Chapter 39 Liam’s Presence
Mia's POV
"Wow, see that?" Daniel said proudly. "They love you, Mia." My face turned even redder.
The Suncrest Wolves won, and I could not stop shouting and jumping. It was an amazing game, and I had to admit I truly enjoyed it. And it was all because of Liam.
I wanted to wait for him, but I did not want to steal the spotlight from him. His teammates lifted him up after he scored the winning goal, and my chest filled with pride. Still, I knew I had to leave before Daniel could stop me.
To my surprise, both Daniel and Dina walked with me.
"You do not have to come," I said when we reached the bus stop. "You should stay and celebrate with everyone from Suncrest."
"I would rather spend time with you," Daniel said, looking at me.
"Yeah, me too," Dina added.
Daniel smiled at her, and Dina instantly blushed.
That was when I realized it. Dina liked Daniel.
And instead of feeling awkward, I felt excited for them. Dina was a good girl, and she deserved happiness. And Daniel deserved someone better too.
"My mom prepared dinner," Daniel said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I told her ahead of time that you might come with some friends. If you do not feel like going, we can always grab something to eat instead."
I could hear the nervousness in his voice as he waited for my answer.
"Well," I said after a moment, "I actually really want to see your mom."
The relief on his face was instant, and his smile widened.
"Then let us go," he said.
We rode the bus together, the three of us squeezed into a corner seat. That was one thing I liked about Daniel. He was always low key. His father had bought him a car for his eighteenth birthday, but he rarely used it. He never cared about showing off or impressing people.
When we arrived, Mrs. Rodriguez welcomed us with a warm smile and a table full of food.
"Oh, Mia, I am so happy to see you with Dan again," she said cheerfully.
After dinner, I helped her in the kitchen, washing the dishes while Daniel and Dina talked in the living room.
"I am happy to be here again, Mrs. Rodriguez," I said. "Thank you for the delicious meal."
She smiled at me kindly. "From now on, I will be expecting you to come with my son more often. Just like the old times."
I smiled back. "I would love that too, but I have been so busy with school and my part time job that I barely have time to see my friends."
Her face lit up at my words. "I am glad you made time tonight. I really want you to enjoy your life, Mia," she said softly.
When it was time to leave, I hugged Mrs. Rodriguez goodbye. Daniel insisted on driving us home, but the moment we stepped outside, I froze.
Liam was standing in the driveway.
He looked freshly showered, relaxed, and completely out of place there. My heart skipped.
"I am sorry, Dan," Liam said casually. "I really wanted to have dinner with you guys, but Coach insisted we celebrate the win."
I blinked, stunned. They sounded like best buddies now.
"It is okay," Daniel replied easily. "I was happy Mia said yes, and Dina came with us."
"I can drive Mia home," Liam said right away.
I glanced at Daniel and noticed the brief hesitation on his face before he smiled and nodded.
"Of course," he said.
I thanked him, then turned to Dina and hugged her goodbye. As I did, I made a quiet promise to myself. Starting today, I would be her friend. I would protect her in my own way.
Once Liam and I were alone in his car, the silence felt heavy. His familiar scent filled the space, warm and intoxicating, making my thoughts feel hazy.
"Congratulations," I said softly. "You were amazing. You really deserved to be MVP."
"Thank you," he replied. "I was inspired by your presence. Thank you for coming, Mia. It meant a lot to me. Seeing you in the bleachers made me happy. I hope you will come to the next game too."
I smiled, then shook my head gently.
"I do not think so. I do not really have the luxury to watch games, Liam. I need to work."
He sighed and glanced at me, his expression thoughtful.
"I know," he said. "If I could pay you just to watch me play, I would. But I know you, Mia. You would never accept money from me."
He paused, then added more softly, "I just want to take care of you. I want to provide for you. And I hope one day, you will let me do things for you."
Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I looked away, my heart pounding. Because for the first time, his words did not feel like a joke. They felt like a promise.
As I spent more time with Liam, my feelings for him grew deeper, and I could not stop myself from feeling hopeful even though I knew I was out of his league. And since he confessed that he liked me, I had become even more excited to be around him. But I still could not tell him how I truly felt about him.
"Liam? What are you doing here?" I asked, startled to see him sitting at one of the corner tables of the restaurant. I had not even noticed him come in. He was just suddenly there, looking completely out of place, yet entirely focused on me.
He smiled up at me, easy and disarming.
"I'm here for dinner," he said lightly, but there was something softer beneath his tone, something more fragile.
"And of course, I wanted to see you too. That's the real reason," he added, a slow smile curving his lips. His dimples appeared, deep and disarming, sending a familiar flutter through my chest, the kind that always left me breathless.
My heart stuttered. His presence felt like both a surprise and a comfort. I had not expected him, and yet a part of me wanted to believe he came just to see me.
"Can you order for me?" he asked, the corner of his mouth tilting in that familiar half-grin. "You know the bestsellers better than anyone."
I was about to answer when the kitchen doors swung open, and Josh stepped out, his apron tied low around his waist, a tray balanced in his hand.
Liam's smile faltered. His eyes flicked from Josh to me, and his jaw tensed. "He works here too?" he asked, his voice lower now.
I nodded slowly. "Yeah. That's... how we met."
The silence between us thickened. Liam looked away, down at the menu, then back at me. Only this time, his eyes were guarded.
"Right." He pushed his chair back. "I should probably eat somewhere else."
"Liam—" I started, but he was already on his feet.
"It's fine," he said quickly.
And then he left just like that. No goodbye. Not even a second glance. Just the soft chime of the restaurant door as it closed behind him.
I stood there, frozen. I did not follow. I did not speak. My chest ached, and the words tangled in my throat.
What would I even say? That Josh was not really my boyfriend? That I wished Liam had stayed? That seeing him walk away hurt more than I thought it would?
Instead, I turned and made my way to the restroom, my steps shaky, my hands trembling.