Voices

By: Deah
Written: April 26th 2000
Copyright: 2000
Disclaimer: Original Characters and Storylines are the property of Warner Bros, Jason Katims Productions, Twentieth Century Fox, FOX, Regency Television and Melinda Metz.

Lexi walked across the quad. Head high. Blonde hair blowing in the breeze. She knew there was at least six guys staring at her right now. A smile flitted across her face. Look all you want boys, but you can't touch.

She threw her books on a table and joined Beth. Beth looked up and smiled shyly, glancing around. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Manage to have every guy focused on you?"

Lexi laughed. "Magic."

"I wouldn't mind a little of that." Beth complained, taking a sip of her soda.

"Oh come on! You could have a ton of guys. You just happen not to be interested."

"Who says?"

Lexi narrowed her eyes at Beth. Had Matthew threw a wrench in their budding, yet really sickening, relationship? If she knew anything, she knew boys and Matthew definitely had it bad for Beth. A little ridiculous in his approach, but that was Matthew.

Sometimes she envied Mariah and Beth. She could have most any guy in the school, but she had never been in love. How could you fall in love with a guy if all they cared about is that they 'had' you? She was status. None of the boys she had went out with had ever cared what she thought or how she felt. They had the shut-your-mouth-and-look-pretty state of mind. Besides, if you started trusting a guy then you were in for heartache. Trust wasn't something she could afford right now.

"Matthew will come around." She gently replied.

Beth looked down. "I don't think so, Lexi. Everytime we get close he pulls away. I'm just tired, you know."

Lexi smiled. "You need to go shopping."

"Ah, no, I don't think that's really gonna solve my problems."

"Beth, a new pair of shoes will do wonders!" She nudged her. "You know you want to."

Beth threw her a small smile. Lexi loved it when she smiled. Her eyes would light up and dimple would appear on her cheek. You wanted to protect Beth. It was instinct. It wasn't that she needed it, but that everything about her suggested profound innocence.

Lexi started to open her mouth but a chill quickly passed over her. She looked up. Jimmy Valenti was standing a few feet away, staring openly at Beth. Lexi sighed. Didn't he ever learn his lesson?

"Problem with the great Jimmy Valenti?"

Lexi bit her lip. Kenny Valenti sat down between herself and Beth. He was as different from Jimmy as night was from day. Thick blonde hair, piercing blue eyes...he wasn't classically good-looking, but there was something about him. Something that made Lexi think trust might not be such a bad thing. She wasn't ready to admit it yet. Kenny was a little goofy and really sweet. Kind of put her in the mind of her dad. Not dad. Don't think of dad while looking at Kenny, she commanded.

"No more problems than usual." Lexi answered, grabbing his bottled water and taking a swig.

"Sure, help yourself. Be my guest." Kenny joked.

Lexi threw him her best innocent look. "I didn't think you'd mind."

Kenny chuckled. "I give that a perfect ten on the bat your eyelashes scale."

Beth giggled. "Don't encourage him." Lexi warned.

"Seriously, I'd stay out of Jimmy's way as much as possible." Lexi caught Kenny glance nervously at his brother. It must be hell to live with him, Lexi thought.

"Well, that won't be hard. He repulses me...completely."

Kenny nodded his head. "Good. Well, not good, that my brother repulses you, but good that...you know. Anyway, what were you ladies talking about before I came?"

"Shopping." Beth announced. "Lexi trying to buy..." She trailed off. Lexi turned around. Matthew.

"What is he doing here?!" Matthew growled, obviously not pleased about Kenny being at their table.

Kenny grabbed his bookbag and stood up. "Hey, I was just leaving."

Matthew raised his eyebrows as Kenny dropped half of his books. He picked them up, gave Lexi a lopsided grin and headed off. "What was that all about?"

"God, Matthew! We were talking. You know, people do actually converse sometimes, unlike you." Did he always have to chase everyone off? No use going to Ryan and complaining, she was on Ryan's forget-it-I'll-side-with-everyone-but-you list right now.

"He's a Valenti, Lexi, or have you forgotten?"

"He's a separate person, Matthew, or have you forgotten?" Beth shot back. She stood up and shook her head at him. "You can't just go around trying to control everyone we talk to and chasing them off."

"Beth, I'm trying to look out for you." Matthew ran his hand through his hair.

"Don't do me any favors." She walked away, leaving Matthew staring after her.

"Great job, Romeo."

"I don't need it from you too, Lexi." He stalked off as only Matthew could do.

Might as well leave, she decided, gathering her books and purse. She was on her way past the soda machine when Jimmy stepped out in front of her. Her nerves did a little tap dance. Stay calm. "Excuse me."

As she was walking past she felt as though someone had touched her hair. She pivoted around to see that Jimmy was smiling but standing way too far to have touched her. She locked eyes with him. "You're never alone, Alexis," she heard him say or had she? His mouth hadn't moved. She turned back quickly and made her way down the hall. She felt dizzy. What was happening to her?! Sweet began to bead up on her face. She glanced back as she walked into her class. People had filled the spot where he had been. It was my imagination, she sighed. "No, Alexis, this is only the beginning." Jimmy's voice promised, laughing inside her head.

***


Ryan paced back and forth. He stopped long enough to notice that everyone was staring at him, waiting for his response. Why did they do that? Didn't they realize he didn't have the answers either?

"Are you sure you didn't imagine it?" Matthew finally asked. He was standing in the far corner of their living room. Totally isolated from the rest of the group. In fact, this was the first thing he had said.

"You think I'm making this up?!" Lexi yelled. "I'm so sick of this! Everything I do or say is scrutinized, but if it had've happened to Parker or Ryan or to you it would've been immediately accepted!"

"Are you calling me sexist?" He shot back.

"If the cork screw tail fits..."

"Enough!" If he didn't stop them now, Mariah would jump to Lexi's defense and there wouldn't be any way to regain control. "I believe you, Lexi."

"You do?"

"Yeah. We've all known for a long time that there was something about Jimmy. This just fits."

"Do you think he's a telepath?" Mariah asked. She was sitting on the couch between Beth and Parker, clutching a pillow in front of her. Beth didn't look much better off. Her face was pale and she was staring at her hands. The girls were freaked out. Maybe that was a good thing, he mused, then they'd realize what kind of threat Jimmy Valenti actually posed for them.

"It's possible, I guess." Ryan admitted. "At any rate, we should just do like we've always done. Everyone watches themselves around him and tries to avoid being alone with him. Besides that there's not much we can do."

"We can tell mom and dad," offered Beth quietly.

"I think all our parents should know." Parker said, backing her up.

"No! We can handle this ourselves. No need to involve them unless things get out our control and that's not going to happen." He adamantly replied. He didn't want dad thinking he couldn't handle everyone. He had enough on his mind with the Crashdown and Uncle Michael's new set of kids on the way. No, this stayed between the six of them.

no one said anything. Good. They might not agree with him, but it was better than everyone arguing with him. Maybe Lexi had imagined it. She seemed sure, but who knew?

"Oh, it's real, Evans, don't kid yourself." Ryan's eyes grew big. Jimmy. He had heard him. He looked at the others. They appeared as unnerved as he felt.

"I told you, Ryan. I told you." Lexi simply said.

The End