Adore

Chapter 9

"So, you went and saw him?" Liam asked me two days later.

I nodded. "Why are you here?"

"I know you're a volleyball coach," he laughs taking a seat on the bleachers in the arena. "Do you think you like him?"

"Do I think...? Liam, you know me," I laugh.

"He's just one of your 'boys' then?"

"No, no. He's different," I try to reason.

"You said that with me too, you know," he pats the seat next to him.

Memories come flooding back into my brain. Everything that happened between me and Liam last year. "We never dated."

"You kept coming back."

"You did too, Payne."

"But who came back this last time?"

"I was desperate," my words come out cold. "You came to me today. Let's keep that in mind."

"This is true."

"You need to move on, Liam," I suggest to him. "You know just as well as anyone else, no matter what happens, I'm not settling with anyone, anytime soon. Even this new boy."

"No one knows you like I do," he laughs placing his hand on my thigh.

"Because you insisted on stalking me every waking moment you had," I reminded him.

"I didn't stalk you," he begins to defend. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't end up in the wrong hands."

"Adam's hands?" I raise my brows.

"You knew I was trying to protect you."

"You knew I didn't need protecting. To this day, you still know that," I paused. "I still talk to him."

He quickly snapped his gaze to me. "You what?"

I laughed at his reaction to my words. He tensed up and I could feel his grip tighten on my leg. "Relax, would you? I'm only kidding. He left here. Literally just packed up and drove away."

He slowly turned away from me as he removed his hand from me.

"You know, you really do need to let go, Liam. You're holding onto something you know I can't give you. I'm not that type."

"I know. Trust me, I know," his voice is soft.

My phone goes off signaling I've received a text. "My ride is here," I say reading the text and rising to my feet.

"Is it him?" He rises with me and walks me over to the door.

"Yes," I say a bit confused. "Let it go, Liam. Please, for the sake of both of us." I don't give him a chance to say anything before I push open the door and run out. "Au revoir, Liam!" I smile and wave to him as I stop at the car.

I opened the door and hopped into the car where Niall was waiting for me. I leaned across the center compartment and gave him a kiss. "Could you wear those shorts forever?" He asks me as I pull on the seatbelt.

"Excuse you?" I felt my face flush but I couldn't help but smile at his comment.

"Your ass looks great in them," he puts the car into gear and begins to pull away.

The man I was sitting with inside was now outside watching the car drive away. Why was he even here? He has no business here. I haven't talked to him in awhile though and all of a sudden out of nowhere I called him so I guess that makes things sound a bit odd. But still, I don't see why he came here. "Who is that?" Niall asked pulling me from my thoughts.