City Lights, Country Nights

40.don't want to see you with anyone else

"Yeah, is he okay?" Jackie inquired as she looked up. "And why didn't you call me?" she asked. Alex shook his head.

"I didn't want to worry you, and everything was hectic," Alex explained, looking at her.

"No, no, it's okay," Jackie assured him. "We know what it's like to have someone in the hospital," she said, looking at Liora, who nodded.

"Nathan's fine. They're running a few tests," Alex informed, looking back down. "He should get released today," he added.

Liora let out a breath and closed her eyes in relief.

"I thought I would grab some food for Mom and Dad. They haven't been home yet," Alex mentioned.

"Isn't that thoughtful?" Grace remarked, looking at Jackie, who just glanced over at her as Alex got up and walked away. "You should go," she whispered, prompting Jackie to get up and follow him.

"Well," Liora said, looking at them, and then she let out a breath as the light from Grace hit her arm. Grace nodded toward Liora's phone and outside. "I'll be back," she said before getting up, walking outside, and pulling out her phone.

"Hey, Rory, um..." Cole's voice came through as he answered. Liora opened her mouth to say something but stopped when she heard another voice, a very familiar one.

"Cole, where are you at?" Liora asked. There was a brief silence before he spoke again.

"The... the school," he said. Liora raised her eyebrows.

"The school?" Liora said. "I thought you were suspended," she said.

"I am," Cole admitted. Liora shook her head.

"So why are you at the school if you're..." Liora trailed off when she realized why he was at the school and the voice was Erin's. "Oh, I get it. You... you seem to be doing just fine, don't you?" she said, biting her lip.

"No, it's not like that, Rory," he protested. Liora let out a laugh and closed her eyes as she shook her head.

"Yeah, so what? You went there to get Erin for what?" Liora said. "To... to talk? Or maybe you wanted to bring her to the watering hole or the waterfall like you do with all your girls, right?" she said.

"Rory, stop. We're not even together," Cole said. Liora swallowed hard as she nodded.

"...Yeah, your... your... wow, okay," Liora said, letting out a breath. "I've got to go," she said.

"No, Liora, that's not how I meant it, just..." Cole attempted, exhaling deeply. "Just tell me where you are, and I can come get you, then we can talk," he said. Liora shook her head.

"Um, there's nothing to talk about. You're... you're right, we're not together," Liora said, clenching her jaw.

"Rory, please, we really need to talk," Cole urged. "And you can be mad about that we're not together; we haven't figured out what we want."

"You, Cole... you haven't figured it out," Liora said. "Me? I have. I have been trying to do this, and you're not giving me any help. I don't know what else to do," she said.

"We can talk and figure it out, Rory. Tell me where you're at," he said.

"With Alex," Liora blurted out, not knowing why, but he was with Erin trying to do God knows what, and the only person she had was Alex. And it's not like it was a lie.

"Alex?" Cole said after a few moments. "Why are you with him?" he asked.

"Maybe because he's not a jerk to me every time I see him?" Liora said. "I mean, come on, Cole. You said it was going to be just us, and now what? We haven't even had the chance to try, and you're already..."

"Rory, just tell me where you are," Cole said. Liora let out a breath.

"The café," she mumbled, looking down.

"10 minutes," he said, then hung up. Liora looked around for a moment before going back inside and over to Jackie.

"Hey, I've got to go. I'll see you," Liora said to Jackie, making her look up.

"Where?" Jackie asked. Liora shook her head and grabbed her things. "Who are you going with?" Jackie asked. Liora stepped back.

"I, um," she started, but her phone went off.

Cole: I'm here. Come on.

Liora looked back up at Jackie; the look on her face told her that Jackie already knew.

"Come on, Rory, you can't... really?" Jackie said. "I mean, look at your wrist." Liora closed her eyes.

"She's right, Rory," Alex interjected. "I can give you a ride back," he offered.

"I... I've got to go," she said. "But thanks, okay? See ya," she added before walking out to Cole's car and getting in.

"How's your wrist?" Cole asked, his eyes stopping on it. Liora pulled her arm back and looked at him.

"It's a hairline fracture," Liora mumbled, looking away. "On a previous fracture," she added. Cole looked forward and closed his eyes.

"Rory, I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you," he said, looking at her. Liora shook her head.

"It doesn't matter," Liora said. Cole's eyes snapped to hers.

"Yes, it does, Liora. I hurt you," Cole said. Liora turned her head away.

"It was an accident, Cole," she said. "You didn't do it on purpose. I'm okay," she looked up at him and let out a breath as he drove off.

"What are we doing here, Cole?" Liora asked. Cole leaned back in his seat, keeping one hand on the wheel.

"I don't know, Rory," Cole said, keeping his eyes straight.

"Well, we need to figure it out," Liora said, looking at him. "I can't keep doing this back-and-forth thing," she said. Cole didn't look at her or say anything.

"Cole!" Liora snapped at him.

"I don't know, Liora! God knows I don't want to see you with anyone else, but I don't do the girlfriend-boyfriend thing. I've never had a real, real relationship," Cole shared. "And you know that if we do it, I'm going to do something to mess it up," he said. Liora laid her head on the window as she looked out of it.

They had to figure this out because this wasn't good for either of them.