Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding 2)

"You will not speak…."

"No, I will speak to you however I see fit," she said looking him up and down, her nose turned up. "You raised me to be strong willed and independent. No matter how much you want me to just disappear from your life that's not happening. I'm a part of you, and you can't just act like I'm a child any longer. Grow up and deal with your mistakes."

With that she turned on her heel and followed in her mother's footsteps. Lexi, Ramsey, and Adam followed quickly behind her all in a state of shock from the drama that had just ensued. Lexi wanted to talk to Chyna about it, but she knew now wasn't the time. Chyna was angry….no she was pissed. And when she was in this state, she was a force to be reckoned with. Nothing anyone would say was going to calm her down at that moment.

When they reached the bottom floor the four of them piled into Chyna's town car. Without a word, the driver zipped them across town to the party that was already in full swing for New Years. They had anticipated showing up fashionably late to the event. Chyna had originally thought they would be even later than they actually were, but they had skipped out on the reception increasing their departure by nearly an hour.

Chyna's silence made it pretty clear that she was still livid about what had just unfolded between her and her parents. Not that Lexi could blame her. If her parents ever treated her or each other like that, she would have been mortified. The fact that Chyna had been able to grow up a semi-normal human being was a bit of a miracle in and of itself. With parents like that she should have been completely f**ked up.

When the car came to a standstill, the group rushed into the lobby of the building to escape the frigid night air. "Party is on the top floor," Chyna told them gesturing towards the elevators. "I'm just going to…uh…take care of a few things."

Lexi looked at her suspiciously. The last thing that Chyna needed right now was to be alone. "Do you want company?"

"No, no, don't worry about me. I'm just making sure things are in order," she said vaguely. "Go on up and have a good time. I'll meet you."

Chyna began walking in the opposite direction. Lexi stood there dumbstruck for a split second before starting to chase after her. She made it three steps before a hand came down on her arm. "Hey let me handle this," Adam requested pulling her backwards.

"Uh…wha…" Lexi asked not really formulating any clear words. She was confused as to what was going on. She was always there for Chyna. Chyna was her best friend. She would do anything to make her feel better. Not only that, she had known her for three years and thus, knew what made her feel better.

Adam was a fling, a nothing. Sure he was a nice guy who had helped them out in a pinch…twice, but that didn't give him the right to go talk to Chyna when she was hurting. She needed her best friend, and Adam really just wouldn't cut it.

"Lexi, really, I got this. Go have fun," he said smiling sweetly.

"But she needs me."

"Nah, she'll be alright. Really. We'll meet you," he told her pushing her gently into Ramsey's arms.

"Yeah come on Lexi. Let them be," Ramsey said tugging her out of Adam's grasp.

"I mean okay if you really think so."

"I do," Adam reassured her.

"Call if you need anything," she called to Adam as she let Ramsey guide her away. When they reached the elevators, Lexi murmured, "That's so strange."

"What?" Ramsey asked stepping into the elevator.

"That he thinks he can take care of her. That he thinks she will let him take care of her. That he thinks he knows how to take care of someone like Chyna. I mean yeah he's nice, but Chyna doesn't go for nice," Lexi told him.

"Maybe she does," he said smirking.

"No," she contradicted.

"If he thinks he can handle her craziness, than by all means let him. I just want to have some fun with you tonight, Lexi. And I think I can handle your craziness," he told her playfully.

She smiled up into his handsome face. Raising onto her toes, she reached up and touched her lips gently against his own. Moving swiftly he pushed her body back against the elevator wall and began to kiss the breath out of her. By the time the door dinged open, she was so hot for him her mind had completely forgotten what had occurred downstairs.

"Are you sure you want to stay?" she asked him wiping her puffy lips.

"Oh no, you dragged me here. It's time to party," he told her pulling her into the massive room Chyna had transformed into a New Years Eve bash. Even when Lexi had gone over dozens of plans for the event, she had never anticipated what was in front of her.

The black marble flooring opened up on three sides to floor-to-ceiling glass panes with a view of the city below. Fireworks already lit up the night sky in anticipation of the huge display that would occur at midnight when the Big Apple dropped in Times Square. There were several bars which were overflowing with alcohol. Half-naked waiters and waitresses were wandering around the premises carrying trays of champagne. Dozens of people that Lexi had met while out with Chyna were in attendance; several dozen more Lexi had never seen before. Some waved at her as she passed by obviously recognizing her as well. Lights were dimmed low, and pulsing techno music filtered into the room. A majority of the enormous space had been crafted into a dance floor where people were already bumping and grinding to the beat of the music. All in all the night was already appearing successful.

Ramsey snagged them two glasses of champagne, and made a toast over the increased volume of the music. "To our first New Years together." Lexi clinked her glass against his and went to drink her drink, but he stopped her. "I wasn't finished." She looked up at him as if to encourage him to continue. "May we have many more to celebrate."

Lexi beamed from ear to ear at the implications in his statement. Taking a large gulp of the champagne, she motioned for Ramsey in a come hither motion. He leaned forward and she captured his lips once more. "If you keep this up, we're not going to make it to midnight."

She winked at him, before shimmying seductively out to the dance floor. He followed her, and they spent the next couple hours lost in each other's embrace. She had completely forgotten Chyna when she caught a glimpse of her long black hair which had been pulled out of her elegant hairstyle. She motioned to Ramsey, and he nodded saying he would follow her.