happiness is a butterfly

there's no business like show business

Lexi Howard was good at keeping secrets.

Until she wasn't.

She sometimes liked to imagine what it would be like to be Cassie. What it would feel like to walk through the halls with boys following you. What it would feel like to have older men trying to pay for your lunch at the mall. What it would feel like to be invited to a party by college boys on Spring Break, whilst visiting your great aunt in Florida.

Cassie, the pretty ice skater. Cassie, the blonde with blue eyes. Cassie, the girl with the perfect body.

Like with any sibling relationship, there was always this element of competition between the two sisters. And as much as Lexi loved her sister more than anyone else, she sometimes hated her more than anyone else.

Lexi, the studious sister. Lexi, the good girl. Lexi, the boring one.

In her dreams, the tables would flip and Cassie would be in the shadows and Lexi would be showered with attention, the star of the show.

But she would be stronger than her sister, she would own her beauty rather than be a prisoner to it. She wouldn't be so dumb to fall for any guy that ever showed her a little attention. She would be in command and know when to say no. She wouldn't be so desperate for love to be blind to the abuse.

Lexi wondered how someone so attractive could lack confidence to the extent her sister did. How she could allow boys to film her most intimate parts and share them with their friends. How she could go as far as dating Nate Jacobs.

In the aftermath of her play, some would say that Lexi was a jealous bitch who wanted to humiliate her sister. Others would side with Lexi and agree Cassie needed to be outed and shamed.

Lexi wasn't quite sure she had consciously meant either of those outcomes. Maybe she wanted her sister to be able to see herself through her eyes. Maybe she wanted Cassie's bright light to be slightly less bright for once. Maybe her intentions with the play had been short term pain for lifetime good.

So why couldn't she feel good about her actions?

Fezco had reassured her that sometimes people's feelings ought to get hurt, and she knew Cassie's feelings would definitely be hurt by the play.

She had noticed her sister run out of the auditorium when Hallie started re-enacting Cassie's carousel orgasm. But then Cassie had come back with a fake smile and fresh lip gloss, and behind the scenes Lexi had spotted Nate trying to comfort her.

Speaking of her sister's boyfriend, Lexi knew Nate Jacobs would not appreciate Ethan's amazing musical number. And, as she would be forced to clear up with the East Highland High School Gazette the following week, the scene was intended as a satire of homoeroticism in jock culture and a dig at toxic masculinity - not Lexi Howard claiming that Nate Jacobs is gay.

So she wasn't all that surprised when he stormed out of the room. Nor that her sister followed him.

She definitely was not expecting Maddy to chase after them.

And Kat to try and stop her.

And Suze to run after all of them.

Bobbi would ask her if she wanted to take a short break and follow them out, but this was Lexi's time to shine and she would not let Cassie steal her thunder on opening night.

"The show must go on." She would respond, before proudly making her way on stage for the next act.

Yesterday they told you you not go far, that you open and you are

Next day on your room they've hung a star, let's go on with the show!!