The Infamous Truth

3: Past memories

Alycia's POV
My thoughts roamed around the different possibilities about why Eliza speaks to me now after 2 and a half years of radio silence. Even if I called or texted her there was never a reply. After about 6 months of trying to contact her I gave up. I had accepted the fact that our friendship was over. I knew she was ignoring me because she was still very active on Instagram, even more than I was. She was definitely the one in the wrong but I felt terrible back then. The thought of me possibly making her feel uncomfortable made my stomach ache. She said she "didn't want me to catch feeling" which made me think I had crossed a line with her. She knows that I'm bisexual and maybe that made her uncomfortable. I haven't told the world that yet and I'm grateful for her keeping my secret after all these years.

Sitting alone in my dark bedroom, I look over to my clock. It reads 6 am and I know that I'm not gonna get anymore sleep. I get up to shower and get ready for my breakfast with Eliza. It seems weird to be seeing her again. It was like our friendship was great, maybe even the closest I've ever been to someone, and then... it wasn't. As the water trickles down my body a memory pops into my head.

—2015–
"All by myyyYYSELF.. ANYMOREEEE!" I sang, allowing my mind to wander. "You're not by yourself." I suddenly hear a voice say. I let out a slight scream and drop the bar of soap on the ground. I peek my head out of the shower curtain to see Eliza laughing at me on the toilet. "What the hell Liza you scared the shit out of me!!" I yell at her but can't help but smile at her. "Sorry, I had to pee." She says still grinning at me. I scoff and turn back in the shower to get the soap. Eliza had stayed the night last night and we were getting ready to go to set. "You sounded amazing by the way." Eliza continues as I hear her get off the toilet and flush. "Yeah right, it's my shower voice." I say as I continue to lather my body with soap. "No I mean it. How the hell did I not know you can sing?! I mean.. you have a voice like that, and I'm the one that always sings at our hangouts?" She says while washing her hands. "Yeah, yeah. You can stop kissing my ass." I reply to her compliments. "For real, Lycia!" She says as she suddenly pulls back the shower curtain. "Eliza!!" I say trying to cover my body and motion to the curtain. She gives me a confused look and says "Really? I don't care that your boobs are out Lycia, I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you! You should sing next time Marie comes over." She says casually, like I'm not fully exposed in front of her. "Can we not talk about this while I'm butt naked in the shower? Besides I don't sing." I said earning a laugh from Eliza. "You clearly haven't heard yourself. You can sing Alycia!" She says as she walks away and I hear the door open. "Liza I don't-" I start before she cuts me off "La la la la I can't hear you." She says right before shutting the door. I laugh at her childish behavior and finish my shower without singing.
——
I smiled remembering my once forgotten memory. Eliza was definitely very comfortable around me back then. If I think about it we were always that close... until she started dating Bob. I guess she thought she would be giving me false hope. She thought I had feelings for her. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't have maybe just a smidge of a crush on her at one point. But that doesn't mean she had to push me completely out of her life. And now suddenly offer me a chance back in? After her and Bob are married? Did they break up? Questions flood my mind as I'm finishing my shower. There's so much left unanswered. I guess I'll just have to ask her today.

Eliza's POV
My nerves build up as it gets closer to the time I told Alycia. It scared me to spill my whole story to her, because it involves her and she doesn't even know it. "Hey." A sleepy voice says coming from my hallway. I look over to see Marie, stretching and yawning. "Why're you up and ready so early? It's not like we have anything to do. Right?" She says after I didn't answer her. She knew I was confused and in pain right now. Marie is the only one that knows the full and honest story. "I'm meeting someone at 9." I say looking back down at my coffee and fiddling with the mug. I can feel her questioning eyes on me until she asks "Who?" while walking into the kitchen, which has an island that I'm sitting at. I look back up into her eyes and say "Alycia." She looks at me with shocked eyes before asking all the question I knew were coming. "What? Why? Are you sure you're ready? Are you telling her? I can come with you if you want." I shake my head and softly say "No. I need to do this alone. She needs to know it wasn't her fault that I haven't talked to her in years. She already seemed upset over text and I need her to know I didn't mean what I said in 2018." Marie seemed to be studying me and didn't say anything. She nodded before turning to get a coffee for herself. "If you're sure then alright. If anything happens I'll be here." I smile at her words and can't imagine what I did to have such an amazing friend like her. "Thank you." I quietly say. She turns around with her mug and smiles. It fades a bit when she looks at my neck. "You know I love you.. but you probably want to cover that up. So no one suspects anything." She says cautiously. I nod and get up to get a scarf. She's gonna think I'm insane for wearing a scarf in 90 degree (F) weather.