Hotline

Chapter 30

Bold: Liam

Normal: Ivy

Italics: other

Friday Night: Day of Date

"Be home by 10:30 at the latest-" Lanie, my YOUNGER sister demanded.

"-11" I interupted.

"10:45," Lanie fixed me with a stern gaze, "and there will be no holding hands, no kissing," Lanie cringed as she continued, "and absoultely no having fun pass any friend boundaries. You hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Sir!" I saluted to add effect. Lanie rolled her eyes before she unexpectadely pulled me in for a hug.

"I love you, be safe." I smiled and hugged Lanie back even tighter. Out of my three younger sisters, I had always been closer to Lanie. She was so mature for her age, looked after me a lot but she still knew how to have fun.

"I will. Okay, I should go now before i'm late."

"Dad would be really proud of you, Iv." At the mention of dad I stopped dead in my tracks. My father was still a sore subject that I hated to talk about. I loved my dad more than anyone on this planet and it was all my fault he was gone. I turned to Lanie with a stotic expression and tried to hide the guilt and sadness behind my green eyes but Lanie saw past that. She always did.

"I'm sorr-"

"It's fine. Thank you, Lanie. I love you." I left before the conversation could go any deeper, I hated to show Lanie just how much pain I was really in. She already took on so much, she was always trying to protect me and keep me happy, she didn't need to stress about me all the time. She can't save me from myself, from my feelings and memories. It's impossible and it would be cruel of me to even let her try.

Twenty minutes later I arrived at the ice cream shop Liam and I had agreed to meet at. Liam wasn't here yet so I took a seat outside the small shop full of yummy goodness. The night air was freezing, I snuggled deeper into my jumper to keep myself warm.

Twenty minutes later and I was sitting in the same spot watching the sun lower and the colours mix to create the most beautiful glow in the sky. The clouds lite up and the birds sang their final lullabys before retreating for the night.

I was growing more anxious as the time rolled around. 5, 10, 15 minutes passed and Liam was still a no show. Perhaps he got stuck in traffic? I thought to myself. I decided after another 5 minutes that my impatient self could not stand to wait in this mind numbing cold for much longer. I moved inside but as it was an ice cream shop it sort of felt like I stepped into Antartica. I dialed Liams number and just when I thought he wasn't going to answer, a voice said hello.

A male voice that did not match that of Liams.

"Hello? Liams phone." Loud music was blasting in the background and I did everything I could not to yell at whoever was on the other end of the phone to tell me what was going on and where Liam was.

I'm sure he has a reason, I thought.

"Um, hi, my name is Ivy, where is Liam?"

"He is currently being champion at bear pong. Do you want me to get him?"

"No." I reply, I had to get off the phone and fast before the tears escaped, "no that's fine. Please tell him that Ivy called and that she gets his message loud and clear." With that I ended the call.

With a heavy heart and eyes full of tears I walked to my car. I had never been stood up before and I never wanted to be stood up again, it sucked worse than I could imagine. I knew things between Liam and I would change the moment I told him about what happened to my dad. It was a lot of information in one night, I should have told him in bits and pieces, maybe that way it wouldn't seem so bad, maybe he would have still liked me.

It was only once I got home did my phone start blasting with messages and calls from the infamous Liam. I ignored them all and continued to cry as I watched Vampire Diaries and ate my weight in chocolate and candy.

God I was pathetic.

I knew we were only friends but the rejection still stung. Not to mention his actions were rude as hell, he could have at least told me he didn't want to be my friend anymore.

Liam was relentless and no more than 5 minutes later I had enough. So I answered.

"What do you want?!"

"I am so sorry, I completely forgot our date was tonight," Liam stopped talking to let out an unflatering burp. Great he was drunk, "I was stressed, and my friends they threw this party for me. They thought it would help. Ivy, i'm so sor-"

"Liam, stop. You didn't forget, just admit you don't want to know me, that you dont want anything to do with me. Admit it."

"No, Ivy, that's not-"

"Goodbye Liam."

With those final words I ended the call.

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