City Lights, Country Nights

5.Echoes of the Past

"Rory!" Liora's mother called as she walked up to her. Liora quickly stood up from her chair and walked over.

"Mom! Thank you so much!" Liora said, taking the bag from her. "I don't know how I forgot it, Mom. It just slipped my mind," she said. Her mom smiled at her and shook her head.

"It's alright, sweetheart. It's not your top, but it's good enough, okay?" she said. Liora nodded. "I'm sorry we can't stay and watch Honey and with all the scouts out there. Of all the dances at school, this is a big one," she said.

"Mom, it's okay, really," Liora said, looking up at her.

"I know you're going to do so well. Miss K said she would send me a video, and when you get home, we will all watch it together, okay?" her mom said. Liora smiled as her mom moved her hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "Alright, I'll text you when we get home, and you tell me when you're almost done, and I'll be here to get you," she said. Liora nodded as she pulled the top out of the bag and got ready.

"You did great out there, Rory. Tell your mom I will send it to her tomorrow, okay?" Miss K said as Liora nodded and walked out the doors.

"Mom?" she said into her phone. "Your phone keeps going to voicemail, and you didn't text me. The show has been done for an hour now, and no one is answering. Please call me," Liora said as she sat on the bench outside and texted her father... but received no response.

Liora's legs jumped as she looked around, then down at her phone, watching the minutes tick by. Her fingers tapped on the back of her phone as she looked around one more time before calling her uncle.

"Hey, Rory, I'm coming right now, okay?" he said when he picked up the phone.

"Okay, Mom and Dad aren't answering, and I didn't want to bother Jackie. I... I don't know why they're not picking up," Liora said.

"I have Jackie. I'm pulling in right now," he said. Liora looked over to see his car pull in. She stood up and walked over, only to stop when Jackie got out of the car, her eyes red as she approached Liora.

and pulled her into a hug.

"Jackie, what's wrong?" Liora asked, pulling back to look at her. Jackie just cried. "Jackie?"

"They're gone, Rory, they're gone!" she cried. Liora's heart skipped a beat. Oh God, did she know?

"What? Jackie, where's Mom?" Liora said in a panic. Jackie just shook her head. "Are you okay, Jackie?"

"There was an accident, Liora. They're gone," she said. Liora shook her head as she grabbed her phone and called her mom.

"Mom! Please pick up!" Liora yelled, her hands shaking as she repeatedly blinked her eyes.

"MOM!" Liora jerked up from her bed, her eyes snapping around as her hands reached up to her face to cover her mouth. She sat there for a moment, already hearing everyone outside her door.

"Come on, I need in the bathroom!" she heard Jackie yell. Liora laid her head in her hands as she let out a breath.

BRING!!!!

Liora's whole body jerked as she looked over to her phone. She moved quickly to grab it and looked at the caller ID.

"Juilliard School," Liora whispered as she wiped her teary eyes and cleared her throat. "Hello?" she said.

"Hi, is this Liora May Howard?" the woman asked. Liora swallowed as she sat on the edge of her bed.

"Umm, this is she," Liora said, getting up and moving across her room to put on some jeans. "I'm so sorry, you just caught me at a bad time," she said.

"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetheart. It's early, and you're probably getting ready for school, and this won't take long, okay?" she said. Liora hummed. "I just need to ask you a few questions. Is that okay?" she said.

"Yes, please. Umm, what are the questions?" Liora asked, moving around her room to get ready.

"Your guardian info has changed to a Mrs. Katherine Walter. Is she your current guardian?" she asked. Liora rubbed her lips together.

"Yes, right now she is," Liora said. The woman hummed.

"And ***-***-*** is her number, yes?" she asked. Liora nodded.

"Yes, I believe it is," Liora said, slipping into her black shirt and starting her makeup.

"And you are not living in New York at this time, it says," the woman said. Liora hummed.

"It says you have a full ride here. That's very impressive, and I don't mean to bring it up, sweetheart, I don't. We did hear about your parents, and we have pushed your starting date back two times already, and we were able to push it back one more time considering the circumstances. But I'm afraid we won't be able to do it a fourth time," she said. Liora stopped everything she was doing. She could already feel the tears.

"So... so what does that mean?" Liora asked, wiping her tears.

"We have you to start this coming year, but if you don't, we will have to give your spot up, and that's included your full ride," she said. Liora took a deep breath in as she closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, but there is a line of dancers that are waiting for a spot like this, and I'm afraid we just aren't able to hold it."

"No, no, I understand," Liora said. "Can I, um, call you back in a couple of days to figure some things out and get back to you?"

"Yes, of course. We just need to hear back from you before the end of the enrollment period. But if it goes past that, I'm afraid we won't be able to let you in with the full ride," she said.

"Yes, I will get back to you," Liora said.

"Okay, we will email everyone the current email with everything they need to know, and I hope you can come," she said. "I'm sorry for the news so early, and I hope you have a good rest of your day," she said.

"Yes, you have a good day too," Liora said as she hung up the phone. "That had to ruin my day," she mumbled and finished getting ready before making her way downstairs and out to the car.

Liora's eyes moved to her sister with raised eyebrows. "Why are you wearing that?" she said, looking at the cap on Jackie's head.

"I like it," Jackie answered quickly. Liora just looked at her. "Have you been crying?" she asked.

"What? No," Liora said. "That doesn't even match," she said. Jackie looked away, and an awkward silence came over the car. No one would even look at her.

When they got to the school, they all quickly got out and seemed to scatter, but Liora grabbed Jackie's arm. "I need you to show me to my classes," she said, taking her sweet time to get her bag until all the boys were gone. Liora then turned quickly and took the cap off Jackie's head.

"What the fu-" Jackie started to say but was cut off.

"It was meant for you! They said it, but you didn't come out of your room in time, so they did it to me!" she said, putting the cap back on.

"What?" Liora asked, looking at her, confused.

"Rory, they put bleach in the shampoo, thinking you were going to shower. But they don't know you shower at night, so when you didn't come out," she said. Liora was shocked, speechless. "It's better me than you anyway. You would have literally killed someone," Jackie said.

"You're telling me that they did that to your hair!" Liora said with big eyes.

"It was supposed to be you!" Jackie said and walked off.

"Hey! Why are you mad at me! I didn't know!" Liora called after her. "What about my classes?" she said but stopped and let her walk away.

"Great," Liora said, shutting the car door. "I have about had it today," she said as she walked into the school.