The Perks of Being Belle

before: swallowing painkillers

Hi all! I've surprised myself by updating on time again this week! Yay! And I noticed there are a couple of new readers recently. Thank you so much for reading :) I really appreciate all the comments you leave behind, so please comment more! Also, I recently remembered that Wattpad has a function to dedicate chapters! This chapter is dedicated LockSam for commenting on the previous chapter! :) We still have a long way to go, so I'm planning to dedicate the next few chapters to all of you :) Thank you so much for the support. I cannot express my gratitude enough for always reading every time I post. You all are truly the motivation that keeps me writing <3

This is a filler chapter before something sad will happen in the next chapter. Both our main characters will slowly drift apart from now until the next 2 chapters... But don't worry, they'll be reunited again in the "After" section of the story! :) Read on, and I hope you will like it!

Chapter 8 - before: swallowing painkillers

Song: Painkillers by Ruel

His grip was tight on my wrist, almost blocking my blood flow. As we walked down the school aile, our pace continued to increase, and soon, we started to run. His eyes kept scanning our surroundings, and once in a while, he would look back to ensure no one was following us. Liam was vigilant, as if he was anticipating something to appear out of nowhere.

Time was ticking, and I still had no clue what we were running away from. I could sense his nervousness and panic from the strong grasp he had on me. The concerned look on his face made me feel uneasy, but I kept quiet and allowed him to lead me. In my head, my sixth sense was scolding me for saying nothing and following Liam. After merely escaping a death threat from this person's cousin, I was voluntarily walking into another lion's den. I wondered what made me feel safe around Liam. What made me trust him.

Or maybe I was too numb and tired to think.

Or maybe I had given up.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

I watched our background change. Before I knew it, we had left school and was dashing towards a parking lot located a few blocks away from school. His convertible was the only car parked idly in the vast space. Its sleek body glimmered under the scorching sun light.

Liam opened the door of his car and waited for me to sit down. He was about to slam it shut when he took one quick glance at me. Releasing a sigh, he leaned inwards and pulled the seatbelt. My whole body froze as he pulled himself close. I could hear his breath as he buckled me up.

Then he rushed towards the driver's seat and turned the engine on. The vehicle released a roar as Liam pressed his foot on the accelerator pedal. Just as the car began to move towards the exit, a loud crack deafened my ears, and suddenly, one side of the car shifted downwards. One of our tires was blown by what sounded like gunfire.

Beside me, Liam cursed under his breath. From the corner of his vision, he glanced at his rear view mirror, and in an instant, his face turned pale. His fingers tapped furiously on the steering wheel as he tried to come up with a solution. He stepped on the accelerator again, but another loud snapped echoed in midair. Another tire was hit. Someone was aiming at us, and we were stuck.

Liam took a deep breath and trying to collect himself. Then his eyes hardened. "Don't go out unless I tell you to. Lock the doors, and don't look behind you," he ordered.

"Wait," I said, holding his arm. Doubt clouded my vision. "What's out there?"

He took my hand and placed it on my lap. Offering a gentle smile, he replied, "Nothing is out there. It's not something if you have to worry about. Trust me. I'll be back."