Chapter 25 #2
Well, that was fast. Sometimes I hate cell phones and modern technology. I say nothing, so Hailey pipes in. “Yes, it did. Ryder, what are you going to do about it?”
“I’ll deal with it.” I can hear the anger in his voice when he says it.
“We’re on our way, Liz. Hales, take her back out to the car and wait for us.
“On it.”
“I love you, baby. Everything’s going to be okay. Be there soon.”
“Okay.” I reply and he hangs up.
“Come on, sis. Let’s go wait for your boys.”
I miss Liz this morning, but I understand. Maria has been ignoring her, and Liz wants to find out why.
“Can I get you guys anything else?” our waitress, Pauline, asks us.
“Could you bring a black coffee and bag up a cinnamon scone to go, please?” I order Liz's favorites so I can take it to her. If she’s already eaten, she can save the scone for lunch. I know she’ll drink the coffee immediately.
“Sure can, hon. Be right back.”
Julien is sitting next to me today, and Ryder is sitting across from me. “So hot topic for the day. I know you broke up with Maria and all, but what gives?”
“Wasn’t going anywhere so broke up with her. End of story.”
Julien pours syrup over his French toast. “So why is she ghosting Liz?”
Ryder rubs his hand over his face and scratches his head. “Beats the heck out of me.”
“I thought things were going good with you two,” Julien says with his mouth full of food.
“I always thought she was a bit odd. Too loud and obnoxious for me,” I tell him. “No offense.”
“None taken.”
“What gives then? Did you cheat on her? She cheat on you? People usually don’t break up for no reason.”
“No, I didn’t cheat on her, Jay. You know me better than that, man.”
The waitress drops off my to-go order and Julien pays the check.
Ryder crumples up his napkin and throws in on the table. “She was getting clingy and wanting more. I couldn’t give it to her.” He flicks his gaze at me then away. “She started saying stuff about Elizabeth and I got fed up with all of it, so I dumped her.”
“What did she say about Liz?” I literally growl out, because no one, not even her friends, should dare speak badly about my girlfriend if they know what's good for them.
“Nothing I’m going to repeat to you because I know you’ll just fly off the handle.”
All three of our phones go off with a notification.
“Of course I’m going to fly off the handle when it comes to anyone hurting my girl.”
“I didn’t want things to be weird between Elizabeth and Maria, so I tried to end things as amicably as I could.”
“I think that would be an epic fail then,” Julien exclaims, looking at his phone.
“What?” Ryder and I both say.
“Check your phones. We need to go.”
A video has been posted on one of the student's social media sites and shared with all of us with the hashtags #nolongerfriends #theotherwoman #sayitisntso. Ryder and I must have hit play at the same time on our phones because we hear Maria’s voice in stereo.
When we get to the end, we hear Maria say, “That’s fine with me.
We’re no longer friends Liz," and then Liz crying.
I call Liz.
“Hey.” She sounds broken.
“Are you at school right now?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m with the guys at Ruby’s. You’re on speaker. Please tell me what we just saw did not happen.”
Hailey’s voice comes on. “Yes, it did. Ryder, what are you going to do about it?”
“I’ll deal with it,” Ryder tells her. He looks pissed.
“We’re on our way, Liz. Hales, take her back out to the car and wait for us.”
“On it.”
“I love you, baby. Everything is going to be okay. Be there soon.”
“Okay.”
“Jules, let’s go. Ryder, fix this mess,” I demand of him. “If you don’t reign in your ex, I will. Maria is not going to mess with Liz because you broke up with her.”
Ryder says nothing and jumps in his car and drives off.
Julien takes the coffee and scone from me so I can drive. “Liz must be devastated. What has gotten into Maria? How could she say those things to Liz?”
“Who are you texting?” I ask him when his fingers start flying over his phone.
“Elijah. He and Liz are close. I’m rallying the troops. She’s going to need us.”
“Good idea. See if he can come over tonight. I’ll pick up Liz from work and bring her to the house. We can order pizza or something and watch a movie. All of us.”
“E says yes, he’ll be there. I told him to drop by at seven.”
We arrive at school and park next to Liz and Hailey’s car. Liz is sitting in the passenger seat, eyes closed. Ryder’s car is already there, but he’s nowhere in sight. Hopefully, that means he’s gone inside to talk to Maria.
I jog around the car and open Liz’s door. “Hey, baby doll.” I reach out and caress her face. Her eyes are a bit puffy and red from crying, but she’s still the most beautiful girl in the world.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she says with relief and turns her face into my hand.
“Come here, princess. It’s going to be alright.”
I pick her up and sit down with her on the parking lot gravel.
I cup her neck and wrap my other arm around her back and hold her.
I whisper how much I love her over and over again into her ear as I kiss the side of her face.
Once I feel her relax and her breathing even out, I pull back to assess her.
“Better?”
“Yes, much better. Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” This time I bring her in for a real kiss, a slow kiss, one that is gentle and soothing.
“I’m so sorry she yelled at you. Ryder is taking care of things now. She shouldn’t have said what she did.”
“I just feel like it’s my fault. Perhaps I wasn't as a good a friend as I should've been to her.”
“No baby. You were a great friend. She should be ashamed of herself. I hope for your sake she apologizes. My first concern right now is taking care of you. If she wasn’t a girl, I would've already found her and punched the crap out of her.”
Liz gives a slight chuckle. “What is it with boys thinking everything can be solved with their fists?”
“They can’t? News to me.” I tighten my grip under her thighs. “Hold on, baby. This ride’s about to get bumpy.” I stand up with Liz still wrapped around me and start walking toward school.
“What are you doing? Jayson, put me down before someone sees us.” Julien and Hailey are following behind us, Hailey’s carrying Liz’s shoulder bag.
“Would you prefer caveman style?”
“Absolutely not. I think one video with me in the starring role is enough for today.”
“Oh, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”
I kiss her as I walk us into the school building. There are catcalls and whistles going up all around us. Liz giggles and smiles against my mouth but doesn’t protest me carrying her anymore. I’m glad I could put a smile on her face. Julien hands her the coffee we brought from Ruby’s.
“You can put me down now. Caffeine comes before kisses.”
I kiss her again, hard. “Keep telling yourself that, princess.”
I thank Hailey for watching out for Liz and we head to our first period class, still no Ryder in sight. He rushes in at the last second before the tardy bell, so I don’t get to ask him what happened with Maria. I shoot off a quick text to him and Julien.
Me: We’re rallying the troops for Liz. Our house tonight at 7.
Ryder: Will be there.
Julien: E’s coming too. Let’s get Hailey and Brea in on it.
Ryder: Will text Brea later.
Me: Don’t want Liz upset anymore so no talking about Maria in front of her. R, did you talk to her?
Ryder: Yeah. Didn't go well. Will tell u about it later when Elizabeth isn’t around.
Julien: I have soccer practice after until 5. Meet at bleachers then?
Me: I don’t have to get Liz until 6. Sounds good to me.
Ryder: Got it.