Chapter Three: You Don't Have to Cry Anymore
The next morning, I woke up in the bed. The sun was shining extremely bright. I must've fallen asleep on Liam. After a while the silence became too much for him because he convinced me to order a movie while we ate the food he brought over.
We ended up watching Tangled. I laughed at how cute the movie was, and Liam laughed saying that I looked like a dark version of Rapunzel. When he realized my eyes were blue and not green, he said that maybe I would connect more with the evil mother. I threw a noodle at him and it landed right in the middle of his forehead, making me laugh harder.
I smiled at the thought of us making memories together and sat up. I jumped and let out a small scream when I noticed Liam sitting on the other end of the bed with a smile on his face.
"What the hell are you still doing here?" I breathed. I was clutching the sheets up to my chin. My heart was pounding and I had the urge to kick his ass off of the bed for scaring me shitless.
"I stayed to make sure you were okay. You know, in case you woke up crying and throwing punches."
I realized what he was talking about and gave him a small smile. I appreciated the small humor he tried to throw in there to keep the mood light.
"Awe, aren't you just a big softie. Well, since you're still here, let's get some breakfast. I'll treat," I said, throwing back the covers. I stood up and stretched, ignoring the aching throughout my entire body. I then let my now dry hair out of its bun. It fell in waves down my back. I ran a hand through it gently, careful not to hit any snags and turned back to Liam. His face was frozen, but his eyes burned with confliction. I stared at him, trying to figure out where his head was. His face was stony, as if he was pissed. But his eyes...his eyes burned with lust.
Liam's look was totally different from Steve's. Steve's looked like he wanted to violate me, hurt me, and it was cold and heartless.
But Liam's made me blush and set my whole body on fire. His was a look one of passion. As if he wanted to pleasure me in ways I've never dreamed of. I loved that he looked at me that way. Something about this expression on Liam's face specifically made me...happy. A shudder passed through my spine and pooled in my pelvis. I slowly crossed my legs when I felt the dampness in my panties.
That was a mistake.
The friction from my legs crossing cause a moment of pleasure to rip through me, my nipples hardened, and a small almost inaudible moan emitted from me.
Liam heard it. His lips parted slightly and I heart the sharp intake of breath. His eyes never left mine.
As crazy as it sounded, all I wanted to do was push him down on to the bed and climb in to his lap. I bit my lip as I imagined his arms wrapped around me, roaming me, while my fingers were locked in his chocolate tendrils.
What's stopping you? The voice in my head rang loud and clear. It was crazy as hell, but it was right. What was stopping me? I have sex with strangers all the time. Except, Liam didn't exactly feel like a stranger anymore. After last night, I'd felt as if he'd seen straight into me.
Before I could make up my mind, a shriek pierced the air as the alarm clock went off behind me on the bedside table. I jumped to recover the damned device to hit the top of it. My heart was racing as I set it back down on the table and ran a shaky hand through my black tresses.
"Um, what do you say?" I asked, giving him a small smile. The moment was gone, leaving a sort of awkwardness.
He looked down with his hands clenched together, and nodded. I went over to all of my bags in the corner and found a pair of light blue faded distressed skinny jeans and a black cropped tee that hung off my shoulder.
I went in the bathroom and dressed after brushing my teeth and washing my face. I quickly snatched the straps off of my bra and I left my hair as is and decided on lip gloss and mascara as my only make-up. I sprayed some soft and dreamy Victoria's Secret spray on and slid my feet into my canvas shoes. My belly was partly exposed, but not enough to make everyone stare.
When I walked out into the room, Liam had relocated and was sitting in a chair, watching a show about penguins with his legs crossed. I fought the urge to laugh, but I didn't want him to know I knew what he was doing.
I walked over to my bed and emptied my book bag. I only took the essentials and put everything else back. I made sure the check Jet gave me was in a safe compartment in the cargo bag. I turned to Liam who looked like a damn statue. I chuckled.
"Ok Li-Li, let's go."
His eyes snapped to me like he'd forgotten where he was ad then he frowned. I snickered behind my hand, not wanting to openly mock him. I wanted to break the ice, but I don't know what his limits are at the moment. So this will be my way of getting know him.
"Li-Li?" he asked. Laughter danced in his eyes as the corner of his mouth twitched up a little.
I cocked my head. "Yeah, I like the sound of it. I mean, friends give each other nick names don't they?"
"Ha. Funny. Please, at least don't ever call me that in public. Or...ever." I laughed.
I definitely classified him as a friend. Non-friends don't give away money they've earned and offer them a rent-free stay. Or stay overnight in their hotel room to make sure they didn't awake from nightmares.
"I'll think about it," I teased. Liam rolled his eyes, and I knew the tension had finally broken.
"Since, you're treating, I'm driving. Just tell me where." He stood up and grabbed his keys. He threw me the hotel key. I frowned and looked at him questioningly.
Had he gone through my bag?
"What? I had to go home and change," he stated innocently. I just narrowed my eyes at him playfully. We walked out the door and I tucked the room key in my bag.
We ended up going to Ihop. The hostess that sat us down was glaring daggers at me, and I'm sure it was because of Liam. He didn't seem to notice. Or maybe he did and decided to ignore it. Whatever it was, I liked it. It was as if he only had eyes for me...at the moment.
My mind went back to last night's conversation. I looked at Liam as he studied the menu.
There had to be some reason that he was willing to just give me his money. I'm not rich, but I'm pretty sure he is, even without the money from his investment.
And even if he wasn't doing this for something in return, will I really want to just take his money like that? I'm pretty sure that it would be on my conscience for a while. What would that make us? Is this a business agreement, or does this make us fast friends?
I honestly wouldn't mind being fast friends with him. The only other friend I have is Aria, and she basically didn't approve of my actions, and told me to call her when I got my priorities straight.
"So, this whole....agreement or whatever you want to call it. Why?"
He looked at me over his menu with a confused expression. "What do you mean, I told y-,"
"Yeah, I know, because you want to help. But you don't know me, and I know you can't be that nice of a guy."
He narrowed his eyes at me. "Look, I'm just trying to help you. I don't like to see good people have to suffer the way that you have. It's a win-win situation. Why can't you just appreciate what I'm doing?"
I recoiled at his defensiveness. Why was he getting to irate? He had plowed me with questions all night. It wasn't as if I had implied or accused him of anything. I figured it would be an appropriate conversation.
"Because my Mother taught me to not trust strangers as a kid and that advice has gotten me far in life," I stated with hard eyes. She may not be much of a mother now, but she's the only one I have.
His hazel eyes cooled and I suddenly felt the chill of them. "You know you sure do have a lot of insecurities," he stated.
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't grow up with a trust fund and my mother's nipple in my mouth," I shot back.
One thing I don't like is other people's pity. That's why I stay to myself all the time. But what I hate most is when that pity turns into a loaded gun, pointed right in the middle of my forehead. I had given him the ammo he needed. If I didn't comply with his wants, then he'd use it against me. Typical. I should have known.
Shame washed over me as I realized how naïve I'd been. I didn't want to show him weakness though, so I pushed my chin in the air and fought like hell to not let him see how I was really feeling.
Pure disbelief froze on Liam's face. And I wouldn't blame him. Who am I to judge him, or anyone for that matter? Now not only am I a naïve bitch, but a judgmental one at that.
Guilt coursed through me, and I blew out a deep breath. My façade broke and I looked down at my hands. I couldn't take him looking at me like that.
Without another word, Liam stood up and walked out, and like the fool that I am, I let him. Tears sprang to my eyes. I had hurt my own damn feelings. Why had I said that? And why was I too stubborn to take them back? Guilt wasn't even a word I could use to describe how bad I felt right now.
I had potentially just sabotaged one of the best things that could have happened to me. But I don't understand why he'd gotten so defensive.
The same reason you did yesterday, you judgmental bitch. I scowled at myself. I had already established that I had been a bit harsh in judging him. I didn't need it rubbed in my face.
I left shortly after Liam. I decided that I would go pick up Maddie for a pick me up. Plus, I really needed to see how she was doing. Maddie is only eight years old, and was still as innoncent as the day she was born. Assumption led me to believe that she was probably traumatized being belief. I couldn't do anything but hope that she was okay. The last thing I wanted in life was for her to end up like me; wanting to un-see things that could never be erased.
I already knew that Mom had picked her up from Lucinda's house. She always did. Instead of wasting gas and a phone call, I just went straight to the house I used to call home. The ride was a bout thirty minutes before I pulled up outside the house and was surprised to see my mother standing there, a solemn look on her face. I took her in, and really looked at her. Her frame was still thin, just shy of sickly thin. Her blonde hair came to her shoulders, still a golden halo around her sharp face. Her green eyes, which were the same as Maddie's and Justin's, were wide and guarded. I got my blue eyes from my father.
Her lips were flattened in a thin line and she hugged herself tightly. I never understood how my mother always managed to appear so young. She seriously looks like she could be my older sister. Her lips were small, but full and very pink, despite the fact that she's been a chain smoker for the last seven years.
She wore jeans and a white shirt with a long tan cardigan that had a gaping hole in the bottom of it. Her feet had on those old butterfly patterned house shoes she used to wear when I was a kid.
A small smile was on my face as I got out the car and thought how I used to tease her how I would buy her some more and she answered that she would continue to wear them until I got her new ones. That never happened.
When I reached her, she looked at me with a timid expression. As if she was afraid of me.
"Hi Mom." My voice wasn't cold, but it was endearing either. Last night I got a glimpse at the mother she used to be, but it didn't exactly change the way things are now. I mean we haven't spoken in forever, what did she expect?
"Sophia. Are you ok?" she asked. Her voice was controlled and I could tell it was hard for her to talk to me. I guess she'd gotten used to not have to speak with me with that loving and concerned tone most parents use.
"I'm ok. I'm staying at a hotel outside of town."
"Near work?" Her tone accentuated on the last word, and my heart rate picked up. I always knew this day would come. I didn't expect Steve not to tell her last night either. But I was so wrapped up in Liam when he came over, that I never gave it thought to how the next interaction with my mother would go.
My heart dropped down into my stomach. I kept my gaze steady. I didn't want to jump the gun though. Just incase she didn't know, I would play stupid. That was highly unlikely though. Knowing Steve, he spilled all the beans to her last night in an attempt to get her to forgive him and to come back to him. That's if he didn't pin it that I had attacked and came on to him and he was trying to restrain me.
"W-what?"
Her gaze hardened and her body tensed. "Steve told me about your little job. How you were trying to seduce him and then tricked him, trying to make everyone think he was trying to rape you. How could you Sophia?"
Called it. But that still didn't stop the anger that rose up in me. As my mother she could have at least given me the benefit of the doubt and asked me what happened herself. I guess that was too much to ask for. I threw my guard back up.
"Are you fucking stupid! That asshole did try to rape me! Why can't you see that he's lying to you? He's a pig and he's disgusting!"
"Don't you dare talk about Steve like that!" she yelled. By this time, the neighbors were on their lawns and in their windows, pointing and whispering. I didn't care. "You're a slut and no daughter of mine! You go around town as if you're better than us when you're just fucking every Dick, Tom, and Harry for a buck!"
That stung. Out of reflex, I wanted to hurt her back just as bad, my anger boiling at its peak.
"Fuck you!" I hadn't realized I said it until I felt the sting on my cheek.
I looked at her and her hand was pointing in my face. "Don't you ever speak to me that way again," she breathed.
She was kidding right? After the way she's treated me? After the things she just said?
I huffed and crossed my arms across my chest, my default setting when I get uncomfortable or defensive. She didn't scare me, but I also didn't want to physically hurt her. So I crossed my arms before I really lost my control. Because even though she birthed me, she was no longer my mother.
The other night I had actually thought that she loved me. That she was still my Mom. Who I used to run to when I thought there was a monster in my closet. The person who I would call every morning and night when I was at Grandma's house all those summers. But I guess that woman was gone. Long gone.
I stepped towards her until we were inches apart, my breath caressing her face and hair.
"Just because a bitch gives birth doesn't make it a mother," I said. My voice was surprisingly steady, but it was hard and I felt the harshness of my words whip at her. She recoiled, hurt crossing her features and tears sprang to her eyes.
It didn't satisfy me to see that I'd hurt the only mother I will ever have, but I'm glad I said it. She needed to know that there's a big difference between the two.
"Sophia!" Maddie called, sprinting from inside the house and into my arms. I smiled widely and gathered her up.
"Hi baby! I've missed you so much!" And I really did. Hearing her voice and seeing her face almost broke me. She took a step back and I gave her a once over. Her blonde curls were in a ponytail today. Her eyes looked a bit sunk in and she herself looked thinner. Guilt hit me hard. I was so stuck in my own world yesterday that I had forgotten to come straight home for her. I left her money for food, but that doesn't mean that she was able to go and get any.
"Listen honey, you wanna go somewhere with me tonight?"
"Yes!" Maddie's eyes lit up and she smiled hugely.
"No!"
The 'no' was stern and envious. I looked up at Linda, as I would now refer to her from now on, to see her narrowed eyes drilling into me.
"And why not?" I asked, crossing my arms. "Maddie can hang out with her big sister if she wants to."
"Maddison isn't going anywhere with trash like you," Linda snapped. A satisfied look was smug on her face.
Her words cut me deep. I didn't care about the name calling. The fact that she would stoop that low to keep my sister from me to make me miserable was a cheap shot.
"But Mommy, I miss Sophia!" she pouted, and her arms crossed over her chest just like mine, except hers was a disappointed gesture, while mine was an I-dare-you-to-test-me type of thing.
"I don't care what you want! Now get your ass in the house. NOW!"
"I hate you! Sophia is my Mommy not you!" she shouted.
I saw it before it happened, but I couldn't stop it. Linda's hand raised up over her head and came down in a blur across Maddie's face.
She let out a scream and fell backwards into the brick column. Before I knew what I was doing, I drew my fist back and snapped it forward, my fist connecting with Linda's jaw. She hit the door holding her mouth. When she brought her hand down, there was blood running from her lip down her chin. I stepped to her and stopped only when we were mere centimeters apart.
"You touch her again, and it'll be the last thing you ever do. Got it?"
There was so much venom in my voice that my saliva became sour and burned going down my throat. Linda, flinched hard at my words. I turned my attention to Maddie. She sat there crying, hugging her knees to her chest. Her cheek was red, but there was other physical damage. I held out my hand to her.
She took it gingerly and stood up. Her legs were shaky, so I picked her up. She wrapped her legs around me and laid her head on my shoulder. She was heavy but I would manage.
I turned to Linda. "I'll have her back at Lucy's tomorrow afternoon. If you aren't there when I am, don't worry about getting her back." The threat was loud and clear. She had better get her shit together before she lost two children.
Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked to my car. I lowered Maddie into the back seat and I drove off, going to the only place I could.
There was no way in hell that Maddie was going back to that house.
I pulled up to the police station. It was a pretty old building, one of the first ever built in this town. It was dark brick, sturdy, but was withering away and would probably be rubble in the next twenty years. Maddie was holding my hand tightly.
"It's ok. I won't let anyone hurt you," I smiled down to her. She nodded and looked back down at her feet. I stopped and knelt down beside her I lifter her chin up with my forefinger.
"Don't look down when you walk. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Always hold your head high, like the Queen of England," I smiled. She gave me a small smile in return and that's not what I wanted. My fingers ran across her ribs, tickling her. A fit of giggles came from her lips and she surrendered.
"Ok! Ok!" She stood straight and held her head high. Her head was tilted back a too far and it was a bit dramatic, but it was better than her looking at the cracks in the cement.
The inside of the station was drabby. Neutral tones and an outdated sign that was supposed to say Police Station but looked like ' P il e S a tion'.
There was a man there that looked like the all American guy. Thick blond hair and bright blues. He was tall with broad shoulders and large hands. He was decent looking and for a moment, I found myself comparing him to Liam.
I told Maddie to go sit on the bench by the door and not to talk to strangers. I walked up to him and he flashed us a dazzling white smile and his name said that his name was Officer Peters.
"Hello Ma'am. How may I help you today?" he asked. He was polite enough to let me know that he's friendly, but stern enough to tell me that he meant business.
"Um, I want to press charges against my Mom. And I can also guarantee that she and her boyfriend have possession of illegal drugs."
His smile dropped and his face became serious.
"Are you eighteen?" I gave him a curt nod.
"Well, we'd have to get a warrant from the courts to go in there. But what're you pressing charges for?"
"Physical and emotional abuse to myself, my brother, and my little sister over there. Child neglect and endangerment." My voice was clear, but for some reason, I sounded so uncertain of myself. The words rolled off of my tongue with ease, but they felt false. Of course it was all true, but the entire situation seemed utterly impossible. How in the hell had we gotten here? When did our lives become this bad? How did our lives become this bad?
"We would have to take statements from all three of you. Are you able to care for the other children?"
I gave him another curt nod. "I'm staying at a hotel for the next few days, but I am going apartment hunting today. But um, I have an aunt that lives nearby that is willing to take them in once all of this is over."
I had called Lucinda on the way here and she agreed to it immediately. Her and her husband don't have kids anyway and have been trying for years. Plus, she's been wanting to do this for a long time, but she never really had the courage to take us away from her sister. My aunt had lived in denial of her older sisters' activities and lifestyle. I know that it had to have been heartbreaking to watch your role model turn out to be a monster, but I'm just glad that she finally came around. It took for Maddie to get caught in the cross fire for her to realized that our mother needed serious help. Better late than never right?
"This is all a court matter, but I will take your statements and information so we can get a warrant. I nodded and we proceeded to get all the information I needed for court orders and protection. Maddie and I left about an hour later and we grabbed some clothes from Wal-Mart for Maddie. She went crazy over the Tinker Bell night gown we found and I made sure to buy her some shorts, undies, and t-shirts for the next few days.
Later that night, Maddie and I got to the hotel and I fed her. She about ordered everything on the room service menu. Then she wanted to go swimming, so I took her to the pool. Maddie is a funny sight in one of my t-shirts and shorts that swallowed her. Her cheeks tinged pink when the shorts slipped off in the pool. Luckily no one was around. Now it's really late and were heading back up.
"Sophia, I'm sorry I made you and Momma fight. I didn't mean to."
I looked down at her sad face. My heart literally broke in two at that face. Why should any child suffer because of our mistakes?
I hoped that Officer Peters was true to his word and would get us a court date as soon as possible.
"It wasn't your fault. None of it was." I hugged her. "You don't have to cry anymore," I whispered.
"Neither do you," she answered while a slight smile. She went straight to sleep when we got to the room. I decided to get in the shower.
It made me feel extremely better and relieved the stress of the day. I got out and wrapped myself in a fluffy towel. When I opened the door, Liam stood there, looking like the sexiest thing on earth. His hair was wet, and so was his leather jacket. His white v-neck was sprinkled with water and so were his dark denim jeans. His face was in a frown, mixed with a sexy pout.
"Liam!" My hand flew to my throat, as I tried to catch my breath. My heart was pounding and I shook a little. Even though he looked edible and I was having dirty thoughts about him, he had just shown up unannounced and scared the shit out of me.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" I hissed. I peeked around the corner to make sure Maddie hadn't woken up.
His eyes were lustful and seemed to be raking my body up and down.
"I honestly don't remember," his voice was rough and thick. "Can you please cover up?" His voice was strained. And so was the bulge in his pants.
I looked down to see my towel in a pool around my feet. I blushed a deep crimson. I had never been so embarrassed. I still wasn't sure whether or not he was around long enough to witness my scene yesterday. I stared. Had it only been yesterday since we met? That seemed so unreal.
I bent down hastily to grab the towel and cover myself. We stood there in an awkward silence. Until I walked into the room and got some pajamas. I slipped on the shorts and shirt while keeping myself completely obscured from his view. When I was done, I turned to him and stood with my arms crossed over my chest. I was stubborn, but the way he was staring off into space was starting to eat at me. I chewed on my lip, trying to figure out the best way to bring up the elephant in the room without setting him off. I still don't know him well enough to know his reactions, and I really didn't want him blowing up at me or walking out, again.
"I'm sorry about what I said at Ihop. It was uncalled for and I have no right to say what I did," my words came out in a rush.
"But it was true. And honestly it's why I came here tonight. I need a favor," he answered in an unattached voice. I frowned at him, as I was his nerves take over his facial features.
I was taken aback by him saying it was true, but I appreciated him seeing it from my point of view. I really didn't want to fight with him. I also was grateful that he wasn't writing me off either. Even though we've only known each other for about five minutes, he made me feel special. Cared for even, and I haven't felt like that in a while. Our new friendship was something that I really wanted. I was afraid because I knew that there was a very large chance that I could fall for someone like Liam. The problem was reality, and I was very realistic these days. I had no choice but to be. So, I also had to acknowledge that Liam and I come from two totally different worlds.
"What is that?" I was wary about his answer. What could he be asking me to turn him into a nervous wreck?
Liam looked at me long and hard. His eyes looked contemplative, but his feature were soft with a tender look. His chocolate hair hung around his shoulders tonight. I was aware of how much I wanted to go to him and tuck a strand of hair behind his ear and caress his stubbled-cheek. But I was too focused on his eyes to move. Hazel met blue, and I can tell you right now, that I was lost in-between. I wasn't sure how much that made sense to myself, but I knew in that moment that I was quickly getting myself into something I had never experienced before. And I was scared shitless. I was sure that it wasn't love, but whatever it was had me locked in his gaze, where his eyes roamed over me and lit me on fire.
Fire was the only way to describe the feeling that was crawling all over my skin. I was aware of every nerve ending, and I was afraid to move because I honestly thought that I would melt. Something in his eyes had me frozen to the spot. Or maybe it was the fact that I was on still on fire inside and out.
With a deep breath, Liam got down on one knee and held out the most beautiful diamond ring I had ever laid eyes on. There was a solitary diamond set in an intricate weaving of white gold tendrils wrapped around it. My heart stopped as I looked back and forth between the man on his knees in front of me, and the ring that was glinting in the light.
"Sophia Brookes, will you do me the honor in marrying me?"