Saving Lexi

Chapter 2

Happy Reading :)

"Melvin?"

I swung the door open quickly. There was Melvin, in a nice shirt and slacks, looking pissed.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked, if anyone should be angry, it was me.

"Do you look through the peephole before you open doors at 10 o'clock at night?" he accused.

"What?" I sputter, not expecting that question.

"Well, did you?" He looked at me, brows furrowed harshly over his blue eyes. He looked oddly handsome, as angry as he was.

I gulp, shaking away the nervous butterflies before I answer.

"You're the one knocking at this time, you creep! And yes, of course I did."

"Good," he said, and his face relaxed back into the familiar goofy smile.

"What do you want?"

"My mom made me bring this over when she heard you weren't coming," he said and gestured to a foil lasagna pan in his hand. I was so shocked to see him I didn't even notice.

"Your mom had you bring an entire lasagna?" I laughed incredulously. The aroma from the pan was becoming distracting, I thought I might start drooling.

"Yeah, move," he said and pushed past me to the kitchen.

"I didn't say you could come in!" I scrambled after him.

"It's rude not to let guests in."

I wanted to tell him to get out, to scram, to fuck off, the way I always did at school, or the Tonelli house. But this time I couldn't.

It felt different now that he was here, in my house. He was warm, like Lydia. Having him here made my house feel brighter somehow, and I didn't want him to leave.

"You're not my guest, you're my best friend's brother," I said half-heartedly.

"Your best friend's brother that you're in love with. Offer me a tea or something so I stay longer."

"Stop saying that!" I shrieked. Maybe it would be better if he left.

"The day you admit it, we won't have to do this back and forth," he said with such a serious face I couldn't help the cackle that escaped my lips. "What's so funny?"

"Your face," I said and flicked his forehead.

"7th graders," he rolled his eyes, "so immature."

"You're a grade older than me! Mentally about 3 grades younger."

"Is that why you won't admit you love me? The age difference? Baby, three grade levels is nothing. Love knows no age."

At the 'baby,' my face flushed. I quickly snatched the lasagna from his hands and turned around so he wouldn't see my red cheeks.

"No parents tonight?" he asked so casually I almost didn't catch the slight crack in his voice at parents.

"No." I put the lasagna in the fridge and slammed the door shut.

I didn't understand why the sudden interest in my parents. The Tonellis knew, to some extent, what my life was like. I never told anyone that my parents didn't live here, but they knew I had a free house more often than not.

Their family was so tight-knit, it was as if they couldn't imagine there was a family out there not like them. A family that left their two kids alone nine months out of the year. Siblings who only spoke when absolutely forced to.