Chapter One: Valentine's Day (The Final Dream)

“Lexi, wake up!” There was a short pause. “It's time for school!”

Being yelled at was a normal occurrence for Lexus Smith; however, today her mother seemed especially loud and annoying.

“Just a minute!” Lexi responded, matching the booming tone of the slightly sagging, makeup covered figure clutching the doors' handle impatiently.

“We need to go!” her mom replied.

“Just lemme grab something, I'll meet you in the car.”

Her mom knew what she was grabbing. It was the switchblade she had told Lexi so many times before not to use on herself.

Her mom's voice dropped at least a hundred octaves.

“Alright. Be careful, dear.”

Her mother was the only one who knew about Lexus’ problem. Even Ally Wahl, her self-proclaimed best friend, was entirely oblivious. Lexi grabbed the knife, ran downstairs, opened, closed, and locked the door; then, she proceeded to where her impatient mother was waiting. She pocketed the blade in the car, not caring about whether or not her mom saw. Then, she looked over.

There it was.

Mom had the worried look that she always gives whenever Lexi had her knife.

“Mom, it's fine. It's just in case, remember? Don't worry,” Lexus reassured.

“Okay. But if you get the urge to cut, please, call me first and don't let anybody, especially Ally, catch you, alright?”

“Fine.”

The entire car ride was silent afterward. Not even the normally screechy brakes of the vehicle on the gravel-filled Texas country roads could be heard over the deafening silence of tension created by a single scrap of steel sharpened and attached to plastic.

Lexi almost never cried, even when the sharp, cool blade ripped across her skin and the little red droplets formed into streams on her wrist. But today was an exception, and although she had always hated Valentine’s Day and was always alone for the occasion, today was very different. She'd always felt exceptionally misplaced compared to the norm. That's why she brought her trusty blade. It’s her preparation for the worst.

To her, this blade was special; it had the family crest engraved into it. It was so sharp that just touching the tip of it made sticky blood slowly ooze out. As for the handle, it was smooth, solid gold with small indents on the blade side that perfectly molded into her fingers like a glove molds to your hand. It felt so comfortable in her hands that she simply couldn't imagine using any other knife. Just thinking about it made her crave the puny glint of a steel sliver gliding across her skin and drawing blood; the pain making her forget about how terrible this day will be.

She yearned for the love people share on Valentine's day, and even if it's a fake type of love like it usually is when someone asks her out, in her mind, at least it'd be something.

As she walked to her desk, looking down to avoid the mockingly bright pink and purple “symbols of love” strewn about, as well as the kissing and flirting that will occur within moments of people finding their Valentines and giving them the gifts, she notices a girl smiling at her. The girl, about Lexi’s height, had strawberry blonde hair, perfect teeth and in Lexi’s opinion, a perfect figure to match; overall, this girl was beautiful. She's smiling at Lexi. It had to be her because there was nobody around Lexi, as usual.

Quickly, Lexus pulled out the novel she had been reading over and over for the past six months. She kept reading the line “our actions have consequences.” While reading, Lexi’s mind was elsewhere.

“Why does Ally keep staring at me?” she thought. She wanted to say something to her, but remained silent. As she thought, she noticed Ally's looming figure hovering over her.

“Hey Lex!” she said.

“Oh, hey, Ally. What's up?” Lexi asked, not used to hearing her already short nickname being shortened even more.

“Well...I was just uhm...I was wondering if you would, given what day it is, maybe wanna be my Valentine?”

As Ally blushed, tears welled up in Lexi’s eyes. She's always liked Ally, but never knew if she felt the same; that is, until now. Not only that, but the searing pressure of being asked for the first time—by someone she liked nonetheless, and of course she had to say yes, was wholly overwhelming.

“Of course!” Lexi practically screamed it out, tears flowing from her eyes like raindrops.

After checking that nobody was around, they kissed each other swiftly, yet passionately, then went back to their seats. The rest of the day, they spent exchanging glances in anticipation and longing. Finally, after what seemed to be a millennium, the bell screamed and children rushed out giving an occasional, yet thunderous “whoop.” However, Ally and Lexi stayed behind even though the teacher gave an accusing glare. They waited anxiously for everyone to leave and then their teacher smirked at the newly-formed lovebirds. Her name was Catherine Kaiserman, but most kids call her Mrs. K. Although, some kids affectionately call her Special K because she tends to be a bit impulsive and do crazy things like giving 30 point curves on quizzes. Lexi wondered why she was staring and promptly asked about it.

“Don't think I don't know what's going on,” was the teacher's reply. “Don't worry, I won't tell, but I just have a question. Why keep it a secret? There are plenty of people in this school and many different sexual orientations, so there are bound to be plenty of people who will accept you.”

Ally piped up this time. “Well, we just didn't wanna disturb the class, Mrs. K.” Lexi nodded in agreement.

“I see,” said the teacher. “Well, I'm locking up. Just turn the lights off and close the door when you leave. Come to me if you need anything, okay girls?” The girls nodded. She smirked, “and girls? Don't have too much fun.” With that, the teacher, a short, blue-eyed brunette, who always wore cute dresses and high-heeled shoes, departed, her heels clicking the ground after each step.

After the girls checked that the coast was clear and the heel-clicking faded, they ran to each other and kissed with so much love that their aura practically oozed out of the room and into the hall.

“Wait!,” Lexi halted. “Let's not do this at school. What if somebody sees us?”

Ally smiled warmly and agreed, even though she was hiding her vague deterrence and subtle annoyance by Lexi’s sudden sense of awkwardness. “You're right, school sucks. Wanna go to my place?”

Lexi nodded.

“But let me call my mom first,” Lexi said pulling out her phone and stepping away for privacy.

As Lexi was talking, Ally was in a completely different world. She was playing with a few pieces of scrap paper on the table left over from the class making handmade valentines. She wasn't doing anything in particular, just folding them, but what was going through her mind was far from paper. The thoughts hovered in her mind and Lexi’s voice only made them more vivid in her imagination. They lingered, but finally dissipated as Lexi got off the phone.

“Ugh! Mom is so annoying...She said no, but you're welcome to come to my house, apparently.”

Ally hugged the frustrated girl. “Don't worry, it's completely fine. I don't mind and besides, we could tell your mom we're dating and totally freak her out.”

Lexi smirked at the thought of her mother being entirely speechless.

As they walked home together, hand-in-hand, they occasionally glanced at each other and back down at the ground, not knowing what to say.

All of this was so new for the both of them, but after a few minutes of pure awkward silence, Lexi spoke.

“Ally, maybe we should...,” Lexi started, her voice slowly trailing off.

“Should what?” Ally questioned, genuinely confused.

Lexi stopped walking and Ally followed suit.

“Ally...Do you...Um...Will you go out with me?”

This time, it was Ally who was flooding with tears.

“Yes! I've been waiting awhile for you to ask me that.” Ally cried out shamelessly and no longer afraid. They hugged and Ally gently pecked Lexi's cheek.

Ally and Lexi had been friends for as long as they could remember and they met at school in third grade. They first met when the boys were teasing Lexi for bringing her stuffed bear to school. When Ally saw it, she knew she had to intervene.

Ally was your typical 3rd grader, mostly unable to put up with other children's annoyances and bullying, so she called the teacher over and sent the two boys to detention. Ally walked over to Lexi and asked her if she was okay. Lexi gave her natural response which was a reply in the affirmative, but Ally could tell she was lying. After that day, they've been inseparable.

Now, they've grown to a certain level of love and pure happiness that their qualms have all vanished and they were overjoyed to be together officially. They no longer cared what people thought and Lexi kissed the girl who would change her life forever…