Hearts on Fire: A Lirry Fanfic

Chapter Sixteen

*Liam*

I scribbled a note for the lads and left it on the counter. I figured it would be best to leave a second note on the door, the lads could be a bit dense at times, this way someone was bound to see it.

I headed out to the car and made my way to the park. It was a small park not too far from the house, they had a beautiful garden I took Danielle to for our first date, from then on it was our special place, our escape from the world. That was exactly what I needed right now...to escape.

I wanted to get away from everything, these thoughts in my head, the guilt I felt about Danielle, the strain in my relationship. I just needed to get away from it all. I was really confused, I just needed some time to sort it out.

I found the bench under the blossoming branches of the weeping willow tree. It was a simple bench but there were so many memories there. That was the place Dani and I shared our first kiss, where I had asked her to be my girlfriend, it was the place I imagined asking her to marry me one day but everything is different now and that scares me. I’m scared that everything will change, that I’ll lose her, that I’ll lose everyone. If what I’m feeling for Harry is real, if I do like guys, I’m scared of how my life will change.

I noticed I was crying as the hot tears dripped down my cheeks. I reached up to wipe them away when I noticed the curly brown hair in front of me. Oh God, this is it, you can do it Liam. There’s no turning back now. I wasn’t ready for this I just wanted a few more minutes.

I felt her soft skin brush against mine as her thumb glided over the fresh tears. She wiped them away and sat down beside me on the bench, pulling me into her. “Shh babes, what’s wrong? It’s okay Liam, it’s okay just relax.” She rubbed up and down my arm soothingly. This was wrong. I shouldn’t be having these feelings and I certainly should not be the one crying. I’m supposed to be comforting her, telling her it’s going to be okay.

“Liam, baby, please tell me what’s wrong,” she said to me as she lifted my chin. The tears glistened in my eyes as I peered up into her sad orbs. I could tell it hurt her seeing me like this, not knowing what was wrong.

“Dani, you know I love you right?” I asked her quietly.

“Of course I do Li, don’t be silly. I have always known you loved me, whether it was as your best friend or your girlfriend, I’ve always known. Now please, what’s wrong? What were you so nervous to talk to me about?” She was gently rubbing my arm up and down to soothe me.

“I...I....There’s someone else.” My head hung low as I whispered the end of my sentence. “You and I both know that something has been off for a while, we’ve been drifting apart. I’m so sorry Dani, I never meant for any of this, I never wanted any of it. I hate myself for it.”

She looked back into my eyes, a weak smile on her perfect lips as she gently stroked my cheek. “It’s Harry isn’t it?” she asked innocently. Her tone was so calm and flat, I couldn’t tell what she was feeling.

I gulped hard, my eyes went wide. “Wh--what? How did you....you knew?” She kissed my cheek and laughed softly.

“I see the way you look at him, it’s the same way you looked at me.” She took a breath and continued, “I’d had my suspicions for a while that maybe you were feeling differently. When we started drifting apart, it wasn’t a lack of connection and friendship, just the romance...that’s when I figured maybe you liked boys.”

I stared at her dumbfounded. I was absolutely gobsmacked, how long had she known? I had only just figured it out myself, how could she possibly know?

“It’s okay Li, there’s nothing wrong with that. I am right though, it’s Haz? I caught you sneaking glances at him the other day.” She was being so cheeky about figuring out it was Haz, she didn’t even seem angry.