Pretending. [H. S.]

Chapter Twenty

A/N: So, after three months of not updating, here is the beginning of the second and main part of Pretending... After nineteen chapters I finally introduced most of the characters who make up this story! This short, only 700-word chapter will introduce you into the second part... and trust me, it's gonna get sick. Have fun reading and I'll update the next chapter as soon as possible, probably by Wednesday the latest! Love you guys, and please stick with this!

Rose's POV (next morning)

I wake up to my phone ringing, cuddled up to Harry who has both his arms wrapped around me tightly, making it hard to move without waking him up. Somehow, I manage to free myself from him and grab my phone.

"Rosalie O'Brian?", I ask. It is extremely audible in my voice that I just woke up.

"Rose? Hey, it's Liv! Look, I'm so sorry I haven't called you in so long - I was in New York! I told you that I was going to New York for a few weeks, right? God, I hope I did! Anyways -"

Her name is ringing in my ears. Liv... This isn't possible. This has to be a dream. Nate said she was dead.

"Liv?", I whisper, not believing what I hear.

"Huh? Yeah, it's me." She laughs. "I didn't think you'd forget me, but you know, I'll help - Liv, your best friend besides Josie? We party a lot together, you know, and we went to the lake..."

Tears fill my eyes. "This isn't real", I whisper before speaking up louder. "Listen, to whoever this is, this is a really fucking bad joke."

"What?" The girl on the other end of the line sounds totally perplexed. How come her voice sounds exactly like Liv's?

"Liv is dead."

The girl laughs. "God, Rose, what is wrong with you! I just went to New York and totally missed out on calling you."

"You're supposed to be dead", I whisper. I feel Harry wrap his arm around me.

"Rose?", he mumbles, burying his face in my neck before kissing it softly.

"Not now", I say to him.

"What? Why am I supposed to be dead? Who's there with you? It's not Harry, is it?" She giggles.

It really is her. "You were in New York", I state, still not really believing what she says.

"Yeah. I thought I'd told you, but apparently I've only told Josie and she thought I'd told you, too, so she didn't tell you and -"

"You're alive", I repeat.

There's a nervous chuckle on the other end of the line. "Well, obviously. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I just thought - I don't know. I thought you - someone said -" The tears finally escape my eyes. "God, I missed you." I smile through my tears.

"Rose? What's wrong?" Harry mumbles into the crook of my neck, his hot breath caressing my skin.

Liv laughs again. "So, is it Harry, yeah? I knew it! I bet you guys are cute together!"

"Yeah, it's him - I... would've told you but you -"

"I know, I know. I'm really sorry for not telling you about going to New York. It's amazing there! Well, you probably know since you've been there a few times already, but you can't imagine - all the people and the colors and the buildings and it's just - it's so beautiful, and the men... a lot of them are so damn hot, I can't even!"

"Yeah... New York is great", I say half-heartedly. How is she alive? Why did Nate say she was dead?

"Rose - Rosie, are you okay?" Liv suddenly asks. "You sound... weird. Are you crying?"

A sob escapes my lips. "No", I whisper. "I'm good."

"Is everything okay?" she asks again.

"We need to talk." My voice is faint with all the emotions overwhelming me and Harry beside me and Liv - alive.

"Alright, I'll come over - there's so much I need to tell you!"

"Um, I'm at the lake - w-with Harry."

"Oh." She laughs lightly. "Sweet. I'm guessing you'll be back tomorrow night?"

"Yeah", I mumble.

"Okay, sweetpea, I'll talk to you then! Don't get pregnant - even though, the kids would be kind of cute, you know... But you're a little young, anyways and -"

"Liv", I interrupt her.

She laughs again. "Yeah, right. I'm sorry. Have fun, I love you! See you tomorrow!"

"I love -" I begin but she has already hung up. I stare at my phone in disbelief.

"Rosalie", Harry says, worried now, and pulls me onto my back before leaning over me and eyeing me with his eyes full of sorrow. "Who was that?"

"That was - Liv?" I say and the words come out as a question. "But Nathaniel - he said... he said she was dead."