Chapter Eight

The next two days were agonizing. I spent the entire time relentlessly apologizing to Liam for not only what happened at school, with everyone finding out that I live with him, but for also hugging him and calling him a big teddy bear. Who would’ve thought that would have caused Liam to become this annoyed with me?

While I have been apologizing to him, I suddenly realized just how much of an “inconvenience” I am to him. Which made me realize that it is time for me to stop apologizing and to work harder at not being such an irritation. If I wanted to get in his good graces and maybe even become something more to him one day, maybe I needed to change what annoyed him. But what exactly did I do that was considered so annoying? What about me bothered him so much? Should I be considering “changing” something about myself to meet what his taste is? This dilemma was just very confusing for me.

Friday, the day before our trip to the lake, I had planned for my friends, Dawn, and Ellen to come to stay the night. It was to make it easier on Mr. and Mrs. Hall. This way, we could all wake up in the morning and leave early.

At noon, my friends showed up, shoving their way through the door with their bags packed full of clothes and other necessities for a trip to the lake.

“So, where’s your room at?” Ellen questions, taking in the beautiful home that I now live in.

“Whoa…” Dawn states as she walks in. “This place is enormous.”

I started laughing. “You may now close your mouths and here’s a tissue to wipe away the drool.” Though in reality, I probably shouldn’t have teased them. I’m sure my dad’s and my reaction was somewhat similar when we first entered the Hall home.

Dawn and Ellen had been waiting on this day, ever since they found out that I had been living with Liam. They wanted to know everything. Where my room was, if the Hall family was wealthy, where Liam’s room was at, and if I had “accidentally” seen him naked. My friends were so enthralled by this, they even started asking me some ridiculous fantastical questions that you would only see in bad movies.

I lead them upstairs to my room, opening the door.

Both of their mouths dropped again when they saw just how cute my room was.

“You have a room all to yourself?” Ellen questioned in awe.

“Yeah. Mrs. Hall had Oscar move into Liam’s room. She had everything done to this room within a week.”

“That’s impressive,” Dawn replied. “Your bed is huge!”

“So do you get to keep all of this furniture when you move out or do they stay here?” Ellen asks.

“I’d think that it would stay…”

“But they don’t have a daughter, and this is definitely girl furniture.”

“It is very… princess style in here.” Dawn replies. “The room just screams… princess.”

I shrugged. “It’s what Mrs. Hall wanted. I still like it though.”

“I figured you would have been staying in a room with your dad,” Dawn replied. “You’ve made out pretty well though.”

“No. I tried to stay with him, so I wouldn’t cause too much of a fuss, but Mrs. Hall wanted me in here and my dad out in the guest house.”

“Really?” Ellen states.

“Don’t you just love it!” Mrs. Hall’s voice rings in the room. “When I knew Bree was coming, I went out and bought all of this furniture myself!”

“It’s very nice!” Dawn responds with a smile.

“It’s the room I dreamt of having when I was seven.” Ellen comments.

“Well, I’ll let you girls settle in. Lunch will be ready in about 30 minutes!”

“Thank you, Mrs. Hall,” All of us chimed cheerfully.

“Oh my gosh, she is just the best.” Dawn started happily. “How is Liam her son?”

All of us sat down on the bed together.

“Well, we haven’t met her husband yet.” Ellen chimed in.

“Oh, you’re right. Bree, is Liam’s dad mean and obnoxious?”

“He’s just as nice as Mrs. Hall,” I reply.

“Huh… Maybe he takes after the grandparents. You know, sometimes stuff like that skips a generation.” Ellen states.

I laugh. “Do you two want anything to drink?” I ask, wanting to change the subject.

“Yeah, thanks.” Dawn replies.

“Okay. I’ll be right back with something.”

When I get downstairs, I miss the last step and trip. Before I even realized what was happening, Liam appeared from thin air, grabbing me before I fall. My head rested on his chest as I breathed in his sweet earthy scent. I wanted to melt in his lean, strong arms which gripped me tightly. I didn’t want to leave the comforting warmth but knew I needed to.

“You okay?” He questions with a half-smile on his lips.

“Y-yeah…” I stammer, confused by his concern. “Th-thank you.”

Soon, he was walking up the stairs, as if nothing happened while I happily watch him. Maybe he is finally starting to like me? The encounter left me feeling optimistic and happy. My cheeks started hurting from smiling.

“Where are our drinks?” Dawn asks.

“What?” I question confused, walking into the bedroom.

“You went downstairs to get us drinks…” She continued, slowly watching me. “Where are they?”

“Oh!” I reply, feeling my cheeks get hot. “I forgot. I’ll go get them this time.”

Dawn and Ellen stare at me accusingly. “What happened?”

“Nothing…”

Dawn stared at me harder.

“It was nothing. Don’t worry about it.” I continue, leaving the room.

After lunch, my friends and I spent time on the back patio. We were sitting down around the outside table, gossiping while Oscar sat in a lounge chair, off to the side reading a book, trying to ignore us.

“What has Chad been up to?” Dawn questions us. “Have any of you heard from him? It’s unusual for him to go so long without talking to one of us.”

“It’s only been a few days,” I reply. “It’s not out of the ordinary for one of us to get busy and not check-in.”

“Actually, he’s been quite depressed here recently,” Ellen says causally, thumbing through a magazine.

“Oh…” Dawn states with a knowing tone as if something had just occurred to her.

“Depressed? Why?” I question with concern.

Ellen and Dawn stare at me dumbfounded by my question.

“It may have something to do with finding out that someone he really likes is living with someone that she really likes,” Ellen states slowly.

“Oh…” Guilt tinted my voice. “Well, it’s not like I planned on living here… My dad just happened to know Liam’s father…”

“We aren’t saying anything,” Ellen replies.

Yeah. I mean, it’s not like Chad ever told you how he feels. Though, I think you should tell him you don’t want to be with him like that…” Dawn interjects.

“How is it not clear when he knows I like Liam?” I question quietly, hoping Oscar didn’t hear. I know it’s stupid since everyone in the house knows this already, but I would like to seem somewhat more dignified, I guess you could say.

“It doesn’t matter. Even though you like someone else, your feelings could ultimately change. So, there’s still hope.”

This made me sit in contemplation. Should I tell Chad there is no hope? I don’t want him to hate me.

“Oh my God!” Oscar bursts, slamming his book shut and standing up. “You guys are so annoying!”

We look at him in confusion.

“You are all so noisy! He loves her, she loves him, he loves someone else! How do you all talk about such trivial matters? This is maddening!” He left in a huff.

“Wow… he’s like Liam Jr…” Ellen retorts, looking back at her magazine.

***

Later that evening, Dawn and Ellen were in my bedroom, watching movies on my computer while I went to the bathroom to take a shower. Standing in the warm water melted my worries of the day away, soothing my body and mind. When I finished, I dry off, wrapping myself in a towel.

While brushing my teeth, my mind started to race again. I wondered if what happened between Liam and me meant anything, or if I was imagining it. Maybe I was looking into it too much. I wondered if I ever did anything somewhat similar to Chad. What if I did something, unknowingly, to give Chad hope like that?

Next, I reached for my clothes. Dread filled within me as I checked every nook and cranny in search of my pajamas. I know I grabbed them… Where did they go? Oh no… What am I going to do now? Is everyone asleep?

It wouldn’t be a big deal to walk around in front of my friends with just a towel, but I did NOT want to walk around in front of Liam with just a towel! Is he even asleep?

Cracking the door open, I peek out to make sure no one was around. I planned to run through the hall as quickly as possible to my bedroom, which was only one door down the hallway. But Liam’s room was the first door, opposite the bathroom.

Okay… 3… 2… 1…

I step one foot out of the bathroom when Liam appeared.

His gaze was focused on my face, as he tried to prevent his eyes from wandering.

My heart started to race as he scowled at me.

“Do you think just because I was nice to you earlier means you can try to seduce me?” He questioned accusingly, staring at me in anger.

“Wh-what?” I stammer, confused by what he was implying.

“Did you or did you not purposefully come out in the hall in just a towel to catch my attention?”

“I-I w-w-was just…”

He pins me against the wall, blocking me from running to my room.

The blood in my face drained as I was forced to look Liam in the eye, his face so close to mine.

A smirk plays on his lips. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“Wh-what?” I question, unable to breathe. “N-no… I forgot my clothes…”

“So, that just makes you careless then,” He responds, backing away from her. Annoyance grew on his face. “Then I guess it will make it easier for you to hear that I prefer women with… a little more chest if you know what I mean.”

I look down at my chest, remembering that all I was wearing was a towel. Hugging my chest, I try to conceal myself as I became self-conscious. I’ve never thought my breast size was too small. I thought they suited my frame well and now he was making me feel like I should be ashamed of my body.

The embarrassment I initially felt was soon replaced by anger. “What are you always so mean to me? Do you just enjoy taunting me and being a bully?” My voice broke while my anger soon turned to sadness.

“I don’t know why,” Liam starts slowly. “But whenever I see you, I just want to be mean to you.”

I stare at him, puzzled.

“You annoy me,” he continued. “And I want you to feel the same way.”

“What does that even mean?” I question more to myself than him, staring in amazement. Rolling my eyes, I head to my room, ready to burst into tears.

“You and your friends better not stay up all night making a bunch of noise either.” He calls tauntingly after me.

Once inside my room, I shut the door behind me. My back against the door, I just stare at the wall, mortified by what happened.

“Oh my gosh, what an idiot!” Ellen states, giggling.

“Bree, you need to come—“ Dawn started before getting a glimpse of me. “Oh my gosh, what’s wrong?” She questions getting out of her seat to comfort me.

I shake my head, not wanting to say. Tears started to fall down my cheeks while my chest grew tight.

“Seriously, what happened?” Ellen chimed in, joining Dawn.

I shake my head again.

Dawn pulls me into a hug. “It’s okay.” She continues with her motherly voice, much like the way she comforted me after my mother passed away.

They pull me over to the bed to sit. My pajamas lay neatly folded at the foot of the bed. I looked at them.

And to think all of this could’ve been avoided if I would have just remembered to bring them with me…