𝐔𝐆𝐇! {𝐋. 𝐇𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝}

Sixteen

"What is it?" David asked, looking up at Faith over his glasses.

"Santa must've forgot yours," she pouted, placing her hands on her hips as she pretended to be deep in thought. "Hey, kidding," she poked his nose, placing a wrapped box in his lap.

"Yes!" David cheered.

"Hey, mom," Faith smiled, placing a kiss to Grace's forehead. She stroked some of Grace's hair out of her face. "How're you feeling?"

"Better than yesterday," Grace smiled, her free hand reaching up to cup Faith's cheek. "How're you, baby?"

"I'm good."

"Good," Grace patted her cheek. "Under the bed, there's a present for you," Faith smiled widely, reaching under the bed to pull out a box. She watched David cheer when he unwrapped her gift to him, a new Iron Man figure, and laughed as Evie threw her arms around her when she opened the new lip kit Faith had gotten her, before opening her own gift.

It was a new paint set that Faith had been saving up for before their falling out. Faith had completely forgot about it once she had moved into her own place.

"I love it, thank you," Faith smiled tearfully at her mother, who squeezed her hand.

"Knock, knock," came from the doorway, where Lexi stood, aiming a forced smile at Grace. She still held a grudge towards her girlfriends mother for what she said to Faith that day, but it wasn't her place to say anything.

"Hey, babe," Faith smiled widely when Lexi walked across the room and pulled her in for a kiss.

"You ready to go?" Lexi asked, holding her hand out for Faith, who laced their fingers together, placing a kiss to Lexi's knuckles. Faith was going to spend the rest of the day with Lexi, Suze and Cassie before coming back to the hospital before visiting hours ended.

"Bye guys," Faith waved to them all before exiting. Faith gasped when Lexi shoved her into a supply closet, her words not coming out due to Lexi's eagerly kissing hers.

Faith whimpered when Lexi bit down harshly on her lip, her hands eagerly palming Faith's ass through her plaid skirt.

"Merry Christmas," Lexi whispered against her girlfriends lips when they pulled away for air.

"Lexi, I'm fucking bleeding," Faith giggled, tasting the metallic taste in her mouth from where Lexi bit her lip.

"Let me see," Lexi instructed, her left hand tilting Faith's chin upwards, her right hand holding Faith's head in place. Faith's eyes widened when Lexi leaned forward and swiped her tongue across Faith's bottom lip. "All better."

"Lexi fucking Howard!" Faith laughed, slapping her shoulder playfully.

—————

Christmas had come and gone in a flash, and like that it was New Years Eve and Faith looked herself over in the mirror before the New Year's Eve party she would be attending with Lexi and her friends.

She still hadn't really talked to Maddy after their incident while dress shopping for the winter formal, but she wanted to make amends with her. They were best friends.

Faith ran her hands down her black, long-sleeved dress ending at her thigh, throwing a black leather jacket around her for warmth before grabbing her purse from her bed.

"Faith," a voice called behind her as she locked her front door.

"Maddy," Faith breathed out, her heart thumping against her ribcage. Maddy wore a black dress similar to Faith's, but had shown off more of her cleavage and curves.

"I came to talk to you," Maddy told her, her dark brown eyes pleading with Faith's hazel ones. "Without Nate here, without Lexi."

"Maddy..."

"Faith, please," Maddy interrupted her, taking a step closer. "I'm not here to beg you to be with me, I'm not here to tell you I'm better than Lexi..." her voice trailed off as she reached for Faith's hands, but Faith pulled them away, taking another step back. "I just want you to know that I love you, I've always loved you, and I'm so fucking sorry for what happened in Middle School, and for ever choosing fucking Nate over you."

"Maddy..."

"But I will love you for the rest of my life," The Perez girl took a step back. "But I will always be your best friend first, forever and always," Maddy turned to walk away, but something inside of Faith caused her to reach out and take Maddy's arm in her grasp, causing Maddy to stop.

Their eye contact only broke when Maddy's eyes flickered down to Faith's lips momentarily before looking straight back up.

"In another life, we were meant to be," Faith whispered, closing her eyes to hold back years. "But not in this one... I love you, Maddy, but as my best friend."

"I can take that," Maddy nodded, equally as tearful. "I've missed my best friend," she said, pulling Faith into a tight hug.

"I missed you too."