old neighbor || carl gallagher

seven

carls pov

lexi had went home about an hour ago and debbie was talking about her constantly. i was actually starting to get annoyed.

"i just can't belive she's back. I missed her. we used to do everything together," she cuts herself off "ya know you don't seem happy she's back?" she looked at me. "you do know her leaving was not her fault, right? it was her moms."

"i know. but debs, what the hell would i say to her?"

"look," she laughed at me "you guys should go do something illegal like you used to do. or go smoke. drink a beer." she joked "look just ask to hangout. she'll say probably yes."

"carl, debs." fiona said. "can you take this to v and kevs? it's their mail."

"can't. need to shower." debbie said getting off the couch and running up stairs.

"carl?" fiona asked. "please?"

"im good." i nodded at her.

"carl." she said in her 'mom' voice.

"fine whatever." i got up and grabbed the few pieces of papers she had from her hand.

i got my shoes on and walked outside. i walked down the stairs and looked over to lexi's house. i saw her sitting on the grass on her phone. she was wearing a grey shirt along with black shorts. her hair was tied up into a pony tail and her shoes were sat next to her.

she looked different from two years ago, definitely older.

it caught me by surprise when she looked up and waved. i watch her get up and slide her shoes on. she then started her was over to me. she ran across the street and then slowed her pace when she got on the grass.

"where ya going?" she sent me a smile, shoving her phone into her pocket.

she always had a nice smile.

"kev and v's." i replied "you wanna come?"

lexis pov

"yeah, i got nothing better to do."

we walked in silence for a bit until he asked me the hundred dollar question. "why did you have to leave?" i looked over at him but he didn't look at me, he just looked down at his feet.

"my mom." i said and he nodded. "look, carl. i know shit's different, but me leaving, that was not my fault. i was 14." i stopped talking and looked at him. no expression. "anyway, fiona said you missed me, and since i feel like you're not the type to say it out loud, i'll just let you know now that i've missed you too." he didn't say anything for a couple seconds and the he looked over at me.

"lexi?" he asked.

"mhm."

"do you regret leaving?" he asked, more in a mumble.

"obviously. this is home. i wish i didn't leave. wish i would have taken you up on the offer of living with you guys since you're more family than my mom, but i didn't." i answered.

carl glanced at me, "do you think we'll ever go back to where we were?"

"i mean, it shouldn't be that hard, right? we were younger than. we know more now than we did than." i shrugged as we stopped in front of kev and v's house.

"i did miss you, lexi. and you're right, i'm really not the type to say that out loud." he chucked.