joeys pov
i opened the paper and there were 10 numbers.
oh my god.
she gave me her new number.
i quickly dialed it into my phone and it took me 10 minutes to type the right thing:
joey - hey its jo, if u ever need anything im here for u
liv - okay
OKAY?!
UGH.
I HATE EVERYONE.
i ran over to charles and told him about everything, "then i texted her" i handed her my phone. "she said 'okay'" i put my hands through my hair.
"what was she supposed to say?" charles asked.
"true" i thought.
"your overthinking it pal, shell come around you just gotta give her some time to wrap her head around it." i nodded when i got a text:
liv - jo
liv - i need u
my heart.
liv - my mom just died
joey - where are you?
liv - at the *name* hospital
joey - ill be there in a sec
"charles i gotta go" i said.
"why what happened?!!" he asked.
"her mom just died." i said and he gasped.
i hopped in my car and drove to the hospital and ran inside.
"hey who are you here for?" the counter lady asked.
"jen *your last name*" i said out of breath.
"sorry fanily only right no-"
"hes with me" someone called out from the room hallway.
"and you are?" the lady asked.
"olivia *your last name*"
"okay you can go, im sorry for your losses."
by the time we got to jens room, my mom and nick were in there too. liv broke down and i held her in my chest, her tears dripping onto my shirt. her breaths loud and uncontrollable.
my mom looked at me with wide eyes because she was confused and nick wanted to beat me up, but he looked at liv and he calmed himself down.
"wheres grace?" i asked her.
"she just left to go to florida." she sighed.
"okay well im here for you" i said.
she smiled a little bit and hugged me again. a couple of men in suits walked in and looked at me and liv and then at jen, then at my mom, then at nick.
"please, take a seat" they offered to us.
my mom sat down and liv sat next to her, i sat next to liv and nick sat next to me.
"im so sorry for your losses, but i have to have this talk with you."
"since nicholas is 18, technically he can live in the house, however, olivia cannot. we need a legal parent or guardian, wheres your father?"
"out of the question, hes a rapist and abusive shes not going there. she can live with me." nick said.
"that means that your father has parental custody of you both unless, you go to court to try and get another adult to take you in."
"she cant go to her father" i butted in.
"then who will you fight with, an aunt, an uncle?" he asked looking at liv.
"i can" my mom said. "i was jennifers bestfriend and im the closest thing the kids have to an aunt."
"ma'am im sorry but that can only be decided in court, as of now we are sending olivia to her fathers house."
"sir i-i-i cant go there. hell rape me." liv stuttered.
"im sorry, in law hes your guardian, you have to come with us." the man said.
"she cant go there! hes a rapist!" nick yelled.
they grabbed liv and almost pulled her out of the room.
"were gonna fight for you liv, youll be okay." my mom yelled.
"no i dont wanna go." she whimpered. "i love you guys."
"mom we cant let her go, she cant go" i looked at her.
"i cant do anything babe." she said.
"bruh im gonna get us out of this." nick said. "i love you mom" he walked over to her on the bed. "i promise to always take care of liv and ill always make sure shes safe, so will joey." he said. my heart brightened.
he walked out of the room, following the car with the men in suits.
i walked over to jen, "i promise to protect liv and be there for her through anything, im sorry i made the biggest mistake of my life last time, im working on myself. rest easy. i love you." i said and walked out so my mom could talk.
at home i got a text:
nick - i got her over at our house, court is tomorrow and livs asking for you, im giving you permission to come to comfort her
joey - thanks bro ill be there in a minute
i almost ran to their house and knocked on the door.
nick was downstairs, "shes up in her room and she locked the door, she wont open it for anyone but you. please help me." nick pleaded.
"okay im going up now" i nodded and walked upstairs.
i knocked on the door, "nick i told you im not letting you in."
"actually, its joey, do you wanna talk?"
the door creaked open to reveal livs beautiful face with tear stains down her cheeks and bloodshot eyes.
"he tried to rape me jo" she sniffled. "he tried to."
i hugged her into my chest, "its okay." i reassured her.
"can we talk about something other than my parents, like, ummmm how have you been?" she asked sitting on her bed and wiping her eye.
"eh the usual, look i have to get this off of my chest." i said.
"ill ask nick if he has a shirt." she said.
she thinks im taking about her tears🤦🏻♂️
"no not my shirt, like i have to tell you something." i explained.
"ohhh" she giggled slightly.
i sat next to her on the bed, "i like you again liv, i always have and i always will. i can never forget the love i felt for you. i know i fucked up but i wanna make it up to you an-"
"i forgive you" she smiled.
"what? really?!"
she nodded, "im pushing what you did to the past, friends?" she asked.
"friends." i confirmed.
