Chapter Twenty-Two

The next morning, things between Liam and I are definitely different, but they have also somewhat remained the same. I woke up in a very good mood, still overjoyed by last night. However, Liam appeared calm, almost uncaring, but there was a spark in his eyes that told me that he was still happy too.

“Liam, how do you do this?” I question him, pointing at a problem in my college textbook.

He stares at me as if someone had just slapped him in the face. “What’s the point in trying to learn it now? You’ve missed almost every class since the start of the semester!” His voice filled with bafflement.

“Well… If I can pass, then I won’t have to worry about retaking the course next year.”

Staring at me, the crease in his forehead began to show. “You really don’t know when to fold do you?”

“Nope.”

He smiles at my determination.

At breakfast, Mrs. Hall couldn’t stop smiling and she couldn’t keep her eyes off of Liam and me. She was enjoying seeing her son happy; finally admitting that he was in love with me.

My dad, on the other hand, was not so thrilled. While I’m sure he was happy for me, in some way, he still hasn’t forgiven him for all the pain he has put me, along with himself through.

“Well, we better get going or we are going to be late,” Liam says to me, getting up from the kitchen table.

“Okay,” I reply happily, getting ready to leave with him.

It was a beautiful day outside. The sun shone brightly in the sky as the birds chirped merrily in the trees. It was a normal, cliché sunny day with hardly a cloud in the sky. Or maybe it just appeared that way because I was so happy? Either way, I was enjoying it.

The walk to school went by quickly. Maybe because I couldn’t stop smiling? Is it possible for someone to have fun even though they are just walking with the person they love? When we made it to school, Liam and I entered the campus while holding hands. The first person to notice us arriving was Ember.

“What are you doing?” She questions us, staring intently.

“What do you mean?” I question. “We walked to school together.”

Her face contorts, glaring at me. “What? Do you think you’re Mrs. Popular now because you somehow weaseled Liam into thinking he may like you?” She scoffed. “As if anyone could love someone who is as ditzy as you. Who would want to be seen with someone with a cracked face—“

“Ember!” Liam stares at her, eyes burning. “That’s enough of your nonsense. Be nice to Bree, or I won’t speak to you again.”

Ember crosses her arms, letting out a little, “Hmph!”

He rolls his eyes and starts to walk, leaving me behind with Ember.

“I liked him better when he would say mean things about you…” She started. “Don’t think this changes anything! Liam could still be mine!” Ember continued, flipping her hair over her shoulder before spinning around and walking after him.

Instantly, I became angry and jealous.

“Hey!” Dawn greets happily.

“Oh, hi,” I say, annoyed.

“What’s wrong with you?” She replied, slightly insulted.

“Ember.”

“Oh… Well, forget about her. You didn’t call me last night!” Dawn continued, flicking her pointer finger in my face.

“Yeah… about that. A lot of things happened.”

“Like what?”

“I can’t really talk right now,” I respond, looking at my phone. “I need to get to class.”

“Hey! You can’t just tempt me with a lot of things happened,’ and then just expect that I will let you leave!”

“I’m sorry! I need to go,” I apologized, running toward class. “Bye!”

Once I made it to class, I still felt jealous and a bit mad about what Ember had said. But, luckily for me, as soon as I entered the classroom, Liam sat right beside me. The look on Ember’s face made me crack a smile. Just by him sitting next to me, those negative emotions left.

After our class, Liam and I walk outside of the classroom together.

“What class do you have next?” I question him.

“Normally, I don’t have a class right now. But because I am going into the medical field, there is a CPR training class that I am required to take. It’s scheduled for today and starts soon,” He explains. “I figured I might as well get it out of the way. Where do you have to be? I’ll walk you.”

“My next class isn’t for another two hours,” I respond sadly.

“Oh…” He replies. “The CPR class is 45 minutes long.”

“I’ll wait in the courtyard for you,” I reply with a smile. “I usually just spend that time there anyway.”

Liam stares at me.

“What?” I question, confused by his gaze.

“Nothing… You just surprise me is all.”

“Ok?” That didn’t really clarify anything.

He smiles. “It’s nothing. I’ll see you later,” He says, kissing me on the forehead.

When Liam leaves, I decide to go find a bench to sit at for nearly an hour. I should be studying, but who can study when there is a plethora of different games on your phone now? So, instead of spending my time wisely, as I should have, I played meaningless games on my phone.

“Are you still waiting for your next class?” Someone says while I play on my phone, barely noticing that a person was talking to me.

“Yeah,” I reply, prying my eyes away from my phone just long enough to see who was talking to me. My eyes are now stuck on him. “Chad…” I choked. How did I forget about him so quickly? Guilt consumed me as I look at him. Yet, anger and fear took a hold of me too. I was in such high spirits ever since last night, that I had forgotten about Chad completely.

He gives me a faint smile. “I wanted to apologize to you about last night…” Shame filled his eyes as he began to speak. “I’m deeply sorry for the way I treated you.”

I know I needed to tell him about what happened between Liam and me. But right now doesn’t seem like the right time. Is it?

“What did you do exactly?” Liam’s voice questioned from behind her. His voice sounded angered.

Oh no! Why? Just why? I ask myself nervously. This is not going to end well.

“This is none of your business, Liam,” Chad states annoyed, while not breaking eye contact with me. “This is between me and my girlfriend.”

I became more anxious as Liam looks down at me questioningly.

Looking back at Liam, I desperately say to him, “I haven’t had a chance to tell him yet.”

“Tell me what?” Chad questions awkwardly, getting the feeling that it wasn’t good news.

I stand up from the bench. My palms become sweaty and shaky as I try to grasp the right thing to say. I am growing more and more nervous because I know how bad this situation is going to end. Because I knew all too well how much it hurts for the person you love to reject you. And now, here I am having to do it.

“What did you not have time to tell me?” Chad asks again, losing his nerve.

Liam came up behind me, wrapping his arm around my waist. “Last night, after Bree came home, she told me that she had plans to move out.”

“A-after I met with you… After what happened…” I couldn’t look Chad in the eyes. I couldn’t finish the sentence of what he did. “Liam and I are together now…”

Chad appeared as though he just had the wind knocked out of him. Pain, anger, and betrayal filled his eyes as he stared at me in disbelief. “Seriously?”

I look down at my feet, feeling more guilty.

Then he turned his attention on Liam. “Are you playing games with her?” He questions angrily, stepping closer to Liam.

Liam stood, unphased by his demeanor.

“Do you think that after everything you’ve put her through that you can make her happy? Do you really believe that you can erase all of the harsh things you’ve said and done to her?” Chad questions vehemently.

Liam remained bored with Chad’s words.

“Don’t you think you’ve done enough damage? She now has a permanent scar on her forehead because of you!”

“Chad, stop it!” I yelled on the verge of tears. “Just stop it! You have no right speaking to him about hurting me. Not after last night!”

Chad stopped with his jaw clenched. Then he turned away from us, “Fine,” he faces us again, “But I will say this. Liam, you don’t deserve her. Bree deserves someone better than you or me, for that matter,” He takes another step closer to Liam. “You may have her now, but she will forever be in my heart.”

At these words, I noticed Liam’s expression change from stone cold and unwavering to anger and jealousy.

“And if you make her cry, you’ll be sorry.” Chad finished, glaring at Liam before storming off in a huff.

“I’m sorry about all of that…” I begin slowly. The immense amount of guilt I felt didn’t subside, but I also felt more at ease. Because I saw Liam get jealous, I knew that his words from last night were sincere.

“You shouldn’t be sorry,” He replies through clenched teeth.

“It’s my fault it happened. I should’ve told him about us sooner,” I continued.

“That was going to happen regardless,” Liam states, calming down.

“A lot has happened between last night and now. I completely forgot about Chad…” I explain further.

“It’s okay,” He reassures, taking my hand and sitting down with me on the bench. “But there is something that I want to know.”

“What?” I ask curiously.

“Why was he apologizing to you? What did he do?” Liam’s voice grew concerned. “You said that he hurt you.”

“Oh…” I stopped for a moment, thinking of what to say. “It’s nothing to worry about…”

“Bree?”

“It’s really nothing.” I continue, knowing that Liam would only be furious if I told him what had happened at the park last night. “It’s over between him and me. What happened between us, will never have a chance to happen again.”

Liam stared at me for a moment with concern. “Okay,” He finally says, letting out a sigh. “You don’t have to tell me.”

“I just don’t want you to worry over something that will never happen again… I mean, it was a big deal in the sense that I was going to break up with him anyway, but it isn’t a big deal in a way that everyone needs to be worried about it,” I explain.

Liam smiles. “Then I won’t.” He states before kissing me.