City Lights, Country Nights

42.I do. I understand

Liora's eyes darted around in the darkness of the woods as the rain began to sprinkle down. She stood there, taking deep, slow breaths until she caught sight of lights.

A big sigh of relief washed over her as she watched Cole pull up quickly. She made her way to the car and got in. Liora sat there for a moment as he drove off before looking over at him.

"Thank you for coming to get me," Liora said. Cole just looked forward and didn't say anything. "What? You're not talking to me now?" she asked, still getting no response.

"Cole!" she said. He looked over at her and then back. "You've got to be kidding me," she said, shaking her head while still looking at him.

"Are you mad because of what happened earlier?" Liora asked. "Okay, well, I'm sorry for whatever I did or said that pissed you off," she said as Cole pulled the car over and turned it off before looking at her.

"It's not just about earlier, Rory," Cole said. Liora just looked at him. "We never got to finish our talk because you walked away," he said. Liora looked down. After his speech, he tried to turn it into her going to that café with Alex, though she hadn't told him that she was with what? 4 other people.

"Why are you doing this again, Cole? I don't understand why you have such a problem with me being friends with Alex," Liora said, looking at him. "He's my sister's boyfriend, should we not get along?" she asked.

"Why didn't you call me to get you?" Cole asked. Liora's eyes widened as she looked at him. "You could have called me, but you went with him, sister's boyfriend or not," he said. Liora looked away.

"I was with Jackie, Grace, and 3 other people, Cole," Liora said. "And you really don't want to talk to me about being alone with someone, how about you tell me what you were trying to do with Erin?"

"God, Rory, why do you always go back to Erin?" he said, looking away. "There is nothing there!" he said. Liora shook her head.

"Keep going back to Erin? Nothing there? Cole, you can't be serious right now. Why do you keep going back to Alex?" Liora said, snapping her eyes to him. "Like I can't figure out your problem."

"My problem? What's yours?" Cole lightly hissed.

"You are!" Liora said and closed her eyes. "You can't expect me to just jump to that, Cole. It's how you were with every girl you have been with. You sleep around with all these girls and treat them the way you do, and then you have to start things with Alex, which starts things between me and Jackie. Like, why can't you just say I'm sorry and make up?" she said.

"So I'm the bad guy, right?" he said, looking back at her. "I'm the bad guy because I have been with girls and seen Erin and stole Paige for Alex," he said.

"Just tell me, because I have gotten so many stories from everyone," Liora said. "First it was about Paige, then it was about you two one-upping each other, and then it was you not liking Alex having any kind of relationship with the 'girl of the week.' So just tell me what it is," she said. Cole just looked away. Liora shook her head and moved to open the door, getting out in the pouring rain.

"Rory, what are you doing!?" Cole said as she walked away. "You're going to get lost again, Liora! Get back in the car!" he said, getting out and following her.

"No, Cole, if you don't want to talk, I'm done. I can't do it," Liora said, and kept walking.

"Okay, Rory, just stop!" Cole said. "I didn't steal Paige for Alex, okay? She came on to me, Liora. I was gone for the whole summer. I didn't know," he said. Liora stopped and looked back at him.

"I would have never done it if I would of known I wouldn't of hurt him like that" he said as liora to a small step to him "But Rory, he knows everything. He's aware of every single thing I've done with all the girls. They all do. And the way you act around Erin...Because you know, we had a thing. And now Paige," he said, looking at her as they stood in the pouring rain.

"If he tells you something, you might misinterpret it and jump to conclusions," Cole remarked as Liora came to a halt in front of him. "I don't want others influencing you with twisted versions just because they're upset with me." 

"Cole," liora said, but he cut her off.

"Rory, when I said I wanted to see where things went with us, I really meant it," he said, his gaze dropping to her. "But when I said I wanted it to just be us, I meant everyone - Danny, Isaac, Jackie, Alex, Mom, Dad, Erin, Paige. I didn't want them in it because I didn't want you to judge me based on other people's opinions. People talk, they spread rumors and lies without knowing anything. I wanted you to see me for who I am, not what they say. I wanted the chance to change and show you before anyone else could influence your perception of me."

"Cole, I didn't..." Liora started, but stopped.

"I want you to be friends, Rory. I want you to get along with everyone, I don't care if you have a relationship with him or any of them," Cole said. "But at the bonfire, you were talking to him a lot, and we were arguing. When he threw his arm over your shoulder and you were with other guys, I just... I don't know, Rory. I was pissed off at you and him for doing that. So I said things I knew would make him mad. But when he said to stay away from you, I got even more pissed, so I pushed."

"Cole," Liora said, making him look.

"I thought you, out of all people, would understand," he said. "I guess I was wrong," he said and turned away, but Liora grabbed his arm.

"No, no, Cole, I do. I understand, okay?" Liora said. "I do now, and I'm sorry. You're right, I should have listened to you and not what I have heard," Liora said, looking up into his eyes. "It's my fault, and I'm so, so sorry," Liora said, putting her hand on his face, making him look down at her.

Liora's eyes stayed on his as his hands found her waist and pulled her closer, their lips meeting. Liora's hand moved to the back of his head, pulling him down closer to her.

Liora pulled back, her eyes meeting his, her fingers lightly running over the cut by his eye. She understood now, but still, she didn't think it was a reason to act the way they were toward each other.

Liora had gotten him to talk, and Cole wasn't the bad guy. She should have let him tell her what really happened and not listened to people talk. She had figured it out and was going to try to make it better.