City Lights, Country Nights

11.just supposed to figure it out?

Liora sat in the counselor's office and observed as she sifted through her computer. "So, you haven't shown up for our last two meetings," the brown-haired woman said, glancing over at Liora, who hummed. She had literally been called out of her last class for this.

"Well, I must say, even with your frequent absences, you have very good grades," she said. "Very smart girl, but I have talked to your uncle, and he has expressed some concerns about us not talking yet," she continued. Liora had to stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"Um, how are you doing in school and everything?" Liora let out a breath. She was about tired of that question too.

"Fine," Liora answered quickly as she sat back in her seat.

"Well, as I said, I talked to your uncle and, um, he has told me about some of your... activities outside of school and home," she said slowly, as if Liora wouldn't have gotten it if she spoke any faster. "He spoke about things we might have to look out for," she added. Liora was not in the mood for this, nor did she have the patience for it.

"Things you would look out for?" Liora questioned. She knew what she was talking about, but Liora was not going to discuss it with her. She didn't even tell Jackie everything that happened when she was at the party in New York.

"Yes... behavior patterns," she said. Liora let out a laugh. She didn't know what these people wanted from her. "He said that you wouldn't see your friends, didn't let anyone help you, and he said that you stopped dancing, and from what I see," she said, looking at her computer again.

"You have a full ride to Juilliard School, which is a good school especially for dance," she said. Liora looked down. "And to have that full ride already, I just want to make sure you are doing everything you can to keep that."

"It doesn't matter if I do everything I can to keep it," Liora said, looking up at her. "I don't know if I am going to take that anyways," she said.

"You're not going to take it?" she asked. Liora huffed.

"Look, I sent that application letter in a week before the accident. No one even knows I did it or have it," Liora said. "I didn't even think I was going to get in, much less actually get accepted. I was barely into the beginning of this year when I got the letter saying I got in. Two months after the accident, I wasn't even dancing then, and I wasn't really in the physical or mental state to do it, as my uncle so boldly told you," she said as she let out a breath.

"I made mistakes, okay? After my family died, I didn't know what to do, so yeah, I did some things I shouldn't have, okay?" Liora said, rubbing her face. "But I got better, maybe not great or good, just better, but it was something. And right when I thought I could really do this, they picked us up from our home and moved us, so no, I'm not okay. How could you expect us to be?"

"Okay, Liora, I didn't mean to—" Liora cut her off.

"No one means to! Everyone, every day, asks the same question! Are you okay? How are you doing?" Liora said, her voice rising. "I'm not! I didn't want to come here in the first place! I don't like that I didn't have a say in this because I did things I shouldn't have, and they thought I needed to get away. They didn't ask me what I think and just do what they wanted. Oh! Because it's Rory, she will figure it out, because that is what is expected of me. I have to have it all figured out, everything figured out," she hissed.

"I don't want people to know about the full ride yet because I haven't figured it out. I don't want people to ask if I'm okay. I haven't figured it out. I don't want you to know about what I did in New York and then ask how I feel about the school and where I have to live now, because I don't know. I'm tired of people throwing this stuff up in my face because I don't have the answers. I haven't figured it out yet," Liora said, but stopped as she realized what she just did. She didn't mean to go off, but with everything that has happened and how fast it was happening, it just all came out.

In anger like it did in New York.

"I'm... I'm sorry, I didn't mean all of that," Liora said, but stopped and closed her eyes. "I... um, I didn't."

"No, no, it's okay. I should have taken it slower," she said. "They're very sensitive topics, and I should have handled it better," she said as the bell rang. Liora stood up and walked out and down the hall and to the car.

"Hey," Liora stopped when she heard a voice. Her eyes moved to look at the car where everyone was there, looking at her. "Liora, right?" he said, making Liora finally look up at him and gave him a smile. She didn't know his name.

"Dilynn, my, you and Cole have math together," he said. She had a rather high math class, and that class was as high as they could put her.

"Oh, right, yeah, the new QB," Liora said, nodding, looking back at where her sister was, then back at him.

"I was just wondering if you're free anytime. I would love to get to know you," he said, his eyes moving up and down her.

"You know, I would love to, but I promised I would help my sister with the homecoming preparations," Liora said. That wasn't a lie; she did tell Jackie she would help her with her idea for it that her student council said yes to.

"Oh, so you'll be at the pep rally tomorrow?" he asked. She nodded.

"You know, you could come by and get something," Liora said, looking at him. "Bring a couple of friends, and maybe then I can wish you good luck," she said. She was really just trying to get people to go to the booth.

"Okay, I'll see if I can make it to you," he said. Liora nodded as she turned and walked away from him to the car.

"What were you doing?" Cole asked, his jaw clenched as he stopped Liora from getting in the car.

"Making friends, Cole. Isn't that what I'm supposed to do when I have to start over my life in a new place?" Liora said, looking at him. "Make a new life, make new friends, just supposed to figure it out," she said. Cole just looked at her.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but you have been a terror since you opened your eyes this morning," Cole said. Liora looked away from him. "Just get in the car," he said.

"I'll walk," Liora said and turned to walk away but stopped when Cole grabbed her arm.

"Get in the car, Liora," he said. Liora pulled her arm away, opened the door, and got in with her arms crossed as Cole got in.