Obliterated

Chapter 39

Liam

April 30th, 2017 | 2:00 pm

Liam was staring at the email from Boston University. In all the excitement of getting into NYU, he had completely forgotten he had even applied to Boston University. With shaky hands, he clicked on the email and opened the link.

He had gotten in. Liam's heart practically stopped, he couldn't believe it. He stood up excitedly and ran for his phone, he wanted to tell Rachel.

His finger hovered over the call button. His excitement faltered, she was going to NYU. He was supposed to go there with her. He sighed and sat back down on the bed. How was he supposed to tell her he wanted to go somewhere almost two hours away from her?

Liam got up and went to Lexi's room, maybe she had some advice. He had barely seen her these past couple of weeks. She and Austin were making up for lost time and that meant a lot of headphone wearing on Liam's part and covering for her at night. He knocked on her door.

"Come in," she said.

Liam opened the door and came in. He closed it behind him and took a seat on the bed. Lexi was folding her laundry, she turned down the music she was listening to and glanced over at him.

"What's up?" she asked.

"I got into Boston University," he said quietly.

"Liam, that's great," she said excitedly. Her smile fell when she saw Liam's expression. "Why don't you look happy?"

He sighed. "Rachel's going to NYU."

"Oh," she said, understanding now.

"What are you and Austin doing?" he asked. Maybe he could take notes from their relationship.

"Well I am going to the local college and Austin talked to the high school counselor and as long as he repeats a couple classes over the summer, he can start with me in the fall."

"So I should go to NYU then, right?" he said glumly.

Lexi gave him a funny look. "Liam, you don't have to go to NYU with Rachel just because Austin and I are going to school together."

"Why not?" he asked. "If it works for you guys then it can work for me too."

Lexi shook her head. "That's not how relationships work, you can't just copy what other people are doing. You have to do what's right for you."

"But I can't tell Rachel that I would rather go to Boston than New York with her."

"Liam, the fact that you are scared of hurting her should tell you how much you guys love each other, she's not going to break up with you for wanting to go somewhere else."

"What if it does make us break up?" he asked.

Lexi looked away for a moment. "A soulmate always finds its other half, even after time apart," she said quietly.

Liam knew she was talking about her and Austin. He was terrified of hurting Rachel, but he also knew Lexi was right. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, Lexi's face lit up.

"Austin's here," she said happily. She practically ran downstairs to the front door.

Liam couldn't help but smile as well. She and Austin were so good together. Liam thought about him and Rachel. She wouldn't hate him for wanting to go to Boston. She would tell him to go. That was what Liam feared.

He went to see her anyway. He missed her, she made herself quite busy helping Lexi redecorate her old place for Austin and her new project of getting Maeve out of her goth clothes and into dark clothes with taste instead.

When he arrived at her house, he knocked on the door. Rachel opened the door for him and once again, she already knew. She read his face so well.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she closed the door behind him.

Liam sighed as he took a seat on her couch. She came over with a wrinkle between her eyebrows. He took her hand.

"I have to tell you something," he said nervously. "Except I'm terrified of talking about how I feel and it freaks me out."

She squeezed his hand comfortingly and put her head on his shoulder. "It's okay," she said soothingly. "Whatever it is, I'll try to understand."

He took a deep breath and exhaled. "I got into Boston University," he whispered finally.

"You're going to go there," she said more as a statement than a question.

Liam nodded nervously.

Silence. There was no anger on her face, nor was there any sadness. Her face remained emotionless for a moment. He could see the gears turning in her head though.

"I'll bring my car with me," she decided. "I'll learn to take the train, we could meet halfway somewhere. Maybe on long weekends we can take turns visiting each other."

Liam was taken back. She wasn't mad, she wasn't upset, she wasn't even trying to convince him to go to NYU with her.

"Claire is going to Boston too, maybe I can visit both of you."

"You're not upset I am not going to go to NYU?" he asked.

Rachel's smile fell a bit. "Well I can't say I am not a little sad about it but it is wrong of me to make you go somewhere just because of me."

"I would be happy with you though," Liam said.

Rachel took a deep breath. "I would be too, but you can't give up your future for me."

"You're my future," Liam said immediately.

Rachel's cheeks turned pink. "What's four years apart when we have a lifetime together?" she asked, looking up at him.

Liam couldn't help but smile. "We'll have summer, winter, and spring break together, and I'll call at least once a day. We can take turns visiting."

Rachel put her head back on his shoulder. "I love you, Liam. Everything will work out."

He put his arm around her and held her tightly. "I love you too."