Chapter Text
It wasn’t always easy for Fez to believe in God. The shit he saw, witnessed, or even did, made him doubt the whole thing sometimes. But then he remembered the January 28th, 2010. The day when Lexi Howard talked to him for the very first time. And he was sure that God existed, because how else could he explain that someone so kind and amazing like Lexi could be his friend?
It was his second day in the new school which his grandma chose. It was way better school than the one he used to attend; everything was cleaner, and everyone was nicer.
Most of the children decided to play dodge ball after the lunch but Fezco rather sat down on the bench and just watched. He wasn’t feeling completely fine yet. His monocle was still visible, and he was kinda tired from the whole moving out.
“Hey, my name is Lexi, Lexi Howard. You are Fezco, right?” a girl with sweet voice asked him and he nodded. She looked like one of the princesses from Disney, the type of person who believed that everything could be repair with the rainbow and sweet smile.
“Yeah, I am Fez,” he said and watched as Lexi sat down next to him.
“You don’t play?”
“Nah, I am just resting, you?” he asked and was wondering why she was talking to him.
“I didn’t really feel to play,” she shrugged and started to kick her legs in front of herself.
“Are you happy that you changed schools?” she asked then.
“I guess, I moved to my grandma.”
“Yeah, I saw your grandma yesterday, she looks really cool.”
“She is cool and also really kind,” he said and there was just silence for a while.
“Do you like puzzles?” Lexi asked suddenly.
“Yeah, I guess,” he shrugged and watched her to pull out the puzzles from her bag.
“You’re always carrying puzzles to school?” he asked, and she nodded very seriously.
“Yes, my best friend hates to play dodge ball and she loves the puzzles, it always calms her down. She is amazing and smart, and we are friends since preschool,” Lexi babbled.
“Where is she now?”
“In hospital, for another two weeks, I think. She is often sick,” Lexi said in small voice and Fez was sorry for that girl.
“And what’s her name?”
“Rue, she is the coolest person in the world, really. And she is my best friend,” she said with a proud smile, and he smiled at her too.
“Well, I would like to meet her.”
“That’s great, we can all be friends!” she exclaimed and handed him two puzzle pieces.
For the rest of their pause, they were doing puzzles and it was fun. Lexi was talking, a lot. She told him names of all their classmates while she pointed at them. She also told him which teachers were good and which were annoying. She let him sit on Rue’s chair next to herself for the remaining classes that day.
“Bye Fez, see you tomorrow!” she shouted at him as she run to car of her mum. He waved at her and watched her disappear.
“Who was it?” Suze asked while she was watching the boy in her rear-view mirror. She was smoking and Cassie was sitting next to her on the front seat.
“My new friend! He’s new, it was his second day,” Lexi said and beamed. She never had many friends, surely not as much as Cassie. She used to have just Rue, so she was really proud that she found a new friend.
“I heard from my friend who heard it from her mum that he is living just with his grandmother and that she is involved in some shady business,” Cassie said, and Lexi was kind of confused.
“Shady business?”
“Drugs or something,” Cassie shrugged, and Suze gasped.
“Really? Well, that’s not a good friend for you, Lexi. Can’t you just find some normal kids to be friends with? Look at Cassie!” her mom said as she threw the cigarette out of the window.
“But he’s really nice, he didn’t complain when I talked,” Lexi mumbled in her backseat, but her mum and sister didn’t hear her anymore. They started to talk about Cassie’s day and Lexi just leaned to her window and watched the road. She liked Fez, but she was used to listen to her mother. So obviously, she was confused.
The next day Lexi came to school almost late because there was a big between her parents that morning. So, when she entered class, Fezco was already sitting on Rue’s place.
“Hey Lexi,” he smiled at her and handed her some chocolate bar.
“Hi, thank you, you didn’t have to bring me anything,” she said as she scrutinized the snack. Snickers. Her favourite.
“I don’t know what your favourite is, so I took my favourite. My grandma has a small shop, so I thought that I’ll just bring you something,” he shrugged, and she smiled at him. So, his grandma had a shop, not some shady business. Cassie was exaggerating like always.
“Thank you, that’s my favourite too. Do you want to play hopscotch after the lunch?” she asked, and he agreed.
Fezco was smart, especially in math. He was always the first one who answered. That Lexi admired a lot. She was more knowing-all-the-facts type of the person.
They spent together every school day for the next two weeks. Fezco mentioned to his grandma that he found a friend, but she didn’t care much about that because she had bigger problems now.
They talked a lot. Lexi told him everything about Rue, Cassie and her parents and Fezco talked about his grandma and his new home. He didn’t want to talk about his dad but sometimes he mentioned him.
They were sitting outside and waiting for school to be opened when Lexi suddenly squeaked next to him. He had never heard her do that.
“Rue!” she shouted out and runed towards some girl Fezco didn’t recognize but knew immediately who it was. Lexi hugged Rue tightly, but the girl looked still so sad. He hadn’t seen such a sad kid in his life. Like, she wasn’t crying but there was something about her that screamed pure sadness. Lexi dragged the girl to him. He couldn’t say that he wasn’t jealous of Rue. Lexi talked about her a lot and always with such an adoration. Fezco was scared that she won’t want to be his friend anymore.
“Fez this is Rue, my best friend. Rue this is Fezco, our new classmate and my friend,” Lexi beamed as she introduced them.
“What’s up?” he said and put forward his hand. Rue took it and gave him small smile.
“What happened to your eye?” Rue asked and Lexi gasped.
“Rue! Don’t be rude!” she exclaimed and Fezco laughed a little.
“It’s okay, Lexi. Well, my dad hit me so now I am living with my grandma,” he shrugged, and Rue was little bit embarrassed.
“Oh, sorry…”
“It’s okay, just now it’s awkward,” he smiled and both girls had no idea what to say.
“Well, what else have I missed?” Rue asked as the school was finally opened and they headed to their class.
“Nothing much, Fez’s moving in is the most interesting thing that happened in while. Fez is really smart, like the smartest in the math, miss Grey is praising him all the time,” Lexi babbled, Rue nodded and Fezco blushed a little. He wasn’t really used to be praised.
After the lunch they put puzzles together and Fezco had to admit that Rue was really good person to be around. She was nice to him, and she made great jokes. Only thing he didn’t really like about her was when she cut off Lexi and didn’t listen to her. He didn’t get it because he could spend the rest of his life just listening to Lexi.
Few weeks later Fez was biking with Lexi to her house after school.
“Do you like Rue?” she asked him curiously.
“Yeah, like she’s good friend. She is really cool, you were right,” he said, and she smiled at him.
“Yes, I thought that you two could be good friends, just don’t kick me out of your group,” she laughed, and he shook his head.
“What group it would be without our fearless Lexi?”
“True,” she giggled, and they parked in front of her house.
“So, tomorrow at 3 p.m.?” she reassured herself. They were supposed to meet outside the school for the first time. Lexi was really excited, even though they were just going to library to study together for the math exam.
“Yep, see ya,” he waved at her, and she waved back at him.
“Was it Fezco again?” her mum asked when she got inside.
“Yes, he just accompanied me,” Lexi shrugged and watched her mum drink whole glass of wine.
“So, are you two dating or something?”
“Mum! I am just nine,” Lexi said, and Suze shook her head.
“Well, I know how this world works. I asked around about your bad boy and it really seems like his grandma is in some shady business. So, I really don’t like the idea of my daughter spending time with drug dealers or whatever, Lex,” Suze said with seriousness in her voice.
“But he is my friend!” she whined.
“Lexi!”
“Fine, can I go to study to library with Rue tomorrow?” Lexi asked and that was the first time she lied to her mum. She hated that. Maybe if she was Cassie she could just yell for an hour and her mum would let her be friends with Fez, but that wasn’t Lexi. She rather hid things than argue about it.
“Sure,” Suze said and went for another bottle. Lexi sighed because her dad was going to come home soon and they were going to fight about how much her mum drank, again.
Lexi was in the library just on time. She found perfect table, took out her highlighters and books and then she arranged everything precisely in line. And she waited. And waited. And waited.
On Monday she was still pissed off. He didn’t show up on Saturday at all even though she waited there for hours and then he just sent her just quick message – sorry, can’t come 2 library.
“Hey Lexi,” Fezco said sheepishly.
She didn’t respond and treated him with silence.
“Lex, I am really sorry, for real,” he said so genuinely sad that she turned to him.
“What happened?”
“My grandma needed help and it was hella hectic, I couldn’t even text you. I am sorry, Lex,” he said, and she nodded.
“My mum, well, my mum said that your grandma is a drug dealer. Is it true?” she whispered quickly, and Fez didn’t answer for a while. Lexi never asked these questions; she always somehow knew what rather not to talk about. Not like Rue. But here she was asking a straight question that he didn’t want to answer. But he had to.
“Yes,” he whispered, and she almost didn’t hear him.
“I am sorry, I shouldn’t ask that,” she said immediately, and Fezco was scared.
“But like it’s just business, she does what she has to do,” he shrugged and looked at Lexi. He really didn’t want to lose her.
“Can we still be friends?” he asked so insecure, and Lexi hugged him suddenly.
“Of course, Fez. You are my favourite person! I won’t let you go so easily,” she said, and he smiled happily.
“Do you think that he’ll get us free candy?” Rue asked as they pedalled on their bikes.
“Probably, he always likes to give me candy, but we shouldn’t misuse that…”
“What? He never gives me candy!” Rue exclaimed.
“Well, I am his favourite…” Lexi teased her, and Rue just shook her head.
Girls came into his store and Fez was kind of surprised.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” he asked.
“Surprise!” Lexi exclaimed and smiled at him.
“We came here for free candy,” Rue also smiled at him.
“Candy is over there,” he pointed behind himself and Rue disappeared into the isle.
“You said that you’ll be here alone, and we were bored,” Lexi explained.
“So, it wasn’t just that you wanted to see me desperately?” Fezco asked and Lexi blushed a little. That was exactly the reason. Fez wasn’t in school that day because he had to be in the store, and she missed him.
“Nah,” she lied.
“Well, at least I can show you the roof,” he said and asked Rue to watch the store for a minute.
“Wow, this is amazing!” Lexi was stunned as he assumed her to be. It wasn’t the best view but for little nine years Lexi it was great.
“Yeah, my grandma usually just sunbathes here,” he shrugged and watched her to wonder around.
“This could be great place to dance under the stars,” she dreamed for a while, and he smiled.
“It’s really cool, Fez…”
“You shouldn’t be biking around with just Rue, this part of the town isn’t really safe,” he changed the subject and she sighed.
“I know, I know, my mum would kill me if she found out about it.”
“It’s really not safe,” he said, and they left the roof.
They found Rue with the pile of candy in front of her. Fezco sighed.
“Rue, I am not tripping, you can’t eat the whole store.”
“My friend, I am just tasting, I am actually making you a favour. I can tell you which candy is good and which you shouldn’t buy anymore,” Rue babbled and Fezco sighed again.
“Bruh…”
“Rue!” Lexi said disappointed.
“You want something, Lex?” Fezco asked and moved to candy isle.
“Nah, Rue already eaten too much…”
“Well, at least Snickers,” he said and threw her one bar. She smiled gratefully.
“Thank you.”
Lexi and Fez were riding around his neighbourhood on their bikes. It was really fun. Fez was trying to do some cool tricks and Lexi laughed and sometimes she also tried it. It was fun and all until Lexi wanted to pee.
“Ehm, Fez?” she asked already embarrassed.
“Yeah?”
“Do you think that I could use your toilet?” she asked sheepishly.
“Ehm, yeah, sure,” he said, and they biked to his house quickly. His grandma wasn’t supposed to be there yet, so it was okay.
His grandmother told him that he couldn’t bring friends to their house because there was a lot of drugs, and she didn’t like strangers to wonder around. He always obeyed her, but Lexi wasn’t a stranger.
He showed her bathroom and waited for her in the kitchen.
“Thanks, really,” she said and sat next to him.
“Are you tired?” he asked her.
“Yeah, kinda.”
“We can chill here for a while; my grandma is supposed to come back later…”
“Really? Is it okay? Won’t you be in trouble?” she asked genuinely concerned.
“Nah, you have to be home when?”
“At 5 p.m., mum is at work and dad is with Cass on the ice-skating practice.”
“Great, do you want tour?” he asked, and she nodded eagerly.
He showed her whole house and let his room to be the last part.
“Wow, your room looks so cool, mine is more childish,” she said as she walked around and examined everything.
“Yeah, but we are still children, Lex,” he said, and she laughed a little.
“True, are you…” she didn’t finish her question because they heard the main door open.
“Snowflake? Are you here?” his grandma’s voice carried to his room, and he didn’t even have time to feel embarrassed because Lexi looked at him in panic. She knew about the rule very well.
“Should I, like, get out by window?” she whispered, and he shook his head.
“Nah, come on,” he said and headed to the hall.
“Fez, I told you to…” his grandma stopped herself when she saw Lexi.
“Who’s this?” she asked and gave Lexi the meanest look ever. She quickly hid herself behind Fez.
“This is Lexi,” he said and tried to appear confident. He was living with his grandma for half of the year now, and he haven’t had fight with her yet. She didn’t yell at him ever. So, he was kind of scared what is going to happen. His father used to beat him up just because the way Fezco looked at him…
“Ah, you are the famous Lexi. Fezco doesn’t really talk about school but when he does your name is always there,” she said and smoked her cigarette. Fezco didn’t like to talk about school with his grandma because she treated him as adult, and he was scared that if he’ll start to babble about stupid kids and difficult exams, she could stop treat him that way.
“Well, we are usually hanging together,” he shrugged.
“Hmm and what are you doing here?”
“I needed to pee, I am really really sorry,” Lexi said quickly, and his grandma chuckled a little bit.
“Yeah, we are heading out anyway, bye,” Fezco said and dragged Lexi away.
“Sorry, Lex,” he said when they were finally outside.
“No, I am sorry, I hope you won’t be in trouble…” she said with sadness all over her face.
“Nah Lex, it’s gonna be okay. I’ll bike with you to yours,” he smiled at her reassuringly.
So, they did that and then they said their goodbyes.
“You are back, snowflake?” his grandma asked when he quietly came back, well obviously not so quietly.
“Yeah, hey,” he said as he walked to her. She was sitting at the table and she was smoking. He felt like he did something really bad.
“It’s never gonna happen again, sorry,” he said and looked at his shoes because he was too scared to look at her.
“Okay, I trust you Fez,” she said and started to count money again.
“Thanks,” he said and was prepared to leave.
“Do you remember what I told you few months ago?” she asked, and he finally lifted his head.
“What do you mean?”
“The thing about love. Don’t ever fall in love that’s one instinct you can’t trust,” she said, and he looked at her confused.
“Yeah, I know, I remember,” he said slowly.
“Great, because the way you acted… Sometimes you are too good for this world…” He didn’t really understand it.
“Lexi is my friend, I told you before and you said it’s great to have friends…”
“Yeah, but I haven’t seen her doe eyes before. And the way she hid herself behind you. She trusts you a lot. Do you trust her?” she asked, and Fez’s suddenly felt like he should be older for this conversation.
“Yeah, I do.”
“Friends aren’t forever, you shouldn’t forget that,” she hummed and waved her hand which he understood. He left to his room and thought about it. He knew that friends weren’t forever, he used to have friends and all of them left him. But it was different with Lexi. Lexi was forever.