Not Really Mine

XVIII

I quietly sat on the jet as Liam's heated gaze pierced into my soul. We left France that morning to fly over to Germany to go tell his father the engagement was off. I was intimidated none of the less, going to see the person who started it all.

My eyes snapped over to Liam then back awkwardly. I slightly shifted in my seat. He continued to stare at me in deep thought.

"Can I help you." I broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Talk." I slumped further into the luxury seat. It was like he's frustrated that I'm not talking, which was a surprise. He should have been at peace finally. I blew out a breath and looked out the jet's window, looking at the blue clouded sky. I heard him huff in annoyance.

"Why won't you talk, Azalea." My attention drifted back over to him.

"I- don't know."

"You're still mad, aren't you." He asked. It seemed that my face sold it. "Yeah your are." He sighed running his hand down his face with frustration. "I'm sorry."

"You told me." I shortly said looking back over to the window.

Liam continued to stare at me for the whole thirty minutes we flew while I avoided his gaze. The noticeable awkwardness floated around, pricking the air. The jet jerked slightly when coming to a stop, indicating that we landed. It felt like we were in here longer than the time from America to Spain.

I looked over to the door as it glided open. Slipping back on my shoes I hauled my backpack onto my shoulder and shuffled over to the door. Hearing Liam behind me I stepped down the stairs and walked over to the black SUV waiting for us.

I was going to open the door when someone's hand stopped me, grasping the handle. I paused in my place then turned my head over to see Deacon. My quiet mood became loud as I beamed up at the huge body guard. I've seen him around and we both would strike up conversations, mostly just lame insults thrown at each other. After awhile he became my travel buddy.

"Deacon!" I chirped. I noticed small wrinkles appear on the side of his eyes as he broke into a smile.

"Hey Lea." He pulled open the door for me gesturing into the car. I stepped up into the SUV then a few minutes later, Liam seated next to me. I smiled when Deacon crawled into the passenger side.

"So how've you been, I haven't seen you." I spoke to Deacon. His head turned slightly to me then tipped his head.

"I've been with you just not with you," He explained. "But it's been good, traveling, a lot." He looked back at me again and I rolled my eyes.

"Don't be so aggravated by it. Traveling is fun in my opinion." I said while fumbling with my seatbelt.

"Your opinion." I stopped adjusting my seatbelt to scoff at him.

"You know, the reflection of the sun off of your bald head is kind of blinding me." I placed my hand over my eyes, adding more affect. Before he could respond with anything else, Liam loudly cleared his throat to draw our attention towards him. We both looked over to the lightly annoyed Liam.

"When did this," his pointer finger wagged between us. " happen?" I pursed my lips in silence. He grew even more annoyed watching us sit there surrounded with silence and no answer.

"He's my friend-"

"Since when." My jaw ticked with annoyance as he cut me off.

"Why does it matter to you?" I asked titling me head feigning confusion. He narrowed his eyes in anger then snapped his over Deacon. He seemed like he wanted to tell him never to speak to me again, but he reluctantly resisted. My eyebrows raised with surprise at his self control. I saw the jealously dance feverishly in his eyes and he knew I could see it, but didn't say anything else. He just sat back childishly looking down at his phone. Deacon eyes and mine met each others with skepticism towards the brood sitting next to me.

I leaned up to his seat as he leaned over to me. "His silence is scaring me." I whispered. I watched as Deacon's eyes shifted over to Liam for a quick second before looking back towards me. "Me too."

We both gently sat back into our seats making room for the familiar silence to wiggle its way back. The drive didn't take much longer as we spent most of the time- arguing. Deacon slipped out of the car and rounded to my side, Opening the door.

"Why Thank you." I politely said hopping out of the car.

"A smurf needs all the help it can get." I shot a glare towards him as he chuckled at his own joke. My eyes absently went over to Liam with a gloomy look on his face. My lips dipped into a frown as he looked like he had a stormy cloud following him from above, with rain pouring continuously on him. I bit my lip with a guilty conscience.

He looked like he had gone through a lot mentally and I'm afraid it's from me. I was confused on how it could be- since he's the one who drove me away, but I couldn't help but feel like it was. Soon, my uplifting mood came crashing watching the lone man walk with a good distance away from me.

"Do you think he's okay?" I asked Deacon who was walking next to me. He looked over to Liam, taking in his behavior then shrugged his shoulders.

"He's your fiancé, but he does look sad, and he's never sad, or happy, or mad. I'm usually not able to even see what he's feeling." I cringed at the word fiancé. "It's best if you talk to him, not now, but probably at the hotel." I nodded in agreement, forcing my attention away from Liam.

Deacon opened the door for us and we filed into the hotel lobby. The key was immediately handed to Liam and I watched as grown men in uniforms scurry out the lobby and to the car to grab our bags.

"Wow." I blankly said still watching them when they wheeled our suit cases quickly up to our rooms before us.

I followed Liam to our room which was on the first floor, surprisingly. The door was already unlocked from the workers putting our stuff into the room.

"It's a two bedroom." He said. I quietly watched him as he went into the liquor cabinet they had already stocked and pull out vodka and whiskey. I didn't really question it as he started to down a shot the poured a cup. But as the day went along he started to drink more and more, until he began to stumble into the kitchen, reaching for more. It was getting out of hand and I needed to stop it.

He went for another bottle and I grabbed his bicep pulling it back down to his side. He looked like a mess, his hair scruffy and his eyes red and watery. My eyes went down to his half unbuttoned shirt and his sagging trousers. He's always kept up his appearance, since the day I've met him, but lately he's been slipping. I smelt alcohol fan across my face as he breathed and I shrunk slightly back.

My eyes slowly went back up to his alcoholic ones. He watched me intensely with almost depressed ones. They sluggishly drifted around my face then finally settled onto my eyes.
"You know," The slurred words were difficult for me to understand. He let out a small hiccup as he lazily lifted up a hand and rested it on my cheek. "Y-you, you have pretty eyes, you know that?" I placed my hand on top of his, leaning my cheek into his palm. I felt as tears brimmed in my eyes, from seeing him in that state.

"Look," I quickly caught him as his body almost gave up. "We need to talk, but not while you are like this." Then I carefully tugged him over to the room he occupied.

Hey, yeah sorry for the wait, I've been sick, so this chapter my be short than all the others. I hope you'll like it, tell me what you expect to happen and I might put it in. ;)

Ps. Im starting a new book really soon! The name for now is Deathly Screwed, so look out for it!

-  Z