<u><i>October 26th, 2018, 9:15 am<br/>
Tucson, Arizona<br/>
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</i></u><br/>Getting up and out of bed was a tough process for one<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fimage.ibb.co%2FgiUzSf%2Ffea420e98256cc0c8a6a45f5bb4c6cc1.jpg&amp;hash=bdfb1426e66d40a622720291fb1eb443" href="https://image.ibb.co/giUzSf/fea420e98256cc0c8a6a45f5bb4c6cc1.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Lexi Linville</a>as she sat up with a yawn and rubbed her eyes. Her hazel colored eyes looked<br/><div style="text-align: left"><span style="font-family: 'Georgia'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(199, 200, 202)">to the open laptop on her desk knowing she had an email from her favorite cousin Jamie Whitman who she regularly kept in contact with. It was unusual to receive an email from her since she usually would call or text, but Lexi didn't think anything of it. It was probably something she sent to more then just herself which was why it was an email instead. Groaning, she finally got up and trudged into the bathroom and turned the shower on in hopes that maybe the water would help rouse her. Stripping out of her tank top and underwear, she stepped into the warmed up shower and sighed as the water helped soothe her aching muscles from her late night.</span></span><br/>
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<span style="font-family: 'Georgia'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(199, 200, 202)">Lexi had performed at a local bar in town with a band that usually liked having her sing for them. The band themselves were becoming more well known in the area and their male lead singer never seemed to have a problem asking her to perform with them so they could have a female voice mixed in with his. After the show ended, it seemed like the group wanted to celebrate the full house they had and Lexi had stuck around to have a few drinks and bullshit about. Only now did she regret it as she finally washed up thinking about her day job at a local dance studio and which classes she was teaching today. Turning the water off she stepped out and towel dried herself off before going back into her room to get ready for the day. Sticking to some more comfortable clothing such as sweats and a tank top she went back to the bathroom to get ready. </span></span><br/>
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<span style="font-family: 'Georgia'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(199, 200, 202)">Wiping the mirror she gazed at her reflection as her auburn color hair stood out against her lighter tanned skin tone. Grabbing a brush she got her hair under control as she threw a couple of hair products in it before brushing her teeth and applying a bit of make up. It wasn't until she was getting the coffee going that she went back over to her laptop. Living in a studio apartment was easy enough to move about in. It was a simple place and living a simple life was much easier for her. Looking at the email again from Jaime she noted that it had been emailed out yesterday before clicking on it to read what was written inside of it. What she read had her pausing in disbelief before having to read it a few more times. Lexi knew her mother had been sick of late, but she hadn't known it had been that serious. A glance at the calendar on her desk showed that Lexi had planned a trip home in a week to see her mom and spend some time with her. Now it seemed she was going to go back sooner to help with the arrangements of the funeral. </span></span><br/>
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<span style="font-family: 'Georgia'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(199, 200, 202)">Getting her cellphone out, Lexi made some quick calls to the dance studio she worked at to let them know she was going to have to have someone cover her classes for awhile. The owner of the place told her to take her time and get everything situated at home as well as not to worry about her classes since they would cover them for her. Thanking her for her help she told the owner she would email her when she got more news before hanging up and calling the lead singer of the band she worked with. The band members were the only people she felt close to beside the owner of the dance studio. The lead singer's name was <a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fimage.ibb.co%2FjGzVHf%2Fe10fa37412039ef057c05cffe9713d8a.jpg&amp;hash=763350ef39af7315c74b9d4991e73f2b" href="https://image.ibb.co/jGzVHf/e10fa37412039ef057c05cffe9713d8a.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Ashton Harlow</a> and he had been the one to invite her to sing along with them when he had caught her singing to herself after one of their shows. It turned out they had gone to the same school together and it took a bit, but she remembered him in one of her singing classes. They had become friends rather quickly from there and if anything he was the only person she felt truly close to that she had confided in. </span></span><br/>
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<span style="font-family: 'Georgia'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(199, 200, 202)">Lexi and Ashton talked on the phone for a bit as he told her to go do what she needed to do and once the bands schedule freed up a bit he would head out there to see her and make sure she was okay. The two of them had a close relationship that many of his fans assumed was romantic, but it couldn't be farter from the truth. Ashton was her sound board and he helped her through a few tough times since they both graduated college. Lexi told Ashton on the phone she would text him once she was back home and to tell the band she was sorry that she couldn't do the rest of the planned shows with them. Hanging up she knew Ashton had a spare key to her apartment and he would check on the place for her while she was gone. It didn't take long for her to pack some things she would need as she double checked she had everything. Lexi went into the bathroom and cleaned up the smeared makeup as she removed it all not seeing a point in wearing it when she was still tearing up.</span></span><br/>
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<span style="font-family: 'Georgia'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(199, 200, 202)">Taking a deep breath, she knew she was as ready as she would be as she texted Jamie letting her know she was leaving her place now and would be there soon. Locking up she headed downstairs to her 2005 jeep wrangler she had gotten awhile back. Putting her things in the back she got into the drivers seat and headed off not even paying attention to what was on the radio.</span></span><br/>
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<span style="font-family: 'Georgia'"><b><i>----8 Hours Later----</i></b><br/>
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The traffic had sucked, but Lexi eventually made it back to Eastvale where she had grown up. The small town seemed to change every time she came back here to visit and even now calling it small was an understatement. It had grown significantly over the years and now seemed as busy as ever as she made her way to her old family home where Jamie said she would meet her to let her in. Lexi decided to stay in her old room in her childhood home while she was in town helping Jamie in getting everything in order. They had so much to do and a funeral to set up for her mother as she pulled up in front of the home that held so many good and bad memories. The most prominent of the bad memories was the fight she had with Andrew when he had told her which college he was going off to. The college that he had won the scholarship for and where he would get to make his dreams finally come true. <br/>
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The fight itself had been so stupid when she thought back on it all. Lexi had supported him every ounce of the way after she had finally started getting along with him. When her mother had first brought him home the two never seemed to be able to be around the other for long having been so different. It wasn't until they got a bit older that Lexi started to try and understand him and eventually the two began to get along and develop a bond that had their shared mother smiling. It wasn't until high school that they became something more and it was at that time that things started to change. The fight came later and from there it ended between them as they went their separate routes in life. Lexi still regretted the fight between them at the end, but she hadn't been the only one at fault and the little bit of pride she had left wouldn't allow her to be the first one to apologize, that was if Andrew even showed up.<br/>
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From what she had heard from her mother and Jamie it seemed like Andrew just never had time to come home and visit and when he did it seemed the time he spent there was short. The two never seemed to visit at the same time either which had always been fine with Lexi since she never really got over the fight with him or he things that had been said. Even now with her having grown up and becoming a different person then she had been back then, it didn't change the fact she wasn't quite sure she wanted to see him again. Seeing Jaime's car pulling up, Lexi got out of her jeep and waved to Jaime as she got out of her own car. <br/>
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"Hey!" Lexi said with a smile as she approached her cousin and gave her a hug. "Thank you for meeting me and bringing me the extra key to the house. I must have forgotten mine in a hurry to get here."<br/>
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"It's not problem at all." Jaime told her with a smile as she returned the hug. "It's just nice to see you and to have you around while we get things situated."<br/>
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Lexi nodded as she took the key from her cousin and collected her things from her vehicle. With a sigh the two headed to the front door and unlocked it before heading inside to catch up while Lexi got settle in. They also needed to discuss what was needing to be done still as well as figuring out when the funeral was to take place so everyone could make it. <br/>
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<i><u>October 29th, 2018, 4:20pm</u></i><br/>
<i><u>Eastvale, California</u></i><br/>
</span><br/>
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Lexi had been out running some last minute errands when she had received the text from Jaime that Andrew should be at the house waiting. It seemed he was going to be staying there as well while in town which had caused Lexi to sigh. There went her hope of not having to have much interaction with him as she finished her current errand and went back to her jeep to head back to her family home to let Andrew inside. The drive was easy enough, but the closer she got to home the more dread she felt of seeing Andrew again. The fight they had kept replaying in her mind as she wondered what he would do when he realized she would be the one letting him in and not Jaime. Her mother had kept her pretty updated on his progress in life and Lexi found that she was proud of him even if she would never admit that out loud.<br/>
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The house was soon in view and she could see an expensive car sitting in the driveway as she felt another sigh leave her. Pulling up alongside it, she let her gaze study the man sitting in one of the patio chairs and if it hadn't been the fact she could see his with a pad of paper and pencil she would had sworn there was a stranger outside the house. It seemed Andrew had grown a lot since she last saw him, but it seemed some habits never went away as he seemed to be doing one of his old childhood habits. Lexi turned the car off and grabbed the keys before grabbing a few of the things she had bought for the funeral from the back. Getting out she headed to the door as she cast a glance at Andrew, but her gaze was guarded as she approached him.<br/>
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"I hope you weren't waiting long I had to get a couple of things that Jaime had asked me to pick up for mom's funeral." She stated to him aloud once she was close enough for him to hear her. "I will get the door unlocked for you if you want to get your things."<br/>
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Lexi's tried to keep her voice neutral, but she could help the way it sounded a bit distant towards him. Her feelings toward him were still a ball of confusion that she had never sorted out and now wasn't really the time to sort it out either. Unlocking the door, she headed inside not waiting around to listen to any reply he may have had. Going to the kitchen, she set the things she had gotten down on the dining room table before unpacking it all and setting the items aside while throwing out the bags. Lexi couldn't understand why she felt so nervous being around Andrew again as different thoughts filled her while she moved about the kitchen to make herself a sandwich. Grabbing some chips and a soda she went and sat down at the island bar they had in the kitchen to eat it.<br/>
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She felt her mind actually thinking of Andrew and how different he seemed from the last time she saw him. He didn't seem as feminine as he once did and she couldn't help, but wonder if he was still shy as well as frail. Though from the way his clothing sat on his body, she highly doubted he was frail anymore. He certainly didn't look as feminine as he once did and it seemed he had grown taller too. They used to be close in height, but she doubted that was true now. Though she knew her own body had changed a bit too since they last saw each other. Thanks to teaching dance classes, her body was well toned and didn't seem to have an ounce of the baby fat it once did. Her height hadn't changed, but a part of her knew her personality wasn't as it used to be. The adult world and college had taught her things that her younger self had not been prepared for. Sighing, she pushed her thoughts away not wanting to think of their differences or how much they both seemed to change. Instead she focused on her lunch while she went over what else she needed to do since Jaime had finally sent an email out to everyone of when the funeral would be taking place.<br/>
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Now that Andrew was here though, they could all go visit their mother's lawyer with Jaime and go over their mother's will. Lexi didn't care too much who got what, but she did hope the house would be the one thing that she and Andrew could agree on would remain. It help so many memories that she wasn't ready to let go as she quickly wiped the few tears she felt slip down her cheeks. Now was not the time to cry, not when Andrew could see it or anyone else for that matter. <br/>​</div><a class="username" data-user-id="114" data-username="@Andraus" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/114/">@Andraus</a>