| LEXI MICHAELSON |

I sighed heavily, relieved and contented.

I placed my hands on my waist and forehead to control my ragged breathing.

That was hell of a ride.

But on the positive side, I was fine and I was okay. Phew. The ride down from my window to the grassy ground was thrilling but at the same time, it was frightening. I thought I was gonna die. But I will die once I won't return home at correct time.

So I rushed forward, towards the entrance and ducked down, hoping to shield myself from my father's doubtful watch. Once I was successfully outside, I walked gracefully to the way for Blake's house.

And when I reached his home, I could hear yelling from fifteen feet away. What was the noise for? I furrowed my eyebrows and kept walking to his home entrance slowly. But I abruptly came to a halt when I saw Blake walking out furiously and slamming the door loudly on his way. I flinched at the voice but when he shouted back, I let out a gasp.

"I told you I don't want to talk about it! I'm going for a walk and don't you dare to call me!" He bellowed.

My eyes were wide. Wider than a ball and my mouth agape open in shock of seeing Blake in so much rage. I wanted to speak, but my mouth just couldn't response to my commands.

My mouth listened to my brain and shouted when I saw him taking out his phone and tapping at it a few times. "No! Don't!" I shouted.

"Lexi?" He croaked out. "What... What are you doing here? Were you eves-dropping?"

"I came here to tell you something. And no, I was not listening to anything." I spoke calmly as if I hadn't just seen a furious Blake.

"Let's go for a walk and then you can tell me." He said to me.

"I can't..." I looked down. "You can't call or text me from now on."

He fell silent for a moment. He walked to me and bent down a little. "What are you even saying?" He calmly said.

"You can't... Call me or text me from now on." I repeated, absently playing with my fingers.

"You mean to say that you don't wanna talk to me? That you're breaking it off... Whatever we had?" He said, his voice shaking.

That's not what I meant. Not even one percent. But it'd be better if I let Blake think that. Then I wouldn't have to live in fear of having my dream fetched away from me.

When I didn't speak for a moment, he spoke up to confirm. "Lexi?"

"Y- Yeah. It's easier to b- break it off now, t- than in future." I finally stuttered.

There was silence, then there was clapping. Slow, sarcastic clapping. I looked up to see that Blake was clapping with a smile. "Your joke had me laughing there, for a moment. Seriously, Rosie. What kind of prank is this? Where are the cameras?"

"This is no prank, Blake. I'm telling the truth." I said and turned around before Blake could see my tears in the patio light.

He turned me around towards him but I turned around again, walking to my house. "Lexi, wait."

I didn't speak and walked quickly. He ran up to me and hugged me from behind. "Please. Don't." He whispered in my ear, causing the chills to appear, lightening my whole body with sparks.

"Blake, I have to. I don't want you in any more trouble than you're going to be in." I spoke and tore myself away from Blake's strong grip.

"What trouble? Tell me." He said while turning me around again. "Don't leave me. I need you, Lexi!"

I couldn't breathe after his confession. He needed me? That was shocking and relieving at the same time. I couldn't help but let out more tears. My voice quivered while I spoke.

"Blake please, don't make it harder. All I'm asking you is to leave me alone and forget we ever were friends." I trembled lightly in the chilly air and started walking back to my house.

This time, he didn't follow me or hug me from behind. He just yelled one thing; one thing that broke my heart as well as his and I was completely and utterly in urge to go back and tell him it was fine and I wasn't planning on leaving. But I didn't listen to my inner voice and entered the perimeter of my home.

The sentence Blake yelled out was something like this.

"Fine. Leave. Just like everyone does. Be a coward. But remember one thing always Lexi, that you broke my heart."

***

His words replayed in my mind when I opened my eyes groggily, first time the next morning.

Leave.

Just like everyone does.

You broke my heart.

I groaned and turned to the other side, my back to the door of my room when I heard a knock and someone opening my door. "Your father is calling you downstairs."

My mother's stern voice shook me to the core. She was never this cold, even when I completely wrecked up my car last year or when I got in to a huge fight with her. I don't understand why she has to be this way. I mean, I get it that having a relationship before marriage is bad but not this bad that my mom has to speak to me coldly.

"I'll be down in fifteen minutes." I sat up and tied my hair. "Mom?"

She didn't answer and then she left. I shrugged. I padded over to my bathroom and showered, dressed up in sweats and blow dried my hair. Then I went down after brushing my teeth.

Trotting down the stairs, I saw my dad sitting at the dining table with four pancakes in front of him. "Morning, dad."

I tried to smile but I couldn't, I was too exhausted to smile. "Good morning, Alexandria. Sleep well?"

"Mhm. Yes." I lied and sat down on my chair.

"I called you to talk about things; about last night." He cleared his throat. "The paper I read yesterday was in no way indicating that you don't have a male friend. And you know very well that male friends turn in to boyfriends afterwards. And boyfriends are nothing but a way of conspiring against our family law."

"I know, dad. I don't have a boyfriend and I can assure you that." I said.

"This guy, Blake, is not good for you. And I don't want you to have anything to do with him. I don't want you involved in these ungodly things before your marriage. You need to focus on your studies and GPA." He spoke to me.

"Got it, dad. I will get a good GPA. Don't worry." I said while biting into my pancake.

"Good." After some moments of silence, he spoke again. "You know, your mother and I were married before we even saw each other. And that love, my dear, is long-lasting. Not the one you kids at this age get. The love you kids get can simply be broken by a little misunderstanding." He lectured, before giving me my phone back.

I just nodded and finished my breakfast. I went upstairs and looked at the time. Eleven-thirty.

I took out my clothes to wear for University and turned on my phone to see if I had any text from...

Well, from Blake.

I'm stronger than this. I don't want to disappoint my parents.

But there was none. I gasped when I saw that it was indeed Friday, that means no classes till Sunday. I was glad but at the same time, I was stressed.

I wouldn't be able to see Blake for three days.

I frowned and turned on my laptop. As I raised the cup of coffee I brought to my room with me, I felt vile bubbling in my stomach. I placed the cup down immediately and ran to the bathroom.

Then I threw up.

***