The Broken Girl and The Golden Boy

Liv and Ian Push Me Off a Cliff

Chapter 26: Justin

By Sunday, the high from winning the state championship had just about worn off. At least it had for me. My friends, on the other hand, were a different story. That was why I ended up in the backseat of Ian's SUV that afternoon, headed out to Cecil Lake for a cliff-diving party. Which is apparently a thing.

I had spent most of the ride alternately checking my phone and staring out the window and generally pissing Liv off.

"HELLO?! Earth to Justino!" she said loudly, waving a hand in front of my face.

"Huh?" I murmured back, "What is it, Liv?"

"I was asking if you had heard from Pia," she replied, "But I'm guessing from your general spaciness that you haven't and you're worried."

"Did you invite her?" I asked, perking up slightly at the possibility.

"No, when I invited Esteban... you know, an hour ago," she responded with a sigh, "He said that she and Elena were doing something. He sounded pretty disappointed himself."

"I'll bet," I grumbled.

"About Elena, hombre de las cavernas," Liv rolled her eyes, "Esteban is not interested in Pia and she's not interested in him. She's into you. I don't know why you can't see that."

"She told me she wanted to be friends," I mumbled. I braced myself for Liv's trademark jabs and endless digs from the rest of my friends, but Ian, Liv, and Lindsey all just exchanged knowing glances and went back to what they were doing. Which for Liv was talking to me.

"Trust me, Justino," Liv said firmly, "She likes you. She's just... scared to."

"Okay, Liv," I muttered. I wanted to believe her, but I was the one who had heard Piper tell me she wanted to be friends. I was the one that was there.

"So," Lindsey said, changing the subject, "Did you guys hear the story about that girl, Lisa, who died at the lake a couple years back? She tried to dive off Devil's Peak and got crushed on the rocks at the bottom."

"Really? I heard she was pushed over by her jealous lover... what was his name?" Liv replied, "Garrett or something?"

"Where do you get your information, Liv?" Ian said, making a disgusted noise, "Her boyfriend, Garrett, found her after she fell. When the cops came to answer the noise complaints, he refused to let anyone come near her body. It got to the point where they had to sedate him and physically pull him off of her. He kept shouting, 'Come back, Lisa, I love you!' over and over. It's a tragic story... not some twisted soap opera bullshit."

"Well, you know Liv," I contributed, "She loves to make things into her shitty Spanish soaps. Why else do you think she would give us all Spanish nicknames?"

"That..." Lindsey blinked, "Makes perfect sense." Ian nodded in agreement.

"Are you kidding me?" Liv said, looking appalled.

"Just think about it for a second," Ian said.

"I don't..." Liv paused for a second, "Huh... maybe I do. That would explain why my mom always wants to know what we were up to at school today."

"Wow," Lindsey joked, "Our lives are better than TV."

"I always wanted to be on a sitcom," I said dryly.

"Oh!" Lindsey asked, "Does she ship Justin and Piper?"

"No..." Liv cleared her throat awkwardly, "Actually, she came up with totally different ones."