It Started With A Bet *Jordan Baker love story*

Chapter 22

(Drug and alcohol use in this one Jems. Also this is Lexi's necklace- that belonged to her mother- that she's always mentioning)

S1 E10

I sat on my couch, staring at the coffee table, fully ready for school, but not attempting to leave my house. I looked to the clock on the wall and read the time. 10:26. I had already told myself I wasn't going to school today, but now I was at an impasse on what I needed to do next. My phone lit up and buzzed as Liv's face appeared on my phone screen for the third time in the last hour. I guess she finally noticed I wasn't at school again. After I let it ring out to voicemail, my phone glowed with all the messages she's sent me.

Liv 💋
Where are you??
Lexi are you ok?
This is the second day you've missed this week please tell me you're fine.
I'm gonna come check on you after school.
????????

I shook my head and stood up. I walked over to my fridge, grabbing the remaining bottle of alcohol, that I had poured over into a less obvious bottle, and shoved it into my bag. I picked up my keys and phone, putting on my bag and pulling up the hood of my jacket to cover my face as I finally left my house.

With my headphones on and a Spotify playlist going, I made a very long and very hot walk to a far part of town. I made occasional stops to cool off in a store or cafe but after about three hours or so of walking I made it to my destination. I stood in front of a bench that was on a sightseeing trail. It overlooked the entire city from here. I sighed and turned to my right, walking along a dirt path through the trees to a makeshift pile of rocks that were painted purple, white and a very soft shade of teal. My mother's favorite colors. I sat in front of the pile, pulling out a picture frame from my bag and placing it in front of the rocks. I reached around my neck and removed the amethyst heart necklace, and clasped it around the frame.

My phone buzzed violently as another call began to ring through. Apparently Do Not Disturb doesn't work as well when the same people call over 10 times. Sighing in anguish and agony, I answered the phone.

"The person you are trying to reach is currently indisposed and wants to be left alone. Please don't try again."

I hung up, my heart aching at the mistreatment I just gave Liv over the phone. She didn't deserve that. As far as rationalizing? 'Nobody was there or cared until I up and disappeared for days. So why should I care?'

I went back to gazing at the photo frame I was setting up after going into settings and disabling all access to notifications, calls, and messages. The frame held a picture of my mom and aunt holding a 3 year old me at the park. The necklace hung around the frame perfectly, mimicking the one my mom wore in the photo, and I removed the bottle of alcohol and the M&M container. I sighed and lifted the bottle up just a bit.

"Here's to one year..." My voice came out hoarse as I opened the bottle and took a drink.

The wind blew the trees softly as I pulled a joint from inside the M&M tube. I grabbed my lighter and lit it, taking a hard pull. As the smoke left my lips, I looked down at the picture, finally feeling tears freely flow from my eyes and down my cheeks. I sat there, silently crying, drinking, and smoking my pain away in solitude.

Liv's POV

I walked into the kitchen where my mom was standing and looking at some paperwork, "Hey mom." I mumbled.

She glanced up and smiled, "Oh hi honey. How was school?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "It was alright I guess. Lexi didn't show up again." I opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water, "And the one time she answered the phone, she like shut me down before I said anything and hung up." I took a couple drinks of water, sighing, "Have you seen her?" I turned to my mom who shook her head, "I'm worried about her."