ELEVEN

His cheek was pulsating from the impact, but he turned a sharp stare on her. "All that you do to protect him. When will you realize that it is not worth it," he emphasized with narrowed fiery eyes.

His words scored her, and his glare pierced her.

"Is this what you have always thought, Nicky?" She pressed her lips together, eyes glassy. "Is it?!"

He stared back at her.

"You told me you supported and understood me," she feebly whispered. "But right now? The way you look and the way you sound?" She looked up him and down. "You're just like them."

"Do not compare me to Zachary and Betty!" He shouted with a pointed finger.

"Why not?! You're being judgmental, cruel, and heartless just like our parents! And while they may be coldblooded beasts at the very least...." She leaned towards him, seething. "They're not liars! You told me you supported me and that you were there for me, but how can you stand there and say these awful things?! It's like you've never really been here for me or Tommy in the first place!"

"No! I've always been here for you Louise! Do not say that!" He stepped towards her. "Do not!"

"Then why are you being like this, Nickolas! Why?!" She took a stomp forward.

Elizabeth quickly stepped between, trying to settle the simmering feud. "Okay that is enough! Everyone calm down!"

Huffing, Nickolas looked past Elizabeth. "If I didn't care for you Louise, I would not be standing right here for you!"

Louise shook her head, scoffing, "But you can't care for me, Nicky, and not care for the people I care about."

"Stop, stop." Elizabeth defensively held up her hands. "Enough arguing, enough!" She desperately pleaded, bouncing her eyes between the two of them. "Let's be civil everyone."

Louise exhaled while Nickolas briefly rubbed his forehead.

"Now, I want to know what's going. Louise, is what Nickolas said true? Are you really 750 thousand dollars in debt?"

Louise looked away with a sharp frown. She was reluctant to speak as she sniffled. "...Yes. It's true. Tommy and I are in a bad situation. We owe some very bad people money, and if we don't pay it off soon, well?" Her lips trembled as she breathed heavily. "I don't think good things are going to happen." She finished with a mutter, tears glistening in the corner of her eyes.

Elizabeth deeply sighed with a pained wince. "So...so what? You...." She paused to dryly smack her lips. "Well, you came here to ask me for money?" She placed a hand on her chest, peering with wide eyes.

"...Yes. I came here to ask you for money." She quietly nodded in defeat.

"And-and you?" Elizabeth turned to Nickolas. "You knew too?"

He ran a hand through his slick hair. "I did, yeah."

Elizabeth cast her eyes downwards, trying to process what was happening. "Okay." She exhaled, her chest growing heavy the longer she grasped the situation. "...So, all that about missing me and wanting to catch up for old time's sake was just...a cover?"

"N-No, Liz, I just---."

Elizabeth held up her hand, meeting her friend's eyes. "---Please just be honest, Louise," she firmly said, with a unbreakable glare.

"Well." She gulped, looking away. "Of course, I wanted to see you, but also...? I mean, Tommy and I are in a bad, Liz. We really need the money and---."

"So you came to me for money," Elizabeth stressed.

"Well, no, Liz it's not like that. Please, don't think it's like that. You're still my friend and I still love you no matter what happens, but I am situation where I just need to---."

Without another word, Elizabeth stormed off, pushing through the water to get to the shore. Louise tried to go after her, but she quickly took to running.

"Elizabeth!"

She heard Louise calling her name, but she didn't stop.

SLAM!

Elizabeth slammed her room doors shut. She was breathing heavily and sporadic. Her heart was hammering and her chest thumping. She stomped through her room, soaking the carpet with her dripping wet undergrown.

Betrayal.

That was all she felt. She couldn't stop her jumbled thoughts from thinking on it, and it was making her cook with frustrations.

"Ma'am?" There was a knock at the doors. "Is everything alright?" She heard Gretchen's voice beyond the door.

"Leave me be, Gretchen!" Elizabeth shouted with a shriek.

"As you request, ma'am."

She heard footsteps pacing away.

Gripping her fists, she went in circles around her room. She scrunched her lips together, a sour disgusted look pruning her face. Her chest was moving up and down as she fought to calm her breathing and contain her anger.

She wanted to scream or hit something.

But she couldn't. All she could do was walk around in circles, upset and livid.

Was she being dramatic? She wondered as she huffed.

Perhaps she was. After all, running away like that?

If she thought sensibly on it, it wasn't like they had robbed her or explicitly lied to her. Not truly.

They didn't even do anything besides asking for money.

Even more, what was she expecting anyways? They had not kept in contact and been true to each other like friends. As the years passed, she left herself fade from Louise's life and Louise did the same for her.

As for Nickolas? She wasn't sure what she wanted to conclude about him.

But she knew it was silly to be so angry over it, and felt so childish for running away.

She continued circling, this time, now starting to chew her nails.

Despite that all, she couldn't stop herself from feeling awful---foolish and dumb.

She felt like they had treated her like some sort of last-ditch effort for money. She thought they meant more than to each other. But perhaps, all those years really did change them.

Perhaps they weren't really friends anymore.

Perhaps, the alcohol and exciting rush of it all, got them caught up in a fantastical dream...an illusion of their past lives.

And perhaps, they all just wanted to believe in a time when they were all young, carefree, and happier.