Left With Liam

Chapter 32

Liam

I looked outside and saw the sun had already set. Mel and Taylor were gone when T.J. and I got back from practice. That was hours ago.

Irrational thoughts started flooding me. I knew I had no real reason to worry. They were together somewhere in the city. That much I knew, thanks to T.J.

He wouldn't tell me much else, though, and as the minutes flew by, the more concerned I became. "Any word from Tay?" I asked for the hundredth time tonight.

T.J. shot me a look that was half annoyed and half sympathetic. He knows how hard it's been for me to have Mel so close and not be able to talk to her about what happened. He huffed a sigh, checking his phone for any missed messages.

"Still, nothing new."

I started gnawing on the inside of my cheek as my right foot started bouncing. My anxiety was getting to me. The last message from Tay was that she and Mel were at the last stop for the day. She wasn't sure how long they'd be, but she said they would come straight home once they finished up whatever it was they were doing.

T.J. studied me for a second, noting my gyrating leg. "You know they're fine, right? They just had a few things they had to do today. I'm sure they'll be home soon."

I nodded, unconvinced. It had been over an hour since they reached their mysterious last stop of the day.

What could they possibly be doing that takes this long?

My cheek was starting to hurt. I stood up, needing to do something to distract me. I was halfway to the kitchen to grab a drink when I turned back to the living room.

I walked back to the couch, placing both hands on the backrest, hoping it would steady me. "And you know what they were doing today?"

T.J. sighed. We'd already been through this. He already told me twice. "I know what they were planning to do, and I know why they needed to do it, bu-"

"But you can't tell me because they asked you not to," I interrupted.

He rubbed both hands over his face, clearly getting frustrated. "Dude. They asked me not to say anything. I'm sure Mel will fill you in when she's up to it. And if it bugs you that bad, ask Tay if she can tell you when they get back. They wanted to fill you in themselves. I'm respecting their decision."

It was killing me not to know what was going on. My mind was racing as I tried to figure out where they could have gone and what could have happened to them on their way home. Each new theory was worse than the last.

I was about to start pacing when I heard the lock click. My head snapped to the door as Mel and Taylor stepped inside.

As soon as I saw Mel's face, my heart dropped. It was apparent that she'd been crying. Her face was red and blotchy. There were dried paths down her cheeks from where her tears had fallen. Her nose was swollen. And her eyes were red, still brimming with emotion.

Tay looked slightly better. Her eyes were red, and her nose was swollen, but her face was its usual shade, and it was absent of the dried tears that still showed on Mel.

I released the breath I didn't realize I was holding. They were home, finally, but something was very, very wrong.

If someone hurt them...

If anyone laid a hand on them, I would never forgive myself.

I should have gone looking for them. I should have made T.J. tell me what he knew...

My face must have displayed my every thought because Tay gave me a look as she discretely held up one hand, signaling me to relax.

T.J. looked between the girls before asking, "Everything okay?"

Tay nodded. "We're good," she said, directing her words at me.

They weren't enough to calm me completely, but they showed that my worse fears were unfounded. I still wanted to know what happened. I wanted to know badly.

I looked at Mel, hoping to find the answers I so desperately needed. To my surprise, she was staring back at me when I turned my full attention to her.

I heard Tay and T.J.'s footsteps as they quietly headed out of the living room, leaving Mel and me alone. It took everything I had to stop myself from running to her, from gathering her in my arms and pulling her close.

Things between us were still rocky. I couldn't risk making them worse by doing something that would make her more uncomfortable around me.

My knuckles were turning white as I gripped the back of the couch harder, waiting for her to do or say something, anything.

I stopped breathing when she approached me. She was only a foot away, cautiously watching me. I turned to face her, leaving one hand on the couch to steady myself.

Mel's mouth opened to say something, but she stopped herself, deciding at the last second no remain quiet. She looked at me through eyes so full of emotion I nearly broke down. I wanted to fall to my knees in front of her and beg her to talk to me, but I had to stay strong.

She would tell me when she was ready.

Her eyes closed, and she took a deep breath. For a moment, I thought she was about to say the words that failed only seconds before. Instead, she released her breath slowly. She reached out and squeezed my hand before turning and walking away.

She went to her bedroom, leaving the door open behind her. I was stunned and now more confused than ever.

Am I supposed to follow her?

Is she coming back?

What is going on?

I stood there like a zombie as I considered my options. I vaguely remember hearing the sound of water running- a sink, maybe. Time passed as I stood, rooted to the same spot in the living room.

I was nowhere close to making a decision about what I should do when Mel saved me.

She peeked out of her bedroom, giving me a soft smile before waving me toward her. I felt my eyebrows raise and my jaw unhinge as I registered her request.

I shook my head, placing what I hoped was a neutral expression on my face as I walked toward her. She turned to the side, letting me by. When I looked at her face, I could see she'd washed away the salty trails, and the redness was starting to fade.

Unsure of what to do next, I stood awkwardly in the middle of her room, waiting for her to take the lead. Luckily, she didn't make me wait long. She sat down on the side of her bed, peering up at me with those gorgeous blue eyes I've missed waking up to.

She looked at the empty space to her right, then back at me. "You can sit down, Liam."

Wasting no time, I obeyed, claiming the spot next to her as I waited curiously for her to say more.

She angled more toward me, so close our knees were nearly touching as she pulled in a calming breath. She licked her lips and swallowed before saying, "I owe you an explanation."