I sucked in a large amount of air, trying desperately to breathe.
"It's not funny!" Alex scolded, his voice going high in hysterics.
"Sure...it...is...!" I said between laughs.
"You know what? I coming over, so HA!"
"No!" I laughed, panicked. "I don't wanna smell skunk! Just use some tomato juice!"
"Then stop laughing! It's not my fault MoJo was stupid enough to chase the damn skunk!" Alex protested.
I was getting ready to go to the hospital to go see my dad when Alex called, claiming he got sprayed by a skunk. His neighbour's dog, MoJo, had spotted a skunk and chased it onto Alex's front porch, where it sprayed the dog and Alex. He was in hysterics when he called, claiming he stunk like a skunk.
"God, I smell so bad!" Alex whined.
"Then why're you talking to me on the phone instead of washing yourself?" I scolded.
"......Good question..."
I laughed. "Go dunk yourself in a tub of tomato juice, Alex." Then I hung up.
Still laughing to myself, I grabbed my bag and headed outside, where Uncle Brian waited for me in the car. "Sorry I took so long. My friend called, he—" I stopped when my phone rang again. I picked it up and Uncle Brian started driving. "Hello?"
"Oh my God, it's you!"
I blinked. "Yeah..."
"We haven't heard from you in so long!" A different voice said.
"Yeah, sorry about that. Just had a ton of stuff going on. You know, life." I explained. "So, what's up?"
"We have a gig!" Ashely said excitedly. "A really good one—"
"You have to be there!" Abby yelled.
I pulled the phone away from my ear. "When is it?"
"This Saturday!" They both said.
"You guys...my dad's in the hospital, my step-mom's come down, and my mom's dead." I said. "I don't think I can make it...in fact, I probably should give the band a break until things settle down."
"What? No!" Ashley argued. "I mean, I'm sorry about your parents, but what a better way to get away from it all?"
"And plus," Abby added. "the band is flourishing right now. Ashley wrote a new song and she wants you to sing it so we can begin on our CD."
"We're making a CD?" I have to admit, I was a bit overwhelmed by all of this. I had forgotten entirely about F.I.R.E. so all of it at once was turning out to be a lot more at once than I'd thought.
"Liz, please don't back out on us." Ashley begged.
"It's not for good, you guys." I tried keeping my voice even. Was it me or were they being unreasonable? What part of my dad is in the hospital and my mom is dead didn't they get exactly? "But I don't think I could do it...maybe a week, assuming my dad is out of his coma..."
Silence. Then, "Your dad's in a coma?"
I was about to answer when Abby interjected. "Honey, you take all the time you need! No rush at all! We'll call back later for moral support."
I laughed softly. "Thanks, guys. I appreciate it." I clicked my phone off with a loud sigh. "Why've we stopped?" I asked Uncle Brian.
He smiled. "Cause we're here already, honey."
"Oh."
My step-mom and Olivia were in my dad's room. When I came in they left me alone, which I don't think I necessarily liked. The doctors gave me a little piece of hopeful news—there was more brain activity and signs my dad would pull through. When I left, though, it was like it all sunk in again. I think I was getting depressed—who wouldn't in a situation like this? I didn't know if it was better or worse that I go blow off steam.
I flipped out my phone and dialed a few numbers so I could text. In the list was Alex, Greta, Lily, and even Damon.
Guys, can u meet me @ my house? We can figure out what 2do l8ter but right now Im kinda outta of it so no pressure, lol. Reply back if u <3 me! Jk, jk
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lily was glaring. Greta was looking "politely" away. Alex was confused. I was fuming. Damon was the center of it all.
My genius plan to have a nice time with my friends and boyfriend was blowing up in my face. We'd just put on some crime shows; The Mentalist, Bones, Psych, all the good stuff. But everyone was too stiff, except for maybe Damon. But I was about ten seconds away from taking Lily and Greta out back and beating them.
We were watching an episode of Bones—somewhere in the first season—where they find the bone of a pirate. I didn't really care; 1) I was furious with my friends, 2) David Boreanz was totally gorgeous.
I glanced over at Greta and Lily, who were whispering to each other. I could only guess of what.
I got up and walked over, jamming my thumb behind me. "We need to talk. Now."
Lily scoffed at me, but Greta forced her to go outside. I turned to Damon and Alex with a forced smile. "We'll be right back."
I walked outside, nearly slamming the door. "What the hell is your problem?"
"We have a problem?" Greta snapped.
"You're the one who's going back to the murderous vampire, Elizabeth!" Lily shouted.
"It's none of your concern whether or not you think he's murderous!" I shot back. "Why can't you be happy for me that I've finally found a guy who doesn't want to kill me?"
"You don't know that." Greta said, fuming.
Greta didn't get mad very often, but I could see she was getting mad now. And you know what? I don't give a damn. "Oh, shut up! Just shut up! You guys can't even pretend to like the guy or even be civil!"
In a low hiss, Lily said, "He killed a girl, Elizabeth! And you still wanna be with him. Because why? 'Cause he's good lookin'? 'Cause he's good in bed?"
"Because I love him!" I said without thinking.
Greta and Lily stared at me. I finally realized what I had just said. "I mean—"
"No take backs!" Lily said with a wide grin before hugging me.
Huh? Did I miss something? I stared at Greta in confusion, who was grinning. She chuckled. "Oh, Liz, shut up! You already said it; no take backs!"
"But I—" I stopped with a gasp of surprise as Greta joined in on the hug. "What the hell, you guys?"
Lily smiled at me. "We were so sick of you not being able to admit you were in love with—"
I slapped my hand over her mouth. "Shh! Will you please shut up about it?"
"What, you're not going to tell him?" Greta asked.
I rolled my eyes, walking back inside. "We're done with this conversation."
"But, Liz—" Lily and Greta began in protest.
I ran inside and jumped on the couch next to Damon. They wouldn't dare say anything in front of him. He stared at me suspiciously and I gave him a wide grin. He rolled his eyes, turning back to whatever he and Alex were watching now. The girls had lost all rights to the TV.
"What're we watching?" I finally asked when a girl came screaming down a street, covered in blood, with a mysterious shadow chasing after her.
"Horror movie." Alex muttered, glued to the TV.
I looked at them both and laughed. Lily, however, did not find it funny. She grabbed the remote and turned the TV off, receiving a loud, "Hey!" from the guys. "I am not going to have nightmares tonight." she stopped when her phone vibrated. She took it out and frowned. "Great. And now I have to go." She looked at Alex. "You gave me a ride here, so..."
"And me, too." Greta added with a sigh, grabbing her coat and bag.
Alex groaned, snatching his coat moodily. "Gotta go take the party poopers home. See ya, Liz."
I smiled at him. "Bye, guys."
Lily and Greta gave me a secret smile and a thumbs up. I frowned. They quickly rushed out the door with Alex.
"Ugh," I groaned. I smiled up at Damon. "If they're leaving, that means my step-mom's—"
In that second, my phone buzzed. "Ugh," I groaned, getting up to grab it from the kitchen table, where I had left it.
Damon got up as soon as I did, taking me by the waist, pulling me into him and kissing me. I was so taken aback, all I could think was I gotta get my phone. But why should I be surprised? I mean, he was my boyfriend after all. And shouldn't I have some freaking backbone? I wasn't going to let this go any farther until he admitted how he felt about me.
But, then again, I hadn't kissed him in so long...It felt like the longer I went without kissing him, the more my reserve was weakening when he finally did kiss me. And maybe I was being stupid—maybe he didn't love me. Elena insisted he did, but what if she doesn't really know that? What if he just kind of likes me? What if he really will leave me?
I'm no Bella—I won't die without Damon. But I will be heartbroken. I'd get over him—but it'd take a long time. I wouldn't end my life because he ended his with me.
I pulled away from him and walked over to my buzzing phone. "Hello?" I answered almost hoarsely.
"Lizzy? It's me, your step-mom."
"Oh," I rubbed the back of my head. "Hi. Where're you at?"
"We're on our way back home. If that's okay..." Meredith, Olivia, and Uncle Brian had gone out for pizza and a movie to let me have time at home with my friends.
"Yeah, they left a few minutes ago."
"Okay, we'll see you in a bit."
"Okay..." Reluctantly, knowing that I would have to face Damon, I hung up, putting my phone in my pocket.
Damon was staring at me with a mystified expression.
I sighed irritably. "What?"
"What? You...you're just...Ugh!" Damon growled in frustration. "You're driving me nuts!"
"Oh, I'm driving you nuts?" I countered. "You're completely oblivious to everything that's going on!"
Damon's mouth dropped.
I folded my arms across my chest, forcing down the giggle of looking at him with that dumb expression on his face. I was going to stand my ground.
"Okay." Damon cleared his throat. "Care to elaborate on my obliviousness?"
Shit. I shifted uncomfortably. "Well..."
"Ha! You see. 'Cause I'm not really oblivious, am I?"
"Yes you are!" I protested. "You're annoying the hell out of me!"
Damon laughed. He freaking laughed.
I glared at him. "What's so funny?"
"The fact that I'm annoying you." Damon said with a chuckle in his voice.
Okay, screw this whole him first shit. I just couldn't keep fighting him about this. It would be what would drive us apart. I knew I was stubborn, but I knew he was well more headstrong than I was. "You know what's annoying me about you?"
"Oh, do tell." Damon chuckled.
"The fact that either of us can't get around to saying that we—"
The door opened. Damon and I both spun toward the sound of my small, new family coming in, Uncle Brian shouting, "We're home!"
Damon turned back to me and said quietly, "What was that?"
I sighed, shaking my head. "Just go."
All humour in Damon's eyes was gone now. He knew damn well what I was going to say, but next time we saw each other, we were going to act as though none of this had ever gone on. Just like always.
And then there was that stupid, annoying voice in my head saying, 'How long can you go on with him if you can't tell him you're in love with him?' as Damon walked out the back door.