Origins of a Rejected Love

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Liam wanted the world to open up and swallow him whole. It was a wish he had several times a day for as long as he could remember. This time was different. The embarrassment in his body felt violent, his heart was tight, and his lunges wouldn’t expand.

Aleah Hallston watched him have a seizure.

Life officially sucked.

He groaned, listening to the familiar beeps of monitors he was connected to. Hospitals were nothing new for Liam either. He knew when he opened his eyes his mother would be somewhere close fussing over his health. It wasn’t like it did anything useful, but he didn’t complain because at least it made her feel like she was helping in someway.

When Liam opened his eyes it wasn’t his mother standing by the bed.

His heart dropped. “What are you doing here?” Aleah was standing at his feet. You could’ve knocked him over with a feather.

“I was making sure you were ok.” She fidgeted with her hands when she was nervous. She fidgeted with her hands then but Liam had no clue why she would be nervous. Aleah was an outgoing girl with all the confidence in the world and walked with her head held high. He only knew she fidgeted when she was nervous because of a debate held in class last year, something she wasn’t comfortable with.

“Why?” As the shock wore off, Liam remembered he wasn’t very thrilled to see her. “This is just another perk of being Bad Luck.” Her soulful brown eyes widened. “You didn’t think I knew about your nickname for me? Or maybe you thought it was one of those times I was pretty stupid.” Normally he let the taunts roll off his back but she was different. He cared what Aleah thought of him. Sadly, he wished she didn’t see the clumsy mess everyone else saw.

“I didn’t mean for you to hear that.”

“Well, I did. It’s what you really think so why beat around it? I’m fine.” He wanted her to feel bad, he wanted her to see words did hurt and he was hurting.

The beautiful girl still dressed in her gym clothes made no attempt to leave. Her hands gripped the railing of his bed, her eyes were cast down out of his view. “Do you end up in the hospital a lot?”

“I’d rather you call me dumb, or bad luck, than feel sorry for me.” There was an edge to his voice he didn’t express much.

“I don’t feel sorry for you. I’m curious, is all.”

“Why? Look, you did the Good Samaritan thing and got me here. You can go.”  

Her head shot up. Her eyes no longer held looks of pity or shock, she was angry. “I didn’t know you could be such an ass. I’m trying to be nice here!”

“I don’t need it!” Liam yelled, wincing at the sharp pain it caused to his ribs. He must’ve cracked one during his fall.

Just like that, the fire went out of her eyes. “Are you ok? Do you need a doctor?”

“It’s nothing.” Liam answered softly as he came to realize he wasn’t getting her out of his room. “Did someone call my mom?”

“She’s on her way. You weren’t out of it long.”

Liam stared at her. The girl was beautiful in ways that made his heart race with impossible desires. Her pity for him snuffed out the pleasant feelings of a crush he carried for a long time. “Why are you here?” he asked. He wanted to be alone.

“I already told you. I’m making sure you’re ok.”

“It’s nothing that hasn’t happened before. You should go before you miss any more classes.” Liam felt the emotion threatening to spill from his eyes. He didn’t want Aleah to see him weak any more than she already had. He wanted her to take her pity and toss it away because he didn’t need it.