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A few weeks later, Livia found herself sitting in the grass of Eleanor's front lawn with her favorite wine tumbler in her lap. Everyone was inside partying, including Gabbi because she had a thing with Eleanor and felt obligated to be inside with her. The yard was quiet, with the occasional passing car, which she didn't mind.
She sat for a while, scrolling on her phone or looking at the bugs in the grass, until she heard the grass shifting beside her, finding Elliot sitting criss cross next to her.
"No screening room in Eleanor's house, huh?" He picked a few pieces of the grass, looking down at them and not at Livia. He knew she was still pissed at him for what happened on Valentine's Day. They hadn't spoken since that day, but Elliot had hoped the Browning girl had cooled down a bit.
Livia squinted in the sun. "Don't know. I just wanted to get away from everything as quickly as possible," she deadpanned.
"Gotcha." Elliot nodded. He wasn't sure what to say next to keep the conversation going, so there was a short time of silence before he spoke up again. "Why do you bring that cup to every party? I see it with you like, every time." He watched her take a drink from the cup in her hands.
She shrugged as she brought it down from her lips. "It's more environmentally friendly than the hundreds of Solo cups that are going to be thrown away here."
Elliot's head bopped in understanding, remembering the girl's love for the environment, suddenly becoming aware of the red cup sitting in the grass beside him.
"And it would take an effort to slip some sort of drug in here," she laughed. "But mostly cuz it's reusable."
Livia regretted laughing, wanted Elliot to know they still weren't cool, but she couldn't help the sorta-joke slip out.
"Makes sense. Maybe I'll have to get one of my own," he stated, trying his best to stay on Livia's good side. And so far, it was going well. Elliot tied the pieces of grass into a knot, and then pulled so they tore and broke apart. "So when are you coming over to mine to watch Moana?"
Livia tilted her head to look over at him, eyebrows raised. Elliot sucked in his lips, knowing he should've stopped after the wine tumbler question from the look on her face. The girl shook her head, scoffing. "I'm not as long as you're still friends with Max."
Elliot sighed annoyingly. "Why is it such a big deal that I'm friends with him? I'm not the one doing what he's doing," he strained.
"No, but it makes me believe that you're not afraid to treat women the same way he does." She didn't mean to, but she pulled a fistful of grass out of the ground.
"I wouldn't."
"How am I supposed to believe that when you've blatantly let him get away with it the last few years?" She frowned, leaning away from where Elliot sat. "Friends are supposed to hold each other accountable."
"We do hold each other accountable," Elliot defended.
They stopped to stare at each other, both of them knowing it was a lie.
"I was really starting to like you, Elliot." Livia wiped the grass off her sweaty hands and stood up, grabbing her cup. "Apparently more than I should've."
Elliot watched her walk away, angry with himself. He knew what he was supposed to do to get Livia to forgive him. It was a hard decision for the boy.
Yet, he thought he had a really good thing going for him with Max being his best friend. He had parties, girls, practically anything he wanted. Except for Livia. Elliot knew he wanted to be with Livia, but the boy realized Livia didn't want him back when he was acting the way he was. And he didn't blame her.
The dilemma he faced left him confused and uncertain about who he wanted to be and what he was willing to do to become that person.
Livia made her way back into the party, almost slamming into Gabbi, who came hurrying around the corner.
"Oh, Jesus!" Gabbi stopped abruptly on her toes, taking a minute before realizing it was her best friend. "Good, it's you. Let's get out of here."
"You read my mind." Livia gave Gabbi a toothless smile, before turning and leading her out of the house.
Elliot was sitting in the same spot, unmoved when the two girls came back out. They walked in silence until they passed him, going out to Gabbi's car on the other side of the street.
Livia looked over at Gabbi as they crossed the street. "Are you okay?"
Gabbi took her hat off, running a hand through her hair, a habit she indulged in. "Eleanor believes Max is innocent and that he didn't leak Drea's video."
"What the hell?" The Browning girl puckered her lips, feeling sorry for the girl. "She doesn't get it, she's still a bit new." Livia always did her best to try to cheer her best friend up. "I'm sorry," she said, pulling the girl into a hug.
Gabbi hugged her best friend back. "I just thought she was different," she mumbled into Livia's shoulder.
Livia turned her head to face Eleanor's house, catching Elliot still watching the two. "I completely understand."
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The two best friends hung out that night instead of staying at the party. They sat on Gabbi's bed, The Great British Baking Show playing in the background.
Gabbi had told Livia about her kiss with Eleanor in the car, and Livia decided she would come clean about Elliot.
"So, I know you've been seeing Elliot and I getting along this year." That earned a hum and smile from Gabbi, already knowing where their conversation was going.
She was Livia's best friend, and although Livia might be the most observant person she had ever met, Gabbi noticed things as well. She had to be stupid and way self-involved to not notice what was going on between the two. That's why none of Elliot's friends were ever aware of it.
"I know what's going on with you two, Liv."
Livia scrunched her face. "Well, there's nothing really going on now that Elliot saved Max's ass and won't take what he said back," she stated matter-of-factly, a fake smile on her face.
"Oh really? I'm sorry, dude." Gabbi slumped on the bed with a frown. "It seemed like he was less attached to Max's hip, though. I thought for sure you were making the boy better."
Livia looked down at her hands, listening to her best friend's words. "He really was starting to become more tolerable," she joked in a cheeky manner, thinking of all the good conversations they had had senior year. "But I guess I was wrong." She stretched her legs out straight.
"You know what I think?" This caused Livia to glance over at Gabbi with a questioning look. "Give him some time," she nodded. "I think he'll come around eventually. Hopefully they'll all realize what a terrible person Max is sooner rather than later."
Livia smiled at the thought. "That would be nice."
