No Flowers On My Bones - 5
CW: mention of controlling parent, mention of custody battles
Steph was sprawled out on the floor of Lexโs room. She stared at the ceiling. It was plastered with plastic glow in the dark stars. Hannah had done it to surprise her sister years ago, and Lex never bothered to take it down.
Their friendship had been one of circumstance.
It was before Lex dropped out. Steph was a junior, and had wound up in detention. Again. The two had been the only girls in detention, and ended up chatting (much to the teacherโs annoyance). Turns out when you both have terrible parents and a penchant for alternative music, you bond pretty quickly.
What had started out as simply keeping each other sane in detention ended up snowballing into Lex Foster and Stephanie Lauter being best friends (much to Solomonโs chagrin).
This was the first time since her dadโs death that Steph had gone to the trailer park for a sleepover. Ethan (who had quickly become a brother to her), was working late, and Peter was out of town on a family trip. The last thing Steph wanted in that moment was to be alone, and Lex had always been a safe space for her.
โโAnd then this asshole is all like โIโm in a hurry!โ I donโt fuckinโ care, wait your ass in line like everyone else, I donโt get paid minimum wage to spoil someoneโs manchild,โ Lex ranted, laying back on her bed, head dangling upside down off the edge of the mattress.
Steph drew herself from her thoughts, and scoffed at Lexโs story. โSounds like a fuckinโ tool.โ
Lex laughed in agreement, and let out a sigh. She reached to the floor below her to grab another lukewarm pizza roll from the plate she and Steph were sharing. She took a bite, and chewed a couple times.
โโฆHow are you holdinโ up, Stephie?โ
She sighed, knowing what her friend had meant. It had now been four months since Solomon Lauter was buried, and she still didnโt know how to feel about everything.
โI dunnoโฆI just feel kinda numb, I guessโฆ?โ Steph trailed off. She felt Lexโs eyes on her. She continued, โLikeโฆI keep expecting to be lectured or told off, keep expecting to be texted or tracked wherever I go, to be yelled at for my public life. But then I go back to that damn manor and itโs so emptyโฆItโs soulsucking.โ
Lex popped the rest of her pizza roll into her mouth, and nodded softly.
โIt sounds shitty,โ she empathized, reaching down to put a hand on Stephโs shoulder.
After a moment of sitting in silence, Lex shuffled, moving to get off the bed and to lay on the floor with Steph. She looked at the door then whispered, โI have something to tell you.โ
Steph looked back at her friend, confusion knitting her brows together. โWhat?โ
โEeth and I finally have enough saved to move in together,โ Lex hurriedly whispered. โAnd Mr. Keaneโs been helping me with the paperwork to get custody of Hannah, too. Weโre gonna leave this broke ass trailer.โ
Despite the exhuastion in her face, Steph grinned, happy for her friends. โHey! Thatโs fuckinโ awesome, Lexi. Iโm proud of you guys.โ
โThatโs not all. Eeth and I were talking, and we found a place. Itโs an apartment. Three bedrooms, two baths. Eeth and I are gonna share one, then Hannah has a roomโฆ.โ she trailed off.
Steph was confused again. โWhy three bedrooms then?โ
Lex propped herself up in her elbow, looking down at Steph with a big grin. โโฆYou wanna ditch that manor?โ
The moment the realization set in, Stephโs eyes widened.
โYou better not be fuckinโ with me, Lexi,โ Steph whispered. โAre you fuckinโ with me?โ
โNope! We know youโve wanted out for a while, and I know youโre on your own now, but if you wanna move in with usโฆโ
Steph barrelled over Lex, the two rolling on the floor with laughter as Steph hugged her best friend.
Sheโd been wanting to leave the manor for months, but also knew that she and Pete werenโt ready to move in together. Theyโd talked about it and agreed that they wanted to take things slow, so that they werenโt rushing to cope with their hurts. And this felt like Stephโs golden ticket out of that empty, haunted house of memories.
