Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding 1)

Lexi was almost certain that his cell number would be scrawled on the back side. Even in her darkest of hours, Chyna continued to get hit on.

"Thanks Mike," Chyna muttered not paying him much attention.

He gracefully exited the room leaving the two girls alone once again.

"So did you get his number?" Lexi asked pointing at the business card.

"What?" Chyna asked oblivious. Then she glanced down at the tiny piece of white paper. She flipped it around experimentally in her hands a few times before noticing that, indeed, there was a number scratched onto the backside. "Yeah I guess I did."

Lexi couldn't hold in her giggles. Chyna looked aghast at her sudden onset of laughter, but quickly joined in. Soon they were both laughing uncontrollably. Lexi put her hand on her head and groaned as the pressure of her laughter cut across her injury.

"Oh Alexa I really am so sorry. I didn't mean to be so…so mean. I had no idea you would faint," she muttered vehemently her emerald eyes wide.

Lexi chuckled. "Me either. I've never done that before." She gingerly scooted up to rest against the headboard wincing as her head protested the movement. She could hardly believe that this had happened to her. When Dr. Cutler had told her that she had fainted, the memories had flooded back to her. She remembered the argument with Chyna; the sting of Chyna's words still rang in her ears. She knew she had overreacted, but just thinking about what Chyna had said made it difficult to breathe.

"Does he mean all that to you?" Chyna whispered wringing her hands.

Lexi sighed and turned her head to look at her friend. She pushed her hair behind her ears several times before answering. "He's always meant everything to me."

"But he's with someone else now," Chyna stated hesitantly. She was afraid to set her off again and have a repeat of what had just happened. She had never been so afraid for anyone in her life.

"I know. I know. He said he wants to make things right with me. I told him we could only be right if neither of us were attached. I just need to give him the time to become unattached."

"And how do you know he'll do that?" Chyna asked. "I mean didn't he call you down here, because he was ready to commit in the first place."

Lexi bit her lip. "Not exactly. It was more for her benefit. It just seemed to backfire on her. He realized that he knew what he really wanted when I was around. That he wants me. You should have seen his jealous face when he found out that I went on a date with Ramsey," she said smiling fondly at the memory.

"And what about him? Just one date? You told me that you kind of liked him," Chyna mentioned hoping that something…anything would snap her friend out of this.

"Ramsey's…ya know. Whatever. I had a good time, but he's so…all in your face. His personality is all encompassing. I can't breathe around him," Lexi told her surprised by the reality of her words.

Chyna cleared her throat. "Some people think these are good qualities. It's called passion," she mumbled peaking at her friend under her thick dark lashes.

Lexi scowled at her friend. She didn't want to think about Ramsey, mostly, because she didn't know what to do about Ramsey. He wasn't like the other people she had dated. She had thought that he would be easy to figure out, a cookie-cutter sort of character. Yet, she couldn't deny that she had enjoyed herself on their date, uncharacteristically so. She had lost herself in his strange, in-your-face personality for a time. She had even forgotten about Jack. It had surprised her that she had been able to forget such strong memories while with another man. She had become so accustomed to measuring up every guy to Jack that, if she was honest with herself, it had been a pleasant reprieve from the tireless drone of unimpressive desperation that most guys wore like cloaks.

"I don't know about that," Lexi replied biting her teeth and averting her eyes.

Chyna chewed on the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling at her friend's reaction. It was the same disbelieving tone she had used on the phone when talking about this Ramsey character. Chyna simply couldn't wait to meet him to find out what exactly was so special that made him even mildly appealing to her friend. Then she needed to tweak those qualities to her advantage, because this Jack thing was getting ridiculous. Not that she could tell her friend that especially after what had happened. "I think you do."

"Well it doesn't matter. I can't go out with him again when this stuff is going on with me and Jack," Lexi told her.

"What? Why not? He's going to be with Bekah!" Chyna cried forgetting her promise to herself that she wouldn't get too excited while talking to Lexi. She bit her lip waiting for Lexi's reaction.

"Shit!" Lexi cried her eyes lighting up with worry.

"Oh God, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up again."

"No, not that," she cried closing her eyes and smacking her head backwards against the headboard. She cursed again, louder this time, with the pain of slamming her head.

"Don't do that," Chyna cried reaching for her friend.

Lexi staved Chyna off. "I forgot I'm supposed to be going with Ramsey to Jack's birthday party on Friday."

"Oh!" Chyna said her mouth popping open.

"What am I going to do Chy?" Lexi asked tears welling in her eyes from the pain in her head and the sudden realization that she was in quite a pickle.

"Well that's easy sweetie," Chyna told her reassuringly, "You show up with that hunk of a man on your arm and revel in the jealousy that will flow freely from Jack. It's just too easy honestly."

"I don't need to make him jealous," Lexi said her brows furrowing.

Chyna rolled her eyes. "It's just a reminder that if this is what he wants," she gestured towards Lexi, "then he needs to make up his f**king mind."

That is how Lexi and Chyna ended up three days later in a black stretch limo escorting them to Jack's birthday extravaganza. Ramsey had dropped off Lexi's purchases at Chyna's penthouse suite. The two had instantly hit it off while Lexi glanced anxiously between the two. For some reason Ramsey never passed more than a fleeting glance in Chyna's direction. It was unlike anything Lexi had ever seen. Most guys openly ogled her gorgeous best friend, but Ramsey managed to make pleasant conversation without flirting and without coming onto her. Lexi was amazed by the end of the encounter, and didn't know what to think about it.