Life is Liz (LiL, #1)

Chapter 15: Part 1: Cookies, Pizza and Taylor Swift

Play Holy Ground by Taylor Swift at the cookie scene. You'll know.

Enjoy!

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Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination. -Mark Twain

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"What are you guys doing here?" Jeremy asked groggily, rubbing at his eyes. Who were these people? Well, Jeremy certainly seemed to know them. Though I still felt creeped out by them watching us sleep. And....wait, had the girl taken pictures?

"We picked Hayles up from school," the girl answered, eyes fixed on me. I felt extremely uncomfortable under her stare although she was smiling. But hey who could blame her? I was the stranger who slept with somebody she knew, rolled frantically out of bed and was sitting clumsily on the dark wooden floor. Not to forget that Hayley seemed to know and like me, seeing how she was clutching on to me. So, they're as confused as I am.

Then, as if reading my mind, the girl extended her hand towards me. "Hey, I'm Danielle, Jordan's girlfriend."

I managed a small smile, shaking her hand. "Hey, I'm Liz." Hayley was now sitting on my lap, sort of side hugging me.

"Oh, I know who you are," the guy, Jordan, began. "You are the girl from the party!" he broke into a smile.

I pointed at him. That's why he seemed so familiar. He was there last year. "And you're the guy from the party." He laughed. "Jordan, right? Jeremy's cousin?" I hesitantly asked, smiling uneasy.

He nodded. "Yep, that's me."

"What party?" Danielle asked confused but also... jealous?

"Jere's birthday party."

Her hands went to her hips. "You told me that I couldn't come because it was a guy thing."

Jordan scratched the back of his head. "Well..." he trailed off. Uh-oh, I sensed a fight coming on.

"Actually it was. I was the only girl there. And I was only invited because I've known Jere since freshman year and because I helped plan that thing," I explained.

Her face relaxed. "And you've been friends ever since?" I nodded. Behind me, on the bed Jere groaned.

"Liz, it's nice that you've found another girlfriend and all. But could you continue this convo somewhere else?" I blushed and turned to hit him with a pillow. It landed with an 'omph' on his face. Hayley burst out laughing as her brother groaned.

"Jerk," I muttered under my breath.

"I like her already," I heard Danielle, not so subtle, say as she controlled her laughter.

"Why are you here, anyways?" Jordan asked.

Jere groaned. "Liz?" I knew that he wanted me to explain everything to them, because he was well,... however you feel after drinking and puking. Exhausted, I suppose. But I really didn't want to be the person, declaring Jere's personal problems to people I didn't even know. But I did it anyways. Because I knew that he needed me. And I wasn't one to refuse to help.

"I'll explain everything downstairs." The two nodded. Hayley was eager to come with us, but I stopped her, knowing that she shouldn't hear this about her brother. Jeremy was her hero. And I certainly didn't want to ruin that. I didn't want to do something that could hurt him.... Again. "Hayles, how about you keep an eye on your brother for me while I'm gone?" I asked her with a smile.