Cali

8

When I walked back into my living room Jc and Kian were arguing again. "She's not even your girlfriend! What's the big problem?" Kian yelled and Jc stopped and looked at me. "She's not. You're right. So why am I here?" He said and started to walk out before Sam followed him. "Jc, don't do something you're going to regret." He said and Jc looked me dead in the eyes. "We aren't dating. Kiss whoever you want." He said and walked out. There he was leaving me all over again. No. Fuck this. He doesn't get to just leave me like this again. I stormed out the door behind him and grabbed his arm, pulling him to face me. "What do you want from me?" He asked, almost yelling. "You don't just get to walk out on me again. That's not how this is going to work. If you have any type of feelings for me you won't." I said and he shrugged. "I guess I don't then." He said and turned around. "If you didn't you wouldn't give a shit about Kian kissing me." I said and he turned around, walking towards me and stopping right in front of me. "I care because you were acting like we were going to be something! It seems like you wouldn't go kissing my best friend if you wanted us to be something!" He yelled and I flinched back. "If you don't want to be here then leave. Whatever Jc. I tried to tell you that I didn't kiss him back or do anything to make him kiss me but don't listen to me. Cool." I said and went inside, Jc going towards his house. I slammed the door behind me and they all looked at me. "What?" I snapped and shook my head before they could say anything, going to the kitchen and getting a drink. Jc is so freaking exhausting to deal with sometimes. But I guess I don't have to worry about that anymore. I heard footsteps and saw Kian walking in the kitchen. "Are you okay?" He asked and I shook my head. "This whole situation is frustrating. Why did you kiss me?" "Because I don't think what you had with JC was real. I think you guys were just trying to pick up where you left off and go with it. I have feelings for you. Real feelings. I don't think Jc does. If he did he'd be here right now." Kian said and I drank some of my water. I sat the cup down and stared at it for a second. He has a point. And it seems like I'd be more upset about Jc walking out but I'm just mad. Pissed off at how easily he just walked away again. And when I got here Kian was flirty and I was being flirty back and I like Kian. He's sweet and attractive and fun to be around. But holy shit I'm not starting a relationship right now. "Liz?" Kian said and I realized I'd been sitting here not saying anything back to him. "Sorry, lost in thought." I said and looked at him, putting my back against the counter. "It's fine. What were you thinking?" "That you have a point. I think that was more we were trying to force it and we were physically attracted so we thought it would work." I said and he nodded. "I could see that." He said and I nodded. I took my glass and went back to my chair. "We don't have to do this whole talk about it thing anymore. I don't think Jc is coming back." I said and Romeo nodded. "Well, let's do something not frustrating." He said and I nodded, plopping back in my chair. "We could watch a movie?" "Can if be Disney?" I asked and they nodded. I popped Tangled in the DVD player and curled up back in my chair with a blanket, singing along to everything. Tangled is probably my favorite of the more recent Disney movies. We put in another movie that I'd seen too many times and wasn't interested in and I moved to the floor to actually lay down. Moscow walked over to me and flopped down on my stomach and I slid slightly to get more comfortable and fell asleep on the floor cuddling my puppy. (A/N: actually most of my nights, just not on a floor.)

K I A N

The movie ended and I looked around the room. All the guys were still awake and Liz was asleep on the floor with Moscow. They were curled up in a ball and Moscow was laying across her. Romeo noticed Liz sleeping and looked around the room. "I think we're going to go. We'll see you later, man." He said and him and Sam got up and went out the front door, waking Moscow up, who trampled Liz to go investigate. She let out a groan and curled up on her side. "Moscow, do you have to do that?" She called and Moscow came running back to her, jumping over her and licking her face. Liz sat up and looked around. "Where did they go?" "Went to my house I think. Their plan was to let you sleep, but I guess that's impossible with her." I said, pointing at Moscow. "It's actually like having a child." She said and got up, moving to sit by me on the couch. "It's kinda late." I said, looking at the time in the corner of the tv, reading almost 11. "I guess so." she said and glanced at the tv before looking at me. "You can go if you want." she said and I shook my head. "Do you want me to?" "Not really, but if you want to you can." "I'm just fine staying here." "My neighbors are going to think you live here with how much you come over." "I'll pack my stuff now." I joked and she laughed. "Well, you have your pick of two rooms so have at it." "I'll take the bigger bed, thanks." "It would be tragic to lose that pool though." she said and I smiled. "Yeah, just using me for my pool." "I didn't know you had a pool when we became friends so, that's not really the case." She said and shrugged. "Oh, I forgot, you started being friends with me because you think I'm cute." "We both know who the cute one is here." She said and I nodded. "Moscow." "You." We said at the same time. She blushed and smiled at me. "I was going for my puppy." "I noticed." I said and smiled a little. "I think I'm about to take this thing to bed." She said and pointed at Moscow, who got really excited. "Okay. I'll show myself to a guest room." I said and we both stood up. She started down the hall way and Moscow ran into her room. I walked into a guest room and neither one of us actually closed the door. She left hers cracked so Moscow could get outside if she needed to, I just didn't shut it before I took my shirt off and got in the bed. I looked across the hall and saw her turn her light out. I turned off the lamp on the bedside table and tried to sleep. I spent about two hours tossing and turning before I heard footsteps. I sat up and looked to see Liz in the hall way, on the phone and pacing. I got up and stood in the door way to the guest room. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked and she jumped, but nodded her head. "If you need me, don't hesitate." I said and went back to the bed, still not shutting the door all the way. "Don't worry about who that was. It's none of your business. I told you to stop calling me... I don't want to hear it... No that wasn't Jc, please just drop it. Stop calling me, James." She said and I heard footsteps fading away. I got up and made my way to her door. I lightly knocked and she opened the door. "Hey, is everything alright?" I asked and she shrugged. "I guess so. I need to block his number." she said and I nodded. "Why was he calling this late?" "He's drunk and wanted to come over." "Well, if he does I'm here and he isn't getting inside." I said and she halfheartedly smiled at me. "Thanks, Kian, but if he decides he wants to get in, he's going to." "I'm going to go make sure everything is locked. Is Moscow in there?" I asked and she turned and looked at her bed. "Yeah, shes asleep. I'll lock everything." She said and walked down the hall. I followed her and this was about the time that I realized she was just wearing a long t-shirt that hit about mid-thigh. She went to the front door and turned the locks and then the knob to make sure it was locked. We both made our way over to the back door and she locked the actual door and started to move to lock the dog door. "I'll lock that one." I said and bent down to lock it. I stood up and she looked down. "I didn't realize this was all I was wearing." She said and pushed her hair back. "It's your house. Wear what you want." I said and she nodded. "I could've put shorts on since I knew there was someone else here." She said and I shrugged. "Let's go to bed. It's like 1 in the morning." I said and she nodded, heading down the hall way. We split again, both of us still leaving the doors open and getting in bed.

A few hours later I woke up to someone shaking my shoulder. I rolled over to see Liz standing next to the bed with messy hair and slightly biting her lip. "I didn't want to wake you up, but I can't sleep and I'm bored." she said and I nodded, sliding over. "Come on." I said and moved the blanket for her to lay next to me. She crawled in the bed next to me and laid on her side, facing me. "What time is it?" "Almost 5." she said and I felt Moscow jump on the bed and curl up at the foot of it. "Why couldn't you sleep?" "I'm not sure. It just happens sometimes. I normally watch movies and I tried that but it wasn't working." "Hmm. Well, try to sleep and maybe having someone there will help." I suggested and we both stayed on our sides to try and sleep.

L I Z

I woke up to someone banging on my front door. It made me jump, which woke Kian up because we ended up tangled together. I heard the banging again and slid out of bed, making my way to the door. I could hear Kian behind me and I was mentally cursing the door for not having a peephole. I unlocked the door and opened it slowly. "What the fuck took you so long?" James spit at me and looked me up and down. "Oh, someone was waiting for me." He said and took a step forward. I stepped back and ran into Kian. I turned and he stepped around me. "I think it's time for you to go." Kian said and stepped towards James. "This is who you're fucking around with now?" James asked, looking past Kian and directly at me. "I'm not fucking around with anyone." I said and he laughed bitterly. "Yeah right. You have guys in and out of here all the time. You've got to be fucking at least two of them. Was it just his turn?" "You need to fucking leave." Kian said and pushed James back. "You fucked her didn't you? At least thought about it. She's pretty good when she doesn't put up a fight." he said and Kian glanced at me. I felt my eyes water. "Get the fuck out." Kian said and shoved him off the steps leading to my house, slamming the door and locking it. I felt a few tears slide down my face and jumped when the banging started on the door again. "Liz, did he-" "We aren't talking about it." I cut him off and turned to go to my room. I almost ran down the hall and pretty much slammed the door behind me. I could still hear the banging and I could hear footsteps and Moscow barking and then my phone started ringing and it was all just too much.

Too much.

I slid against the wall and my dresser and wedged myself in the corner before putting my hands over my ear and my head on my knees. I was crying and that was drowning out pretty much everything else with my hands over my ears. I felt someone touch my shoulder and went even further into the corner, looking up and seeing Kian.

K I A N

As soon as he said that I felt my blood boil. I glanced at Liz and then decided he needed to go. Right now. I turned to Liz after I locked the door and saw the tears sliding down her cheeks. "Liz, did he-" "We aren't talking about it." She cut me off and almost ran down the hall before slamming the door. James was banging on the door and yelling and Moscow was barking at the sound, but all the doors and windows are locked so he's not getting in here. I need to go check on Liz. I could hear her crying through the door and when I opened her door I saw her balled up in the corner of her wall and dresser, crying with her hand over her ears and her head on her knees. I lightly touched her shoulder and the face she had when she looked up at me was pure fear. I sat on the ground in front of her and slowly reached towards her to wipe her cheeks off and she let me. I slid a little closer to her and she was still crying, but moved towards me and threw her arms around me. I pulled her into my lap and wrapped my arms around her and just let her cry. We sat there for about half an hour before she actually looked up at me. "Please don't tell anyone about what he said." She said and her big, brown eyes were wide and red and puffy and her face was covered in lines from tears. "I won't tell anyone." I said and she wiped at her face. "I think I need a bath." she said and slid herself from my lap. I stood up and helped her up before she disappeared into her connected bathroom.