City Lights, Country Nights

44.Are you high?

Liora sat in her room, slowly working on her assignment. She was determined to do it on her own without asking for help. However, her concentration was interrupted when her phone buzzed, her eyes moved to see a call from Kylie. Furrowing her brow, she answered.

"Hello?" Liora greeted.

"Hey Rory, can you come down here?" Kylie's urgent voice came through the line, prompting Liora to set her work aside.

"To your work?" Liora inquired, moving to the edge of her bed. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, but hurry before he wants to leave," Kylie responded, adding, "And don't bring anyone else, please," before abruptly ending the call.

Puzzled, Liora stared at her phone. How was she going to get there without someone to drive her? She couldn't simply take the car with just her permit.

She walked slowly out of her room, making her way down to the kitchen to find George and Will. She believed they were about to go out.

"Hey, Rory," Will said with a smile. Liora rubbed her lips together. "You okay?" he asked, noticing the look on her face.

"I need to... um, use the car for a... personal errand," Liora said, causing George to raise his eyebrows.

"Well, you can't really drive the car by yourself yet," he said. "What is it you need?" he asked. Liora looked down, feeling the need to think of something, anything to tell them. Her eyes snapped back up to George.

"I... started my period," Liora said, causing Will to avert his gaze and George's eyes to widen slightly. "And I don't have... tampons, so," she said, looking at them.

"I, um, well, we..." he started but stopped, looking as if he really didn't know what to do. Liora had to stop herself from laughing.

"Well, Katherine's not here," she cut him off. "I know, but I really need some because it's like," Liora said, moving her hands in a downward motion. This was embarrassing, so whatever Kylie wanted better be good. "I promise to be careful; it's just I don't want a whole band of boys with me when I get them," she said. George let out a breath and looked at Will, who hadn't looked up.

"We can... drop you off," George said. Liora nodded.

"I'll have someone pick me up, Grace or Kylie," she said, nodding as she turned to the door and walked out, shaking her head. She wouldn't be able to look at them again.

The car ride was very awkward, and when they pulled up to the small store, Liora jumped out and walked away as they drove off. When Liora couldn't see them, she turned away from the store and walked until she made it to Kylie's workplace and walked in.

Liora's eyes moved around until they found Kylie, who pointed over to the side, making Liora look to see Cole sitting at a table by himself, acting weird.

Liora walked over to him, making Cole look up at her. "Rory, there you are," he said. Liora raised her eyebrows as she looked at him, then she smelled it.

"Cole, are you...?" she said, her eyes moving over his face and eyes. Oh no, there was no way. "Are you high?" she asked. Cole smiled at her.

"I have been thinking about us, Rory," he said. Liora shook her head and grabbed his arm.

"Come on, get up," she said, pulling him up as he looked at her. "Cole, come on," she said. He smiled again.

"You want to talk me out already?" he said, making Liora's eyes wander. How much did he smoke? "Well, it's a good thing I got the car," he said, pulling out the keys that she snatched from him as she pushed him to the door before turning to Kylie.

"Thank you," Liora said. Kylie nodded as Liora walked out and to the car where Cole was. "Are you out of your mind?" she said, looking at him as she started the car.

"I thought we were going to-" Liora cut him off.

"No, Cole, we are not," she said and drove off, shaking her head.

"Anyways, I think I want to label us," Cole said. Liora just rolled her eyes. Did he think this was funny? Because it wasn't. "Are you mad at me?" he asked, as she just looked forward.

"How come you don't want to?" Cole asked. Liora let out a breath as she kept driving. "Oh... have you... never? You know?" he asked. Liora's head snapped to him with a look of shock.

"Cole, shut the hell up!" Liora hissed as she looked back to the road. She couldn't believe him right now. There was no way she was going to talk about this with him while he was high.

"Oh! There's no way, Liora, you have never?" Cole asked. Liora looked back at him, holding the wheel tighter. "Ever? Like at all?" he asked. Liora just stayed quiet.

"Rory, no wonder you're so moody," he said.

"Cole, shut up," Liora hissed.

"You don't even know what you're missing out on," Cole said.

"I'm telling you, stop," she said.

"If I would have known, I might have let you have it when you were drunk. It would have hurt less," he said.

"Cole, I didn't do anything to you when I was drunk!" Liora said, looking at him, then back to the road. "Just sit there and be quiet," she said. He did, but only for a moment.

"We can do it now," Cole said. Liora licked her lips.

"You're about to walk the rest of the way," Liora said, driving down the gravel road. Cole laid his head on the window.

"You know I want to be with you, right?" Cole mumbled. Liora just kept driving as her jaw clenched.

"Tell me that when you're sober," Liora said back as she stopped in front of the house. "I would go straight to your room if I were you," she said. Cole looked down before getting out and walking inside.

Liora leaned her head on the wheel and let out a deep breath before turning off the car and getting out, walking inside, throwing the keys on the table, and walking up the stairs. But she stopped when Cole was standing at the top.

"Cole, go to bed," Liora said, stopping next to him as she looked up at him. Cole let out a breath as his eyes found her.

"I'm sorry," he said. Liora shook her head; he must be sobering up.

"Good night, Cole," Liora said, walking back into her room and sitting on her bed with a huff as she grabbed her work.