself, I look and feel rejuvenated and refreshed.

I enter the living room, where Nana and Dad are reading. "Sweetheart, you look- nice! I haven't seen you get ready like this in two weeks! Where are you going?" Dad asks.

I grab the keys off the side table. "Bryce's."

"Well have fun dearie," Nana says.

"You're curfew is-" Dad starts to say, but is cut off by a shake of Nana's head. As I close the door behind me, I hear Nana say, "She's been holed up here for two weeks. She's getting out. Just let her go."

"I won't be late," I poke my head back in the door. "I'll still make dinner."

I drop the journal on the passenger seat and start the car. I don't know why I chose to drive when Bryce lives three blocks away, but I don't understand a lot of my mental reasoning lately.

Bryce opens the door before I even have a chance to knock. "Hey."

"Hi," I say, following him in.

"Let's go in the basement," he says. The basement is set up in this cool hang out room, with a comfy couch and large flat screen tv for video games. It also has a little kitchenette for snacks and drinks.

I follow him down the stairs and nearly bump into him when he stops. "Nevermind. The little brother is down here with a friend."

On hearing our voices, the two kids look up and Bryce's brother's face breaks into a smile. "Bryce brought a girl home!" He and his friend burst into laughter.

"Grow up," Bryce says with a smile. "You're thirteen. And this is Lexi, you know nothing is going on with her."

"Or everything is going on with her," I murmur to myself. What else could go on in a persons life?