pushing the school doors open after telling maddy a happy early birthday, liani swung her arms as she walked, her head low as she already knew the direction of her house.
"hey." she heard a sort of familiar voice call out, causing her to stop and turn around. she watched elliot run up to her, and crossed her arms as she gave him a small welcoming smile. "hi."
"are you about to go home or uh, like with your friends or something?" he asked.
"home." liani nodded.
liani listened as elliot tried to make small talk, making her cringe at how awkward it was. eventually he gave up and invited her to hangout with him, rue and jules later. liani didn't have plans, her and ashtray hadn't spoken since their argument and she still felt awkward around her mom, so she agreed.
the two parted after liani told him she'd be there.
liani ended up texting rue for elliot's address, and after walking almost twenty minutes, she got there. she knocked on the door twice, before waiting patiently for it to open.
she was expecting to be met with elliot, or even rue or jules but instead it was a black haired women. her hair was long, and had on loose sweatpants and a crop top. she raised her eyebrows at liani, stepping aside for her to walk in the house and pointed down the hallway to a room which was elliot's. liani thanked her with a smile, and ran into rue while making her way to elliot's room.
"oh shit- oh, lani, hi." rue smiled, wrapped her arm around the younger girl as they both now walked to elliot's room.
rue opened the door, and elliot and jules sat up to look at the two standing in the door way. "liani, you made it!" jules smiled.
liani returned the smile, nodding her head as she waved at elliot. "who's that girl in there?" she asked, pointing back to the living room.
"my cousin." he answered.
liani nodded, "she's really pretty."
jules furrowed her eyebrows at her tone change at 'really.' "are you.. gay?"
liani laughed, "no, not really."
"not really or no?" elliot questioned.
liani shrugged, "i'm not gay, but i would say i am if your cousin asked." she laughed.
eventually elliot left for the bathroom, while the loud music played, juliet dated due to kiss elliot for ten seconds. and the second he began walking back into the room, she grabbed his face and kissed him, but not for ten seconds.
"that was not ten seconds." jules pointed.
"was that a dare?" elliot looked at the three.
"maybe." jules smiled.
liani sat next to jules, watching as elliot leaned over to whisper something to rue before she nodded and elliot told jules to "start the clock."
liani raised her eyes, watching the two start to make out as jules counted to ten seconds. she believed she was right, she still thought elliot had a crush on rue.
"that was amazing." rue stated.
"oh- okay.. rue." jules nodded slowly, sounding obviously jealous.
"yeah.. oh, i'm sorry, are you- are you jealous?" rue asked.
"no. no, i don't get jealous. um.. hey, elliot?" jules quickly changed the subject. "truth or dare?"
"i dare you to lick from here.." she pointed to her underwear showing, "to here." to her very cropped shirt.
"wow, your girlfriend is sexy." elliot told rue, walking over to jules.
liani titled her head at the fact they seemed like some weird love triangle, and was slowly becoming uncomfortable. it was clear rue and jules were trying to make each other jealous, which she found weird.
"you know, i think if you guys are going to keep up with these lesbian power games... we should steal some liquor." elliot spoke, making lianis head turn to him.
liani sat next to rue in the backseat of elliot's car as a song played on the way to the liquor store. pulling into the store parking lot was when liani raised up. "alright, imma distract the clerk," he turned to jules, "you're gonna steal the beer," and then turned to rue and liani, "and you two are gonna do nothing, cool?"
"word." rue nodded.
liani watched the two get out of the car and walk into the store, before turning to rue who sat staring out of the car window. "rue, you okay?"
"yeah." rue nodded simply.
"are you and jules still together?" liani asked.
"yep." rue answered before the car fell silent again.
after a few liani turned her head when jules ran out of the store, yelling could be heard before elliot followed behind her. the two rushed into the car, elliot hurrying to start the car with jules telling him to go. just as it had started and elliot began to drive off, the clerk ran outside with some sort of pole, swung and hit the passenger window making the glass break and jules yell.
liani let out an anxious breath, reckless driving made her nervous. she was thankful she was high and was calmer than she would be if she wasn't.
the ride was pretty calm after that, everyone except elliot was drinking a beer and listening to the radio. liani had her arm laid out the window, feeling the rain drops land on it occasionally.
elliot glanced back at rue, "yo, you can't drink on that shit is fucking dangerous."
"it's fine." rue waved him off.
"oh my god." elliot whispered.
liani understood how rue felt, she was never one to tell rue anything about getting sober and she knew how it felt to constantly be told to.
"yo, could you put the fucking drink down?" elliot asked her.
"are you fucking drinking?" jules turned around.
"mmm, yeah." rue shrugged. "it's just one drink."
"i don't care, why are you drinking?" jules asked.
rue sighed, "i'm not even into alcohol like that."
"then why are you drinking it?" jules asked further.
"you know- fuck- elliot, just take me the fuck home, please." rue told him.
"rue-" jules tried, "nah it's just- i wanna go home." the cut her off.
"i'm just saying like, don't drink." jules told her.
"no, i wanna go home." rue responded.
"why?" jules asked.
"just drop me off." rue told them.
"why?" jules asked again, as liani was beginning to get annoyed.
"drop me off, please." rue repeated.
"why?" jules said once again.
"because, i cant fucking stand you." rue told her, as liani raised her eyebrows in shock.
"what?" jules spoke low.
"yeah, i don't fuckin- i don't wanna argue, about this shit. i don't wanna fight. i'm sick of fucking fighting, i would just rather be home."
"just- just drop me off, okay? just pull- just pull the fuck over and let me out." rue told elliot. "please."
"alright, here, rue?" elliot asked, slowly pulling over.
"yep. just fucking right up here."
as the car slowed to a stop, rue got out of the car without another word and liani sucked her teeth. "i'm gonna go with her." she told them, quickly leaving the car and walking in the same direction as rue.