LILIANA
"Wow, Alex this is amazing." I slowly get down the horse with his help. I've really started to like Alex these past few days. He's really nice. But– just as a friend. And honestly he's the only one nice to me here.

"I was sure you would like it. And besides, I hope your not scared of horses anymore." He gives me a warm smile that I return soon after. "Yeah! I'm not."

As much as I liked it here, I missed Cole. I started avoiding him. It was just too hard. Sure, I've had crushes before but this one hurt. Seeing him with Jackie was only the beginning. They started hanging out all the time after.

Maybe I was just another one of his girls. I feel bad for Erin too. She seemed really sad.

We reach home soon and go up to my room.

"So.. uh you comin' to the bonfire tonight?" Alex asks, making me forget what I was thinking about. "Oh bonfire, right. Sure, I'll come." I was half thinking when I was saying that. "Great, I'm super excited for you to come. We should go together."

"OH yeah sure!" I suddenly got an idea, cause Cole was going to be there with Jackie. Infact– they've been hanging out so much I can't help but wonder, if they are.. well.. I shouldn't make an assumptions but.. I just can't help it.

"Oh, and it's your birthday soon, right?" Alex smiles while giving me a smile, shit yeah. I totally forgot. I nod reluctantly as he comes closer. "Well, I have a surprise for you." He leans in and kisses my cheek.

Where did that come from?

I force a smile. It was weird how when Cole did the simplest things I would feel my legs go numb and my heart threatening to bounce out of my chest but with Alex, even such a big gesture wouldn't make me feel the smallest of things.

Alex the excused him out my room and I just sat. Right there on my bed. Wondering. Wondering about Cole. Does he like me? Is he using Jackie to make me jealous? And more importantly

Do I like him?

☆

"Do you want a drink?" Alex asks me. I could barely make out what we was saying because of the loud music and Jackie's pretentious laugh while talking to Cole. "Lily, hello?" Alex calls out my name, more firmly this time. "Yeah. Yeah sure, another drink." I mumble, my voice carrying obvious jealousy.

"Alrighty! I'll be right back." Alex goes to get me a drink while Cole turns towards me with a smirk on his face. God, that one look on his face can make me sure that this is a horrible idea.

Soon enough, he excused himself from Jackie and made his way up to me. "Flirting with two Howard sisters at the same time is always a bad idea, Cole." I warn him and he fake winces. "Is that what you think I was doing?"

"Yeah, what else would you be doing?" I snap.

He chuckles under his breath.

"God, I shouldn't have come here with Alex in the first place." I glare at him.

"Yeah, why did you come here with him?" His eyes now weren't playful. They were icy. That one look I knew I shouldn't mess with. But let's just say I was feeling a bit tipsy, without alcohol.

"Cole, Sweet Cole. When you think there's obviously nothing between us, why should I think there is? Remember what you used to say as a child? False hopes lead to nothing but doom." I mimic a fake explosion as I attempted to get off my seat but Cole's hands grip on my thighs and push me back.

"What the hell, Cole!" I yell, making everyone turn towards us. Alex rushes, his eyes filled with Hurt when he looks at us. "Oh no you don't." Alex mutters out before rushing towards Alex and punching him on his cheekbone.

Cole laughs before returning a much more powerful hit that sends him on the floor. "Fuck you Cole!" Alex yells.

"What is up with you, God!" Cole yells back.

"You stole EVERYTHING. My Paige, My reputation in the house and now Liliana?!"

"I told you, I didn't know you and Paige were a thing then!"

Paige? What? Whose Paige?

"Yeah, sure. Just.. back off from Liliana." Alex glares at his brother.

"What makes you so sure she even likes you?" Cole asks him. I give him a disapproving look.

"Yeah, how do you not know she's just putting up with your ass, huh?" Cole moves closer to Alex, making him flinch slightly.

"You don't know shit, Cole." Alex barely gets out. "I do, and I do know how Lily-" before he could get out anything Jackie rushes to him and places a hand on his mouth while mouthing 'don't'

You know what? Screw this. I'm not going to become another doll they're going to fight over.