Page 10 of Lexi, Property of Rhyder

Panic.

Then fear.

Then I feel lightheaded, so push Zane back with tears running down my face.

Zane’s eyes widen, and he freezes for a moment, then he takes a step closer to me to trying to comfort me, but I turn and run to the bathroom.

I can’t.

I just can’t.

This is all too much. I shouldn’t have come.

Entering the bathroom, I make my way to one of the stalls and shut the door behind me. I push myself against the door and slowly slide down and cry into my hands.

When am I going to move past that night?

I sit for a while happy that the sound of the music hides my cries of the past, but then suddenly, a loud knock bangs against my door.

“Lex, are you in there?” I sniffle and try in haste to wipe my tears away. “Lex, we’re worried about you. Please, if you’re in there, open up.”

I can hear both Diane and Stacey talking and discussing if it’s me in the stall. Slowly, I get to my feet, wipe my eyes one more time before I turn and open the door.

“Oh, thank God, what is—” Stacey stops talking mid-sentence when she notices I’ve been crying. “Lexi, what’s wrong?” she asks and places a strand of hair behind my ear. “Did Zane do something? Because if he did, so help me—”

“No,” I interrupt. “No, Zane didn’t say or do anything.”

“Don’t lie for him, Lex. If he hurt you, I’ll go and smash his face in right now.”

I laugh picturing Diane, who’s at least two feet shorter than Zane, trying to jump up and hit him in his face. Diane has shoulder-length blonde hair, blue eyes, and she has a hot body. She runs track and keeps in good shape.

I step out of the cubicle, and the girls move back. “I’ll be fine,” I state moving to the sink and staring at myself in the mirror.

Shoot, now my mascara’s running.

“I don’t believe you. There’s something going on with you. You haven’t been yourself in a while.”

I look over at Diane and then at Stacey, who also has a sympathetic look on her face.

“Diane’s right, Lex, something’s been up for a while now. We didn’t want to push you until you felt comfortable talking to us about it, but somethingisgoing on with you, and we’re worried. You know you can tell us anything, right?”

Oh, God, how I wish I could tell them, but I don’t want people to look at me differently, even if it is my two best friends.Why did I think I could go on with life like nothing had happened when even the slightest touch by Zane had me in a hot ball of mess?Oh, God, what do I do?

“Lexi—”

We’re interrupted by a group of girls laughing as they make their way into the ladies’ bathroom. I recognize them instantly—it’s Shelley with her groupies. She’s been my enemy since Zane turned his attention to me. They used to date in sophomore year, but ever since I caught Zane’s attention and we became a couple, she’s hated me.

“Oh, look who it is, little miss perfect,” Shelley says in her high-pitched voice.

I ignore her, but I can’t say the same for Diane and Stacey.

“Why don’t you shut your mouth, Shelley. What’s wrong… Zane ignoring you tonight, so you came in here to have a cry?”

“Why you little—”

“Just shut it, Shelley,” I yell, interrupting her sly comments. I’m not in the mood for her bullshit tonight. “You know what, you’ve hated me since sophomore year, and I’ve done nothing to you.”

“What do you call stealing boyfriends?” Shelley accuses, stepping closer to me.

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