She Got Lost

- 10 -

Peter and I, without talking, agreed to go to my house and have the rest cool down. Brandon and Caroline had fallen asleep in the back. They were both leaning to the left, meaning they were leaning on Lia. "Can you hurry the fuck up?" She said to Peter. We laughed as we pulled onto me and Brandon's street. 

"Wake them up, Lia." I said. 

"Hell no. I don't want to get slapped." Lia whisper yelled. I sighed, but turned around to wake Brandon and Caroline up. 

"Caz, Bran, Wake up we're here." I said calmly knowing they don't like to be woken up.

I heard Caroline mumbled and Brandon say, "Are we home?" 

"We're at my house." I said, thinking they would want to come down from being drunk at my house instead of at their own houses.

"Hm, so home." He said.

- - - - - - - - - - - - 

Mom wasn't home, thank god, so we got in the door and up to my room. The three sober ones of us were helping Brandon and Caroline get up the steps without tripping and falling on their asses. I had my arm around Caroline's shoulder who was giggling while Peter has his around Brandon. Lia was in front of us, directing us, making sure we didn't run into anything.

I felt my phone go off in my pocket, but I was too busy that I barely noticed. We got them into my room and they plopped onto the bed. I sighed and saw Peter about to sit in my desk chair. I quickly ran over and sat in it before he could. "Are you kidding me?" He asked.

"Nope not at all." I smiled. He started to walk away but I got up and waved over to the chair. 

"No, have it it's fine." He said. He looked tired.

"I'm already up now go sit in the chair."

"Geez yes ma'am." 

I sat on the ground by the edge of my bed and pulled out my phone. Lia sat down next to me. "Who's that?" She asked. I looked at my lock screen and saw I had a missed call from Dylan. 

"Let me ask you something, Lia?"

"Shoot."

"Caroline said that Dylan was hanging out with Julia at the party, is that true?" 

"Yeah he was. It was kinda weird though. You hear that her and Chris are talking again?" She asked me. I didn't, but I was not surprised in the slightest.

"What for, the sixth time this year?" I asked which made her smile. 

"I thought he was talking to that one girl from Bridgeton?" Peter asked. 

"No cause she 'was a bitch' apparently." Lia said using air quotes.

"Well I thought she was nice." Peter said. The more I looked at him, the more tired he looked.

"If you want you can go lay down on the couch, Pete. I'll wake you up if anything happens." I suggested. 

"I don't wanna leave you two with them." Peter said. Me and Lia looked over at Caroline and Brandon who were passed out on the bed. 

"Yeah I think we're gonna be okay." Lia said. "Seriously Peter you look like you haven't slept in days. We'll be okay." She finished, putting her hand on his shoulder. He looked over at me and I nodded my head yes. 

"Alright I'll be down stairs. If I'm dead asleep, don't wake me unless the house is on fire." He said, walking out of my room and down the hallway. I smiled as I laid my head back. 

"You mad at Dylan?" Lia asked randomly.

"I mean I'm not sure, he didn't really know about Julia." 

Lia scoffed, "You told him all about it when we got ice cream, Gwen. I mean, no offense, but everyone at our school knows about you and Julia's feud." 

"Just because I have a feud doesn't mean he can't be friends with someone. He's just a social person." 

Lia started to stand up a little bit, "Why are you defending him so much, Gwen?" 

"How am I defending him?" I asked. 

"We barely know him and you're acting like there's excuses for him hanging out with someone who treated you like shit. There's not, Gwen, anyone who knows the situation knows you weren't in the wrong." I started to talk, but she cut me off. "Why do you think I went with you guys today, huh?"

"Because you wanted to. You wanted to hang out with us, Lia." 

She looked down, "No Gwen." She said calmly, "I went with you because I didn't trust him. I saw you leaving and I had to go with you."

I shook my head, "Why, Lia?" 

"Why what, Gwen?"

"Why right now?" 

She looked behind her at Caroline and Brandon who were still asleep on the bed. She sighed and looked me in the eye, "Before it's too late." 

"Too late for what?" I asked, mad she was acting like I was doing something wrong. 

"Before you change, Gwen! I heard what Peter said to you and it's true."

I didn't want to fight with Lia, but I didn't wanna hear another word she said. She pulled the same thing Peter did all because of Dylan. It wasn't Dylan's fault. "Uh I'm gonna go get some air."

"What? Gwen, listen, I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you mad-"

Before she could finish, I walked out of the room. I just wanted to go for a walk, that was all. I ran down the stairs where I saw peter sleeping on the couch. I didn't want to wake him up so I decided to leave and explain it to him in a text in case he woke before I got back. 

"Gwen?" Lia yelled after me, making me quickly look over at Peter who stirred in his sleep. "Please don't leave okay it's not safe let's just talk. I'm sorry for making you mad." 

"Lia, it's fine, I just want some time to think. You can go home if you want, I'll be back soon and they will be fine while I'm gone." 

"No I don't want you leaving. No one's leaving." 

"I just want to go for a walk and clear my head." 

"Gwen, if you leave I'll-"

"You'll what?" I said walking closer to her, raising my voice a little. "What will you do, Lia?" 

"Stop with your pride bullshit, Gwen, okay I understand what I said was wrong, I'm sorry." She said standing in place.

"You're one to talk about pride, Lia, you are constantly pushing us away for what? Huh? Why?" I begged her for the answer, but she wasn't saying anything. "That's what I thought."

"Gwen?" I whipped my head around quick, hearing the voice. Peter was now standing up looking in between Lia and I. "What the hell is going on, guys?" 

"Nothing, I was just gonna go for a walk." I said starting to walk towards the door. 

"I'll come with you, it's late." Peter said gently grabbing my wrist looking down at me. I didn't wanna look him in the eyes. 

"You know what it's fine. I'll stay here with Caz and Bran, you guys can go home. You're right it's very late."

"No," He said looking over at Lia, "We're staying to help. Right Lia?"

I looked over at her and she was looking me right in the eye. "Yeah of course."

"You look tired, Gweny, come lay down." He said moving out of the way of the couch. "No it's fine you can lay here, I'll go lay down in mom's room."

"Alright."

I started to walk in the direction of my mom's bedroom when Lia stopped me. "Can we please talk later?" She asked pleadingly. 

"Yeah." 

I walked into the room and quietly locked the door. I unlocked my phone and started to make a call. They answered after the 4th ring. "Hello?"

"Hey."

"I didn't see you at the party."

"Wanna hang out right now?"

He laughed, "Well sure."