The Lexes

Chapter Four: Freeze Your Brain

September 23, 2017

Dear Diary,
This is going to be my first party, and I am so nervous. I have drank before, I have wine at every fashion show I go to, but I know that it's nothing compared to what they're going to have there. I heard there was going to be weed there, so I guess Alex is going to send me into a 7/11 to grab some snacks. I don't know what I am supposed to grab, but I can at least guess...

"Hurry up, bitches," Alex called out as she pulled up to Alexis' house. "We still have to stop at 7/11."

"You actually look decent, Lexi..." Alexa rolled her eyes. "What's the over 500 piece?"

"The top is 600," Alexis beamed. "It was a top my dad bought me. Since blue isn't my color, I gave it to Lexi I am really happy how it turned out, the whole outfit."

"I wasn't asking you, Alexis!" Alexa snapped, Alexis shutting down.

"She probably spoke up because I know nothing about this outfit. It is all hers. Don't be harsh on her for helping me out."

"Our pawns don't have a say in how we speak, Sweetie," Alex spoke up.

"Fine," Lexi shut down herself, them pulling up at the 7/11. Lexi walked in beginning to look around until she noticed Ricky standing in the corner by the fountain drink and frozen drink section. He noticed her too, walking over.

"So what brings you in such a 'low end' place?" he asked.

"Alex sent me in to grab some snacks for the party," she shrugged, him rolling his eyes. "Are you stalking me, Mr. Hoying?"

"I feel like you are stalking me since you know my last name," Scott teased. "Want me to grab you some liquor to take? If you want to fit in long enough, you'll want to take something."

"How is a seventeen year old to get liquor?" she raised an eyebrow.

"By having a buddy that has looked over 25 for years," he explained. "I have been picking up liquor since like 13 and I have never been carded anywhere."

"Well you can if you'd like," she smiled, him walking away and coming back with a brown paper bag and a bottle of orange juice, stuffing the paper bag in the Italian's bag.

"That is vodka," he explained. "There is some grenadine in the bag. Unless you're already drunk, do not drink the vodka without at least orange juice. I just got you grenadine to make it taste better than just orange juice."

"Can you help me pick out munchies snacks?" she asked, him grabbing a basket and taking the backpack from her. "Also, what made you come here to hang out? It's a really random place to be, especially for a seemingly bad boy like you."

"My dad has a job tearing down buildings and we go where they need him," Scott started. "I've never really had a home, and there was never a constant in anything but a 7/11. There has been one in every city I have ever lived in has had one, and they never cease to disappoint me. There's always the slushee machine waiting for me, waiting to be slowly emptied by a guy that practically lives in the 7/11. The iciness of slushee freezes and numbs my brain, just enough to cope with living in a shitty world. Drugs don't even do that for me. I've tried, and the numbing from the ice does a lot better."

"Does your mom know you are addicted to a sugary drink?" her raise an eyebrow.

"She doesn't anymore," he shook his head . "She'd scold me if she was still alive, honestly. Since she isn't here anymore, I do what I want and my dad doesn't give a shit."

"I am really sorry to hear about that," she apologized. "You don't have to answer, but how did she die?"

"She couldn't take it anymore," he sighed. "She wanted to run away and take me with her, but she was scared of him, so we never got to get away. She finally gave up. She came to me the night before, and held me, telling me she loved me and that she was sorry. The next morning, everyone stood outside to watch an old hotel collapse. Just as my dad pushed the button, my mom popped up from a window and waved goodbye. Then BOOM! The bottom exploded and the building collapsed. They didn't find her body until a couple years later when they finally got up all of the rubble. She was only bones by then. Dad wanted to bury them, but my great aunt won a court order to cremate her. now I wear her in a locket."

"You don't deserve that," she shook her head, continuing to fill the basket with him.

"That's why you build walls while you can," he continued. "You're expecting to get out of here, go to some prestige university, get you a good degree and marry some lawyer. I can tell you now that won't happen. People are shit and society is fucking worse. Build up them walls before your heart breaks and leaves you completely numb. You seem too incredible for someone to just break you into pieces."

"I have started already..." she admitted. "Besides Kirstie, you're the only person I feel I could open up to."

"I can say the same thing about you," he returned, handing her the basket and grabbing a slushee. "Care to have a hit of the best drug there is, Mitch?"

"I don't really want to take away from you," she shook her head humbly.

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want you to," he laughed. "Besides, I have paid for about five more of these. A sip or two won't hurt. Freeze your brain, Mitch. Be numb to the outside world. Try it."

"Umm okay," she gave in, taking a huge gulp of the drink, making sure to have a brain freeze. "This is actually really good, Ricky."

"Please call me Scott," he requested.

"I thought you said that everyone called you Ricky," she scrunched her eyeballs in confusion.

"You aren't everyone," Scott argued . "Everyone means people that don't give a shit and make life shittier. That isn't you, so you're not everybody."

"Well then it's really good, Scott," she corrected before they heard the ding of the door opening.

"Stop talking to that dick and hurry up!" Alex called out before the door closed.

"I really don't want to go," Lexi sighed, "but Satan's spawn has beckoned me. I guess I will see you around."

"I am here everyday until 9," he shrugged. "Just come back tomorrow and you can keep me company then."

"I'dlike that," she nodded, taking her backpack, checking out and heading backout to the car. Alex was yelling about Lexi talking to the guy that beat up Alexis' boyfriend, but she drowned the Asian woman out, her mind full of Scott yet again.