Meeting Liam Pierce

Chapter 2: Coffee Date?

As we entered the coffee shop, I instantly knew that this was my chance to learn more about Liam, and I couldn't miss it. "What are you going to get?" I asked. "A caramel latte. By the way thanks for inviting me." "No problem." I said as I smiled back at him. We both ordered, and Liam pulled out a sleek, black wallet and payed for both of ours. "You didn't have to do that, you know." I said as we sat down to wait for our drinks. "Cassie, why are you being nice to me? Don't you know why everyone at school hates me? I mean it's not true, but everyone swears it is." He looked down while he said this, but I could still see the sad look in his dark green eyes. "Liam, I don't know why everyone thinks you are a 'freak', and you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. All I know is that I made things worst for you by throwing up on you at a party and now we are here. I want to help you."

He took a long sip of his coffee and sighed while he leaned back in his chair, "I have always had really bad anxiety, and last winter I started taking medication for it. One day, I forgot to take it, and some of my friends knew that, so at lunch they pushed me onto the quarterback's girlfriend. Which would've been fine if I hadn't of freaked out. Of course then I got super nervous, and I didn't know what to say. My friends said they would handle it for me, so I awkwardly said sorry and left. Then, they told the whole school I slept with her, and I was trying to steal her from her boyfriend. I started getting death threats from the football team for breaking them up. It apparently made the quarterback so upset that he was off his game and lost the biggest one of the season. The whole school hated me; they still do."

I think he could see how taken aback I was because he immediately stopped his story, and he took another long sip of coffee. HIs eyes still looked sad, but I could tell it helped him to talk about it. "Do your parents know about the bullying?" I asked quietly. He laughed like I had just told him the best joke ever. "Do you seriously think my parents give a damn about if I'm getting bullied or not? I know most people have supportive parents, but I do not. They told me to just get over it. I'm sorry if I am making you uncomfortable. I'm not good with people as you can tell." At that moment I didn't care what the other kids thought; it didn't matter.

"You don't make me uncomfortable. I just don't usually have coffee with guys who I don't know, and while having coffee, they share their tragic life stories with me." He shrugged after I said that and looked at me with a smile, "You know that you are the most honest person I know. It's refreshing. You don't have to be my friend though. I will be okay without a friend, Cassie." That was the last thing he said before he walked out of the shop. I was in shock that it ended that way, but I found a napkin sitting on the table that had his phone number on it. I couldn't help but smile.

I walked to the school parking lot where my car was, and I thought about texting Liam. I really wanted to, but I couldn't text him just yet. When I got home, the house was completely empty. It wasn't unusual because of my parents busy schedules, but it felt lonely. I gave up and text him.

Me: Hey, it's Cassie! I enjoyed coffee today.

He answered right away.

Liam: Wow, already texting me. someone's obsessed lol.

Me: Whatever. Do you want to sit with me at lunch tomorrow?

Liam: Sure, why not. I gotta go eat dinner. I'll text you later, bye Cassie.

Me: Bye, Liam.

I tried to focus on my homework, but my thoughts kept me from doing so. I didn't really know Liam, and it felt like it was by some weird once in a lifetime opportunity that I met him. Two hours later my phone started to buzz. I picked it up, and I heard Liam's tired voice. "Cassie, I know it's getting late, but I need you to meet me somewhere. Anywhere you want. I just need to get out of this damn house." I was startled by the seriousness of his voice, but I replied in the calmest manner I could manage, "Okay, I can meet you somewhere. What place is closest to your house?" There was a long silence, and I could hear screams in the background. "The coffee shop. Meet me there in five minutes, okay?" I muttered okay and hung up. I quickly put my hair in a braid and put on some sweatpants and a hoodie. My car radio hummed a slow dance type of love song as I raced to meet Liam; I couldn't help but worry that something bad was happening to him.

I walked in and looked for Liam. He was standing in line waiting to order and waved me over. "Do you want anything?" He asked in a whisper trying not to disturb the quiet that was in the room. "I'll have a small green tea with extra honey." I said to the cashier then I turned to Liam and studied his facial expressions. His eyes looked tired, and his hair was a mess. His hoodie had a stain on it, but I couldn't recognize what kind. We sat down at a corner booth, and he put his head on my shoulder. His breathing was soft and steady. I placed my arm around his back, and he looked up at me. "Cassie, do you ever wonder what it would be like if you just disappeared off the face of the earth? If one day, you were just gone." I thought about for a moment and sighed. "Yeah. I feel like everyone has though. Is that why you are so upset?" He took his head off my shoulder and took a sip of his drink. "No. My parents found out about the school thing. They told me that they wouldn't accept a wimp like me in their house. Which was fine, I guess, but then my dad got a phone call from Jessica's parents saying I attacked her after school today. Jessica is my ex from the 9th grade, and she hates my guts for some reason. She was probably given some reward from the quarterback for saying that. We both know I didn't do that; I was with you the whole time. I went to my room, and I got a text from Jessica saying sorry, but it had to be done. She said the cheerleading squad had some dirt on her, so she couldn't say no. I can't say I blame her." He sighed and placed his head back on my shoulder.

"What are you going to do?" I asked even though I knew he probably had no clue. "I don't know. My mom said she is going to send me to therapy to 'work out my anger that I seem to have against women'. Cassie, I just want to die. I want to fall off the face of the earth and never be seen again." A few tears ran down his face. I knew what he felt; I knew what it was like to not feel loved. At one point in my life, I had felt this way too. "Liam, leave your car here for tonight and leave with me. You can stay at my house for the night, okay?" He nodded his head, and we left. The car was silent as we drove to my house. Liam looked out the window and stared at the empty streets.