Chapter 29: Broken Rule

Lex's POV.

I was sitting on the couch in our classroom, struggling with the thoughts of Landon and Lisa together, and Nick wasn't helping matters as he kept talking about random topics which I wasn't interested in.

"I really need some space right now, Nick, please, " I said to him, trying to sound cool, but I knew he was never going to pull away.

"What now? Did you two have a physical fight? Tell me, did he punch you? Why do you look so sober?"

I glanced at him for a second, and at that moment I wished that Landon had punched me; it would have been easier for me to take than seeing both of them in that position. It was causing so much pain in my chest, and I couldn't explain how or why I was feeling that way.

"Landon won't dare raise his hand on me, would he?"

He scoffed at my words, and before he could respond, Landon walked right through the door.

"I hate the fact that you have so much immunity, Lex, but I hope one day I'll show you that it's not only some random girl who can punch you in the face."

"Don't you talk about her to me; I don't want to hear a word about her or whatever happened."

I said this to him, standing up from the couch as I faced him.

"You really are a lot of work, Lex; I mean, you are. You do not want me to talk about her? Are you sure about that? Because you seemed like you had your heart stabbed with a sharp, long knife when you saw me hold her at the balcony."

I could swear that no one noticed my injured emotion up at that balcony, but Landon; he had a way of seeing right through me, and it pained me.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Landon, and I would like to warn you not to think that you can always set me up for a drag. I and Selena are not together and the next time you make such assumption of us I am not going to let it slide"

"Why are you all of a sudden fighting against your alleged relationship with Selena? I mean, at the end of the day, she gets to be mated whether you want it or not; it is what has been pre-written, and your family desperately wants it to work. You can't turn your back on it; you and I know that. As a matter of fact, I'll advise that you begin to make progress in your relationship with her because the feelings may not come all of a sudden; you need to try to form a relationship with her from now on."

"And you're telling me that because you're what? My father? I get sick of my father too. What gives you the idea that I'm going to take such advice from you?"

It was already approaching him in slow paces as I spoke, and I could feel the anger rising in my veins. Landon was good with words, he knew exactly how to break anyone down with his crazy thinking but not this time.

The anger in me was so much that I felt like jumping on him and punching him so hard in the face, and if I was being completely honest, it had nothing to do with the arguments we were having at the moment.

"Chill out, Lex, you like her, and it's obvious, but I've got bad news for you: this might as well break your heart more than it is broken already."

"Wait a second, what are you both talking about? He likes who? "Tell me, Lex, who is it that you like?"

Nick interrupted, his loud voice made the moment feel more intense.

I wanted to say something; I wanted to deny it immediately, but I couldn't find the right words to do so. I stood there staring at Landon with my mouth open, but I had no words in it.

"Lex, I am sorry to inform you that Lisa is now my girlfriend, and as you know very well, I am very protective of things that belong to me, so I am not going to tolerate any more bullies on her from anyone trying to hurt her for your sake."

He had imagined that I was stabbed with a knife over the balcony, but right now, listening to him say that, I felt like my head was being chopped off with a sharp machete, and it was being done so slowly that I could feel the raw pain rising; it was just unbearable.

"Your what?" I asked in a whisper; my voice seemed to be affected as well.

"My girlfriend, Lex, remember we have to stay clear of each other's girlfriends and we cannot fight for the same girl"

He reminded me of the third rule that governed our friendship right from middle school. We don't fight for the same girl; we let one of us have her, and the other person will have to look away no matter how much feeling they would have to ignore.

It had always been the rule, and we never had to use it, but right now, I could really feel it in my bones; I might have to be the first person to break that because there is no way in hell that I was going to let Landon take her.

I still couldn't process what I felt for her, but the mere thought of her with someone else tore me to pieces, and I couldn't let it stand.

"Why are you reminding me of the rule if you're not the one who is breaking it right now? I had her first, Landon, and I even had sex with her; it was her first time. A connection that I have not been able to process properly, but how you're already out there trying to beat me at it and claim her for yourself? I don't want to fight with you over a girl, Landon, and that is why I'm asking you politely right now to end whatever relationship you have with her and let her go. "

"Or what, Lex? Or what?"