Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lex had never fully gotten over the fact she’d survive the menacing black Friday. A hot inferno burning right before her very eyes, yet she survived it. It wasn’t surprising that Lex managed to avoid the fire, it was surprising that she didn’t just purposely jump in. Lex was already used to having fire colliding with her skin - sure they weren’t as big as the one in the mall, but the amount of lighters she’d use during her own time would probably be able to light a fire that could burn the whole entirety of Hatchetfield.

That was another reason the change of moving with Becky and Tom was something she secretly hated. Back home with Pamela, she didn’t need to hide so much shit from her. Lex could burn herself in front of Pamela and all she’d tell her is to continue. But now that she has to live with people who actually care. Lex isn’t used to having to hide almost everything she owns just so she can have some “fun” in her life, even if that fun stings. Despite Lex’s clear hatred for her mother, she couldn’t help but miss the freedom. The carelessness Pamela had for her acted as a disadvantage yet advantage at the same time. It was the cherry on top of yelling, manipulating and the abuse. Pamela liked to be diverse. It was like a gamble trying to decide whether Lex would go to bed with nasty, malicious words engraved at the back of her head that never seemed to go away - or scars to pair with the burns on Lex’s body.

It’d been 2 weeks since Lex had to live with them, and during those 2 weeks, she’d already found 12 hiding spots on where to hide her booze - cigarettes - lighter, all that shit. She’d make sure to have extra hits during her shift where Tom or Becky could see her and once her 8 hours of torture was over, she’d double-check all of her hiding spots to make sure no one would see or find them. Lex was especially worried if Becky would find her secret stash of the key to enjoy her shitty life. Lex was way too paranoid she’d be bombarded with lectures or complaints of the sort. Which is mostly the reason Lex avoided talking to Becky most of the time.

Chapter Text

The sun rose over Hatchetfield. The scorching beams of the sun’s rays hotter than the flames which crumbled the Lakeside Mall in seconds. The clock that stood next to Lex’s bed: 1:33 PM. Everyone else had been awake except for her. Probably because she spent the whole night smoking knowing no one else would be up. A knock on the door was led by Tom. This was his seventh one of the day but for some odd reason, this one was the only one Lex actually heard.

“Lex? Are you up yet? C’mon, it’s already the afternoon.”

Tom’s voice called out, in hopes Lex would finally hear, which she did. She groaned and swooped her messy hair, all tangled up. She looked around her dark, cold room as if she had just gained cautiousness. Energy drinks scattered around the floors - cigarettes and ash scattered on the floor. Tom couldn’t see Lex like this. He knew about Lex’s smoking problem, but he just assumed she miraculously quit since he never saw her smoking in-person.

“Lex?”

He knocked again. Lex rubbed her eyes and reluctantly got out of bed, quickly dumping the mess in front of her under her bed in hopes Tom wouldn’t notice.

“What d’ya want?.”

Lex exclaimed drowsily, obvious she wasn’t planning on waking up now. Probably in the next 3 hours or so. The door slowly creaked as Tom began to open it, turning on the light which blinded Lex and made her squint her eyes as if she were a vampire.

“Sorry, Lex. I know you just woke up, but take a look outside! It’s the perfect weather to go swimming. Plus, it might help you get closer to Becky.”

Lex flinched at the thought of swimming. The idea of her skin being completely revealed. The key to the door of what she had been hiding for so long. Her mind began racing as she desperately tried to think of excuses. Nothing.

“Well, y’know. I’m… too tired for that shit. Plus, I’ve got weak lungs anyway.”

Tom sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“Lex, you haven’t got out of your bedroom since black Friday. It’ll be fun! Please. God, even Hannah’s going. Everyone is!”

That didn’t help. At all. Everyone? Everyone staring at her? Everyone seeing the things Pamela would do to her? Everyone seeing the things she’d do to herself?

“Okay, well, I don’t fucking want to! My God.”

Lex attempted to pull herself back into her covers, but Tom prevented that - he held onto her wrist, Lex muttered a small, “ow.” And Lex was out of bed, looking like she had just lived with Tarzan for 5 years.

“Go get ready, Lex, alright?”

Tom left the room.

Chapter Text

“I don’t know why she’s so against going out. Usually if I’d ask her to… go to the cinema or something, she’d just say ‘I don’t want to.’”

Tom told Becky, mimicking Lex in an over-exaggerated cartoonish voice.

“But now that I’ve suggested the idea of swimming, she’s gotten so defensive. She probably hates sports, I guess. I don’t know.”

Becky looked at Tom, nodding. She held onto her cup of coffee and took a sip out of it.

“Well, I’m gotta go put on sun screen on Tim and Hannah, I’ll be back.”

And just like that - Tom was gone. Becky looked away from the coffee she’d had drunk and simply took a moment to process everything Tom had told her; defensive. That word spiraled over her brain. The beginning note of a musical melody that she had heard before. Becky looked outside the window; nothing to worry about - just Tom… and Tim… and Hannah, yet no Lex. She’d know something was wrong, a needle of memories injected in her veins, sending a chilly, disturbing numbness that she couldn’t escape.

She held onto the handles of the stairs, carefully going up, each step bringing her closer to memories she thought she’d forget. But you can’t really fully forget something. At least, not something that would stick onto your skin. Forever. Even once they fade away, the thoughts won’t. The story of how they got there in the first place won’t.