Avoiding Responsibility (29 page)

He sat down next to her. "I just didn't know how you would react."

"Perhaps next time, you can let me react before making assumptions," she said with a shrug.

After a second, he said, "You're right." He backed out of the driveway and made his way out towards the highway.

"Thanks for taking me," she murmured to break the silence.

"Of course. I know how much Chyna means to you."

"Ramsey," she stammered out, "can I ask you a question?"

"Sure what's up?" he asked merging into traffic.

"Were you and Parker ever...uh...together?" she asked turning to face him in the car. "I mean I know you said that you never had a girlfriend, but you guys looked...comfortable together. And Jessie said..."

"Jessie?" he snapped. "What did Jessie say?"

Lexi paused gauging his reaction. "She didn't say anything. Just that you two were cute together."

"Are you sure that's all?" he asked clenching the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.

"Should she have said more?" she asked staring at him intently.

"No," he said taking a deep breath and releasing his firm grip on the wheel. "She just has a tendency to blab fallacies with the turn of the wind."

"Well she didn't say anything to me. But told me to ask you and trust whatever you told me," she said eager to get the truth out of him.

Ramsey shrugged. "All of that was a long time ago."

"All of what?" she asked curiously.

"Parker and I weren't together...not like we are at least."

Lexi gulped thinking of her relationship with Jack. Had he had something like that going on? She hadn't thought it possible for someone else to have a relationship anything like theirs, but anything was possible after all.

"You remember that time I told you about the dare at the bonfire after prom?" he asked.

She wasn't sure what that conversation had to do with anything. Of course, she remembered it very clearly. It wasn't everyday that someone told you they slept with someone in front of a group of people after prom. She had just filed that piece of information away in her mind hoping never have to bring it back up.

"Well...Parker is that girl."

Lexi's mouth dropped open. "What?" she cried suddenly jumping in her seat.

He sighed and glanced into her brown eyes. "I told you it was a long time ago."

"Yeah but Ramsey, you slept with her...in front of all of those people?" she asked unsure as to why she needed an answer, but realizing she did.

"A long time ago Lexi. It's been forever since I've even seen her. We were only actually together...like that," he told her.

"But she looks like me," she sputtered.

He cringed at the admittance. "Yeah, I guess she kind of does."

"Did you only like me because I look like her?" she asked her eyes narrowed looking for any signs of deceit.

"No! Never. Sure I saw the resemblance but you guys are completely different people. I would never think of comparing you Lexi...with anyone. You can't be compared. I've known Parker for a long time, and we just ended up in bed together a lot. Nothing more...nothing less," he said grasping for her hand to reassure her.

She let him lace his fingers through her own. His thumb came up and rubbed light circles into her skin. She let her breath slow and her heart return to a normal speed. His confession that he had been with Parker at one point just confirmed her thoughts. She hadn't put two and two together about his prom date, and finding out that tidbit had set her backwards a few steps. But she shouldn't let herself waver so easily. She knew that whatever had been with Parker wasn't happening now. But still she had to be sure. She couldn't keep wondering. "Promise?" she finally asked after a long pause.

He smiled down at her. "Yes Lexi. I promise."

K.A. Linde

Some sort of comfort in your pain

I can't help from taking

No matter how I change

There will be no escaping

I say I'm chasing time but you know I've been

Running away from, running away from you

- Mike Posner "Save Your Goodbye"

Chapter 15: Present

Now Lexi swore she wasn't going to go. She had told Ramsey she wasn't going to go. He had unwittingly agreed…smart boy. She had even got up the nerve to
call
Bekah and tell her personally that she would have to decline the invitation to fill in at the bachelorette party. There was absolutely no way she would get dragged into another stupid night out. She had the worst luck with these types of events, and she was sure that this one wouldn't be any better. Bekah always had an angle. She always had a motive behind her actions. She didn't just invite someone to a bachelorette party for no good reason especially when you despised the girl. Lexi was sure there was something more to the event.

But then it had happened. It all changed. She wasn't sure if Bekah had known from the beginning that Lexi would change her mind. She was never sure of Bekah. But then she had come out and said it. They were going to her alma mater. She hadn't been there but one time since she had moved to New York. She just didn't have the money to make the flights down for football games or any other events.

The university town was only an hour outside of Atlanta and with more bars per square block than anywhere else in the country. It was a perfect place for a bachelorette party. Lexi personally thought it was close to the best place in the world. She might be a little biased though. And that's how she had got suckered into making the hour drive with Bekah and her three stooges for a bachelorette party she had wanted no part in.

A limo had pulled up outside of Ramsey's apartment only a few short minutes after she had gotten off the phone with Bekah. The girls had chatted the entire way there about stuff that Lexi had no interest in. They hadn't included her in the conversation, and she was a little thankful. She didn't particularly want to try to make meaningless conversation with any of these people. She clearly wasn't going to stay friends with them after this weekend. The effort she would have to put in to make conversation was just too much to deal with.

The limo driver pulled up outside of the Hilton downtown. Their bags were swiftly deposited into their rooms, and then the girls convened in Bekah's suite.

"So I went to the trouble of getting you all matching bachelorette outfits," Bekah squealed reaching into one of her bags and pulling out black and grey pleated mini skirts, black v-cut halter tops, and knee high socks. Lexi's mouth dropped open. Was this girl serious? "You all brought black heels I'm sure."

The other girls hopped up and down like they were actually excited to parade around in those outfits. Lexi couldn't figure it out. Why would anyone want to look like that?

"Amber, this one is yours," Bekah said handing over an outfit to the tallest one in the bunch. At least something of worth was coming from these stupid costumes. Lexi would finally know all their names. She had never been formally introduced, and since she had been ignored in the car, she had never gotten a chance to ask.

"Kersey here is yours," she said handing it over to the mousy blonde. The girl did seem to be excited about the prospect of dressing up, but Lexi could see that she didn't approve of the scandalous outfit.

"Hey Bekah," Kersey chimed in as she held the miniscule skirt to her body. "Are you sure this isn't missing some material?"

"Shut it Kers," Bekah snapped. "I don't want any of your bible thumping conservatism tonight. I'm your best friend, put on the outfit."

Lexi's eyes opened wide at the confrontation. It seemed to have been had many times before. Kersey's face remained stoic as she pushed past Bekah into the bathroom to change. Amber was already stripping down naked in front of everyone.

"Maddie here is yours," Bekah said tossing the outfit into the waiting girls arms.

"Thanks, B," Maddie said shrugging her shoulders. "You sure do reminisce high school."

"I thought we looked hot as school girls," Bekah told her.

"You were the only one," Amber drawled shimmying the halter over her head.

"These are pretty close to our school uniforms," Bekah said to Lexi who was looking at her dumbfounded. "We went to an all-girls private school."

"Oh," Lexi said putting the pieces together. No wonder Bekah was so catty. You know besides being the only girl in a family that was supremely wealthy and had never heard of discipline.

"Here is yours. I hope it fits," Bekah said handing it to Lexi. "I think it's your size."

"When did you find time to get this in my size?" Lexi asked looking into the skirt to check the sizing. Surprisingly, it was exactly the right size.

"I didn't. It was Parker's," Bekah said simply cocking her head to the side as she looked at Lexi

"What?" Lexi asked dropping the skirt on the hotel room floor. Her mouth hung wide as she stared into Bekah's face.

Bekah smiled brightly. She managed to make even that look devilish. "The outfit was for Parker. You guys are so similar in…well," she said looking her up and down, "...size that I just figured you would fit."

"What?" Lexi gasped a second time. She gulped hard staring down Bekah.

"Well she's my fourth bridesmaid, but she's too busy working now so she couldn't make the trip," Bekah told her simply. Her head was cocked to the side as her eyes bore into Lexi studying her every feature. "I thought someone would have told you." Her tone was sweet, but Lexi knew too well now that it was dripping with venom.

How had she not figured it out before? When Ramsey had told her that Parker was going to be at the wedding, had he been warning her? Of course, he had said that he wanted her there because Parker was going to be in attendance. If he had said she was going to be in the wedding, she probably would have flipped out further.

"Is something wrong?" Bekah asked batting her eyelashes as if she were innocent.

Lexi sighed quietly to herself. The truth was that everything was wrong this picture. Her wearing Parker's clothes felt very wrong. But she also knew Bekah had done all of this on purpose. She was bating her. She had planned this from the minute she had invited Lexi to join her on her bachelorette party. And it had just played into her hand that no one had brought up Parker previously.

And why would they? It was an awkward enough situation without Ramsey bringing her up all the time. He had made his point by telling her that Parker was going to be there. Lexi's ultimate decision to attend might not have had anything to do with Ramsey or Parker, but it certainly had helped spur her forward.

It was only Bekah who was sinister enough to bring up everything in this manner. But besides all that…she couldn't let Bekah win. She might have gotten Jack in the end, but Lexi wouldn't give her the pleasure of hurting her ever again. "No…no there's no problem at all," Lexi said stooping down and retrieving her skirt.

"Oh good," Bekah said a smirk appearing on her lips.

"I'm really glad you didn't have to go to anymore trouble for me," Lexi muttered eyeing her carefully.

"Yes it was convenient," Bekah told her a little surprised that Lexi was agreeing with her.

"I mean you already knew my measurements since you got me that beautiful red dress for Jack's birthday…and I got so much use out of it." Lexi smiled brightly at her as if what she had said didn't have undertones of hostility.

Sure she knew it was catty to bring it up, but she had to say something to ward of Bekah's evil behavior. It didn't matter that Bekah, as far as she knew, still didn't know that she had slept with Jack that night. It was something Lexi could hang over her head without Bekah ever knowing quite what it was. She could always just wonder about it. Perhaps it was petty, but the look on Bekah's face as she tried to make out the meaning behind her words was priceless.

Kersey walked out of the bathroom at that time. "Uh…Bekah," she murmured, running her hands down the length of the skirt.

"Please don't feed me any bullshit," Bekah said tearing her attention away from Lexi.

Lexi quickly darted into the empty bathroom to change. Under normal circumstances she wouldn't have cared who saw her while changing. She had been doing gymnastics long enough to get rid of her inhibitions about changing in front of other people. Not to mention, she knew that she had a pretty rockin' body from all the pilates and running she did back in New York. But still these were not normal circumstances, and she didn't want to be judged by the girls in the other room. There was enough animosity between them that she didn't feel comfortable displaying herself for their critique.

She quickly stripped out of her clothes and pulled Bekah's outfit on. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and did a double take. The outfit was surprisingly flattering…and she really did fit perfectly into Parker's outfit. She took a deep breath to calm herself. It was just clothing. It didn't mean anything. It didn't matter that they were almost exactly the same size and build. Those things didn't matter right now. She would deal with the strangeness of the scenario at another time.

Amber and Kersey were helping Bekah into her dress as Lexi exited the bathroom. Maddie stood off to the side examining a white hairpiece that Lexi realized was a small veil. Lexi focused her attention back on Bekah. After finally having Amber close the zipper in the back, Bekah stood tall and brushed her hands against the silky pink material. Amber pulled a sash over her head that read Bachelorette in large, pink glitter letters. Maddie placed the veil on top of her head, and Bekah adjusted it so it wouldn't come loose throughout the evening. Standing in front of the full length mirror, she swished her weight onto one hip and admired herself.

"Oh my God, Bekah, you look stunning," Amber crowed running up to stand next to her. Maddie quickly backed out of the way.

"So hot," Kersey cried at nearly the same time.

"You're going to get soooo much attention tonight," Amber continued wiggling her eyebrows up and down.

"Definitely," Kersey agreed following Amber's lead. Lexi watched the back and forth and felt like she had entered the movie Mean Girls.

"Well what do you think?" Bekah asked turning to face Maddie who had thus far been silent.

Maddie shrugged her small shoulders. "You know you look pretty, B."

"I know," Bekah said not taking her eyes from Maddie. "Just love your opinion, dear."

Lexi wasn't sure what it was about the looks that passed between the girls that made it seem confrontational. Yet it was there. Of course, there was a long history between them and as she had realized long histories usually came with lots of secrets...and animosity. One thing was for sure though. Maddie did seem to be the most normal of the bunch. In a different world, if they hadn't grown up together and Lexi had met her some other way, they could have been friends. She was going to stick close to her for the rest of the night for sure. Even though she knew that would probably only worsen her position with Bekah. Lexi didn't particularly care though.

"Lex?" Bekah asked the word slipping off her tongue.

Lexi cringed at Jack's pet name. She had tried to get over her distaste for the nickname so she could move on with her life. But hearing Bekah say it sounded pretty shitty. "Uh...yeah?" she asked realizing that she hadn't said anything and all the girls were staring at her.

"What do you think?" Bekah purred smoothing out an invisible wrinkle.

Lexi examined her more closely. The pink silk clung neatly to her body. A cute sweetheart neck accentuated her best feature, but her very narrow hips were just as obvious. Luckily for her, her long legs were sculpted and tan. Yet she wouldn't, no, couldn't tell her any of that. Lexi didn't care if she was pretty or not.

"That's a dress," Lexi said after a second. She couldn't help but be completely nondescript.

Amber furrowed her brow clearly understanding the statement. Just as she began to say something, Bekah smacked her on the shoulder as discreetly as possibly. "Thanks," Bekah said smiling brightly. "I love it."

All Lexi wanted to say was that it didn't matter what Bekah was wearing because she was such a foul person. But if she was restraining her entourage, then Lexi could hold back for a night.

"Oh," Lexi said jumping at the vibrations coming from her phone resting on the counter next to her purse. Maddie reached it first yanking it off the counter and looking down at the screen. "Don't," Lexi snapped reaching for the phone.

"Who's this?" she cooed playfully.

"I'm sure its no one...or none of your business."

"I was expecting Ramsey," Maddie said her eyes snapping back up to Lexi.

"I really don't like people touching my phone," Lexi muttered reaching out her hand. Old habits die hard. Her experience with Jack had made her perpetually terrified of people touching her phone...even when she had nothing to hide.

"Not so fast," Maddie said giggling and stepping away from Lexi. "Don't you want to know who's calling you?"

"Yes and if you'd hand it over," Lexi began. She had gone into panic mode by now. She had no idea who could be on the other line. She certainly had guesses none of which were too appealing with present company.

"Well I wanna know who it is Maddie. You're keepin' us all guessin'," Amber drawled taking a few steps closer to Maddie in hopes of getting a look.

"Now, now, now...you know the rules of the game," she said holding the phone close to her chest. "If you get it right, then you get the prize."

"That's not fair," mousy Kersey mumbled. "We don't know Lexi like we know each other and you've already taken Ramsey's name off the list."

"I didn't say it was fair, but rules are rules," Maddie said a sly twinkle in her eye.

"Um...that's my phone. I don't want it involved in any game," Lexi said stepping even closer.

"Come on Lexi, you heard the rules on the way here," Maddie said shaking her finger at her.