Empire // h.s. au

Needed Friends

Samantha Anderson

"Men are the worst," I said to Aria as we chatted over dinner. Her and her boyfriend had broken up for what seemed to be the millionth time. And she was crying to me about how she thought he was her "soul mate." Although we all know that's bullshit.

"I just, I love him, you know?" she said, adjusting her hat bohemian that sat on her head. "And I was going to go with him to visit his family for Christmas, but now I don't know what do do, because I can't freaking go with him now." 

"Well you can always come to my house for Christmas, my parents and siblings are coming out here. Don't let him ruin your favorite season," I said to her, grabbing her hand. "Besides, I need you as a buffer from my sadistic family." 

My family, for lack of a better word, were insane. My parents, who had raised me right here in New York, had moved down South once I reached college. They wanted to start an organic farm. How the hell do you go from being lawyers in New York to organic farmers in a small southern town? 

When my siblings and I realized how absolutely nuts they were, my brothers, Jason and Ethan, moved down south with them to make sure they hadn't gone completely off the deep end.  Jason and Ethan lived in one of the bigger cities, so the commuted to go see my parents every once in awhile. 

This Christmas would be the first one in years that my entire family was all together. 

It was bound to be riveting.

She laughed, "Thank you so much, you're the best person I know. Also, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever, how's Riley? Still pissing you off?"

"I need her out," I vented. "She drives me so fucking nuts, she needs to get out of my house. Luke and I are already unstable enough, she by no means, makes it any better. If anything, she makes it worse." 

"I'm sorry Sammy, maybe your parents will help get her out?" she suggested. "I'm sure they don't like her being all over the country, especially since they moved down south."

"I hope to God you're right," I groaned, taking a sip of the red wine we'd ordered. I had missed Aria and I had been an extremely neglectful friend. So, it was nice to be with her again. "I missed you."

"Couldn't agree more, but it's okay! Oh my God, I totally forgot!" she said her eyes widening and her almost knocking over her water glass. "How's Styles? You haven't said anything!"

"That's over," I responded, looking at my lap. She looked at me for more information. "Being with him was wrong and messed with Luke and I, unfairly so. We're friends. That is all."

"Wow, good for you, I guess," she said, smiling. "I kind of liked you guys together."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. She never really saw us interact, so I wasn't sure how she could really comment on our relationship.

"I saw pictures and I don't know, you were different when you guys were getting together. You just, I don't know honestly, you just seemed happier, maybe? No that's not it," she shook her head.  "Brighter, I think would be the word. More confident."

I raised my eyebrows at her, "Oh, well, I think I'm happy with Luke. I think it was honestly the newness of the whole thing with Harry. Nothing serious."

I wasn't really sure if I was trying to convince her or myself. 

"Alright," she said, hesitantly. Her disbelief in me was evident, but she wasn't one to push things when it came to me. She understood I was one who figured things out on my own, regardless of what others thought or wanted.