My Girlfriend's Ex (StudxStud)

38

Liberty

"...need to enforce a bedtime because she's coming home too late. You can't just say yes to her every time she asks to go out to these parties, Derrick. She came in nearly the next day," I heard my mother arguing with my father downstairs.

"It's the summer and she's seventeen, August," my father hissed back.

"Well, I care about my daughter and she was obviously drunk. I don't need Ramyn seeing her sister stumbling around and thinking that's okay. I don't want her to get hurt or worse, baby."

"Liberty is fine. She's a smart girl."

I pulled my covers tight against me, my eyes squeezed shut as I focused on hearing them in my dark room, my skin still slightly damp from my quick shower.

"I'm sorry, but how could I fully trust her judgment and she had a stealing problem? Who knows if she uses hanging out with her friends and partying as an excuse to go out to downtown or not? I don't wanna be the parent who calls other parents to ask where my kid is, Derrick. That's embarrassing for her and myself. I own a boutique and I want her to get better."

I rubbed the tears rolling down my face with my shirt.

"She's getting better. Her program says that she's improving," my father insisted.

"After she relapsed," my mother argued.

"Relapses will happen August. We're lucky she even came to us about her struggles."

"I'm just saying I don't want my teenage daughter out at odd hours of the night," my mother said firmly, "End of discussion: Summer or not, she needs to be back home by eight or I'll flip."

I forced my eyes shut and let myself slip into sleep.

"Liberty, Liberty," someone whispered into my ear.

"Ramyn...stoppp," I complained, putting my pillow over my head.

"A special someone's at the door for you and daddy's in the back yard distracted," Ramyn sung.

My eyes flew open and I threw my pillow across my bed, almost knocking my little sister over as I pulled some bottoms on and headed down the stairs.

"Who is it, Ramyn?"

"It's a tall girl," she said simply.

"Everybody's taller than you Ramyn, give me something better to work with," I rolled my eyes. I was already unlocking the front door before she could give me a better description.

"Vonna?"

"I feel like I owe you a bigger explanation for last night. Before we're around everyone else," she stated.

"You can't come in. My dad got World War I set up in this bitch. It'd be better if we talked out in the front," I gestured outside. I turned to look back at my little sister, "If Dad asks for me, tell him I'm outside."

"Okay," she agreed, running back inside.

I closed the front door behind myself as I stepped out with Vonna.

"What's this about everyone else? And an explanation?"

"Did Jeredine tell you about the big discussion she has planned for today? I thought you two went- Oh, never mind," Vonna shook her head, "Forget I said that."

"Jeredine did not tell me that and I honestly don't care," I sighed, rubbing at my raw eyes. "Did you hear about the fire at Beatrix's?"

"I did. I was there," she said simply.

I searched her face, a little too numb to feel surprised anymore. "Was anybody hurt?"

"A'livia died. Me and Beatrix thankfully only got minority injured," she told me.

"A'livia? Man," I shook my head. I was just with her hours ago. I can't believe she's already gone-

"She's the one who started the fire," Vonna added.

My heart hardened as I heard those words. "On purpose?" I asked.

Vonna nodded, sighing. "But all of that isn't the reason why I'm here. I felt like you deserved a face-to-face explanation for my feelings and what we'll be doing moving forward."

I scoffed, "I'm sorry. What we'll be doing moving forward?" I repeated her. "You run this relationship now or some shit?"

"Liberty," she sighed like I was just the slowest thing in the world, "I didn't mean it that way."

"All this entitled, bossy shit gotta go Vonna. You can't be a boutique kid the rest of your life. There's life to live outside of Aster Waters, and the way you act won't cut it."

"Which is why I'll be leaving. While it's summer," she said simply, "and I don't believe your attitude is any better, my love."

"You're leaving," I stared at her, my mouth open, "We both said we hate the idea of long distance, so how will we," I stared at her, "oh."

"I don't think things have been working between us for a long while, Liberty, and I'd just hate to keep stringing you along."

"It's Beatrix, isn't it?" I chuckled to myself, the burn of betray searing across my heart. "I knew everything was too good to be true."

"It's her in many ways...but it's not," Vonna said firmly, "I'm not leaving you for her...I'm leaving you to finish what we had before."

"A horrible relationship?" I asked sharply.

"No. I'm gonna love her right this time. I'm gonna care for her and know how to treat her. We're gonna take the small steps-

"So you want me to say congrats?" I snapped, standing up, "Good luck moving away? Take her with you. I don't wanna see either of you again."

"You can say that and your heart can feel another thing," she said softly, "I'm offering you a proposal."

"Which is?" I demanded.