Page 32 of Aftershock

My lips visibly parted as I replied, “You're going to perform in a music video with drag queens, and I’m going to a funeral? That doesn't seem at all fair.”

“We can switch places if you want,” she offered jokingly while keeping a straight face. “Where is the funeral?”

“Some place in San Diego called Kings Cross Church. Where is your music video shooting?”

Lexi cracked a smile. “Nice try, Autumn,” she said while narrowing her eyes. “Are you actually going to go to your dad's funeral? Like you're not just going to follow me around when we get off the plane, right?”

“What other reason would I have for being on a private jet with a total stranger right now? You're not all that interesting anyway,” I teased while lying through my teeth.

“More interesting than you!” She retorted. “And stranger? Is that what you think of me? I thought you knew me better than that.”

“You know what? You're right. I definitely know one thing for sure about you.”

“Which is?”

“You have a dog named Dori,” I laughed.

Lexi rolled her eyes as she let out a deep breath. She slumped back in her seat, slouching as she did so. “Oh, come on. I thought you were going to say something like, ‘Oh, Lexi Harlow, she's so funny or she's so sexy,’ but no, you just had to comment on knowing my dog's name.”

The light from the window shined brightly, and the sky was finally visible as we rose above the clouds. I stared at her in awe as the sunlight hit her in all the right places. Once again, Lexi Harlow had managed to put me in a trance with her beauty. It was almost as though I was looking at her for the first time again.

“Lexi, you're so unbelievably sexy, but the word I was thinking of to describe you is more synonymous with beautiful. You have been my number-one celebrity crush for a reason, Lexi! You’re fucking attractive. That much is quite obvious.”

My cheeks became beet red at the sudden admission, and my eyes widened in horror. I whipped my head in the opposite direction to try and maintain as much dignity as possible while mentally slapping myself in the face.

“Autumn,” Lexi said while placing a hand on my upper arm, causing me to turn back toward her. “You never have to feel embarrassed about calling me beautiful. You never should feel embarrassed about calling anyone beautiful. If anything, I’m the one who feels a little embarrassed, you know?” I stared at her in confusion. “Low self-esteem,” she said while doing jazz hands. I laughed at the gesture. She dipped her head while looking at her lap. A small smile grazed her lips. “Calling me beautiful is the best compliment I could ever ask for, so thank you.”

Her hand still lightly grasped my arm as I gently placed my hand on top of hers. “You don’t need to thank me for telling you the truth.”

Her eyes seemed to light up at my words. She licked her lips as she looked out the window of the plane.

“You know, there are three things I wish someone would've told me before I tried to commit suicide,” Lexi confessed. “One: that I am beautiful no matter what the tabloids say; two: that being perfect is overrated; and three: that pain comes in waves. It does not stay with you forever.”

“With time,” I echoed the same words she had told me at the airport.

“Huh?”

“All things will get better with time,” I repeated. “That’s what you said at the airport.”

“Yeah?” She raised an eyebrow at me, as though she were unsure of my point.

“Maybe you were right.”

“I’m always right,” Lexi shrugged.

“Pfft. Get over yourself.”

“Never.”

“Good,” I grinned at her. “Because you’re fucking amazing, Lexi.”

“Touché.”

Sticking my neck out to peek past Lexi, I glanced across the aisle to where Andrew and Brian were sitting. “Do you think they are listening to us?” I whispered.

“Probably,” Lexi laughed while turning her back toward me as she faced them. “Hey, do you think you guys could put in headphones or go take a nap or something?”

Andrew smirked as Brian laughed at the request.

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