Chapter 36 Messier
Liam's POV
After practice, I drove back to the restaurant parking lot. I wanted nothing more than to stay. Part of me wished I could sit there in the shadows, watching through the tall windows as the night dragged on and Mia moved through it, one tired step at a time.
Maybe I could walk her home. Make her laugh. Maybe just catch her eyes and feel like, for a second, I mattered to her.
But I could not, not when Mia had someone she called her boyfriend. And the worst part was that Josh was not just anybody. He was my brother's best friend. My friend too.
That made everything messier. I did not want to cross lines. I did not want to be the reason things got complicated. Mia was already balancing too much. Late night shifts. Bills she never complained about. Invisible wounds she stitched together quietly.
The last thing she needed was me hovering at the edges of her world, wanting things I had no right to ask for.
So I stayed in the car and watched the restaurant lights flicker across my windshield like ghosts I could not shake.
I could see her through the glass. Her hair tied back. Her apron tight around her waist. Her shoulders slumped in a way most people would not notice.
But I did.
She smiled at a customer as she handed over a tray, but I saw the truth in her eyes. She was tired. Not just physically tired, but tired in the way that made your soul ache.
I hated that I could not do anything about it. I wanted to fix everything. I wanted to tell her she was not alone. But none of that mattered. She had someone now. She had Josh.
And I had to respect that. So eventually, I started the engine and pulled away.
The city passed me in flashes. Headlights. Neon signs. Groups of people laughing like they belonged somewhere. I felt detached from all of it, like I was driving through someone else's life.
I held the steering wheel like it was a lifeline, like maybe it could anchor me. But my chest felt like it was splitting open, one invisible thread at a time.
Not from jealousy, but from knowing she was the only one who ever made me feel like home. And I did not belong to her.
By the time I reached the house, it looked as hollow as I felt. A mansion with perfect symmetry. A manicured lawn. Too many windows showing nothing but silence inside.
My parents were out of the country again. Business meetings. Galas. Networking events stretched across time zones. They had sent a message earlier, smiling in front of some marble staircase like they had everything figured out.
I replied with a thumbs up emoji I did not mean.
I did not get out of the car right away. I sat there with the engine off. My phone buzzed once, but I did not check it. It was not Mia. It would not be.
She had someone else to text goodnight. And even though I could still hear her voice in my head, I could not bring myself to call her.
So I stayed there, quiet and hollow, letting the loneliness settle around me like fog. Because even in a house with fifteen rooms, I had never felt more alone than I did that night. Not when the one person who made me feel seen belonged to someone else.
I had been excited to see her that morning. I thought maybe the day would be different.
Instead, I heard the girls go after her again. I caught every sharp word, every cruel laugh. My first instinct was to step in right away. I wanted to stop it before it went any further.
But I held back. I waited since I wanted to hear Mia's comeback. I wanted to see her stand her ground the way she usually did. She always found a way to respond, calm and strong, even when they tried to tear her down.
This time, she barely reacted. I could see it in her eyes. The exhaustion from the night before still clung to her. She looked drained, like she did not have the strength to fight back today.
I did not expect them to cross that line.
When Trish stepped in front of her and blocked her way, I saw it happen in a heartbeat. Mia stumbled. She almost fell to the ground.
I moved without thinking. I jumped forward and caught her just in time, my hands steadying her before she hit the floor.
And that was when I knew I could not stay silent anymore.
"Seriously?" My voice came out low, tight with anger. "What was that?"
They froze.
Belle's smile disappeared. Trish stepped back, her eyes wide. Chloe stood there with her mouth slightly open, speechless for once.
"Are you okay?" I asked as I steadied Mia gently.
My touch was not possessive. It was protective and reassuring. She swallowed and gave the smallest nod, barely able to meet my eyes. She was trying not to cry. Not here.
But I was not done.
"You think that is funny?" I said, turning to the three of them. My voice stayed calm, but there was steel beneath it. "Do it again and I swear—"
"You are defending her?" Chloe snapped, her eyes flashing. "Seriously, Liam. Over her?"
I turned to her slowly.
"Yes," I said. "Over her."
The silence that followed was heavy.
They did not know what to do with me standing there between them and the girl they had spent years tearing down.
Shock twisted their faces. Jealousy and rage were written all over them.
Chloe's hands curled into fists. Belle looked ready to explode.
Beside me, Mia's fingers trembled, but she lifted her chin. Her back slowly straightened, like she was shedding a weight she had carried alone for too long.
I took Mia's hand and did not let go until we reached our classroom.
When the teacher walked in, the entire class went quiet. Not a word. Not even a whisper. I knew the silence would not last. It never did. They were only waiting for the right moment to start again.
But as Mia sat there, I stayed beside her. Calm and steady. Like I was telling her without saying a word that she was not alone anymore.
"You did not have to do that," Mia said softly later, finding me at her usual spot. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "You do not need to save me."
I looked up at her, my expression warm but firm. "I wanted to," I said. "You are my friend. Right?"
Her cheeks flushed as she nodded, and something in my chest tightened at the way her heart seemed to stumble over that word.
"Thank you, Liam. I really meant it," she said softly.
I smiled, then reached into the paper bag and handed her a neatly packed lunch.
"You do not have to thank me," I said. "I should have spoken up the first time I heard them talking about you. But you always held your head high. Honestly, it amazed me. You were stronger than I expected."
I paused, then added quietly, "But today, I could not just sit back. I am not going to let them keep hurting you. Not while I am around."
And this time, when she took the lunch from my hands, her fingers brushed mine. Neither of us pulled away.