Page 207 of Fragments
Joy stomps over to us, snapping her fingers and making the wrap it up motion in the air.
“Alright, well, we have to go,” Lex sighs, frowning like he doesn’t want to end the call yet. “But we love you, Dashy-poo! Stay safe, enjoy wherever you are. Watch your back, ya know?”
“Definitely,” Dash replies. “Eyes open, mouth shut. My dad used to say that…”
“Really?? Where’s the fun in leaving your mouth shut?” I mumble, and Lex elbows me again, even harder this time. “Ouch! Dammit… Dash, your friend isabusingme!”
“I’m sure you deserve it. Okay, bye, guys!” he chirps. “Miss you tons! I’ll call again soon.”
“Bye, Dash!” Byron leans over the phone.
“Later, ’bater,” I hum, making kissing noises.
“Tell Kemper we said hi!” Lex cheers while Joy grabs her phone out of his hand.
She switches it off speaker and wanders away again, still talking to Dash while the rest of us stand around, dazed from the high of speaking to our friend, the only prisoner in Alabaster Pen history to break the fuck out and actuallymake it.
“I can’t believe it…” Byron sighs, sifting fingers through his short hair.
“I know,” Lex says. “He’s just out there… living. He’s got a boyfriend, he’s… managing his mental illness and stuff.”
“I guess flipping out in the caf that day was the right move,” Byron huffs.
My mind is wading through all of this, the conversation with Dash, how much healthier and happier he sounded, and the longing I can feel coming from Lex as Joy brings us back into the caf and we finish dinner.
Noticing the subtlest shifts in his moods is a skill of mine, and with how much quieter he’s being right now, I can’t help wondering if Lex wishes he’d gotten out too.
Ever since I met him, he’s been very realistic about his situation. The rational voice to all of his past cellmates when they whine about trying to break out of prison. But now that Dash made it, and he’s calling us, regaling us with his tales of finding love and acceptance for himself, I’m seeing the first ever flash of doubtful contemplation on the face of my sort-of-boyfriend.
Walking back from dinner, I squeeze Lex’s hand. “So, Dash and Kemper… crazy, huh?”
“Yea…” he sighs introspectively.
“I remember the day I overheard Kemper talking about Dash coming in,” I tell him. “He definitely seemed personally invested. I have no idea how they found each other, but it almost seems like…”
“Fate,” Lex finishes my thought, peeking at me.
I pull my lip between my teeth.
When we get to the row, Joy wanders off, giving me and Lex a few minutes to say goodbye, something she’s been doing more and more lately.
Not wishing to waste a single second of it, I wrap him up in my arms, kissing a line up his throat. “Should I try to badger her into letting you stay over? It might work…” My head is all fogged with lust as I rub my crotch on his.
“I need to tell you something…” he mumbles, his thumbs drawing circles on my hips.
“Is it about how badly you want my ankles in the air right now?” I nip his jawline.
“No…” He starts to fidget. “I mean, Ido, but that’s not what I have to tell you. It’s something that might upset you… But in the interest of being open and honest with each other, I think you should know.”
My muscles stiffen in sudden nerves. “Okay.” I pull my face back to lock our eyes. “What is it, baby?”
Lex takes in a breath like he’s preparing to drop a bomb, and now I’m freaking out a little. “It’s just that you’ve been so good to me lately… With the honesty and everything. You deserve it in return, ya know?”
“Lex, please,” I whine hoarsely. “You’re freaking me out. Just fucking say it—”
“I kissed Dash,” he blurts out, immediately chomping down on his bottom lip.
I can feel my eyes bulging out of my skull. “You… what??”
