Paper Hearts

𝕀𝕥'𝕤 𝔸 𝔹𝕖𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕚𝕗𝕦𝕝 𝔻𝕒𝕪

Chapter 9: It's A Beautiful Day

Lex was having an existential crisis.

He just didn't know what to wear, and Fern was meant to pick him up in almost an hour. He woke up early enough to watch the sun rise and then he rushed to take a warm shower, thinking about how the day would pass. His muscles relaxed under the steady stream of water before contracting again when he thought about the many ways he could mess up during their... date?

Now, there he was, pacing in front of his closet doors after throwing every article of clothing he'd ever owned on the floor. Whoever said that boys don't worry about how they dress for their dates could go f- Lex looked up at the poster in the corner of his room and chuckled softly to himself.

But then his chuckling almost turned to sobs when he looked down at the clothes he threw on the floor. Groaning loudly, he threw himself in the pile of clothes, regretting it after when his elbow hit against the edges of his closet door. Rubbing his elbow that had numbed his entire arm, he started picking up random clothes and putting them together, until he found something he thought was okay enough to wear on a date.

And even though 'okay' was not enough, Lex pulled his blue, washed jeans on, throwing his hoodie over his head and adding a denim jacket on top. It wasn't his best look, but he hoped Fern wasn't too picky in what a person wore. He put his wallet (which didn't have much money but was filled with pictures of his family instead) in the inside pocket of his jacket, stuffing his phone, inhaler and a pack of tissues in his hoodie pocket.

He switched off the lights to his room, closing the door with a soft click. He walked two steps at a time down the stairs, greeting Anastasia, who sat at the dining table, with a kiss. "Ew," she whined, wiping her cheek but smiling at him, nonetheless. Ruffling her hair and smiling, he left for the kitchen, greeting his sister and Nathan.

"Morning, kiddo," Lexis greeted back.

Lex wrinkled his nose in distaste. "You sound like an old person." He opened the fridge, pulling out the grape juice and pouring himself some in a glass that he'd taken out from the cupboard. Lexis faked a gasp, swatting his arm on her way to the sink, but she said nothing.

Lex prepared himself a quick breakfast and ate it, telling his family of the date he was about to go on. Big mistake.

"Another date?" Nathan chuckled but not out of amusement. "Your 'just a friend'?"

Lex nodded, continuing to eat as if he couldn't feel the tension in the room. "In my defence, I didn't know I was going to meet him, or that he was going to ask me out."

"You better not come home crying again. If you miss school again, you're not leaving this house for anything." Lexis rubbed his arm, signalling him that it may have not been the ideal punishment. "No, Lexis. I'm trying to protect him. Why do we have to worry about him all the time?" He turned back to face Lex. "Man up, don't make them step all over you, alright? Show them you're more than what they see. It hurts to see you come home and lock yourself up. No more isolation, okay?"

Lex nodded, moved the slightest bit by the care in Nathan's words. Smiling up at the older man, he replied. "Sure."

When Fern showed up at his door, Lex made sure neither his family nor Fern himself saw anything associated with both parties. He hurried straight to the car, slamming the door shut and smiling at Fern who was still walking to the driver's seat from where he had stood to ring the doorbell. "Hey," Fern breathed, taking Lex's hand in his. He slammed his car door shut without removing his gaze from the boy next to him.

"Hi. I'm glad I could see you again." He chuckled awkwardly, a small blush rising to his cheeks. Fern smiled wide, ruffling his hair and nodding.

"Me too."

Even through his glasses, Lex could see the chocolate brown of his eyes as they shone with genuine excitement and happiness. Lex was feeling giddy, and he hadn't noticed when their faces became closer until Fern mentioned that he was staring. "You're just so... attractive. How could I not?"

Fern laughed, a genuine, hearty laugh that sent butterflies erupting in Lex's stomach. "Thank you," he replied softly, pressing his lips to Lex's, and pulling him closer by his neck. Lex smiled, holding the side of Fern's neck and rubbing a thumb over his cheek bone. Pulling away, Fern smiled at Lex's bright cheeks, who smiled back, his dimples making an appearance.

"I've been wanting to do this since yesterday," And Fern poked Lex's dimples, laughing at the surprise on the younger male's face. "You're cute too," And he kissed both of Lex's cheeks where the dimples would appear. "Alright," He moved to sit in his seat properly, seatbelt tucked in its place by him. "Let's go," He smiled at Lex again, starting the car.

Lex still had the blush on his cheeks, a wide smile stretching across his lips. He pulled on his seatbelt as Fern started driving. Fern turned on the radio, putting the volume down low in case someone wanted to say something. He hoped Lex would want to have a conversation with him right now. The awkward silence he couldn't bare didn't come, though.

"So, where are we going?" Lex asked, staring out his window at the passing scenery. The sun was shining, but it was still a bit cold. In the breeze, the withering leaves were flying around in a flurry of orange and gold. The pavement was still wet from the early morning pour, and dog owners grumbled on and on about having to wash their pets of all the mud getting stuck to their fur.

Fern chuckled, expecting the question. "I'm not sure, to be completely honest." Lex looked at Fern in clear disbelief. Fern chuckled, almost embarrassed. "Hey, it's not my fault. The rain ruined my plans. It was either we go to an amusement park, but it isn't ideal now if all the rides are wet. Or we go on a boat ride, but that requires warm weather. So," He turned to smile at Lex for a brief moment, turning back to focus on the road. "I've run out of ideas."

Lex relaxed into the seat. "So, where are we driving to?"

"Well, there was still one thing I wanted to do. I hope you like it."