City Lights, Country Nights

36.don't want to do this like this

Liora sat, tapping her fingers against the bench with her eyes closed, lightly humming a song. In her mind, it felt like she had been sitting there forever, but in reality, only about 20 minutes had passed. Her eyes peeked open as she saw light and observed someone getting out of the car and walking up to her.

"God, Rory, did you drink the whole bottle?" She recognized the voice, it was painfully familiar to her. "That's whiskey," he said as her eyes moved up to meet his.

"Why did they send you?" Liora asked, her voice scratchy. Out of all the people in the house, they sent him? Liora looked up at Cole, who just looked down at her. "And yes, it is whiskey, well, it was," she mumbled, nodding slowly.

"Come on, let's go," Cole said. Liora just looked up at him, making him raise an eyebrow. "What?" he asked.

"I want to get in the car, I do, but..." Liora said, looking down at her legs. "You took forever, and now my legs are numb," she added, glaring back up at him. Cole walked to her and took her arm, pulling her up.

"No! I can do it!" Liora said, pushing herself away and slowly walking to the car, with Cole following soon after.

"Rory," Cole said, but Liora just looked away and rubbed her eyes as Cole let out a huff and drove off.

To be honest, she would rather whatever was going to happen to happen now, so she wouldn't remember it because she didn't want to.

Slowly, her eyes turned to Cole, then back to the road. "Stop the car," she said. Cole's head snapped to her before he pulled over.

"Are you going to throw up?" He asked as his eyes met hers. Liora shook her head.

"No," she said, and looked at him for a moment before moving closer to him. Her hands reached out, grabbed his face, and pulled him close, pressing her lips against his.

"Rory," Cole said as he pulled back, looking down at her. "You're drunk," he said. She nodded.

"That's the point," she mumbled, pushing her lips back against his and pressing her body forward to get on top of him her hips against his hips as he pulled back again.

"You won't even remember it, Rory," he said as she kissed him again, moving her lips down to his neck.

"That is also the point," Liora whispered as she moved her hips down on his, making him groan.

"Liora, we can't," Cole said, pulling her back so he could look at her. "Not like this," he said. Liora let out a breath as her eyes searched his.

"Cole, you asked me, and I said yes," Liora said, her hand moving to his hair. "And then there was nothing for you after, but it's okay," she said, kissing his lips again before moving down his jaw and to his ear.

"It's okay if you don't want me," she whispered. "Just don't tell me now. I don't want to know right now, just..." she said, grabbing his hands and putting them on her hips.

"Please," Liora whispered, pushing her body closer to his. His hands gripped her hips as she moved back to kiss him again.

"You don't want to do this like this," Cole said, holding her in place as Liora let out heavy breaths.

"It's okay," she whispered, moving his hands under her shirt to her bare waist. "Please, it's okay," she said. Liora was sad, angry, and hurt, and she wanted a distraction, and she wanted Cole.

"Rory," he said.

"You never had trouble with this when you were with the other girls, Cole," Liora said, her hands finding his waist. "And you can have anyone you want too, but I can't understand why you asked me if you didn't want to or want me," she said.

"Liora, I never said I didn't want you," Cole said, stopping her again. "I don't want to do this like this, and tomorrow, if you remember this, you will be pissed at me and yourself if we don't stop," he said.

Liora shook her head as she laid it on his shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut and taking a deep breath. What the hell was she doing? This wasn't her; drunk or not, she shouldn't be doing this.

Liora pulled back as she licked her lips. With her drunken mind, she couldn't tell if he was really telling her no because she was drunk or rejecting her. Either way, she didn't like it.

Liora moved herself off him and sat back in the seat, keeping her eyes fixed outside and her arms crossed.

"Rory," Cole said, letting out a breath as he looked over at her. Liora only shook her head and closed her eyes.

"Just go, Cole," she said, looking down. "It doesn't matter anymore anyway," she added softly as she laid her head against the window.

"You can't be mad right now," Cole said, keeping his eyes on her. Liora knew she shouldn't, but she was—she was very mad. "Liora, you came e—" he began, but she cut him off.

"Cole, just go," she said, not looking at him. "I want to get out of these clothes and take some Advil and go to sleep, so just..." she stopped and shook her head.

She was hurt and embarrassed that she even tried. Deep down, in her sober self, she knew this wasn't a good idea, but right now she didn't care. That was it, she tried, he said no, that's it, end of story. She didn't want to sit here and talk; she wanted to go.

Frustratingly, Cole put the car back in drive and drove off, here and there throwing a look over to Liora but getting nothing back. She didn't look at him, didn't say a word—nothing.

And when they pulled up to the house, Liora didn't waste any time and jumped out. As fast as her legs would let her, she ran to the front door, where Katherine were waiting. She had to stop herself from groaning.

"Rory, are you okay?" Katherine asked. Liora nodded with a small smile. "Have you been crying?"

"Um, no, not really," Liora said. She wanted to hurry this up and be gone by the time Cole got in here. "I left the party with Erin and didn't want to stay at her house. I... I'm sorry," she said. When the door opened and in walked Cole, there was a very, very awkward silence.

"I'm just going to go," Liora said and turned to the stairs and walked up. Cole, of course, followed behind her.

"Rory, stop for a moment," he said, but she kept going. "Okay, stop," he said, grabbing her arm at the top of the steps.

"You're an asshole," Liora whispered, yelling at him and pulling away. "You... you make a big scene at the party about what? Alex putting his arm over me? And then what? You say no to a girl for the first time in your life?" She said.

"It's not like that, Liora," he said, Liora looking visibly worn out.

"I'm tired, and you need time to think," she said, realizing she needed to figure out how to address the situation when asked about it at school. It had all escalated from bad to worse in the blink of an eye.

"No, Rory," Cole said, following her to her door. "Just..." He let out a breath as she looked up at him.

"Hey," both of their heads snapped over to see Jackie. Liora closed her eyes before looking back up at Cole, only then realizing how close they were to each other.

"Later, please. Just later," Liora mumbled before walking into her room and closing the door behind her.