Chapter Text
“Morning Hannah.” said Lex gently, crouching down beside the sleeping thirteen year old.
She knew not to touch Hannah to wake her, or make any loud noises. Thirteen years of trial and error had showed her it was best to gently speak to her until she awoke.
Hannah’s eyes fluttered open and her sleepy expression changed to one of intense excitement.
“Today.” she murmured, sitting up in bed. “California!”
Lex nodded, grinning, then held a finger to her lips.
“Remember we have to be very quiet, so we don’t wake Mom, ok?” she said in a hushed voice as Hannah got out of bed.
Fat chance of that, she thought as she looked over at the large woman sprawled on the sofa, snoring loudly. They’d be more likely to awaken a sleeping hippo on the other side of the world than their mum when she had been drinking. Still, always best to air on the side of caution.
“Get dressed?” Hannah whispered.
Lex bit her lip, thinking. It was four in the morning, and still dark out. They had plenty of time. But Lex couldn’t wait to leave the shitty trailer park, and this whole shitty town. The quicker they left, the less likely they were to be spotted by anybody. Besides, if Hannah was in her pyjamas, there was more of a chance of her getting some extra sleep in the car.
“No.” she told Hannah. “Just grab the backpack you packed, put on your sneakers, and we’ll head outside. Eth is waiting with the car.”
Hannah complied, careful not to make too much noise. Lex had helped her pack a bag the previous night, with everything except her sneakers, a pair of socks, and her toy penguin, Luna. She had wondered briefly if their mom would find the sudden lack of things around the trailer suspicious, but as usual she hadn’t even noticed.
Hannah tugged on her hand, impatient to leave. One last thing. Lex pulled a folded piece of paper out of her jeans pocket, and placed it on the sofa, next to their mom. It explained why they were leaving.
Lex took one final look around the trailer where she’d grown up. She’d expected to feel some kind of nostalgia, a reluctance to leave, but al, she felt was disgust, and a tiny glimmer of hope, hope that Hannah’s teenage years would involve less shouting, and smashed bottles, and bruises, and more laughing, and smiling, and fun.
“Lex!” whispered Hannah impatiently. “California?!”
“Don’t worry Banana, I haven't forgotten!” she said with a grin. And with that, she left behind a home full of bad memories, and stepped into a life of promise and good memories.
***
Or rather, stepped out into the freezing night air. Hannah shivered violently in her short sleeved pyjamas.
Despite it being the end of November, in freezing Hatchetfield, Hannah insisted on short pyjamas. The cuffs of the long ones scratched her wrists, and they were too tight and warm. Still, they would have been handy on a night like this.
Lex quickly pulled off her own jumper, handing it to Hannah. They both giggled quietly at the jumper (which actually belonged to Ethan) that came down past Hannah’s knees, making it look like she wasn’t wearing any shorts. Hannah flapped the hand not holding Luna enthusiastically, making the long sleeve flop around.
The two girls trekked across the trailer park together in the dark, looking a funny sight carrying all their possessions, with Hannah in her massive jumper and cheap sneakers, her braids a mess from sleeping in them.
It felt like forever to reach the main road, despite it only being a two minute walk in daylight. When they got there, they saw Ethan’s brightly lit car. He was sitting in the drivers seat scrolling idly on his phone, half-asleep.
Lex crept up and rapped hard on the window, making him jump. He scowled playfully at her as he opened the car door, stepped out and immediately picked her up, swinging her around joyfully, both of them laughing like little kids.
Lex loved life in that moment, standing outside in the pitch dark, warm and safe in her amazing boyfriends arms, her little sister giggling, all three of them giddy with the prospect of what was ahead.
She rested her head against Ethan’s and looked into his warm, twinkling eyes.
“I love you.” she whispered, smiling softly.
“I love you more.” he whispered back, looking at her with total adoration in his eyes.
Hannah gently traced a circle on the back of Lex’s hand, indicating she wanted to be a part of the hug. Ethan scooped her up and the three of them held each other tightly.
“Me too?” asked Hannah, grinning.
“Oh yes, I love both the Foster girls!” replied Ethan, pulling a funny face. He leaned in close to Hannah and said in an exaggerated stage whisper:
“And don’t tell Lex - but you’re my favourite!”
Hannah laughed, and linked her pinky around Ethan’s - their friendship signal.
“Now car?” she said happily.
“Yup. Let’s get going, favourite girls!”
So Lex’s little family climbed into Ethan’s car. It wasn’t very new, and probably needed some servicing, but it was warm, and bright, and safe. Lex set Hannah up with Netflix (using Ethan’s cousin Oliver’s barely touched account) on an iPad (Oliver’s rarely used iPad), and set up the Nintendo Switch (also Oliver’s - it was fine, he was barely using it anyway) to play Animal Crossing (Debs crazy good hacking skills helped get a free game code and Nintendo Online membership!). Hannah had an amazing island, that she had spent hours terraforming and decorating, and she was super proud of it.
Lex put on her and Ethan’s playlist (a weird mix of show tunes, alternative rock, and the occasional pop song) and they left Hatchetfield. For good.
There were things Lex would miss, and friends, too, but everything - no, everyone - she needed was right here in this car.
***
An hour later, Hannah was curled up, asleep, and they were parked in the car park of a service station. There was a pile of snacks on the glovebox. Pringles, juice and smarties for Hannah, Doritos, Fanta and a Mars bar for Ethan, and popcorn, cola and Maltesers for Lex.
They hadn’t sold the doll yet, as the buyer was in California, but Lex and Ethan had both been saving a third of their wages for a year and a half. It wasn’t loads, but it was enough for a week of shitty motels and cheap food. It would be tough, but things were already a million times better than before. These snacks would keep them going until lunch, hopefully, when they could get a nice lunch in a park Lex had looked up.
This was day one, so they were planning to spend a little extra money to make it memorable. A park with horses and Japanese gardens, a nice cafe for lunch, a route with lots of cool spots for sightseeing, and a real restaurant, where you actually got served, for dinner. Of course, it meant free forest walks, 60c bread rolls and drive-thru McDonalds for the rest of the week, but it would be worth it.
And thinking of making things memorable.... Lex stole a glance over at Ethan.
He was on his phone, booking dinner for later while they were parked.
His hair was tousled, and the lighting in the car accentuated his prominent cheekbones and strong jawline.
“Seven for dinner babe?” he checked, glancing at her.
The eye contact and the “babe” was enough to tip Lex over the edge. She leaned over and pressed her lips against his passionately. He made a noise of surprise, but responded just as enthusiastically, tangling his hands in her hair and biting her lip gently.
While he kissed her, Lex’s hands got busy, starting in his curly hair, dragging down his back, slippiest into his back pockets for a moment, and then making their way to somewhere that made him whimper slightly and pull her carefully across the glovebox onto his lap to get closer to her.
“You ok?” he asked her breathlessly, pulling back for a moment. Lex was more than ok. She nodded briefly before diving right back into kissing him, her hands everywhere.
Just as Ethan was wondering if this would turn into more than a regular make out session, she gave him one last peck on the nose and slid back across the glovebox onto her seat, picking up the dropped snacks.
She didn’t want to stop either, but Hannah was in the car and could wake up at any minute. She had made out with him because she had felt if she kept away from him for another moment, she’d explode, but just kissing him was enough to keep her going until she could get him alone. Clearly Ethan didn’t feel the same way.
“Lexie? Weren’t we gonna... y’know?”
Lex reaches across to ruffle his hair playfully.
“Not yet, Eth. C’mon, Banana’s in the back.”
“But...” he pouted, gesturing to the bulge in his pants.
She giggled. “That can wait Eth.”
He stuck his tongue out at her, pretending to be mad at her though they soon both dissolved into helpless laughter.
“Let’s keep going then.” suggested Ethan, doing his seatbelt, after they’d both laughed for a ridiculously long time.
Lex grinned back at him, squeezed his hand, and off they went again, as the sky began to lighten.