**"Lillian!" He comes running to me.
"What?" I look at him.
"You'll never believe!"
"What!" Where is the bus? He finally catches up to me.
"You have to guess," He says out of breath. He puts his hands on his knees.
"I can't guess," I say miserably and impatiently. I look up at the sky.
"Just try. For me? Please?" He stares into my eyes. They're grey like the sky.
"Okay..." I think for a moment, "Uh!" I snap my fingers, "It's the first day of school?"
"No, silly!" He becomes antsy. I look down the road. Where is it? I feel a droplet of water hit my cheek. I look up at the sky.
"Then what?" I turn and smile at him.
He gives me a big cheesy smile, "My mom and dad are going to let me take guitar lessons!" He nearly jumps.
I can't help but smile at him, "Are you excited?"
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" I look down and see a yellow school bus come down the road, "Grade 6 is going to be awesome!"
I look down and kick the cement, "I'm happy for you,"
He notices, "What's wrong?" He touches my arm. I slide my hand through my ponytail.
I sigh, "I can't hide anything, hey Luke?"
"Of course not," He eyebrows crunch.
I look at his dark hair light up orange in the sun, "My mom and dad were fighting again last night,"
"Again?" the bus pulls up to our stop.
"Yup," the bus opens its door, "You ready?" I step on and walk up the stairs.
"Nope," I hear behind me. I look up and see all the different faces. I need to find a seat that's open. I continue walking through the aisle, nothing. I find an open seat with Nelson Connelly. I quickly sit down and put my backpack in front of me. Great. I can't sit with Luke. I watch Luke sit in the seat behind me.
"It sucks I can't sit with you," He whispers behind me.
"I know," I look over and Nelson is staring at me. I give him a quick smile. I feel the bus lunge forward.
"I'm sitting with Sarah," he whispers to me.
"Do you want a granola bar, Lillian?" Nelson says to me. He digs in his back pack, "I got an extra one in here,"
"It's fine, Nelson," I fake a smile at him. I feel Luke reach to the side of me and whisper, "He likes you,"
I quickly turn around, "Shut up, Luke." My harsh tone makes him quickly sit back. I look forward and see Hailey Walker and her friends giggling at me. I hate her. I sigh and sit back. I hate my life. I look forward and they are still staring at me. I can see they are whispering. It makes me so mad. I want to shake. I quickly open up my backpack and pull out a book. I quickly skim through the page I was at and begin to read. The entire world becomes silent, as I get lost in the story. **
I continue reading the manuscript. Hmmm... it could use more here. I type my thoughts on the sidebar. I put my hand to my face and run my thumb over my lip. I begin to chew my thumbnail. This is really good so far. Just have to change the grammar here. I stop breathing and think... oooh. He could use some more here. I highlight the text, yes. Yes. Hmmm... okay.
"Lillian?" I jump. Holy shit. I look up and see Beth.
"Yeah?" I look at her.
"Luca wanted me to check on you,"
"Oh." I think, "Yeah. I'm fine. Just wanted to work."
"Okay. I will let him know."
"Thanks," She walks out of the guesthouse and walks to the main house. I save my work and close my laptop. I sigh and grab my phone. Oh... missed message? Oh! Rod called! I quickly dial back and wait for him to answer.
"Hello?" I hear him.
"Hey!"
"Hey. Lil!"
"How are you?" I kick off my blankets.
"I'm good. How are you?"
"I was just working," I smile.
"Glad you're not forgetting your real responsibilities out there in La La Land," He says with distain.
I go quiet, "Yeah. I won't,"
"When you coming back, babe?" Right to the point.
"I don't know," That's the truth.
"What do you mean?" He sighs into the phone.
"I really don't know," I sigh to.
I hear him go quiet, "Lillian, you have been there for five days and you don't even know why," He grumbles, "Have you fucking even talked to him?"
"I have been trying,"
"What do you mean you have been trying?"
"I keep trying to talk to him about it but he doesn't open up," I sigh.
"Are you fucking serious?" I don't reply, "Get fucking real, Lillian! He's not sick. He just wanted to see you,"
"I don't think so," I can feel it. I know there is something wrong.
"He's probably just faking," He scowls.
"He's not," I try to remain calm.
"How do you know?"
"Because... I don't know how to explain it. I just know."
"Yeah?" He quickly replies, "How?"
"I can feel it. Okay?"
"You can feel it?!?!" Okay he is snapping, "Oh I bet you're feeling something up there!"
Whoa! "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!"
"Are you fucking him, Lillian?"
"WHAT!"
"I said," He calmly says, "Are. You. Fucking. Him?!"
"No!"
"Yeah... right. You have been up there for five fucking days and you're just telling me that you're just "visiting?!"
"YES!"
"Sure. Yeah. Right! I knew you were fucking him."
"Fuck off, Rod. You're so insecure!"
"What did you say?!"
I am yelling, "I SAID YOU'RE INSECURE. IN-SEC-FUCKING-URE. FUCKING INSECURE!"
He yells back, "Fuck you!"
"Fuck you!" I say back. I look at my phone and hang up. Fuck this. Fuck this. Fuck this. I don't have to take this shit. I shouldn't have to. My best friend is ill. And he can't be at the very least understanding. Like what the fuck?!
My phone dings and I grab it.
Rod: Me or him. I want your answer tonight.
WHAT! Is he giving me an ultimatum! He can't be serious.
I quickly reply: You can't be serious.
He replies: I've never been so serious Lillian. I'm sick of him being in between us.
I sigh and fall back into my bed. He's never been between us. I don't know what he means.
He texts me again: I can't believe I'm competing with fucking Luca Finley.
I don't reply. Fuck this shit. I want to cry. I'm just trying to be here for my friend.
He replies again: Luca Fucking Finley.
I quickly reply: You fucked your friend the first two months we were dating!!!
I feel the pit of my stomach fall. I stop breathing. He cheated on me. I run my hands over my face.
He replies: THAT WAS THREE YEARS AGO!
I throw my phone onto the rug. I hear it ding again. I quickly go swoop it up and read the message.
Rod: Must I remind you about what happened TWO YEARS AGO!
I reply: NOTHING, YOU FOOL! NOTHING HAPPENED.
Rod: You know exactly what happened and with Patrice we just made out! That was fucking nothing. I knew her for about five minutes but YOU and fucking Finley been something since what? Pre k! Fuck
I put my phone down and relax my shoulders. Nothing. Nothing fucking happened. I'm over this shit. I put my phone on the bed and walk over to the glass door. I stare at the mansion. Why did I come? Seriously. Why did I come, Luke? I hear my phone ding once more. I walk over to the bed and read the message: And his music sucks!