not nothing

8

JUNE 19TH

I smiled to myself as I sat down on the same log as the day before. Something about his words had really stuck with me. I had spent the whole night and day until then thinking about his reasons to despise the upper class. I came to the conclusion that I thought he was almost completely right. He was right about rich people being ungrateful, selfish, and wasteful, but there weren't all like that. I for example also hated the arrogance I was faced with every day by my family and friends, although maybe I didn't count yet because I was too young and still trying to find my way. He was wrong about his assumption about me telling him to stay. My crush on him had been so intense I believed every word he said was the utter truth. If he had told me he was leaving I would have followed him blindly and given up the life I had at the age of 14. Thinking about it rationally, it was probably better he hadn't. Who knows what I would have become. Maybe I would have died due to overdose or ended up homeless because my family kicked me out. Looking at it from that perspective, he was lucky with his parents. They scolded him all the time and they maybe didn't exactly support him, but when he left school at 16 they still left him a home he could come back to and provide all he needed for his life. I'm sure Mallory even slipped him money from time to time.

I buried my feet in the sand again and watched my friends playing tennis further away. I laughed out loud as one of them got hit in the face by a ball once again as I felt my phone vibrating in my pockets. His name made me smile even more.

"I can't believe you actually called", I answered laughing.

"I can't believe I actually freed my schedule to then receive such a lousy greeting", I could hear his smile from the other end of the line.

"Oh my, Mr. Arnolds, now I feel so special and honored", I joked in a high voice.

"As you should, Ms. Livingston", he laughed. "Have you talked to AJ yet?"

"Ah, I knew there was a reason for your call. And I texted him. He won't say anything."

"Cool. Very personal texting him such delicate instructions."

"I did it so I could prove to you, that he actually agrees not to spill the beans."

"Spill the beans? Are you sure you're 18 and not 48?"

"Ha ha", I said unamused. "You know what I mean."

"Sure, Ma'am."

"So are we going to do Smalltalk now or something? You should know I'm really bad at that."

"I do know that, but I think we'll be fine."

"Are you sure? Because I already don't know what to say anymore."

"How about we talk about upcoming events."

"Okay. Are you coming to the Livingston-Arnolds-Dinner tomorrow?"

"No."

"Wow. This is going so great."

I heard him chuckle. "I'm busy. You know, I scheduled my appointment from now to tomorrow evening, so basically I can't come because of this very important call with you right now."

"Excuses! I'd much rather have you there tomorrow when I'll be dying of boredom from our fathers' conversations about real estate and business than now when I'm at the beach with my friends."

"You don't seem to mind talking to me right now instead of them."

"They're playing tennis right now. And I'm just way too good at tennis, so they kicked me off of the field."

He chuckled. "Right."

"That wasn't a joke you prick!", I defended myself but smiled.

"Nevermind. Are you going to these parties at the Crystal Ball next week?"

"Crystal Ball the club?"

"Yes, the club or did you think there was a witch in the city throwing some steamy parties?"

"I don't know if I'm going. Aren't they themed?"

"Yes, I believe one time you dress up as a mythical creature, once in black or white, and then a villain."

"I don't know. I think I don't even have costumes. Will you go?"

"Probably, yeah. Not sure yet if we'll be there all three days, but at least one. I like the idea of telling a little story over the days. You're a mythical creature choosing between the bright and the dark side and then you'll end up a villain."

"What will you wear?"

"I'll probably go as the Erlking for mythical creature. I'm obviously wearing black on day two and then I'll be Voldemort or Grindlewald or something in the end."

"You'd be a cute elf", I teased him with a smirk.

"I know, thanks."

"Now I definitely want to come. Simply to see you in these costumes."

"I wouldn't mind seeing you in stupid costumes either. Now that we're friends again I can respectfully make fun of you."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, we're friends?"

"I thought so, since we started talking again and stuff. I mean we don't have to of course, only if you want to, but I'd love to."

"Of course I want to. But I didn't think you wanted to. You said I remind you too much of your old you."

"You did remind me of my old me, but I feel like you're changing towards being more yourself, right now, and I'm definitely going to be there for you."

"Well, thank you", I smiled. "Now that we're friends I should really apologize for trashing your room the other night. I honestly don't know what demon possessed me to do that. I'm sorry."

He chuckled. "It's fine. I needed the motivation to move my stuff anyway."

"I'm glad I got that off my chest."

"Me too", he responded, although I wasn't sure what he was referring to.

"Goodbye, Liam."

"Goodbye, Bellerose."