PURE HEROINE II 13 REASONS WHY

tight hugs

"Tight hugs cannot solve the issue, but they can offer comfort."

❥

"Where have you been? Your class was over hours ago", Will asks his niece as soon as she arrives at home ready to confront him, "Scott, hey man." "Isn't it too late to worry about me?", Liz mumbles annoyed making Will raise an eyebrow. "What's going on?", Will asks feeling like something has happened that has made her angry. But he would have never guessed what this is about. 

"I want to hear the truth about my parents", she immediately demands, "Now." "Els, you know what I've told you-" "Cut the bullshit, Will. I know that my dad is not dead. Now I want to hear the truth." "Scott, can you give us a moment?", Will sighs looking at their intertwined hands. "He can hear whatever you say", Liz insists but the boy nods. 

"I'll wait outside", Scott tells the girl quietly before letting go of her hand and going outside. There's silence. Will knows what she wants to hear but he wishes that he would never have to talk about it. "How did you find out?", he asks trying to find out how angry she is. "Just tell me the truth already. Who is my dad and why did you all lie to me pretending he's dead? Why was I never given the chance to get to know him?" 

"You know him. You just didn't know it's him." "Yeah, that's so much better. Cut the bullshit, Will." "Fine", he sighs frustrated knowing how much she'll hate him and how much it'll break her, especially now with Jeff being in coma, "We were young adults back then when your parents learned that they're expecting you and your dad had this chance to go to college so we decided that your grandpa and I would raise you because we never had such a chance. We had more possibilites to take care of you. Your dad was supposed to come back as soon as he's finished but he was successful. And you were having a good childhood to that time, we didn't want to betray your trust back then. So we let him in your life without telling you." 

"So he could control me without me knowing?", the girl snaps. She's more than disappointed, of course. How egoistic could they be to let him in her life but make her believe that she's living without parents? This thought has haunted her for many years. She often felt abandoned. "No, it's not like that, Els, come on-" "Don't call me Els", she snaps at him, "Who is it? Who is my dad?" "It's Harvey", Will sighs expecting the girl to cry but instead she opens her eyes widely. 

At first, she thought about yelling at him, but she then decides to just turn around and shut the door behind her to leave. He couldn't only see her at home but also at Bryce's place. He's had the best possibility to see her growing up. Not only is it unfair that she didn't get the chance to live with her dad, but him watching her without saying a word although he knew how hard it is for her to live without parents feels worse. He willingly left her alone. 

"I'm done with you", is all that the girl mumbles before she turns around and leaves the house. There are a thousand things to say that she can think of, but she's too disappointed to even confront them with it. "Els", Scott whispers when he sees the girl getting out. She doesn't look angry or happy, she looks broken. "Let's get away from here", Liz sighs not wanting to stay here for another second.

As they sit in the car, she thinks back to her family. Her grandpa. He's her everything. He know about it. How could he not be honest with her? How could him and Will lie to her about something so important? And why would her dad do that to her? The fact that they actually died and not gave her away, made her feel more secure all these years. But now that she knows that her dad willingly decided to let her alone, she feels abandoned.

"Where do you stay now?", Scott asks her unsurely if he should offer her a place to stay or not. "I've got no idea to be honest. I would go to Bryce's but I might see my dad there. And I would ask Monica and Harris if I could stay at their place but with Jeff being in coma, I don't want to be a burden to them." Scott nods. "And Monty's place is no option because of his dad?" 

"Yeah, Monty's not even at home most of the time." "If you want to, you can stay at my place. I know this is a lot to ask but-" "No, I'm glad you offer it to me. I appreciate you taking care of me, Scotty", she whispers, "I'd stay with you then." "By the way, I'm sorry about my reaction earlier about Tony. I was-" "It's fine", she nods. Would he have said jealous?

On Monday, Liz was already feeling anxious again. She would have to go back to school. No one would confirm the teachers that she's sick as she won't ask Will or her grandpa anymore and herself being a minor, couldn't do it alone. "I'm with you, Els", Scott mumbles as they still sit in the car waiting on the parking lot for the last second that they would need to enter the school's building. "I'm scared. I don't know how to react when I see Sheri." "I know, I'm angry, too. I would love to shout at her. But we can't do that here." "Yeah, and Tony trusted me with this information. If we talk to her, we do it alone. Let's just ignore her for now."

"Els, what's wrong? I've left you like a thousand messages on Saturday. Will said he doesn't know where you are when I stopped by", Monty immediately asks her worriedly when she approaches the boys. "Sorry, it's been.. a hard weekend, to be honest", Liz says weakly so the boys furl their eyebrows. They haven't seen her like that for a long time. 

"Els, what happened?", Justin asks her slowly and Bryce hugs her tightly. "My dad's not dead", the girl sniffles into the boy's shoulder letting herself fall more into the hug. "What do you mean, he's not dead?", Bryce asks quietly so no one else apart from them would hear it. "Will and Grandpa lied to me all these years. Harvey is my dad but he gave me to Will so he could go to Harvard and pursue a career."

"Els, are you okay?", Sheri suddenly says behind them seeing her friend crying. Before anyone can say something, Liz lets go off Bryce to stare at Sheri for a moment. What could she say? She wanted to shout at her, but she couldn't. She imagines how Sheri drove away that evening. But she also remembers all the times that they were there for each other. Her heart beats faster and faster and then, she turns around and runs away.