I went home to look for my belongings. Miranda accompanied me. Blake left the house early not only to leave us alone but because he didn't feel comfortable around me, he didn't have to say it, I just knew.
Somewhere between the weird late lunch we shared and the random talk about my movies and romantic scenes with Miranda, I felt him getting uneasy. Around five he stood up from the couch and called Miranda to the kitchen. I heard them argue about something. I didn't want to eavesdrop so I walked to the balcony to enjoy the view. The backyard still had the fairy lights around the trees.
They raised their voices, not in anger but in frustration. I heard them argue about me and whether or not tell me the truth. What truth? I heard him say that things will never be the same and then he asked Miranda not to tell me, yet.
I stayed where I was, pretending not to have heard anything. He walked out of the kitchen in a rush, his face red as his chest raised up and down, heavy breathing. He then locked confused eyes with mine. He stood there for a second before walking out of the house.
I still had questions for Miranda about what she told me the last time I was in that house. She came beside me and said something about how they can't agree sometimes.
It has kept me awake all these nights those three words He loves you. He loves you. He loves you.
“You have to take a bathing suit with you!” Miranda said bringing me back to the present moment.
“I'm staying only one night. Why would I need it?” I asked her while I walked to the bathroom to get my beauty supplies. My makeover girl would be frantic if she knew the amount of hours I have spent under the sun the last few days. I knew she will have a big challenge when I go back.
“ We always go to the lake, remember?” I did. I thought it was a childish thing to do now that we were older but I didn't say anything. I wanted to keep that smile on her face.
“ Okay! Then, everything is ready!” I said taking my small bag and walking out of my room.
Miranda followed my lead, slowly, taking her time. I didn't want her to get too tired.
Dad wasn't home. As I passed his door and noticed it was locked. I sent him a text while I was getting in my car. Miranda was driving their truck and that's when we went separate ways.
We agreed I would take my car, because she was going to make a stop to see Camille at her mom’s. I had the key to her house which I was planning not to lose before getting there. I kept losing things since I was born I guess.
Marley and Joshua’s house was near the ranch. Since I was near I decided to make a stop to pick her up and save her the trouble of driving at night. She was really tired lately.
It was an incredibly beautiful night in Colorado Springs. The autumn carried a certain mystical breeze that could put you in a trance. I felt like I could conquer the world. The more the days passed the less I thought about Ryan. The wounds he inflicted on me were healing slowly. I still had the scars on my back but I'll call my doctor to see what she can prescribe to make them go away.
I walked to their front door, smiling at all the possible options we have to enjoy this night. This could get catastrophic with us around. I rang the doorbell obviously excited and thrilled for tonight.
“ Wait a minute!” a silvery voice resounded behind the door.
After a few seconds, that felt like minutes, the door flew wide open in front of me. He stared at me for a moment and then he smiled and whispered something to himself. I think I understood wrong, because I thought he said “here she is with those damn shorts again"
“What did you just say?” I asked, curiously, trying to clear any doubt.
“ I said I need to get beer to watch the game" he said, glancing away from me. I stared pointedly at the beer in his hands and he looked at me without saying a word.
“Marley! Liv is here!” he yelled while stepping back and giving me space to go in.
I entered the living room, and saw Blake leaning back on a recliner chair. He was watching the football game. His hair looked ruffled and he had changed his clothes for something more comfortable. He noticed my presence and smiled at me.
“Hey liv! I thought you were with Miranda" he said while eating a piece of fried chicken.
“ She went to see Camille. I was on my way to your house, and decided to pick Marley up" I explained, with a relaxed soft tone. I didn't want him to worry about leaving Miranda alone with us.
“ I see you couldn't stand to spend the rest of the day without me" Joshua interrupted us, as he walked next to Blake, but not before, grabbing my hand pulling me to follow him.
“ You're so full of yourself” I glared at him while I tried to shake off the feeling in my stomach as he caressed my hand that was still in his.
“ Not really, but a man can wish" he gave me a devilish smirk that weakened my knees. I was scared of what I was feeling, but I wasn't ready to fall for anyone on this trip, besides Blake had my emotions going all kinds of crazy. Also I didn't trust Joshua when it comes to his flirting. I have seen him break many hearts.
“ Can you two stop flirting now and let me watch the game" Blake said annoyed. Joshua and I laughed and I took that chance pull my hand away and tuck them in my shorts pocket.
The tension fell upon the three of us. Neither of us talked while we watch the game.
“Liv, I was about to head out" Marley came in the living room to save the day again.
“I thought about giving you a ride” I said, smiling.
“Sounds like a good plan! I'm so tired I might fell asleep while driving” she approached the table and took a few chips.
“Thank you Liv. I wouldn't want to be the detective in charge of her death" Joshua said seriously still looking at the TV.
“ What are your plans?” Blake asked looking at Marley.
“Maybe we will go to a bar or stay at the house” she replied hesitantly.
“ Try not to get into trouble girls. It is a game night. I don't want to go help you kick some asses" Joshua said, almost begging. Everyone knows we get wild when we get together.
“ Don't get drunk or at least not that much. I won't go to help you pick up the pieces of the next bar you destroy" Blake said, with a cute smile, looking at me.
“ Fuck! That idiot! what the fuck is he doing with the ball?” Joshua yelled angry while Blake started to laugh uncontrollably. His soft laughed echoed in my heart.
“ We are leaving now" Marley announced while pushing me out of the house.
“ You are too eager to go" I laughed as I made my way towards the car.
“ Joshua and Blake watching a game together can get bloody. They support different teams. Last time, Blake ended up with a broken nose and Joshua with a cast on his wrist" she explained as we got inside the car.
“Then why do they keep watching games together?” I laughed at the thought of them fighting.
“ It's unknown to me, they're guys I guess"
Miranda convinced us, to go to a new bar right outside of town. It was an hour away from the house and I was the designated driver. I was thankful because these too are pretty wild when drunk.
I had to make a quick stop at my house again to get something to wear out with these two. I picked a small black dress with a low cleavage. It accentuated my small curves down to knees. I got a brunette wig and blue contact lenses from a shop in town. Those were small touches but made me look like a completely different person.
The bar was crowded and we didn't go to a table. We stayed around the bar and it was even better. Miranda was under her drugs to control the pain and discomfort she had to confront on a daily basis. As soon as we made our way into the club she started to enjoy the music while she pulled Marley to the dancing floor.
I stayed behind to order the drinks. I avoided eye contact with anyone while I was alone. I didn't want strangers to approach me. The music kept filling my body and I started to move along the bass and rhythm.
“When was the last time you went to a bar without worrying about fans or media?” Marley asked, yelling above the music.
“hmm never!” I said laughing while sipping on my beer with a hint of lemon.
“ This is so good!” Miranda said when she sat down beside me.
“ M, don't drink too much" I said, with a motherly tone.
“ What will it do to me? Kill me? I'm already on the way, Liv" she said laughing. I didn't find the joke funny. Every time I saw she was good with dying I felt miserable.
“ We are so going to dance!” Marley said while both of them dragged me to the dance floor.
I let the events of the past month fly away. As my arms went wild and I felt the music grow louder in me.
My feet hit the floor with determination and fierceness. Breaking the silent crying of the things I have been denied of for the last ten years.
I was being myself for the first time in so long. I felt my soul rejecting the silent judgement that the world offered me all this long.
A hand touched my shoulder, a tall dark haired guy lowered his hand to my waist to dance with me. I looked at him and with an apologetic smile and rejected him. This was my moment of awakening and I wanted it for myself.
“ It is amazing to see you this happy, Liv" Miranda confessed when we got to the bar area and ordered three beers.
“ I missed being with you guys” Marley said, her voice slurred by the previous shot she had.
“ I wish I could live longer to enjoy this" Miranda smiled and then started to cry.
I hugged the two of them and cried my heart out. Finally I could let go everything I have bottled up inside. They didn't ask any questions because each one of us had our own secret battles fighting.
We pretended everything was fine for one night and went back to dancing. I already knew I was going to force them to go home.
By now, to be the designated driver looked like the most difficult job. Not even Liam Neeson had to work so hard to find his daughter as I was now, trying to get this two to stop yelling. It was almost one in the morning by now, Marley and Miranda were arguing with a guy who touched Marley’s butt a few times.
“Girls let's go!” I yelled “ Calm Down!”
“ You need to learn a lesson on how to respect a woman" Marley said, before punching the guy right in his nose, sending him to the floor.
Miranda was so drunk the only thing she did was laugh and cheer when she saw the man on the floor. I grabbed them by their wrists and forced them to get out of the bar.
Relentlessly they did still arguing with the guy.
“ Let's go home!” I said to both of them harshly.
They sat on the chairs on the entrance of the bar while I looked for the keys to my car. I didn't want to leave them alone. I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. It made me laugh because it tickled me.
“ Hey" a husky voice said on the other line.
“Hey handsome!" I said with a giggle while trying to hush the girls that were singing Ed Sheeran’s song, Perfect.
“ Ugh! Blake they did it! They're drunk as fuck!” I heard Joshua yell on the phone while I was still looking for my keys.
“ Damn I owe you fifty bucks! Liv you failed your test" I heard him yelled at me disappointed.
“ You were calling to see if you won a bet?” I asked, as I finally got my keys out.
“ Yes, and to know if you need help” he whispered on the line between the yelling of my friends.
“ but you said--"
“I know what I said, do you need help or not?” He asked persistently. I could still feel a hint of worriness in his voice.
“ Oh fudge!” I said scared when I saw the two big guys walking out of the bar. “Marley punched a guy and now they're walking out of there to kill us!” I said rapidly, helping the two stand up and walk beside me towards the car.
“ Liv do you need me to go over there and kill him?” Joshua yelled through the speakers with an exaggerated angry tone.
“No!”
I walked faster to the car but Miranda stayed behind looking for something on the floor, after a while she saw her shoes.
“Oh they're here on my feet"
Marley was getting an attitude again and was ready to start a mess with the guy one more time. I took both of them and threw them inside the car as fast as I could and then I tried to turn it on.
“Is everything okay? Hey! Liv? Are you guys okay?!” Blake asked this time.
“Yes we are...but I'm afraid I won't be able to wake these two up when we get to your house" I said looking through the reviewer mirror and found them laughing loudly at something they said.
“ You won't have to. Joshua and I will take care of that" he hung up after that with an annoyed voice. He was right, he warned us not to get drunk and yet we did or they did. I wasn't too far gone that I couldn't drive.
Marley fell asleep immediately leaning her beautiful hair on the door. Miranda was looking through the window almost following Marley into slumber. I spent most of the drive back listening to music until Miranda surprised me.
“ You know Liv? You broke his heart" she said sadly.
“ Whose heart, M?” I asked, surprised at her comment and the heaviness in her voice.
“ Blake’s" I stayed quiet. I didn't know what to say to a drunk girl who was talking about her husband’s love for me. “ You know?”
“ I didn't know" I said honestly, even when I knew she was talking under the effects of a drunken mind.
“ Yeah...he never gave up on you. He went to see you five years ago" my eyes widen in shock. Did Blake who was afraid to fly and hated big cities, go to California to see me? He never said anything to me. He stopped talking to me and the next thing I knew he married Miranda. She left me speechless once again.
“ He saw you with Ryan, he saw you so happy that he got scared of saying the things he never said before. He just wanted you happy” she said more sad and heartbroken.
This was shocking. I didn't know what to say or do as I pulled into her driveway and found the two guys that were supposed to help me sitting on the porch. It was ironic, the least I was before coming to Colorado was happy.
I saw Blake and Joshua walking towards the car. Joshua winked at me and opened the door. Then he took Marley in his arms.
Blake kissed Miranda on the forehead while she closed her eyes and smiled. He was about to close the car door, without saying a word, to not wake her up, but, she had one more thing to say.
“ I think she needs to know the truth, Blake" she dug her head in his chest when he carried her.
Our eyes met for an instant and in them I saw guilt and remorse. He was indeed hiding a secret from me.
“Blake, tell her please” Miranda begged him before finally falling asleep on his chest.
I looked at him with tears in my eyes then I looked away. The door closed as he brought his wife inside.