Stiletto

Chapter 16: The Morning After

Lexi awoke to a gentle touch on her shoulder. Her eyes puffy from crying, and her head throbbing from all the alcohol. She cried so much her eyes felt almost glued shut. She nuzzled her head into the pillow and replied to the warm touch.

"Good morning baby" Lexi said groggy, yet to open her eyes.

A deep-ish voice returned, "Morning pumpkin" Sam sarcastically responded with a laugh.

Lexi jumped a little, forgetting she spent the night at Sam's. She sat up, holding her head.

"You scared the shit out of me." She said

Sam handed her some ibuprofen and a cup of tea.

"Only because it was easy" he laughed.

She took the pills and pouted.

"Don't laugh at me, i'm vulnerable." she said laying her head on Sam's shoulder.

"What friend would I be if I didn't tease you?" He kissed her head.

She felt heartbroken after last night. She felt as if she let Isabella down, but not speaking up meant letting herself down. Lexi wanted to just lie in bed, she couldn't go to work. She may have said it was a break, but deep down they both knew it was a breakup. There was more under the surface between them. There was more under the surface for her.

"I need to call wor-"

Sam interrupted, "Work, I know don't worry. I called Marc from your cell because he doesn't like me, and told him everything. Well not everything, but enough to earn you a day off" he said.

Sam kissed her forehead and put a gatorade beside her. "This is for when you are awake and calm. You lost most of your fluids last night. Blood is keeping you alive right now." He joked.

Lexi laughed, "You know nothing about the human body." She sipped her lukewarm tea. She noticed him dressed to leave. "Are you leaving?"

He paused, "I thought I would give you some space this morning. I'll be back in the afternoon to be a shoulder to cry on, but you need to hydrate and rest-"

She caught on to why he was leaving, "-and I can't do that if you're here talking about anything and everything, gotcha." She also knew things were just starting with him and Jason. She knew how badly he wanted to talk about it and she loved him for putting her first.

"See you when you're sober sweetie." He blew a kiss and quietly closed the bedroom door.

Lexi sipped her tea and closed her eyes.

"You did the right thing, you did the right thing." She said to herself.

Lexi had put what she wanted and needed on hold for Isabella. Isabella had so many trust issues she needed to work through that it interfered with their relationship. Lexi wanted more, she wanted excitement and impulse. She wanted fun. She turned over in bed thinking about her own burdens.

Flashes of memories danced in her mind. Her alone in a classroom with her teacher. The window she looked at hoping someone would see her. The zipper to his pants.

She thought about that moment in her life, and she thought about the therapy she had to go through. She thought about the weight Isabella had put on her and how good it felt to have it off her shoulders.

She quietly sobbed hating herself for that feeling of relief. She loved Isabella, but her girlfriend needed help that Lexi wasn't able to provide. Lexi just felt trapped in her love life. She hated thinking what Isabella must be going through. If she thought Lexi just stopped caring, or abandoned her. She pictured Isabella crying last night in the corner she usually curls up in.

Lexi put her tea on the nightstand and turned over again in bed. She nuzzled her face back into the pillow and pulled the covers over her. She let all the thoughts and emotions consume her as she softly cried herself back to sleep.