~Chapter (24)~
Doubt thou the stars are fire,
Doubt the sun doth move,
Doubt truth to be a liar
but never doubt thy love.
William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act II, Scene II
Time had passed so quickly and it was already seven o’clock. I took a long relaxing shower in hopes of clearing my head from all the negative thoughts that seemed to crowd it. I felt horrible, because while Liam was trying to cheer me up and make me feel better, he had no idea that it was Adrian whom occupied my mind. I couldn’t help it though, I was worried about him.
Where was he? Was he okay? Did Haley find him? I should probably call her and ask.
Quickly, I slipped into some shorts and put on a Foo Fighters t-shirt to get more comfortable, then I grabbed my phone and dialed Haley’s number. I sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for an answer.
“Hello?” Haley’s comforting voice broke into the phone.
“Haley, um. . .it’s me,”
“Selena, thank goodness you’re okay, I was really worried after you passed out,” Haley blurted.
Immediately, a deep sigh escaped my lips. “I’m sorry I got you worried,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair.
“You have nothing to apologize for, it was not your fault!” Haley cried out.
“This is why I never tell anyone about my sickness. My problem gets upgraded to be their problem which is not suppose to happen,”
“Selena, I am your best friend –or was at least. Anyway, what I meant to say was that your problems are my problems, that’s what friends are for,” Haley said. She sounded friendly, caring and slightly upset for mentioning the status of our friendship, which we agreed not to talk about in the meantime.
I was still hurt from the way she treated me after I left Adrian, she blocked me out completely, and humiliated me in front everyone back in Julliard. I remember the looks on everyone’s face when she told them that I was only using Adrian to get more attention, that I was the one whom caused him to crash his car. I was betrayed by my own best friend.
Come to think of it now, I believe I deserved it all. I mean, who am I kidding? I brought it all to myself. I lied and I got punished for it.
“You still consider me as a . . friend, don’t you?” Haley asked pulling me out of my chain of thoughts. Her voice sounded a little shaky.
I sighed. “Of course, Haley. You are my friend,” I assured her.
“Thank you,” she muttered slowly, a sigh of relief escaping her lips.
An awful silent minute had passed, so I decided to pull it together and ask about Adrian.
“So, did you find him?” I inquired.
“Not yet. But, I think I know where to find him,” Haley replied.
Immediately, a rush of hope sprinted through my body. “Really?”
“Do you remember Alex Evans?”
I scratched my head slightly trying to revive my mind. Alex Evans . . . Evans. .
“Are you referring to the Irish guitarist whom we met in U2’s concert last year?” I questioned, feeling my eyebrows crease.
“Yeah, he is a friend of Adrian’s. I called him earlier and asked if he had spoken to Adrian during the last few days,” Haley explained.
“Did he?” I asked hesitantly.
“No, but I don’t believe him,” Haley stated flatly.
A frown broke into my face. “What do you mean, Haley?”
She sighed slowly. “I know my brother, Selena. If he’s searching for his lost memories, then he definitely would not want me to know.”
Lost memories. . . Me?
“Oh. . .”
“Don’t worry, I am going to find him, Sel.”
All of this, because of what I have done. My lies followed me everywhere, hurting all the people I loved, spreading just like a fatal infection from one person to another. When did I become such a horrible person?
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled quietly.
To my disappointment, I did not receive a response from Haley. Instead, she heaved out a sigh.
“Haley, I-”
“I need to go, Selena,” she blurted out, not giving me a chance to speak. “I’ll call you when I have new information, bye,” she said and quickly cut off the line.
I wiped out a warm tear that had traveled down my cheek. Maybe we’ll never go back to the way we used to be, she will never forgive me for what I have done to her brother.
A faint sound of music entered my ears, particularly Coldplay music and it was coming from the living room. I had almost forgot that Liam was still in the apartment, he was probably bored by himself.
The sound of the beautiful extraordinary music by Coldplay filled my ears as I made my way to the living room. A rush of an unexplainable delight washed over me, drawing a smile on my face. I recognized the song as one of my favorites to listen to, play and sing. I could almost hear the Liam humming quietly.
My eyes searched for him all over the place, and located him after a few seconds. He was in the kitchen, cooking as it seemed to be. He appeared to be having a great time doing it either, his sleeves had been rolled up and the bottom of his shirt was slightly smudged by what looked like a tomato sauce. I wanted to catch a glimpse of his eyes, but they were hidden behind the fallen locks of his smooth hair.
“Ugh! Bad, bad oven,” Liam yelled at the oven grasping one of his fingers.
I cracked up, right away. The way he spoke to the oven was so funny as if he was scolding a baby, but I really enjoyed the fact that he rarely cursed, he was a decent young man.
“Hey! How long have you been standing there?” Liam questioned.
“For a while,” I said with a chuckle.
Liam pursed his lips and looked at me. “That is not nice, you know.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”I asked innocently.
“I burnt my finger because of this bloody oven, and you were laughing at me,” Liam crossed his arms over his chest and sent me an irritated look.
I shrugged. “It was pretty funny, Liam. You were speaking to it like it was a baby or something,” I told him while trying to suppress another chuckle.
“I do not talk like a baby!” Liam exclaimed, signs of annoyance took place on his face.
“I didn’t say that you talked like a baby. But, now I think I might have to consider that thought,” I mumbled, a smirk forming on the corner of lips.
Liam scowled. “Go away! Or I will certainly ban you from dinner.”
Ban me from dinner? In my brother’s apartment?
“No wonder, you and Mason are best friends,” I shook my head at his childish behavior. “Here, let me clean this for you,” I held out a wet napkin and pointed at the stain on his clothes. Then, I proceeded to clean it, leaving a fresh spotless shirt.
“Thank you,” Liam flashed me one his charming smile that always made my heart flutter.
I blushed and quickly removed my hand away from his shirt.
“Are you feeling better now?” He asked, assessing my features while giving me a concerned look.
I nodded slowly.
“Alright, can you please go sit down?” Liam asked.
“Why?”
Liam sighed. “I cooked you a meal. And when I cook, I like to serve it properly.”
“Alright then, I guess I have to wait,” I shrugged and took a seat on the couch, I grabbed my guitar and started strumming and singing along with “The scientist” that was playing by Coldplay.
“Nobody said it was easy-y . . . oh it’s such a shame for us to part. Nobody said it was easy-y. . . no one ever said it would be this hard. Oh, take me back to the start. . . .”
“Wow,” I heard Liam’s applause as I laid my guitar on the empty chair beside me and attempted to cover the redness that was reaching my cheeks.
“Thanks.”
Liam grinned widely, setting down a few plates on the table. The wonderful delicious smell invaded my breathing air, reaching to every cell of my brain. To my own embarrassment, my stomach grumbled causing Liam to chuckle as he sat on the couch beside me.
I let my eyes wander over the table to check out the delicious plates, Lasagna, Coleslaw salad, and chocolate cake for dessert. I was already aware of the consequences of eating from those plates, but they looked so good and I just wanted to enjoy another meal with Liam. Another meal wouldn’t hurt, I’ll go back to my healthy diet starting tomorrow. And Stephen does not need to know about this.
“I love Lasagna, it’s my favorite,” I grinned staring at the plate like some homeless hungry person then I attacked it with my fork and started eating right away.
“I have missed this so incredibly much,” I mumbled, closing my eyes and sinking into another world.
Liam chuckled at me. “I wasn’t aware of this. If I had known, I would have used it to get what I want.”
I ignored him, and continued eating my tasty meal.
“I thought your brother was a good cook. How come he doesn’t make you the food you like?” Liam arched one of his eyebrows and said before eating from the salad.
“Jordan is busy, he tries his best to make me happy during the summer.”
Liam nodded. “He seems like a good fella,” he commented and took a sip of water.
“He is,” I stated. “I’m lucky to have him.”
Awful silence fell between us. Thankfully, Enrique Iglesias’s emotional voice was filling the atmosphere, providing the only source of entertainment.
“I was really worried about you, last night,” Liam murmured breaking the silence, his fretful eyes were fixed on me.
“Nothing happened, Liam.” I said and quickly shoved a spoon of salad in my mouth.
“What in the world is that suppose to mean? You lost conscious. Again. I spoke with Haley, and she told me all about it,” Liam said raising his voice.
Immediately, I gulped. “S-She. . .told you,” I stuttered nervously.
No! Why Haley? Why?!
Adrian is already wounded because of me.
“She said you were shaking, and you could not breathe. That is bloody serious, Selena!” Liam yelled frowning deeply.
Relieved, I let out a breath I was holding.
“Maybe I should take you another hospital, I don’t like Stephen anyway. . .” he suggested.
“No!” I protested shaking my head. “Stephen is my doctor, I don’t want anybody else.”
Liam sighed. “Promise me that you will be there for your appointment on Wednesday?”
The pleading look in his eyes left me with a horrible feeling of guilt.
“Uh, alright. On one condition though.”
“What is that?” He wondered, raising his eyebrow.
“Don’t go through with this undercover client idea, please.”
Liam shook his head. “ I can’t,” he said flatly.
“Why not?”
“Selena, I’m not doing this for Ben or your brother. I’m doing this for. .Kylie,” Liam explained.
I could sense that my eyebrows were creasing. “What?”
“Jeffery Cox can help me put my sister’s killer in prison. He can be quite useful, but only if I did something for him,” Liam clarified. “You see, Ben is involved with Jeffery’s associates, and now he is unable to pay his debt. If I pay them the money, he might help me.”
“Liam, he is a dangerous man, you said so yourself. I can’t let you take that risk,”
Liam sighed heavily. “I have to do this, Selena. For Kylie.”
“But. . .”
“Are you afraid because of the possibility of me getting injured –or because you actually care about me?” Liam asked, looking very intrigued.
I stared at my hands timidly feeling the increasing velocity of my own heartbeats. I was too scared to give an indefinite statement about how I felt about him. Honestly, I did care about Liam. In fact, I liked him, I mean what is there not to like about him. But, deep down, I knew that I still had feelings for Adrian. I did not have any intentions of breaking Liam’s heart –or giving him false hope. He could find another girl. A better girl.
“Selena?”
“Both. . .” I muttered quietly.
“I need to tell you something, Selena,” Liam started but he was interrupted immediately by the sound of my phone ringing. He swore under his breath out of frustration.
I picked up the phone and saw Jordan’s number displaying on the screen, so I answered right away.
“Hey, Jay!”
“Selena, are you alone? Or is Liam still there with you?” Jordan asked anxiously.
“Here, why?”
“Listen, I need you to stay home and ask him to stay with you. Do not leave the apartment, alright?” Jordan ordered, his tone becoming quite serious.
“What? Why?”
“Just do as I say!”
“No! Tell me!” I demanded, Liam sent me a questioning look.
Jordan sighed. “Ben has been admitted to the hospital, Sel.”
“Oh god, what happened? Is he okay?” I gulped, praying that he was fine.
“He is in surgery, I don’t know. . .I don’t understand what happened. And Julia is breaking down, I feel helpless and angry,” Jordan blurted.
“Just stay by her side, she needs you the most right now. I’ll be right there,” I told him.
“Stay home, Selene, I don’t-“
“I’ll bring Liam with me, if you believe that is better, bye.”
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Helloooo guys!!! Boy, I have missed you so much. Did you miss me? Well, I'm sorry for not uploading, but I was extremely busy with university work. Then, it was hard to get back to writing after stopping for so long, it was very furstrating!
Thank you AlexandraDawn for the banner, it's pretty cool :)
The Scientist by the awesome Coldplay is a my favorite to play and sing :)
Thank you for the support, guys! :) Hope you enjoy this chapter. . <3