Chapter 125 Her Shield
Liam’s POV
The moment we stepped inside the horror booth, the door closed behind us with a dull thud. The small space instantly felt darker and colder, the dim red lights barely illuminating the narrow path in front of us.
A strange sound echoed somewhere in the darkness, like chains dragging across the floor.
Mia slowed down beside me.
“Why does it suddenly feel colder in here?” she whispered.
I glanced at her and saw the way her eyes moved cautiously around the room.
“You were the one who wanted to try the horror booth,” I reminded her with a teasing smile.
Before she could answer, a loud shriek suddenly blasted through the speakers.
At the same time, a terrifying figure jumped out from the corner.
“Ahhh!”
Mia screamed so loudly that it echoed inside the small booth. In the next second, she quickly wrapped her arms around my arm and pressed herself against my side, using me like a shield between her and whatever was hiding in the darkness.
Her grip tightened around me as if letting go would make the monsters come closer.
I almost laughed.
Not because she was scared, but because the way she clung to me felt strangely sweet.
“Relax,” I murmured, trying to calm her. “It is just part of the attraction.”
But she did not loosen her hold.
Instead, she moved even closer when another creepy sound echoed from the ceiling.
“Liam, I think something is going to jump again,” she whispered nervously.
As if on cue, another figure suddenly appeared from the side.
“Ahh!”
Mia shrieked again and buried her face against my shoulder, practically hiding behind me.
I instinctively placed my arm around her, pulling her slightly closer to keep her steady.
And in that moment, a quiet thought crossed my mind.
Inside this silly horror booth, Mia was using me as her shield from fake monsters.
But somehow, it made me realize something deeper.
In real life, I wanted to be her shield too.
Not just here.
Not just against actors in costumes.
But against everything that might hurt her in the real world.
If there were real monsters out there waiting to break her heart, I wanted to be the one standing between them and Mia.
“Are we almost out?” she asked softly, still holding onto my arm.
I smiled slightly.
“Yeah,” I said. “Just a little more.”
And strangely, I did not mind that she kept holding onto me the entire time. I found myself wishing the day would never end.
Everything about it felt perfect in a quiet, simple way that I rarely experienced in my life. Being with Mia like this made the world feel lighter, as if all the pressure and noise around me had faded into the background. I wanted to hold onto this moment for as long as possible, because I knew that once we left this place, reality would be waiting for us again.
Bringing her here had been my idea. I chose this place carefully because it was far from the city and far from anyone who might recognize us. No reporters. No classmates. No people from my father’s world. Out here, we were just Liam and Mia.
But even as I watched her laughing throughout the day, a small ache settled in my chest. I hated the fact that our relationship had to remain a secret. Mia deserved so much more than that. She deserved someone who could proudly hold her hand in public, someone who could tell the world without hesitation that she belonged with him.
And yet here I was, asking her to hide with me.
The truth was, all I wanted was to show everyone that she was mine.
That the girl who once stood alone while the world turned its back on her was the one who held my heart.
But for now, this was the only way I could keep her safe.
When the sun began to set and the lights around the park slowly flickered on, we finally made our way back to the parking lot. Our steps were slower this time, both of us clearly reluctant to let the day end.
Mia stopped beside the car and looked up at me, her cheeks slightly flushed from all the excitement.
“Thank you, Liam,” she said softly. “I had so much fun today.”
Her smile alone was enough to make my chest tighten.
I let out a small breath and shook my head, feeling warmth spread through me.
“Me too,” I replied gently. “But I should be the one thanking you.”
She looked at me with curiosity, and I reached for her hand without thinking.
“Having you as my girlfriend again… it gives me peace of mind.”
The words slipped out more honestly than I expected.
For a second, Mia simply stared at me. Then her cheeks turned pink, and she quickly looked away, clearly flustered.
And seeing her blush like that made me smile.
Mia must have been exhausted because only a few minutes after we started driving, she quietly fell asleep in the passenger seat. Her head leaned gently against the window, her breathing soft and steady. I glanced at her from time to time while I drove, unable to stop the small smile forming on my lips.
Seeing her like this made something warm settle inside my chest.
She looked peaceful. Calm. As if the weight she always carried had finally lifted, even if only for a moment.
The rest of the ride passed quietly. I did not mind the silence at all. In fact, I enjoyed it. Having her beside me like this felt strangely comforting, like everything was exactly where it was supposed to be.
When we finally reached her apartment building, I slowly pulled the car over and turned off the engine. The sudden quiet filled the car.
For a moment, I simply sat there, watching her.
Part of me hated the idea of waking her up. She looked so comfortable and I knew she must have been very tired after everything we did today.
But at the same time, my stomach growled loudly, reminding me that I had barely eaten all day.
And more than anything, I wanted to have dinner with her.
Reluctantly, I reached over and gently tapped her shoulder.
“Mia,” I murmured softly.
She stirred slightly before her eyes fluttered open. It took her a moment to realize where she was.
“I am sorry,” she said quickly, sitting up straighter. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep while you were driving.”
I chuckled softly.
“Hey, it is okay,” I assured her. “I know you were tired.”
She looked at me for a moment before a small smile appeared on her lips.
“Thank you again for today,” she said sincerely.
I smiled back at her and reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“It was my pleasure,” I said. “And I am glad you had fun.”
I paused for a second before continuing.
“But I am not going home yet. I want to spend more time with you.” I grinned slightly. “And to be honest, I am starving. I was hoping it would be okay if I stayed for dinner.”
Before she could say anything, I quickly added,
“Don’t worry. You don’t have to cook. I will take care of everything.”
Her eyes widened slightly, but she laughed softly.
“Of course you can stay,” she said.
Together, we got out of the car and walked toward her apartment building.
A short while later, we were inside her place. I placed the last batch of food I had ordered on the table, filling every available space.
Mia stared at the table in disbelief.
“Liam!” she exclaimed. “Are you kidding me? How could you order so much food?”
I could not help but laugh at her reaction.
“Well,” I said casually, “I told you I was starving.”
She looked at the table again and shook her head.
“I know, but this is enough food for ten people,” she said.
I simply shrugged my shoulders.
“What if Josh finds you here?” Mia suddenly asked, her expression turning worried. “I am sure he would not believe me if I said we were just having dinner. You know how he is.”
I noticed the concern in her eyes and felt a little guilty for making her worry.
“Don’t worry,” I reassured her gently. “Josh will not be home until midnight, right?”
She nodded slowly.
“And if you want,” I continued, “you can tell Josh the truth. He is your best friend after all.”
I squeezed her hand again.
“And I am confident he would not tell anyone.”
The tension in her shoulders slowly faded, and I could see the relief on her face. For a moment, she simply looked at me. And somehow, that small moment felt more intimate than anything else.