City Lights, Country Nights

18.I will not ask you again

Liora sat with her arms crossed, peering out the window. They should have arrived by now if they hadn't kept making stops. It had been nearly an hour since they left the school.

"Hey," one of the guys said, causing Liora to look up. "It's right up here."

She sat up to see a small cabin coming into view. Sure enough, that was the car. Liora clenched her jaw as they finally stopped.

She jumped out and walked up to the car, peering in to see Jackie’s bag inside. Liora turned and started to walk towards the cabin.

The moment she walked in, her eyes found Jackie, who had nearly fallen down the stairs, but Cole had caught her.

"Rory," Jackie said as her eyes met Liora's, and she promptly threw up all over Cole, causing everyone to look from Jackie to Liora as Cole finally turned around.

Liora took a deep breath, her gaze shifting from Danny to Erin and then to the black-haired girl who had been in the bathroom earlier.

Liora couldn’t help but let out a laugh. “It’s not as bad as it looks,” Jackie said lightly, stumbling over her words. Liora sucked on her teeth.

“What have you been drinking?” Liora asked, taking a step forward. Jackie just looked away.

Liora was furious. This wasn't like Jackie at all, and it seemed like she was the only one who had been drinking.

“Give me your cup,” Liora demanded, taking it from her and taking a sip. It was hard liquor. “You're out of your mind,” she whispered as she glared at Cole.

“I want to go home,” Jackie said. Liora gritted her teeth and threw the cup to the side.

"Yeah, Jackie, I bet you do," Liora said as she moved to approach her, but she stopped when she heard mumbling. Though she didn't catch what was said, her head snapped over to Erin, and she lost her composure.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” Liora hissed, glaring at Erin. “If you want to say something to me, say it. Don’t mumble,” Erin just rolled her eyes.

Without missing a beat, Liora confronted Erin, her gaze intense. "What's your deal, Erin? You've been on our backs since the day we stepped foot in this school," she spat out, her words cutting through the air. "I've had enough of your attitude. I don’t care how jealous you are, be jealous all you want. But the looks, the mumbling, and all the talking everyone does in this damn school will stop. And I will not ask you again."

Erin shifted uncomfortably under Liora's intense stare. Danny moved forward and lightly pulled Liora back. He could see it—she was no longer playing. She was furious, and it didn’t look good.

"And you," Liora turned her attention to the black-haired girl, "maybe you have something you want to say too?" When no one said anything, she continued, "What, not so big now that I’m standing in front of you?" Liora hissed.

Cole stepped forward and grabbed her arm. "Okay, come on, we're going," he said, but Liora wasn’t having it. She was at her boiling point.

“No!” Liora said, moving his hand away and turning back to the girl. “You? Talking about my family like you have any right. You don’t know anything about anything. You have no right to say anything about my dead parents, or how rich they were, or how we won the lottery when they died,” she hissed at her.

“You want to talk a big game? And then act like a coward when you’re asked about it?” Liora spat. Cole pulled her back. “I don’t give a damn what you think about me, but the moment you say it out loud, you’ll know better than to let me hear it. So I’m going to tell you now, and only one time: keep my family's name out of your mouth."

Liora then turned away, grabbing Jackie's arm and walked out. “I’m sorry, I should have listened to you, Rory,” Jackie said as they made it to the car.

“Look, I know it’s hard, Jackie, because it’s hard on me too. But that in there? That’s not you,” Liora said, looking at her. “You're not like me, Jackie, because that in there was who I was. Hell, still to this day I want to party my feelings away. But you're better, Jackie, better than that, better than me,” she said, opening the door for her to get in, and then sliding in after and closing the door.

“You scared the hell out of me, Jackie,” Liora said, not looking at her. “You didn’t answer any of my calls or texts. I didn’t know if you were safe or…” Liora stopped and wiped her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Jackie mumbled. Liora just laid her head on the window and closed her eyes.