Fools

Part 62

joe's pov;

"What do you mean he's going to send me away Joe?!" Cate asked, she was pacing back and forth in the front lawn. I was still sitting on the porch, I honestly couldn't tell you how I'm feeling right now. "Joe, answer me." She came back and sat down next to me. I just stared at her. "Answer!"
"Okay, he-" I started but she cut me off.
"Damn, like you had so much to say about everything before but you leave me with this thought for almost 10 minutes?"
"If you'd let me fucking finish maybe I could tell you." She went quiet. "Thank you." She rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Anyways, Caspar and I had a really deep talk after you left. He's really hurt Cate, so much that he's thinking about sending you back to your moms."
"What? He's thinking or he's going to?" I shrugged. "And how does he know that I couldn't get my own place instead?"
"Could you honestly do that Cate? And would that even be the best move for you? I don't even know how you get your money for this stuff." I pointed to the bag laying on the step. "Caspar and I definitely don't give you any."
"I have the money my parents gave me."
"What? Your financial aid, college fund?" She rolled her eyes. "You can't use that money for anything but and you know that."
"So what do I have left to do?! Huh? Since you just seem like you have all the answers!"
"You used some of that to buy it?" I asked her, she scoffed again.
"No Joe, fuck can we just drop the drug shit for one second?! Let's fucking focus on the fact that my brother's probably kicking me out okay?" I nodded slowly, she sighed. "Just tell me what to do."
"I don't know. You just have to go back to school, be on-top of it and get clean."
"Joe I told you, I can't."
"Well then I guess that's it. I don't really have anything else to tell you."
"We couldn't move in together?" She asked, her face lit up. I stared at her for a second.
"No." Her smile fell. "I'm sorry Cate, but I'm doing really good in rehab, I'm going back when the renovation's done and I'm probably going to stay for a while, it works for me. You'll find something that works for you." I told her, she got up from the steps.
"Oh I have." She snatched the bag from the steps. I quickly got up and grabbed her arm.
"I can't let you do this." She yanked her arm out of my grip.
"Watch me."

that same day, lilah's pov;

"Alright everyone, pencils down. Exam's are officially over!" The supervisor of the testing had said, followed by a scream 'woo' by everyone. I let out a sigh of relief once I set my pencil down, I looked over my exam before they came over to take it, we had to remain seated until all exams were picked up. I looked over to Ashton and we smiled at each other, we had been put into the same testing room. Once all the tests were picked up, I walked over to him.

"Hey you." I said, I kissed him on the cheek. He got up and put his arm around me, we started walking towards the exit.
"How's milady after that dreaded exam?" He joked, I smiled.
"Oh gosh, I don't know how I survived." I replied sarcastically, he laughed.
"Honestly, me either." He said. "I'm just glad they're all over and we can head out on this awesome summer getaway." He looked at me and smirked.
"She does know we're coming right?" I asked him, he gave me a dumb look.
"Yes, I've already told you. I got this all planned out and ready to go, all we need to do is pack and head on that plane, the rest is smooth sailing which awaits." I let out a sigh of relief and nodded. We stopped in our tracks outside by the hill, half-way to our dorms. "Now, go on. Go pack your best outfits, basically your whole wardrobe cause this is an entire summer," He laughed. "And then meet me right back here in about an hour, we don't want to miss this flight."
"Yes sir." I joked, he smiled. We gave a kiss goodbye before parting ways.

I reached my dorm room and unlocked my door, Sydney was sitting on my bed again. I smiled at her before grabbing my suitcases to start packing.

"Hi." I said to her.
"Hey, packing for your trip already?" She asked, I nodded.
"Yeah, we're leaving in the next hour or so to make it to the airport." I told her, it was quiet for a second.
"Don't go." She said, she got up from the bed and walked over to me. I stopped what I was doing and turned to face her.
"Why? I'm going to go and see my sister."
"I know. It's just, don't make me say it please." I gave her a puzzling look.
"What are you on about?" I asked, she started pacing around the room. I kept staring at her, wondering what the heck was even going on at this moment.
"I can't, I can't." She said, she still kept pacing.
"Can't what? Are you okay?? I'm so confused right now." I told her.
"I'm afraid to tell you."
"Can you just come out and say it already? And stop pacing."
"Just don't go. I'm leaving it at that." I was starting to get a little annoyed, I could see it on her face that she knew that.
"Why though??" I said sternly. "You're not giving me any reason!" It went quiet again, I sighed heavily. "Sydney." She looked at me. "Tell me why." She looked away. Ugh, my god. "Sydney!"
"Because I love you okay?!" She sat back down on the bed, she looked like she was about to cry. "Jesus, fuck, I told you I didn't want to tell you." I walked over to sit next to her.
"I love you too Syd, but I'll be fine, you don't have to worry." She scoffed and got back up, I stayed sitting down.
"No, you don't get it." She said.
"No, I do. You're worried about me out there, but I'm telling you, you don't-"
"No! That's not what I mean Ly! Fuck." Her voice started to raise.
"Then what do you mean? What did you come here for?!" I matched my volume to hers, I stood up. "I know you came here for something!! You knew I was coming back here to get my shit together to leave and you came anyway. So what don't I get?!"
"I'm in love with you!! Is that how you want me to say it?!" She started to cry, it was quiet for a moment with nothing but her light sobs. She walked over to sit back on the bed, I sat down again after her. She looked at me, tears in her eyes, rolling down her cheeks. "I'm in love with you Lilah. Fuck, like I fell so hard for you." She sobbed again, then pulled herself together to speak again. "I didn't want to, you're my best friend and the last thing I want is to lose that. But I can't help or hide how I feel any longer, it's killing me." She cried again, I could feel tears forming with me now. Neither of us said anything for a moment, we just heard our cries between each other. I pulled her into a hug.
"I don't know what to say." I said, she cried a bit harder. I pulled away, she pulled back once I did and I wiped her tears. "Please don't cry, you don't have to cry Syd." She wiped her face.
"I do. This feeling is unexplainable and it hurts so bad. To want you and to know I can't have you." She said after she pulled herself together. "I've tried so hard to make it go away, to distance myself from you, to get more involved with Ethan but I just can't. It's not right to hide how I feel because it's literally breaking me down inside. I love you so much." She looked at me. "I love you Lilah. I said I'd never date a girl, that I could never love one, but you make me feel so much better as a person, you make me feel like I'm worth something, someone's time and energy. That I could possibly be loved." I felt knots in my stomach as she talked, I had so much to say but nothing to say at the same time so I stayed quiet. She began to cry again. "Ly, please, tell me something, anything."
"I don't know what to say or I would." I said softly, I felt a pain in my chest.
"Just tell me you love me too."
"I- I-" I was about to talk when my phone vibrated with a text, she sniffled and wiped her eyes as I read it.
"That's Ashton isn't it?" She asked, I looked at her for a second before nodding, our eyes were locked. She let out a sigh. "I should go." She said and got up from the bed, she wiped her face again before walking towards the door.
"Syd wait, don't leave." She turned back around.
"Let me just ask you one thing," She said, I nodded. "Do you love him? Like really, love him?" She stared at me, I was in thought, I hestitated just a bit before I nodded my head yes. "Okay. That's all I needed to know. I'll get over it. I'd rather have you in my life as a friend than not at all. Have a good time seeing your sister and a nice summer." She told me, she started opening the door.
"Wait," She stopped again. "You're not going to talk to me at all this summer?"
"Not the whole summer, but for a while." She told me, I felt my heart sink, I gave her a sad look.
"Syd, no."
"It's okay Ly. I'll see you soon alright?" She said, I slowly nodded. She faintly smiled at me before leaving me alone.