Francis was tired of pretending.
She'd fallen asleep in Liam's hoodie over 5 times during winter break, and the smell of it was starting to sicken her to her core.
She was moping around so much her family was starting to worry how badly this could be for her if she doesn't just talk to him.
She puts the spoonful of cereal in her mouth as Emilio makes his way downstairs. Dressed up— like he was going somewhere. "Oh God." He scoffed, walking past her.
"What?" She asked, chewing the food in her mouth. "You look horrible." He teased, opening the fridge. "I'm on winter break, i get to dress how i want." She mumbled.
"Are you getting your hair done or not?" Emilio asked while opening a bottle of water. Her eyebrows furrow as she looks over at him. "What?" She questions and puts the spoon in her mouth.
"You have an appointment today. I'm taking you." He tried to remember. She sighed out and rubbed her eyes, taking another spoonful of cereal and standing up. "Fine. I'll meet you here in a few."
"Liam!" Evalina shouts from the bottom of the staircase, phone in hand. Liam groans loudly from his bed— his very own response to his sister.
"Can you get up?!" She yells again. Liam shifts in his bed, stuffing his face into his pillow. "No," He yells back. Evalina scoffs in annoyance and opens her phone to text someone.
"It's winter break, just leave me alone!" He sniffles, turning onto his side. "Quit being such a baby about everything!" She argues back.
There's silence up until she slams the door of the house, causing Liam to groan. "'M not a baby." He mutters to himself.
Liam grabs his phone and turns it on, swiping up as opening all the notifications in his Notification Center. Recently he'd been nominated for an award, so he'd gotten plenty of congratulations and reposts.
The only repost he really cared about was the one that came from Francis.
"Go vote!" The story said. Right next to his stupid face. He messed everything up. He did, not her. He shuts his phone off and turns to lay on his back, shuffling around under his blanket.
He plays with the bracelet with the initials 'J + S', for Judith and Silas. Francis made them on the sick day she had off and even bothered to make it his favorite color.
He couldn't even imagine how much he hurt her.
He takes a hold of his phone and opened their messages, and let the blue marker blink. He didn't know how to start.
The 6 messages Francis had sent before things went bad were still there.
frankie
ROBLOX
RN
PLZZZZZ
I'M GETTING MY HAIR DONE
AND I'M SO BORED
HURRY
He kept it simple.
liam
hi
"Like it?" The hairdresser asks as she moves her hair in front of her. "Love it." She smiled, looking over at Emilio. "Em, come on." She sighed and stood up.
Francis knew Liam had texted her, she just didn't have the energy to respond and get her feelings hurt again. "I'm gonna start telling dad to bring you. I'm so sick of paying for this." He sighs and passes the hairdresser his card.
"But you love me, right?" She giggles, putting her coat on and zipping it up. "Keep dreaming." He nods and takes the card back, tucking it in his wallet.
Francis opens her phone again and stares at Liam's message as the siblings walk out of the salon. She keeps almost pressing it, but she's absolutely terrified of seeing his contact picture again.
It takes a lot of strength, but she finally replies.
frankie
hi
franklin
liam
js texted me
spencieeee
WHAT
Francis
dpwm
bailes
LMFAOOOOO
oh i cannot
franklin
i'm gonna throw up
spencieeee
what did he say
sweetheart
Francis is there a day where nothing is going on
Cause it doesn't feel like it
sylv 🩷
LMAOO
franklin
IT'S NOT MY FAULT
And he just said hi.
spencieeee
.
Girl
Gtfo
i thought he texted you like a paragraph
u make me Mad
franklin
that's ur fault
"You like her." Asher concludes as he watches Liam contemplate what to say. "I don't! I was gonna apologize but.. she doesn't accept peoples apologies as easily." He scoffs and tucks his phone into his pocket.
Isaiah leans back in the passenger seat, scrolling through instagram while Carlos drives. "Admit you like her so we can all move on, you're being a pussy." Isaiah sighs.
"I don't like her. I just miss being friends and playing Roblox all the time." He crosses his arms and looks out of the window. "Oh my gosh you like her so much it's sickening." Asher moves his hair out of his face.
"Can you guys shut the fuck up?" Liam asks while his friends laugh at him. "I don't like her. I like someone else." He nods. He was silently hoping that threw them off his track.
"Really?" Isaiah turns his head to look behind him. "Yes. And she likes me back, so." He shrugs and turns to look out of the window again.
"What? Spill." Asher sits up right. "He's talking out of his ass, nobody but Francis would like him." Carlos looks at Liam through the mirror. "Shut the fuck up Carlos, before I tell Spencer you talk shit about her."
"I would punt you like a football." Carlos threatens through his teeth. "Okay, okay!" Asher scoffs, looking back over at Liam. "Just tell us. Who is it?"
Liam swallows as he tries to come up with someone. His leg is bouncing, his head hurts and his throat it dry as he finally spits out a name.
"Lorena."