The Runaway

Lexi didn't have an idea of what went on after Brianna's comment. They were fighting but she went too far. She felt Andrew's warm arms wrap around her as she cried and cried. Emma walked in while Lexi was crying and asked what's wrong.

"Brianna said something to Lexi. It's none of your business." Andrew said, knowing that Emma would side with Brianna for anything. "No please tell me. Even I know that Brianna has been way over the top these past few days." Emma said, reminiscing about the bad moments with Brianna. Andrew scoffed, "Sure the past few days." Lexi slightly tapped Andrew, signaling to not say something he might regret.

"Okay I get it. I'm sorry that I even encouraged that behavior and went along with it but I'm serious. I'm done with Brianna." Emma said, trying to prove her innocence. "Fine. Brianna said that she thinks it was good that Ben died but that it would've been better if Lexi died instead." Andrew didn't even bother to look at Emma.

Emma's eyes widened with shock before sitting on the other side of Lexi. "I'm so sorry Lex, I don't know what's gotten into her lately." Lexi let another tear fall, "It's all about her stupid bet." Lexi said, causing Emma to give her a weird look. "Yeah but she does that with everyone you like so I don't know."

Lexi looked up from Andrew's arms, "Who else?" Emma hesitated, realizing she messed up, "Uhm, I can't remember." Lexi thought for a second, "I've only liked Andrew and Ben in the time she started to want all the boys attention." Then it hit Lexi. Brianna had a bet on Ben behind her back.

"Yeahhh." Emma said, dragging out her words to think of an excuse. "You mean she had a bet with Ben? Wow she really sucks at winning these bets." Lexi said. But still, Emma looked awkwardly around the room, scanning the most random items to avoid eye contact. "Well..." Emma trailed off, not wanting to finish her sentence.

"Emma, please tell me?" Lexi looked her straight into her eyes and the guilt was eating at her. "Okay. In the beginning of your relationship, Brianna placed the same bet with Ben, only she didn't tell you because at that point you were dating already. Remember that party at Noah's house? The one you couldn't go too?" Lexi nodded.

Emma then took a deep breath before super quickly spitting out the rest, "That night Ben and Brianna hooked up and I didn't want to tell you because I knew it would break you but that's why Ben seemed so cold at the start. It wasn't because there's were two sides to him, it was because he had a thing for Brianna."

Lexi froze, staring blankly into Emma's eyes. A ringing sound stood in her ears as she paused in place, her whole world feeling like it crashed. With the same expression, Lexi walked out the door and downstairs. She went into her car and drove away with out a word.

She drove in Andrew's car to the nearest gas station and used the fake ID she had from the period of her life where she wasn't herself, after Ben died. She bought a case of beer and a small bottle of tequila. She parked in the parking lot behind the gas station and began to down her beers one by one. She never drank heavily like this, but she couldn't stop herself right now. She needed something to make her forget about everything.

Another thing was that Andrew was just like Ben. What if Jeremy really wasn't lying about Brianna sleeping with Andrew? All these doubts clouded her head so much that she couldn't even hear her own thoughts. She switched from beer to tequila then all over again, repeating her cycle of numbing herself. Each sip brought her closer to the feeling of nothing that she craved so much.

Each sip however, also sent her spiraling, falling down her self-made hole of doubts. She drank the last sip of tequila before blacking out in her car.

Andrew watched Lexi walk out, not sure what she was going to do. She walked out in such a calm manner, however her face looked like she had just died, or at least a part of her. Andrew knew how special Ben had been to her even this broke Andrew. He hated to see Lexi cry or even be hurt at all. The pain of not knowing where she went killed him.

He searched the entire party, not giving a damn about the people in his way. The bass of the music and the chatter of people only added to Andrew's stress as he went from corner to corner in search of Lexi. Eventually he took a step outside, the noise slowly fading out as he walked into the fresh air. He noticed the absence of the car he drove here and immediately knew that Lexi had taken it somewhere.

He ran through the crowds, elbowing till he reached the kitchen counter where Brent was. "Brent! Give me your car keys now!" Andrew said, digging through his pockets. "Wha-" Andrew grabbed them and ran away with a smirk, "I'll explain later!" He got into the car as quickly as he could, going down the road they entered the lake house from.

Once he got out to the town part he looked to his left at the parking lots, none of them were his car. Then he looked to his right, it was the same case. This went on for another 2 blocks before Andrew spotted his car at the local gas station. He parked into the spot next to his car only to find her knocked out in the drivers seat.

Surrounding her were bottles of beer and tequila, immediately giving away what had happened. Andrew knocked and knocked on the window, trying to get her to wake up. Lexi was underage and calling the fire station would make this messier than it had to be.

Instead, Andrew sat in Brent's car,  watching over  Lexi the whole night until the sun came up...