meant to be | j. parker¹

TWENTY

Sitting in her living room for an impromptu intervention for one of her closest friends wasn't exactly how Aaliyah wanted to spend her morning. But, based on Layla's recent behavior and the things that Liv and Spencer had both told her she found it necessary. "Hi, honey," Laura said standing up and looking at Layla who had just walked through the door with Liv.

Layla furrowed her eyebrows at the sight of her dad in the room. "Dad? What is this?" Standing up Mr. Keating gave her a concerned look. "Why don't you have a seat, honey? Dr. Gurman will explain," he offered. While the doctor explained things, Layla basically disassociated from the entire speech seemingly zoning out while he talked. "This is ridiculous. I mean, you want to have me committed?" Layla asked.

"No one wants you committed," Mr. Keating reassured. "I know what inpatient treatment means. This is ridiculous. No," she denied. "I know that this is difficult, but your behavior has raised ques—"

Quickly cutting Dr. Gurman off, Layla spewed insults at her friends. "According to them, to my ex-boyfriend, princess rehab and her slut of a sister! They say I've been acting differently all of a sudden, you all agree I need professional help."

"Come on. The lies? I mean, you trashed your own house and we saw your hotel room," Liv explained softly. "Please don't act like we're just making this up, Layla. I seen the cuts on your arm," Spencer quickly interfered.

"Stopped wearing the bracelets that were causing the cuts, see? Healed. And I am not the only teenager who skipped class or has a messy room. Look, I agree I could have...handled the break-in better, but...I was scared," Layla argued.

"Mr. Keating," Dr. Gurman said quickly interfering in the conversation he and Layla were having. "It's normal to feel guilty, but—"

"You did say there were other outpatient options, right?" Mr. Keating asked shutting the entire intervention down once he and Layla walked away.

"You tried your best. Sorry, Liv," Aaliyah mumbled placing her head on her sister's shoulder.

✯✯✯

"Give me a dollar," Aaliyah demanded going up to Jordan at his locker. "No. What the hell do you need a dollar for?" Jordan asked pushing her outstretched hand down. "Because I want a water from the vending machine and the card reader is broken and I don't have cash on me. Be a good brother. You crashed my car!" she retorted putting her hand back up.

"You can't keep using that to make me give you things," he whined pulling his wallet out and handing her a five dollar bill. Liv rushed up to the two siblings. "Okay, I'm still not talking to you for getting our phones taken, and birthday canceled—"

"And yet here you are, talking to me," Jordan shot back sarcastically smiling at Liv. "Don't be an ass, okay? This is serious. Have either of you heard from Spencer he missed first period," Liv said.

"No," Jordan answered shaking his head. "Me neither. I can't believe Corey ghosted again," Aaliyah sighed shoving the cash into her backpack.

"Well, yeah, and with his dad gone and the whole break up with Layla. I mean, he's gonna need us to talk to," Liv said. Jordan closed his locker glancing at his overly eager sister. "Look, Liv, if he wants to talk to us, he'll talk, okay? If he wants to come to class, he'll come. It doesn't always help to butt your nose into in."

"He's surprisingly right," Liyah added looking at her brother.

"Yeah, I kinda learned that lesson yesterdaywith Layla's failed intervention. Oh, my God. There she is. There she is. What do I do?" Liv asked freaking out. "I don't know about you. But, I'm running away," Aaliyah mumbled walking away from her siblings and bumping into her boyfriend who was waiting at her locker with balloons and a small gift bag in his hand.