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april 13, 2023
"lilli.. are you okay?" her boss came and sat with the girl in the back staff room — just the two of them in there.
liberty lifted her head from her hands and looked over, "mh.. just thinking about stuff.."
"do you want to talk about anything..? don't think of me as your boss right now, think of me as someone you can openly talk to."
"it's nothing," she quickly shook her head, brushing it off.
"you have to let me go to work.." liberty softly spoke as she stood across the kitchen island from the boy. "my friend's will start questioning if i don't.."
"you serious think your friends would care that much? didn't you tell me one of them was dating your ex the same time you were. and then stayed with him.."
"okay, well haven won't, but the girls i work with will.. a-" she stopped herself from mentioning daniel. "and- they know i'm off again next week and is fitting in as much work now as i can.. so it'll be odd if i don't show up.."
"i don't have time for that today," aj shook his head.
"i can drive myself, i'm not asking you to take me," she continued to speak in the same soft tone she's been using the whole time. "i'll come back here after i finish, i promise."
"what time do you finish?"
"um.. six, i believe."
"i've got a party i'm dj-ing at tonight. you better meet me there."
"i don't really feel like going out tonight.. can i just stay here?"
"you're actually so frustrating lilli!" he raised his voice at her. "i don't understand how anyone can ever be with you. can't you just fuckin' do what i ask?! but- but- just come to the fucking party."
"i don't feel like going out.."
"you're coming. it's not up for debate," he wandered around to the other side where she stood.
"aj. you can't make decisions for me. i'm not letting you make decisions for me," she copied his tone. "either i'm going home after work and never coming here again, or i'll keep you happy and come back here. but i'm not going to a party."
he grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him, "you're coming to the fuckin' party."
"what happened to your wrists, lilli?" agatha questioned, watching her pull the sleeves on her sweatshirt down more. "is everything okay?"
"yeah, it's just- it's- it's not anything serious.."
"are you still with that boy? the one that would drop you off and wait around all day?"
".. why?"
"is he why your wrists are all bruised?" she watched the girl as she stayed silent. "you can talk to me if you need help.."
"i don't need help, i'm okay," she promptly shook her head.
"okay.. but if there's anything you want to talk about, remember you can come to me. i can help you out if it's ever needed."
"yeah okay"
".. are you going to go grab some food?"
"yeah, yeah," liberty softly nodded as she stood up. "i just needed a minute before i did."
"if you need a little longer break, take it, it's okay," agatha reassured.
liberty repeated the same action as previous, exchanging a small more so forced smile as she grabbed her bag and dismissed herself from the staff room. heading out of the salon and next door to the cafe.
after ordering something, she sat herself alone at a table in the corner. plugging her headphones in and sitting there on her phone, listening to music and scrolling her socials.
her gaze soon drifted to the top of her screen as a phone call came through. she stared at it for a second, carefully swiping it away so it'd keep ringing on the other end but not on her's.
that call was soon followed with another, which this time she just sat her phone down since she noticed the staff bringing her meal over. thanking the girl, liberty then glanced back at her phone as numerous texts came through.
deciding to just leave it, she ate while phone free and listening to her playlist. finishing her lunch, she sat there for the length of another song before accepting it was time to face her notifications.
thanking the staff and handing back the plate, liberty wandered out of the cafe and found a seat outside. reading over the texts, she thought it'd just be easier to quickly call.
"about time," the boy scoffed.
"sorry, aj, i'm at work.. i can't just answer in the middle of an appointment.. is everything okay?" she pretended to not know why he was spamming her.
"when are you getting home?!"
"i finish at six.. i did tell you this this morning.."
"i need you here."
"i can't just leave, i'm sorry.."
"if i come there will you suck my dick?"
"i- i can't, i'm working."
"ugh why do you have to be so fucking annoying. you know how many girls would dream to live without any worry and have everything just handed to them like i do with you?! but no you're still to selfish to do anything for me. why can't you just be more compliant."
"i'm sorry.. i do need to get back to work though.. do you still want me to meet you at your party later?"
"are you going to do anything for me?"
"i don't know.. it'll depend on how i'm feeling-"
"don't bother then. i'll just meet you at home later. you better keep your location on."
"okay.. bye aj, love you.."
he didn't even reply he simply hung up the call. liberty let out the sigh that she had been holding in as she stood up from the bench. slipping her phone into her back pocket and walking back over to the salon to finish her shift for the day.
AUTHOR'S NOTE! "in my comeback era" didn't last very long lol
