After Liam walks me home I realize that my window was shut. I quietly walk to the front door and try to open it, however it was locked.
I didn't have my key with me so I was stuck to knocking. Sadly, my dad opens the door.
"Andria." He breathes. "Oh thank god." He then says quietly as he pulls me into a hug. I stand there not moving, not hugging back.
He grabs my shoulders, bending down a little bit with his eyebrows furrowed.
"Don't you ever do that again. You had all of us worried sick." He said in a sterner voice. "I was about ready to call the cops."
"So I can't go and secretly run around, but you can?" I say without any emotion in my voice. "You can go on dates with girls and not tell me, but I can't leave the house without your permission?" My voice was gradually getting louder.
"Andi, it's not-"
"I don't want to hear it." I mutter as I push past him and go to my room. Someone must've unlocked the door while I was gone.
I sit with my back against the bed, trying hard not to let the tears fall from my eyes. I pull my knees into my chest when I see a figure in my doorway. I look over and see James.
He comes over and sits next to me, wrapping a brotherly arm around my shoulders. I lean my head against his shoulder.
"I don't want to cry." I tell him.
"Why?" He asked in a defeated voice.
"Because I don't want to feel the pain again." I tell him as if I had no soul. "If I cry then it validates the entire situation." I tell him.
I hear James let out a sigh. "It's already been validated, Andi. There's nothing you can do now."
"I know." I say in a small voice, curling my lips under my teeth. I felt myself start to fall asleep on his shoulder. I took in a breath as I closed my eyes.
"She asleep?" I heard my dad ask. It sounded as it he we're in the doorway. I felt James nod his head slightly. However I wasn't.
"You should've told her sooner so she wouldn't find out like this." James whispered.
"I know that. But knowing that doesn't do anything now." Dad said. "It's harder for her. It was always you and me and then Grace and Andi." He said referring to my mother by her name. He rarely does that.
It was at that point where James didn't say anything in return or I fully fell asleep.
I woke up in my bed the next morning to my alarm. I turn it off and roll over to face my wall in my bed.
I didn't want to go to school. But when do I ever. My body automatically goes through the steps of my morning routine until I'm sitting in the car waiting for my dad.
I lean my head against the window when he finally shows up buttoning the top button of his shirt. His hair looked like a tamed mess, however he started the car and we left.
Car rides to school were usually silent. But they were never awkward. It was different this morning. I couldn't sit still and kept fidgeting the entire way.
"Have a good day," I hear my dad say in hopes that he can repair the relationship he broke.
I mutter a "Yeah," and started to walk to my locker when Elise met up with me.
"Hey, Andi," She said in a chirpy voice. I don't say anything in return. "What's up," she then asks in a less chirpy tone.
"Nothing." I sigh looking at her. "But guess what?" I ask her in a lighter voice after some silent moments passed.
"What?" She asked cautiously, confused by my bipolarity.
"I made a new friend." I smile. If I fake being happy, it'll sooner or later become more natural.
"Oh yeah? Who?" She asks skeptical.
"Liam, the new kid." I tell her. "He's not as weird as I thought. He's actually really nice."
"Do you like him?" Elise then asked raising her eyebrows.
"No." I say shortly. "We're friends." I then tell her, however I didn't know how much of what I said was truth.
"That's how they all start out." She said rolling her eyes. "First the two main characters start as friends, claiming they don't like each other. However they both secretly-"
"Andi!" A male voice interrupts. "Wait up!" I look behind me to coincidently see Liam jogging up to us. "You don't mind if I tag along right?" He asked when he catches up with us.
"No, not at all," Elise smiles. "I'm Elise by the way. I served you last night." She then states, deliberately making things awkward.
Liam laughs awkwardly and says,"I remember. I'm Liam."
"So wha brings you to California, Liam," Elise then asks across me as I was in between both of them.
I look to Liam, curious to see how he'd answer the question.
"Needed to new scenery, I guess. My dad and I just got bored in Ohio." He then said calmly.
"No mom?" Elise pushed.
"Elise," I scold in that motherly voice. We turned into the hallway that my locker was located at.
Liam smiles distantly before saying,"No, she-"
"Hey, Andria," I hear a voice say. I look behind and see Jake. I roll my eyes at him as I felt him smirk at me.
"Oh c'mon, don't ignore, sweetie," he calls from across the hall. I point my chin down into my chest, trying my best to avoid him.
"Who's that?" Liam asks eyeing him.
"Jake. A senior, and star football player. But also a player in real life. He plays as many games in football as he does with girls." Elise explained to him.
"Lucky for us he's leaving next year." I say, speaking for the first time in what seemed a long time.
Elise opened her mouth to say something when the first period bell rang, signaling us to class.
"See you at lunch," she says as she walks away. Liam and I walk together as we have first period together.
"You ok?" He asks as we started walking.
"Yeah." I say shortly. For some reason it was awkward. Being with him. Or maybe it was just me being awkward.
"Do you know that Jake guy," he then asked me carefully.
"No," I say once again shortly. It seemed to be the only word my mouth could form.
However it was a big fat lie.
