Salty Licorice

Chapter 67

Liz's POV

When those words came out of her mouth, it wasn't exactly what I had expected. I just stared at her, not sure that what I heard was real. In my brain it couldn't be true, me the small nobody that just tags along with them. The dumb girl who can't do math, and I'm still trying to figure out the English language. Theres no way Avery fucking Sullivan loves me back.

But with the words on the tip of my tongue, I just couldn't say those words to tell her that I love her back. Not with Marisa, and her dad right there. I couldn't say it infront of the other girl who had said those words to me, but I couldn't say it back knowing that it was her best friend who was the one I loved. I couldn't say it in front of the girl I respect and care for, who is also the one saving the girl I love from her own family.

The words just wouldn't come, so Avery just ran for the door. It took me a second to process her departure.

"We got a runner," Marisa's dad states.

I go after her racing to the door only to hear the words that I want to say meeting my ears. I stand in the doorway and watch as Avery stands facing her car door with Emily behind her.

"Avery, did you hear me, I love you," Emily repeats. "I always have. I never told you because, well because I knew you were going through a lot and I didn't want to put another thing on your plate. But I can't sit back and watch you chase that girl around without telling you the truth."

I don't breathe as I wait for Avery's answer.

"Ha!" Avery barks. "Rich, real rich. Fuck man, why do you feel the need to make my life a pile of shit!" Avery just looks up shouting to the sky before flicking off the glowering clouds. "Now you decide to fucking rain! Great, just great!"

"Avery, are you okay?"

"No," Avery laughs manically, slowly turning to face her. "No Emily, I'm not fucking okay! I just abandoned my family, confessed to a woman who probably thinks I'm a crazy person now, and you're trying to tell me you love me? What part of any of this is okay?!"

"Who and what did you confessed?" Emily asks.

"Elizabeth, you know her you hate her, I'm in love with her," Avery rattles off while laughing as the rain is getting more prominent as it taps on the cars. "So no, Emily I don't love you back. Honestly maybe about 6 years ago if you'd said that I probably would have been over the moon that a nice pretty girl thought I was worth her time, but now I'm currently heartbroken knowing the woman I actually love probably doesn't feel the same. Because here's the funny thing about love Emily, even when they hurt you you still find everything about the person to be perfect especially their imperfections. So tell me, if you're so in love with me what is it about me you love so much?"

I want to go out there and grab Avery and just tell her the truth that I love her back but I can't seem to make my feet move.

"Everything," Emily says.

"Be more specific," Avery pauses for Emily but she doesn't say anything. "Here let me give you an example. I love the way Lizzies cheek turn pink when she blushes, or when she looks at me with wide eyes when I say something she didn't expect, or how she cant understand math for the life of her, or how she says words wrong and just speaks german when she can't think of the word in english, or how she crosses her ankles under her chair because her feet can't reach the ground when she sits, or how when she smiles it crinkles her eyes a little, or when she laughs her does with her whole body, or when she paints she she chews on the end of her paintbrush, or the fact she eats almost everything with mayo."

I watch as the rain turns Avery's hair from an ashy brown to a dark brown, pulling it straight over her shoulders. I push the screen door open and walk out fully under the rain letting the door bang behind me letting them both know of my presence.