Set Her Free

10.

Liz-Anne's POV

For about five minutes, Ariana and I sat down embracing each other in a hug. "So?" Ariana pulled away from me waiting for an explanation on why I broke out into tears all of a sudden and still I couldn't put together any words. My excitement was dripping and Ariana's slowness was even funnier because if you put two and two together it's should be quite obvious that, "I've been accepted into Yale!"

I received a call from Yale and they told me that there's a summer camp happening for all soon to be Yale students and also past students to help us interact with one another and also get used to the environment we'll be living in for a few years.

"No.." she backed away as her tone lowered and my heart skipped a beat as to why my best friend reacted in the weirdest way possible to such good news. Her head continued to lower and her face sulked up, all the joy from five minutes ago disappeared and I didn't even know how to feel.

"You're not happy for me."

"W-what? No, no I am," Ariana's tone increased and I knew she was faking it. How could she possibly act this way when she knows how much this means to me.

"Ariana is there anything you need to tell me? You know you can always talk to me and no matter what I'll never judge you, I'm your best friend."

"It's just that Yale is all the way in the US. The thought of you not being here for my last year sucks. I'm extremely happy for you and I'm so proud of you Liz. Don't ever think that I'm jealous or I'm hiding anything because you're the first person I'll come to when I have a problem."

This is probably one of the hardest thing I've said in weeks. I managed to make Liz believe my silly excuse even though part of me actually meant it. Once again, my chance of finally admitting all my bitter lies has slipped away and the guilt will continue to eat me up until I get another chance to tell her.

"I'll always be around to talk Ariana you know that right?" i hold her arms and she can't even seem to make contact with my face for a full minute without looking away.

"Of Course I do." she simply answers causing me to nod and pull her back into a hug, "Thank you Lizzy, for everything and I can't thank you enough but I want you to know that you're the best and you're irreplaceable."

My eyes began to water again when Ariana pulled away but I used the back of my hand to wipe any tear away and smiled.

The movie ended at 12:15 am and Ariana finally decided that she will go to school to cover up all the studies she has missed out on. As for me, I was free tomorrow and had my last final exam on Friday so whilst Ariana is at school, I can spend my day organising my room and studying for the last paper.

To represent two polar opposites, I rushed under the duvets like a maniac to warm up whilst Ariana on the other hand took of her shorts to sleep in only her undergarments and a large t-shirt. "How are you feeling cold and the room temperature is only-" Ariana walked over to the little thermometer hanging on my door to read the temperature, "twenty three degrees celsius?"

My facial expression alone could answer Ariana's question as my teeth chattered and the tip of my nose turned red. "When you're done with school tomorrow I want you to get home at once, we never know who that psychopath hired to maybe kill us and I do not want you getting hurt okay?"

"Okay mom." Ariana simply replies as she climbed into the bed with me.

"I'm being serious Ari, let's just make things less complicated than they already are, you've not even fully recovered from your accident."

"Don't worry Lizzy, I'll be home before sundown," and with that, Ariana turned her back towards me and drifted off to sleep. No matter how many weeks passed by, I just couldn't stop hallucinating about seeing Andrew's body walk swiftly past my window, pause for a second and look deeply into my eyes ,then disappear into thin air. Most nights ,I panicked, other nights too I just hallucinated until I slept and like those nights, tonight was one of them.

Thursday's were always my least favorite days because it was close to the weekend, yet every hour felt like an entire lifetime. I mean come on already Saturday where the heck are you?

Tomorrow was my last day of finals and a mix of fright and excitement just kept hitting me all morning. After Ariana had left for school, I couldn't sleep anymore but didn't bother to get out of bed too. Instead I stayed scrolling through my snapchat and Instagram for two good hours till I realized that it was almost midday, my procrastination level is too high and if my mom finds out I've been awake all this time, I'm going to get my ass whooped!

I got up, did my usual morning routine ; bath, brush my teeth, skin care routine (because who wants acne? ) and then just picked out something normal to wear.

"Moooomm?" My voice echoed through the house as I descended the stairs. There was no reply.

"Mama?" I called out for my mom but yet again, no answer. The sound of music soared through the corridors yet still, each time I called out for my mom, I was given the silent treatment. Weird, I wonder what the problem could be now.

I got closer to the living room where the sound of Call Out My Name by The Weeknd which was playing got louder. A shadow cast on the floor from the couch and I knew my mom was still at home but was probably just being moody as usual.

"Really mom, I've been calling you for a whole five minutes and you just choose to give me the silen-"

But before I could finish my sentence, I came in contact with the person I least expected to find on the couch portraying a broad smile. My mouth hang down loose and I was at loss for words as the figure continued to smile at me, knowing that this was exactly how I would react as if I was about to have a stroke or a heart attack.

"Well hey there buttercup, surprised to see me here?" He walked over to me and closed my mouth for me.