Power & Control

41: West Coast

"No one knew for a while. And I liked that. I liked how it felt like he was my secret to keep. An escape, a hiding place I guess. No one could judge me, because no one had a clue. It was... comforting." I gave up on trying to stop myself from fidgeting with my ring, my breathing shallow as I panned my gaze across all three of them. Halle breathed deeply, twisting in her chair to face me before her hand was on mine, halting my fidgeting.

"We'd never judge you Lex, especially not if what you did was something you wanted, something that made you happy." Chloe quickly nodded her agreement, giving me a warm smile. I sighed in relief, putting my focus mainly on Flo for my long awaited apology.

"I'm sorry I kept this from you. I won't do it again." I hoped it was enough, because I was truly terrible at apologising. From just a glance, I could tell the two sisters flanking my sides were satisfied enough. Flo, on the other hand leaned back in her chair as she assessed me, considered for a couple of painfully silent seconds and sighed deeply.

"We're willing to forgive you..." she trailed off, a curl on one corner of her full mouth. I narrowed my eyes at her, awaiting her condition.

"If you buy the first round of drinks tonight." That hint of a smirk developed into a full grin. Chloe chuckled while Halle just rolled her eyes at the blonde, slumping back in her chair. I held back from smiling back at Florence. Even though it was no secret I could easily cover the costs for everything me and the girls did whenever we'd go out, they'd never let me. Expenses on nights out were always split equally, since they'd always claim I had no obligation to cover for them unless it was my birthday. I smiled and nodded my agreement at Flo, already having planned sneaking away to pay for everyone's dinner tonight before we even sat down.

"Apology accepted." Florence smiled softly, nodding back once in approval. The breath releasing from my lips was one of major relief, shoulders relaxing once I knew she was no longer irritated at me.

"Great, we're all friends again. Can we skip to what really matters now?" Chloe complained, suddenly perking up as she leaned onto her elbows.

"And what's that?" I chuckled at her obvious eagerness.

"What's he like?" She smiled, catching me off guard. When I decided to admit to them what had been going on, I didn't expect I'd have to talk about him. I glanced at the other two girls, finding them equally as interested in Chloe's question.

"What do you mean?" I asked in return. She groaned in response, and Halle cut in before Chloe could say anything else.

"She means what it's like being with him. You've only ever talked shit about him to us."

"Exactly. We're just curious about the 'good' side of him." Chloe elaborated as I glanced between the two of them, nothing but genuine intrigue and excitement in their faces.

"His good side?" If not my hesitant tone, the furrow in my brows definitely showed how confused I was. Flo chuckled and glanced down at her plate as she resumed her dinner, remaining unusually passive in this conversation.

"Yeah, like all the nice things he's done for you." Halle smiled widely, her pearly teeth on full display. Unable to form a well thought out response, I shrugged my shoulders and just settled to say whatever came to mind.

"I don't know. He's cooked for me a couple times. That was nice of him." Eagerly, they all kept their eyes glued to me. I stared back, mindlessly chewing on the inside of my mouth.

"That's it?" Chloe huffed, one thick eyebrow raising. I lightly laughed to myself, shrugging my shoulders.

"I don't know what you're looking for." Starting to relax a little, I picked up my fork to take a bite of the food I had abandoned for a while.