Work Text:
“Congrats Lexi!!”
“I’m so proud of you!”
“That was fucking amazing!”
“Good fucking job, Lexi!”
Everyone is cheering for her as she went backstage after the play. Lexi barely got noticed, nor validation, and she’s finally showered with them. But she thought it would feel better than this.
Why is she so sad. All those hugs from her friends, the compliments, and the acknowledgment for her hard work.
But all she can think of is ‘Why didn’t he come?’
Lexi tried her best to fake smiles but it’s getting harder and harder each second.
“Guys, l just need to use the bathroom, sorry.” With that, she practically ran to the bathroom and grateful that it was empty. She poured all her weight on her hands holding the sink and tears start to involuntarily streaming down her face.
She’s trying not to fall apart but the sinking feelings start. ‘He said he’d be here…’ she thought.
She didn’t know she cared this much about Fez. They never confessed their feelings to each other but she thought he actually cares about her.
‘Did I do something wrong?’
‘He promised’
Lexi looked at herself in the mirror. It was like slow motion, standing there in her party dress with the same red lipstick she had the first night fez talked to her, still feeling so crushed.
She checked her phone expecting to see his excuses and reasons of not coming but there’s nothing. He didn’t text or call. Nothing.
The last text he sent was him saying he’s on his way. These past months he was looking forward for the play so why is he not here? Is he okay?
Now she’s worried.
-
7 days ago
Lexi and Fez is chilling at the couch watching Gone Girl. She’s kind of curious on his viewpoint on Amy.
“She’s batshit badass bro.” Fez said while shaking his head. ‘Good boy’ Lexi thought while agreeing with him.
They never actually do anything physically romantic, well except holding hands, but their knees are basically touching right now.
He never made a move on her but she swears the way he look at her, it’s not how friends look at each other. But maybe she’s just being silly and overanalysing stuff.
She wanted to kiss him but not sure if he is up for it and didn't want to weird things out.
Midway to the movie, she can feel him staring at her. They never really finish any movie, not that she minded.
“What?” She sounded really defensive.
“What?” He repeated her question.
“Why are you staring at me?”
“What? I can’t stare at you?” He replied. She screams internally, hating the way he’s making her blush right now.
“Not really.” Lexi tried to sound cool to hide her butterflies. Little did she know, Fez is also having butterflies just by looking at her.
“You’re just hella beautiful, that’s all.” He shrugged and look back at the TV. She is now burning red, trying to say something but nothing comes out.
Fez may seemed smooth, but inside he’s fucking nervous about saying that too.
She's so beautiful that it hurts. Not just her smile, but everything about her.
The way her voice gets high pitched when she's nervous. The way she scrunched her nose when she gets excited.
All the small things he didn't realise he was taking a mental note off.
The way He’s never been in a relationship, he never had the time. More of like, never met someone worth making the time for.
It’s not like Lexi came to his life at his convenience, not at all. He was dealing with mouse’s death aftermath, Faye hiding in his house, and the Jacobs’ drama.
But he decided to ignore his grandma’s advice and followed his heart instead of his head. He tried to fight it, of course, but Lexi made him feel something he never felt before.
He already got it all planned out. After Lexi’s play, he’s going to take her to a look out and tell her how he feels about her.
He already prepared the suit he’s going to wear and the flowers to give her. Red roses, with a note he worked on for hours.
He just hopes she feels the same way about him and maybe if he’s blessed, he can finally kiss that fearless girl’s lips.
-
“Get your shit together, Lexi!” She slapped herself and straighten her back. With a few deep breaths and went out the bathroom.
As soon as she get home, she curl up in bed and cry again. Cassie is now living with Nate but her old habits of crying quietly die hard. Lexi has mastered the act of silent cry because of the room share with her sister.
She thought about biking to his house but knew that Fez warned him about showing up unannounced. He had told her about when Rue came at the wrong time and his supplier did something bad.
After an hour of crying, Lexi tried to call him but it went straight to voicemail. She didn’t know who to ask of his whereabouts. No one knew that they’re talking, let alone know each other. Rue is not on speaking terms with Fez.
The whole night she went through a roller coaster of emotion. Sad, worried, angry, confused, insecure and broken.
This reminded of the times where her dad would stood her up and eventually stopped seeing her. What if Fez doesn’t wanna see her anymore? But why? Did something happen to him? Is he okay? What if he got into an accident like dad?
It’s 4 am, still no text from Fez. She can’t sleep. “Where are you? Are you okay?” She texted him again for the fifth time. She fall asleep with dried tears and dark thoughts.
-
11:24 am
Fez: Happy Lexi day!!
Lexi: Hahaha thanks fez :)
Fez: Goodluck fearless girl
can’t wait see the play
Lexi: thankyou 😌
saved you the best seat
Fez: fuck yeah
Okay stop playing your phone and prepare for the show
It’s gonna be lit
Lexi: okay!
I’ll see you tonight
Fez: wouldn’t miss it for the world
A few hours before the play he showered and got dressed up, he was so excited to see her girl's play.
He slipped the note inside the bouquet and smiled at the fact that never in his life he thought he would be going to a high school play with flowers.
He practiced in front of his mirror how he'll give the flowers to Lexi. He watched movies so he got the idea of how.
Putting the flowers behind his back and presenting them to his reflection with a little bow and smile on his face, slightly burying his face behind the flowers. He tried multiple times.
Then he was interrupted with snorting noises from the window frame. It was ash peeking from his bedroom door laughing in disbelieve.
"That shit so corny." Ash said between laughter and starting to clap sarcastically.
"Yo, shut up." Fez is now red. His brother never seen him like this. Hell, he himself never seen him like this.
-
She woke up feeling like shit, hoping Fez not showing up was all just a dream.
“What’s wrong with your eyes?” Suze asked.
“Oh, just tired that’s all.” shaking her head hoping her mom would believe her puffy eyes.
“Are you gonna eat your breakfast?” Her mom asked again staring at her playing with food instead of eating it.
“I’m actually not hungry mom, sorry.”
She went back to lay down her bed staring at her phone waiting for any form of communication from Fez.
Lexi didn’t realise how deep her feelings were for Fez. It upsets her how she let him affect her this much.
At this point, she knew that Fez would say something if he just wanted to fuck off from her. So something bad must’ve happened. She was getting anxiously worried.
She decided to text Rue, long shot but worth the try.
Lexi: Hey Rue, Did you by any chance talk to Fez last night?
She threw her phone at the bed and stared at the ceiling. 15 minutes later, her phone begin to vibrate. She yanked her phone hoping it’s Fez but it’s Rue calling. ‘Huh? why is she calling me?’ Lexi thought.
Lexi: “Rue? Why are you-“
Rue: “Lexi… Fuck man I don’t know how to explain this”
Rue sounds out of breath like she’s pacing.
Rue: “but Fez’s house just got raided by the police. I was about to go to his house to apologize and shit, but it was swamped with swat teams and shit. Fuck.”
She froze in confusion. Her body didn’t know how to react.
Rue: “I think they found some dead body? I don’t fucking know the details but apparently Fez killed some guy and the swat busted his house- bro it’s fucking crazy!”
Her stomach dropped and after every word Rue said, it’s just getting worse. After a long minute ignoring Rue’s ‘Are you there?’ She’s finally able to say something. Is this really happening?
Lexi: “Where is he now?” it was almost a whisper. At this point tears were streaming down her face but she hasn’t blinked or even move. Please say he’s with the police.
Rue: “I don’t know dude, fuck. All I know is there was shooting and shit. Dead bodies and shit. It’s fucking fucked-“
Lexi’s heart sank at ‘dead bodies’. She wanted to scream but her body is numb.
Lexi: “I’ll talk to you later, Rue.”
She ended the call and stayed still for the longest time. She was crying but she feels so numb. She’s shaking and couldn’t process what she just heard.
It shouldn’t be a surprised to her that her drug dealer “friend” got caught by the police but there she was. The thing is, Lexi never felt like he was one. She couldn’t believe what she just heard. She picked up her phone with shaking hands and now audible loud cries.
“Pick up please”
“Fez pick up”
“Please”
She’s screaming and begging at her phone like it was God. Unresponsive dial to Fez’s number.
“What happened?” Her mom panicked after hearing her screaming. She hysterically broke down to her mom. Suze knows Lexi is not ready to explain so she just hugged her and sooth her head, but it was no comfort to Lexi. Not when Fez is basically gone… forever.
The only person who sees her beyond the way she sees herself.
The only person who think she’s fearless when in fact she’s full of fear.
The only person who actually care about what she has to say, no matter how unimportant it is she’s saying, for him it’s the most important thing in the world.
The only person who makes her feel like someone actually got her back.