My best friends boyfriend

Chapter 4

2nd of April

"Finally! We've been waiting for you guys for ages...." My sentence trailed on slowly as I quickly hugged Liam and Riley who then took seats infront of Ethan cautiously.
I breathe in deeply before sitting back down and brushing my clothes out.
We only have one shot at this Liz, all or nothing.

"This is Ethan, the guy I wanted you both to meet... Uh... We've been dating for a bit but I didn't want to jinx anything, you know ? But me and him are going good, so...." I leave my sentence at that and wait for Ethan to come in and save me from myself.
"So, I finally convinced her to atleast let me meet her best friends! Really cool to finally meet you both- You're all she ever talks about!" His eyes dance wildly infront of mine as he shakes Liam's hand and gives Riley a easy nod, this should be easy.

I was only paying attention to Ethan's introduction that I completely forgot to scope Liam's reaction, my eyes wonder away from Ethan and Riley talking to Liam who sat there staring at the passing cars. He was mad but he was hiding it well, his inner lip was being sucked in his mouth, he's pissed- but why?
I pour us all some water and a waitress comes and gets our orders.

We're eating at a small cafe local to our suburbs, me planning this 'meet-up' specifically so they could meet Ethan.
Everything went smooth for a bit, ignoring Liam's pissy mood. Ethan was charming and therefor Riley ending up approving instantly!
He made jokes to make us laugh; stared into my eyes and smiled the perfect amount, I could feel his eyes on me as I talked and every time I looked up he would give me the most loving smile i've ever received... and it wasn't even real, that's sad.

We completely sold the idea of us to i'm 95% sure everyone inside the cafe, even I was convinced that we were the cutest couple there ever was to live.
How was Ethan doing it so easily? I had wondered for a second before letting the question trail onto an answer.

Lunch passed and we all finished our food and said goodbye, Ethan had to leave quickly to see his mum and I gave him a shy peck on the cheek receiving a squeal from Riley in approval.
We made eye contact as I pulled away and we both gave eachother a slight nod, we did good.
"Liz, oh my god! He is the most perfect boy i've ever met, i'm so proud of you!" Riley rambled for a few minutes about how cute we are and about how she was mad at first that I hadn't said anything about him but said she quickly got over it. We said our goodbyes and she hopped in her car and left to go meet up with her brother at the shops.

Liam's older brother had been using his car and so he decided we should just catch an uber back to mine instead of busing it and he'd walk the rest of the way back to his. I agreed on the uber if we stopped halfway between the two- i'm done with buses honestly and it's not fair for Liam to walk all that distance.
That was the only thing we said to each other during our lunch date till now.

We were sitting inside the cool car when I leaned over and faced him.
"What's wrong? Why are you mad, don't you like him?" I looked straight into the corner of his brown eyes as he looked out the window, his stupid pink upper lip still stuck in his mouth.
"Nothings wrong. And no it's not that, I don't really know him that well to decide if i do or don't like him Liz." He gave me a pointed look and directed his eyesight back to the window.
"That's bullshit Liam, we both know that. You were pissy the whole time and didn't even give him or yourself a chance. Don't give me that shit." Should I push him a little further? No, let's leave it at that.
"Ok, fine. No, I don't like him and I don't like the way he treats you like an object, staring and all that shit. He was all over you in a public space and made everyone else uncomfortable. Don't know what he was trying to prove..." he mumbles the last bit to himself and I watch him clench his jaw then go back to his biting his inner lip.
"Woah Liam, I think you looked to much into it? He was fine, we were fine. All he wanted was a chance to meet you and Riley and now you've potentially ruined the chance of my two favourite boys finally becoming friends!"
He was making me mad now for gods sake.
He had no right to be having a sook, he always does the same shit with any temporary boy who comes into my life- he thinks Ethan's the same but he can't be if this plan is going to work.
"I don't have to be friends with him If i don't want to!" He starts to raise his voice before he cuts himself off.
He breathes in and out and tries again, "Sorry Liz I didn't mean that. It's just I have a weird feeling about him. And I don't get where he all of the sudden came from? Kind of random don't you think?" He said the last part almost accusatory, like he thought I was doing something wrong, like he was even mocking me?
"We aren't doing this here, Sorry uber could we stop?"
We quickly get out of the car and watch it drive off slowly.
"What are you trying to say Liam? It's such a surprise that I finally found someone who gives a fuck about me ? Huh is that it?!"
My chest starts to quickly rise in anger, but Liam tried his best to stay calm as we walk over to a park bench that's surrounded by a bed of pink flowers.
"No, I just think he came around at a good time for you." He simply said, he's holding himself together well but he doesn't know the half of it.
"I'm sorry, but what does our timing have to do with anything? Why can't you just let me be happy with this boy who cares about me? Is it that hard for you to wrap your head around?!"
I was walking back and forth while he sat on the bench getting angrier and angrier, I think i did it.
What came next broke me.
What came out of his mouth, made me feel utterly worthless.
He stood up, walked up to me and stopped my pacing- he was trying to keep himself together but I knew it wasn't working.
"I am letting you be happy.... It's just that you decide to get this random guy that's apparently been in your life for who knows how long? Well where the fuck was he when we were fucking Liz! It doesn't just work like that! Does he make you feel better about yourself after what we did? Is that it? You fucked up by fucking me and so you're trying to make yourself seem better? No I don't think so!"
Everything in my body stopped dead and my jaw dropped, I could feel my heart beat so strong and everything was still. He took a step closer, his face was stricken with guilt as he dawned in on what he said as I tried to regain my senses.
My body... it's hurting.

Why did it hurt so bad? Maybe because I don't blame him for thinking that, it's half the truth.
He came closer to me, and I couldn't help but slap him hard across the face feeling my hand burn up from the contact.
"I thought we agreed to never mention that?" I yelled, feeding off anger and betrayal.
"How dare you use that against me! Let alone say that to me! What the fuck is wrong with you?!"
My eyesight started to blur with rage, tears also fought their way through.
He was just looking down now, having taken a few steps back staring at the ground not saying a word.
His silence made things worse.
Did he really mean that? I read in between the lines, I got the message. I feel disgusting, I feel as if i'm going to vomit.
Before I knew it, I found myself hitting his chest as hard as I could manage when I finally hit my hysterics.
"I hate you! I hate you so much! You're a stupid asshole and not a day goes by where I don't regret everything that happened with us!"
My body shook in sadness, I felt the tears pool down from my inner corners when his hands circled me into a hug holding me close, I cried even more.
"I'm sorry Liz, I didn't mean that, i'm so sorry," he mumbled. All that could be heard were my slowly calming sobs as I raggedly took breaths against his chest.
"How could you? I hate you Liam..." I let myself slowly sulk against his chest, losing all my strength.
"No you don't." And he was right, I don't think I ever could and he knew that too.