Euphoria: Rue and Lexi

~6~

Lexi's POV

I'm laying on the couch in our living room, with my head in my mom's lap. She's drinking her fourth glass of wine today. We're watching stupid some reality TV show. I think we're both trying to forget about our problems. But I can't help thinking about Rue.

Rue.

The same person that I love but also hate. I love the fun and sensitive moments we share, like last night's sleepover, but I hate the moments when Rue treats me like shit. I know Rue has issues and I will always forgive her for that. I don't know if that's toxic, but Rue isn't a toxic person, she just has toxic layers. I want to help her shed those layers so she can act like her sweet, sensitive self all the time.

Then my mind travels to Jules. I contemplate talking to her and telling her to stay away from Rue.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," I tell my mom, as I raise my head from her lap and stand. I walk to the door and open it to reveal a very sad looking Rue.

I only open the door halfway, and I stand in the door frame. I look at her as she just stands the with her arms wrapped around herself.

"Rue?" I ask, snapping her out of her stare at the ground.

She looks at me and starts to tear up.

"I don't know what you want, but if you came to yell at me again, you can just-" is all I could say before Rue brings me into a hug.

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry," she whispers in my ear, still crying.

I let out a deep sigh. How could I be mad at Rue when she's in so much pain?

I hug her back and stroke her messy, curly hair. I was struggling to not cry. I hate seeing Rue sad. But I know to take advantage of this moment, because it is only one of the few times when she opens up to me.

We stand there for what feels like forever, but was probably only two minutes. Finally she breaks away from the hug.

"Um, I don't know what I'm doing here. I- I should probably go..." she says, like she's bothering me. As if Rue could ever bother me.

"Do you want to come in?" I ask, honestly not wanting her to leave.

"I don't know, I don't want to be even more of a burden-"

"Rue, you're not a burden and I'm tired of you thinking that. I want you to come inside."

Rue slowly nods and I take her hand and pull her inside. Before we could make it up the stairs, we heard my mom speak.

"Who's that?" she asked, her words slurred from alcohol. 

I sigh and walk around the wall separating the staircase from the dining room. There my mom stands, pouring herself another glass of wine.

"It's just Rue," I reply and try to drag her up the stairs again, without being interrupted again.

"Rue!" she says, amused, and obviously drunk. "How's it going? I heard you didn't go to school at all last week."

"Mom.." I pry. I didn't want her to make Rue upset.

"Uh, yeah i had the flu or something," Rue says, cooly.

"Well, I hope you didn't bring that into our house, Cassie is still pretty beat up from the abortion."

"Okay, let's go!" I say. Rue doesn't know about the abortion and it wasn't our place to tell her.

Rue held my hand as I walk her up the stairs and to Cassie and I's room.