The One I Love

December 7th, 2017

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"I mean no. I'm not taking you to the man whose life mission is to kill you. That's stupid."

"Liam take me home. He has Ashton, i'm not letting him hurt Ash."

"You think I want him to hurt Ashton? No, but we both know Ash can handle himself. Plus we both know he's not going to hurt him, maybe a little but not drastically. He will be fine. Now get back in the hotel room before someone sees you."

"Why are you such a fucking asshole sometimes?"

"Jesus babydoll. That's the first time i've ever heard you swear. And you went all out with it too." Liam laughed as I stomped away to the hotel room. "God you're adorable."

"Shut up. Since you won't take me home i'm taking a nap."

"Fine by me babydoll. I'll join you."

"Does that mean we are have to share the bed again."

"Well they don't have cots here so yes, is that a problem, cause i'll sleep on the floor?"

"No it's fine, but we get our own blankets." Once we get into the room i rinse my bare feet off in the tub, I ran outside without my shoes on making them dirty. Liam laughed when he saw I was just in my spandex and t-shirt.

"You know babydoll, your an amazing wom-" and just like that, Liam fell asleep. He looked younger when he was sleeping, almost innocent looking. I brushed his blond hair out of his face.

"Liam you're a real pain sometimes..but you're a good friend. Thank yo-" I drifted to sleep just as quick as Liam did.

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"Amelia, hey, Amelia." Liam was shaking me awake.

"What, what's wrong?"

"You were having a bad dream, thought it would be better the wake you up then let you sleep through it."

"Oh, thanks." I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and got out of bed. I pulled my jeans on just as Liam did the same. "So what's the plan for the day since you won't take me home?"

"I was thinking we go to Walmart get you some clothes and shower stuff, find a nicer hotel for the next couple nights then hang out and watch t.v.?"

"Or, and hear me out, you take me home and I kick my dad's ass and send him back to prison?" Liam laughed loudly.

"If you think i'm just going to let you go home and see you're dad, you're mistaken. That's ridiculous. I'm not stupid Amelia."

"I beg to differ." I laugh as Liam shakes his head at me laughing. He runs at me and picks me up throwing me on his shoulder.

"You think you're just so funny don't you babydoll?" He swings me around so i'm now being held up on his hips with my arms wrapped around his neck. He stopped laughing and just stared at me until I stopped. His hands were on the small of my back, he let one go to brush my hair out of our faces. "Amelia?"

"Yes Liam?" I say breathlessly.

"You are the most beautiful dumbass I have ever met."

"Wh-"

"Sh. That's a compliment. I only say dumbass because you fearlessly want to charge after the man who killed your family to save my idiot of a brother, who we both know can handle himself. I know you're strong, and I love that, but I would rather die than let that man come near you again. You have such a bright light in you, I will never let him blow it out."

"Liam, please take me home."

"Wha-"

"I know you won't let me get hurt. Neither will Ashton. Take me home so we can all face him together. Liam this has to end at some point, it might as well end now before something terrible happens."

"Amelia no!" Liam shouted at me, I could see the anger boiling up in him. His once soft hands turned to fists as he dropped me back to the ground. "Amelia, you've got real head strong since i've been gone, don't get me wrong, it's hot, but it's also going to get you actually killed." he let out a long huff, "Amelia, don't make me keep telling you no, i've been telling you no in my head for every day for the past 10 years."

"What? Telling me no for what?"

"Nothing, you'll find out in time babydoll. Anyway, let's go watch t.v. for a bit while I contemplate taking you." After a couple episodes of Friends I slowly drifted to sleep from boredom. My dreams kept me contently asleep, I dreamt of my mothers soothing voice cooing me to sleep when I was young, I could hear the drunk rambling of my father to his drunk friends in the background. I remember this night so clearly, this was the first night in years that my father wasn't screaming at my mother about bringing him a beer or new bottle of scotch every five minutes. It was peaceful, almost like a normal home. My father was a very handsome man who was bewitched by my mother, he was devoted to her until the day my brother was born. I don't know what changed, but he wouldn't hold my brother or visit my mother in recovery. My mother said it was because he didn't want another child, but I know there's a deeper reason.

I woke to the sound of Liams voice. His arm was under me while my head was on his chest. I didn't move, I could feel his slow breaths, he was sleeping. I don't know how I became so close to him. I moved slightly to lay a little more comfortable and he put his arm close to me with his hand on my lower back. I forgot he talks in his sleep sometimes, it's always too quiet to understand but since i'm so close to him every word is clear as day. At first it was just my name, slowly over and over again he whispered my name.

"Leah. Am......Love. " He breathed in a sharp breathe and held it in for a couple seconds before slightly tightening around me. "Love you."