2 LEXINE WOODS

Lexine's eyes fluttered open, as a heavy pounding resounded in her head, making her feel dizzy and slightly nauseated. Her head was slightly raised but lay on a quite hard object. Her neck was cramping in joints she did not even think she had. She groaned as she sat up from the uncomfortable position she was in and rubbed the back of her neck. She looked down at her attire and thanked heavens she was still fully dressed.

Being herself, she was quite the outrageous one when it came to partying. She did not do it quite often, but the few times she did, quite put simply, her friend Ceeret had to almost always come to the rescue, to prevent her from doing anything she would regret later, most especially when drinking was added in the picture. Said friend was also the one who always insisted they go to such parties despite Lexine's disagreements. They were quite the odd pair but complemented each other quite beautifully, to say the least. They had been together since their nappy days and knew each other inside and out after all.

Lexine looked around at all the bodies lying beside her and sighed. she was never going to find her missing purse in this mess, or Ceeret for that matter. For all she knew, Ceeret could have left her the night before, especially since they had attended the party uninvited. She stood and felt dizzy from the sudden movement and the undeniable feeling of bile rising up her throat. "Not good," she muttered to herself as she ran over the still sleeping bodies and down a corridor to the place she had seen a bathroom the night before, thank heavens for her photographic memory.

She struggled with the doorknob before the bathroom door swung open. She stumbled in, quite clumsily and knelt on the floor next to the toilet and let all the drinks from the previous night out. A hand helped her hold back her too-long hair and rubbed her back slowly as she heaved.

She coughed slightly and sighed, her left hand letting go of the toilet rim for a second to squeeze the bridge of her nose, "Fucking hangover." she muttered before standing and flushing. She then turned to her samaritan to thank him.

He was slightly taller than her, had, no doubt dyed, light blue and wide caramel brown eyes that seemed to peer into her very soul. A purple earring dangled from his left ear. He looked to be a in his early to mid thirties. "Thanks." She nodded at him and went to walk around him when he stretched his arm and handed her two white pills.

She quirked a brow at him and he nodded his head gesturing to hers before speaking in a slight British accent, "For your hangover." He placed them in her palm together with the bottle of water he had in his other hand.

"Umm, thanks?" she frowned and looked at the pills and bottle of water dubiously before shrugging and taking them. They looked like painkillers. Was he the one who threw the party? Ceeret had been invited by a girl who went to their high school, but did not know who was throwing the party.

On looking up, the mysterious British guy was already gone. Her brows scrunched up in confusion and she walked out and checked left and right. Weird. It was like he had never been there.

She shook her head and walked to the living room where she had woken up. The room was quite big, considering the black leather couches had been moved to the sides of the room, creating a makeshift dance floor. Sleeping bodies littered the dance floor and she walked cautiously over them, careful not to step on, and wake, anyone. "Purse... Purse... Purse... Where is that blasted purse." She murmured to herself as her eyes scavenged the room.

Her left hand flew to her chest where her pendant lay. This was a nervous habit as she sought comfort from it. The pendant had been a gift from her father and whenever she fingered the long cylindrical piece, she felt comforted by her father's presence somewhat.

She walked to the spot she had woken up at and scrunched her face at the drooling boy who slept there. His shirt was off and a felt pen drawing of a pair of lips stood out from his chest. Lexine cringed and looked around the area for her purse, her fingers still around her necklace.

She almost cried out in relief when she spotted it next to an unconscious blonde-haired female. She picked up the blue purse and confirmed that her phone, fake ID and house keys were present before swinging it over her shoulder. She then walked out of the room and down another hallway she was sure she and Ceeret had passed the night before while walking into the party.

Before she could walk out the magnificent wooden doors a voice stopped her in her tracks, "Leaving so soon? And without saying goodbye for that matter. That's not so nice. "

Lexine turned to face the man who had given her the pills in the bathroom and plastered a smile onto her face. His blue hair was dripping with what was most obviously water and he had changed into other clothes and was now sporting a pair of glasses without lenses.

"I'm sorry but I am quite late in going back home and need to be leaving now, so, I guess this is goodbye." She turned to walk out again but a hand on her back stopped her once again. She turned to face the owner of the hand

"I apologize but I do not even know your name," he spoke with a smile on his face, "If it helps, my name is Karl and it is quite an honor to meet you," he said with his face glowing brighter.

"My name is also none of your business and the pleasure of meeting you is questionable, now please if you would excuse me kind sir," she frowned at the end, turned, opened the door and walked out and sighed. She rolled her eyes and walked down the porch steps. Her eyes skimmed over the red and yellow roses on both sides of the path. They were in full bloom and Lexine had to resist the urge to stop and smell them.

The large gate to the mansion loomed over Lexine. She looked up at it. "I do believe this renders you stuck here, at least until I get some answers at least." A voice spoke up behind Lexine. She sighed before looking back at the blue haired man. "To begin with, who are you? I am very sure I have not seen you around here before."

"I do not know you either so I guess we are even." she smiled sweetly, "now can you let me leave, I have somewhere I need to be."

"I do not think so. I like knowing strangers especially if said stranger crashed a party she was not invited to yesterday night." He crossed his arms over his chest.

Lexine chuckled. She looked back at the towering gate behind her before looking back at him. "Maybe some other time." She threw her purse over the gate before jumping over it herself. It was times like this she was actually happy for refusing to go with Ceeret's choice on her mode of dressing. She absolutely detested dresses. Once she was over the gate and on the other side, she turned to the guy who now was standing on the other side. She smiled mockingly once again and gave him a wink before beginning the walk to the bus station.

Karl watched her leave with a thoughtful look on his face. It would seem his suspicions were right. The Academy's council was going to be furious once they figured out what he had done. However, change was more than required if they were going to face the storm that was brewing. They needed all the help they could get.

Once on the bus, Lexine sunk into the seat and let out a big sigh. She plugged in her earphones to listen to music. She cursed Ceeret in her head for ditching her at the party because she was her ride home. It would not be the first time her redheaded friend had pulled a stunt like this.

She glanced at the watch on her wrist. It was half-past seven in the morning. Her mother would not be up yet and maybe she could sneak back to the house unnoticed. Just maybe. Half an hour later she was standing at the bus stop, ready to hit the street to her home.

Some kids ran past her screaming something about Tyler having a spider. The food truck she frequented and worked in was not yet open. The smell of something putrid hung heavily in the air and Lexine smiled to herself. This was home. The apartment buildings loomed over her as she walked to the one she and her mother stayed at.

Walking up the steps to their two bedroomed apartment, the distinct smell of chocolate cookies wafted through the air. Lexine's stomach rumbled. She could not quite remember her last meal. The previous morning perhaps? To fit into the pair of jeans Ceeret had picked out for her, she had not eaten. That was also probably the reason why she got drunk so quickly the night before. 'I am never going to drink again.' She promised herself.

She opened the room to the house and the smell of cookies got stronger. Her mother was baking. Lexine scrunched her nose up in confusion. Her mother baking was never a good sign. Her mother only baked when she was angry or anxious or excited. None of the three were a pretty sight. She closed the door softly hoping her mother would not hear her get into the house.

Whatever deity was up in heaven didn't seem to favor her because as soon as she opened the door, her mother called out her name.

"Lexine, is that you dear?" her mother's voice spoke from inside the kitchen. Lexine froze on the spot.

Crap.

S/T:

Lexine: *Tip toes into the house*

Lexine's mom: Oh, so you remembered where you live.