Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The air was still cool, and the faint hum of the party faded behind them. Caleb and Lexi stood in a companionable silence by the fence. Caleb's cigarette burned to its end, and he flicked the stub onto the pavement, stepping on it lazily. He glanced at Lexi, who was staring up at the stars, her arms wrapped around herself as if shielding against the night.
"You cold?" Caleb asked, shrugging off his hoodie without waiting for her answer.
Lexi blinked in surprise as he held it out to her. "I'm fine," she said, but her voice was soft, and she wasn't convincing anyone.
"Take it, Howard," Caleb said, teasingly impatient. "Don't make me be nice twice in one night. It's exhausting."
She rolled her eyes but took the hoodie, pulling it over her shoulders. It was way too big on her, and she looked ridiculous, but Caleb didn't comment. Instead, he smirked and leaned back against the fence, his arms crossed.
"You're like, what, 90 pounds? How do you survive the winter?" he asked, feigning disbelief.
Lexi laughed, shaking her head. "I'll have you know I'm perfectly capable of keeping myself warm. I just didn't plan on standing outside for this long."
"Planning ahead. That's cute," Caleb teased, grinning. "I kinda just wing it. That's why I'm always, you know, the mess that I am."
Lexi tilted her head, studying him for a moment. "You're not a mess," she said quietly, her voice almost lost in the night air.
Caleb raised an eyebrow at her, his grin fading. "You sure about that?"
Lexi shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "Pretty sure. You're more like... a puzzle. Complicated, sure, but not broken."
Caleb stared at her, caught off guard by the honesty in her words. He opened his mouth to respond, but the shrill ring of his phone cut through the moment.
"Great," Caleb muttered, pulling it out of his pocket. He glanced at the screen and saw his father's name flashing. His jaw tightened as he rejected the call without hesitation.
Lexi noticed his change in demeanor. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah," Caleb said shortly, forcing a smirk back onto his face. "Just my old man. Nothing new."
---
The Next Morning – East Highland High
The buzz of whispers filled the halls as Caleb strolled into school, Lexi's hoodie still clutched in her hands. He gave her a lazy wave before heading in his usual direction, leaving her to her thoughts.
Down the hallway, chaos was brewing. Maddy Perez stormed out of the principal's office, her face streaked with tears. The bruise on her neck was stark against her tan skin, and her expression was a mixture of rage and heartbreak.
