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april 12, 2023
liberty's six hour shift felt ten times longer than usual. she was experiencing the worst cramps she's ever felt, but was trying her best to hide it for the sake of her paycheque. and on top of that, her mind was running through a million thoughts on what she's meant to do with her life.
sat outside her work, just down from the salon, she held her phone with the uber app open. just staring at the screen, trying to decide where to book it to.
she was annoyed with daniel. she hated the sudden switch up he had on her this morning— but she also didn't want to say anything about it, she didn't want to be labeled as the jealous best friend.
his house was meant to be her safe space but that was the last place she wanted to go.
there's her place she could just go back to. but what if aj showed up again, and worst, what if she was home alone when it happened. and she also didn't want to face her roommates. not after what they all so clearly saw.
her eyes redirected to the top of her screen as a text message came through. re-reading over it multiple times until it automatically swiped away. she couldn't possibly go back to aj. she can't let one message "apologising" let her cave. she couldn't do that to herself. she knew better.
"hey lil.." louise smiled as she approached the girl, soon receiving a soft 'hey' in response as she removed one of her earphones and paused her music. "are you okay? you're usually got a million things on so you're gone as soon as you can," she softly chuckled to lighten the mood.
"i don't have my car.."
"oh are you waiting for someone to pick you up?"
liberty shook her head.
"do you need a ride somewhere? i've got nothing on if you want me to take you somewhere? to get your car maybe?"
"i'll just book an uber it's okay."
"i'll wait here with you then," louise took a seat on the bench next to her. "where is your car?"
"at my exes.. we broke up while i was away.. so i haven't been back there yet.." she hesitantly replied as she booked a uber — feeling the pressure to decide right away now that the other was sat with her.
"your uber's not here yet, are you sure you don't want me driving you to get your car back? i go to the gym, i work out, i could fight him off for you if you need."
liberty weakly chuckled. "it's okay."
the two sat there in comfortable silence for a few seconds, both just catching up on notifications on their phones.
"when do you go-"
"this is my uber," liberty unintentionally interrupted the other as she hoped up. "sorry what were you saying?"
"aren't you going away again?"
"yeah, next thursday for like a week."
"okay," louise nodded. "we should make plans like actual plans when you're back- obviously we can talk about that then but we haven't hung out much outside of work lately."
"mh," she softly hummed.
"well, i'm sure you don't wanna keep the uber waiting so i'll let you go. see you tomorrow."
"see you tomorrow"
with that the two went their separate ways. liberty got into her uber and had soon started her journey. having both her earphones in her ears and music playing, trying to make the drive feel a bit quicker.
with the los angeles traffic, it was almost an hour later when she pulled up to aj's apartment complex. feeling nervous and a slight race in her chest as she thanked the driver and got out.
putting her earphones back in her bag and grabbed out her keys before she made anymore movement. her mind once again repeating the plan to spend the least time as possible there. praying she wouldn't run into the boy.
scanning the keycard he had given her weeks ago, she entered into the complex, walking straight to the carpark. quickly doing a double take on the boy sitting in the lobby lounge area, prompting her to look at the ground and walk a little faster.
"lilli.." he called out as he spotted her. quickly following her. "lilli!"
"i'm just getting my car," she replied, not once looking back as she fiddled with her keys, trying to remove the card for the complex so she could return it to him.
"lilli, i'm sorry.. please give me another chance, i promise i can be better."
"i don't- i-" she shook her head. "i don't want to be with you."
"lilli," he caught up, grabbing ahold of her wrist and forcing her to stop and look at him. "i don't want to loose you. i can't loose you."
"don't you have work or something?" she attempted to switch the conversation.
"lilli, i'm sorry. i just got really over protective about the idea of you being pregnant that i didn't handle things well. let me have a second chance."
she hesitated for a second, ".. i just need some more time."
"i'm not falling for lies like that," he muttered, tightening his grip on her. "come upstairs with me."
"no thanks, i have plans."
"it's very obvious you want to break up with me so why don't you come upstairs with me to grab all your shit."
he didn't even give her a chance to response, he simply yanked her towards him and started to walk back into the lobby area.
"aj! i have plans i need to get to," she continued to lie.
"cancel them," he pulled her in close and mumbled, not wanting the couple other people around to intervene. "tell whoever that you're tired and can't make it."
she didn't reply or try to fight him on it anymore, she simply complied. hoping it meant he wouldn't get aggressive with her.
walking upstairs to his apartment, aj locked the door behind them before turning around and pushing her against the wall in one swift motion. harshly moving his lips against her's, liberty less willingly participating.
"aj, stop.." she said between their lips as he started unbuttoning her jeans.
"no."
"i'm on my period.."
"well. you owe me. so you're not leaving until i'm satisfied, okay?" he more so rhetorically asked.
liberty continued to just stare at him, processing what he just said. aj repeated 'okay?' once again, this time with a more aggressive tone. she very hesitantly nodded.
