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Step One

A/N. And so I'm bakc after two years. Lol. i feel so guilty for not continuing this story, since it's the first one I ever started. So i racked my brains hard, and found out my writer's block was just plain laziness. Hope you guys enjoy this. My writing style changed a bit, I think. And i have more coherent thoughts now. i hope you like the changes.

I'm thinking of rewriting this whole story, but i opted to try to finish it first.

Enjoy!

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It was dinnertime –which meant Lexi was grumpy bordering on maniacal. Her schedule had suddenly become so slammed on weekends, and she rarely had time to grab anything to eat in between breaks. As she walked up the steps from the driveway, Xander lifted his head from the stone he was busy rolling around, and wove a paper bag in the air. He began motioning at the wilting girl with a somehow wry smile, shooting nervous glances behind her –maybe to check if her brother was tailing her –which then became a real smile when he saw only Shiori waving goodbye.

She was nearly in tears when Xander handed over a chicken sandwich, even going as far as hugging him tightly before actually bussing herself in the door. Xander scoffed softly, remembering the peculiar little article taped to his door three hours earlier, bearing the title ‘How To Get The Girl in Ten Steps’. There was nothing in the stupid article about giving the girl greasy, delicious food. Coupled with the nearly threatening calls and advice from Eli, AJ, and a slightly-nervous Dongho, he was starting to think they had something devious up their sleeves. The article and the three monkeys who wouldn’t mind their own business can say what they want though, but he learned the surefire way to this particular girl’s heart was through her stomach. Especially when grease and chocolates were involved.

The apartment lobby was empty. Following the small girl scarfing down the six-inch chicken burger, Xander passed no less than three hypothetical tumbleweeds, some half dozen sand devils and a suspiciously open letter locker. By the time the elevator door closed behind them, the sandwich had disappeared, and Lexi was pawing at the guzzler in his hand. The whole thing was gone in about fifteen seconds.

“Oh, my God, thank you,” she mumbled, screwing her face in a silent burp. “Boy, you are a life saver. Literally.” She gave him a quick once-over and raised an eyebrow. “By the way, how did you know I needed sustenance? I’m guessing your motives aren’t selfless, but lucky for you I already ate the bribe. What do you need?”

Xander rolled his eyes. Trust Lexi to eat before asking what the catch was. But he wasn’t about to admit he had not-so-well-meaning spies inside NHM who had started feeding him information, warranted or not. “Don’t flatter yourself, Lex. Those were my leftovers, so I figured –eh, why not give them to someone in need instead of giving it to my over-nourished puppies?”

Lexi reached up to kiss his cheek before hastily snatching away the rest of the take-home package, stopped to think for a moment and enveloped him in a quick hug. “My hero.”

The sweet scent of her hair filled his head, and he quickly leaned back, masking the sudden discomfort with a great sweeping of his hand towards her door. “Inside?”

A doubtful expression crossed her face. “I don’t –“ she lowered her voice –“Byung’s staying with me. I’m not sure he’ll take your presence any better than the last time.” She threw him a desperate look. “But since I am somewhere between severe boredom from exhaustion and desperate for any company besides my psychotic brother, I’m thinking about inviting you in.” She smiled as she said so, trying to hide further agony.

He picked a fry from her open bag and held up a finger, chewing as he pretended to contemplate how to answer. He had something in mind, but had been debating all day whether or not to actually suggest it. On one hand, it will be a perfect excuse to hang out with Lexi the best friend alone again. On the other, he could call it the first step towards actually trying to be with her –which was the point of the past three months. He swallowed and asked. “Want to go out tomorrow night?”

“Sure,” she muttered, shoveling fries in her mouth, which made her look absolutely adorable. To him, at least. “Definitely no ho dates lined up or anything,” she added with a teasing jab to his ribs.

He smiled back, but it was forced. The aftertaste of the single fry began to resemble raw potato. He told himself it was a gut reaction. That he’d  feel the same way thinking about a guy(particularly Kevin) asking out any girl he was Converse over cranium for –but that was a big fat lie. he wouldn’t give a rat’s ass about any other girl. But Lexi was not just any girl.

Ignoring that train of thought, he said. “Good. Go –um, rest or something. I’m not sure I want to face your evil brother without protective gear.”

She tilted her head, squinting up at him. “Wait a minute. You’re afraid to face a father figure in my house. Alexander Lee Eusebio, is this a date?”

Just the thought of a real date with Lexi, defined and labelled, started to give him hives. A date meant more dates and probable commitment. And he was ashamed to admit, he was the one who would probably be wanting a relationship. One beyond their easy, dependable friendship. Those kinds of relationships end, like it did with her and Kevin. He saw it every day, and he didn’t exactly want that for them. On the other hand, he now desperately wanted to be with her.

“Well, Saturday night is date night, and since we’re going out and I’m terrified of your monster brother, let’s call it a date.” He gave her a smile that normally always got him what he wanted, and hoped she couldn’t sense his uncertainty. “Don’t you think?”

“A real official date with Xander,” she mused. She bit a fry(which she had been holding for the last seven minutes) and chewed it quietly. The silence only served to amp Xander’s nerves. Maybe I shouldn’t have suggested it, he thought. But after the tension of the past weeks, and his inability to plan anything, much less act on something, he decided they both needed a night of fun.

“A date with heartthrob Xander, huh?” Lexi laughed and gave him another once-over. “I finally get to see what all the fanfiction hype is all about. Does this mean I get an exclusive interview too?”

“I can’t divulge all my trade secrets,” he told her with a grin. “But you’ll have a good time.”

“Okay, count me in.”

They inhale the rest of the food, bending down on the paper bag like a couple of lunatics sniffing rugby, before Byunghun could think that something was up and storm at them, falling into the usual conversations about nothing and everything. Things seemed better since the past weeks’ relationship fiasco, and standing there now, it was almost as if nothing had changed between them. He certainly didn’t stare at her mouth as she chewed her cheese fries, or when she sipped Coke out of the lipstick-stained straw.

Or sniff her hair again when they hugged goodbye.

Walking back to his truck, he heard her call his name from the balcony. Byunghun was standing beside her, sending daggers as he stared him down.

“What should I wear tomorrow night?”

A conundrum. What he’d like to see her in and what type of outfit was best for his sanity were two completely different things. “Whatever you wear would be fine,” he replied, walking backward, waving.

Lexi nodded, looking deep in thought, and he Xander turned away again, unsure of which outfit he hoped she’ll choose.