“No, that’s her gaslighting you. There wasn’t a single thing you did to deserve any of that. She’s wrong about you, Lexi.”
“You don’t know me.”
“I don’t have to know you. You didn’t deserve that. No one does, Angel.” My hand slides up and down her back, and I feel her arms around me, clinging to me. “You were very brave, standing up to her the way you did. That isn’t easy. Mothers can be…a tricky situation sometimes.”
“She wasn’t always like this,” she mumbles. “She only gets mad when I do something wrong. She doesn’t mean it.”
I pull back a little and slip my hand to her face. I want to tell her how soft and perfect she is, and that she doesn’t need the walls up around me. I want her to realize that even with puffy, tear-soaked eyes, she is still a vision of beauty that I would protect with my life.
“I have an idea.”
“Uhm, I… I don’t know. I think I should just go to bed.”
“Nope, that’s the worst idea. Please?” She hesitates, then nods. I pull her jacket off the hook and slip it over her shoulders. “I promise you won’t regret this. Come on, we can walk it from here.”
“Walk?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe.” I mean those words in every way possible.
When we leave the building, she immediately scans the streets to see if her mother is still lingering nearby. I honestly don’t know what I’ll do if she is. I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep my mouth shut if she tries to come near her again. Thankfully, there’s no sign of her, so we walk up the empty street.
The night has a little chill to it, so when I see her shiver even with her coat, I pull off my hoodie and drape it over her, then wrap my arm around her and pull her close. Her skin smells like cherry blossoms. I never want her far from me again. I’ve never felt like this for anyone, especially not someone I’ve just met.
My dating life, as minimal as it’s been lately, includes too many one-night hookups at bars and a few relationships that lasted into the month’s range. Only once had I been with someone for over a year, but she was my high school sweetheart, and it felt like we would be together forever. It’s strange to think that tonight, as we walk down the dark streets of Los Angeles, I feel that way again with Lexi.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
“Well, it’s a safe bet that if you haven’t already guessed by where we’re walking, you haven’t been there before.” I’m a little surprised she hasn’t pulled away or told me to get lost yet, but I also understand what it’s like to just really need someone around—especially someone who isn’t judging you for how someone in your family acts. Every family has at least one person they’re not exactly thrilled to be related to. “Do you not like surprises?”
“Sometimes. I guess it just depends on what it is and why. Surprise visits from my mother. Yeah, not so much. God, I’m still so embarrassed you had to see that and the way I broke down. I’m not like this all the time.”
“Oh, this is going to be way better than surprise visits from her. Don’t worry. You don’t have to be embarrassed about that, sweetheart; I’m not going to think any less of someone as incredible as you over something out of your control like that.”
“It should be in my control, though. I should be stronger and tell her to fuck off.”
“Woah! Hold on now, you mean to tell me that a woman as sweet and pretty as you has a dirty mouth, too?” I’m relieved when she smiles at my piss-poor attempt at humor.
“You have no idea, dirty mouth, dirty mind. Guess I’m one of those weird kids that was sheltered by church life only to turn out to be messed up and a mess.”
“You’re not the first person a cult has messed up, and you won’t be the last. But you really need to stop talking so badly about yourself. As the reigning king of self-deprecation, I know something about being a big old mess.” Reaching around her and into the pocket of my hoodie, I pull out a joint and hold it out to her. “No pressure, obviously. It helps my nerves when I’m in a bad way.”
“I can’t picture you in a bad way. You’re so confident and sure of yourself most of the time.” I flick the lighter as she inhales. “I wish I could be more like that. Stupid stuff doesn’t even seem to bother you at all. Meanwhile, I’m having internal panic attacks because we were late to a conference we weren’t really even a part of.” Her head hangs low.
I stop in front of her and put my hands on her shoulders, “Lex, look, I know I’m still getting to know you and that first impressions can be misleading. Yesterday, when you dropped your phone, I was one hundred percent certain I’d just met the most brilliant, confident, amazing angel in the entire city. My opinion of you hasn’t changed a single bit since then.”
We talk more as we continue our walk, passing the joint between us and letting the weed take the stress away.
“It should have.” She says a few minutes later. She holds the joint out for me, and I take a hit while she holds it. “Changed the way you think about me.”
“It hasn’t,” I say after I hold the breath in. I cock my head to the side. “I’m confident about absolutely nothing in my life. Okay, not true. I’m confident about one thing, but only one.”
“What’s that?” She asks, already giggling as she blows a smoke ring.
“Pie.”
“What?” She looked up at me, confused.
I turned to the side, revealing the sandwich board sign for The Pie Hole. “Pie. It makes everything better. And their apple pie is absolutely freakin’ worth it.”
