(A/n- Please remember to comment and share, it truly means the world when you guys do!)
"I bought you, your favorite." Matthew nodded as he slid me the basket of fries and took a seat next to me in the booth.
"Are you trying to bribe me?" I question with a curious raise of a brow and he smirks in response- but not in some annoyingly weird cocky way. It was more like a I'm clearly trying to flirt with you so don't turn me down kind of way. Is that even a thing?
"Is it working?"
"Try harder."
"You got it babe." He winks before slinging his muscular arm over my shoulder which is currently being cover by a white hoodie since it's pretty chilly inside of here.
I immediately roll my eyes and tug his arm off of me as I take a fry or two. "Don't call me babe."
"You're feisty, I like it."
How did I get here? That's a story in itself!
Matt practically kidnapped me against my own will.
After he asked me out the proper way and I turned him down, he picked me up off the ground and started heading out to one of our favorite restaurants which is only like a three minute walk.
Matthew and I had history.
No- literally we had history.
Sixth grade was the first time I laid eyes on the mysterious green eyed boy who completely stole my heart in history class to be exact. We both sat in the back eating those addicting yet extremely spicy chips and literally just gossiped about how annoying the girl in front of us was being.
That girl was no other than Jessica Thompson.
What a surprise? Whoopee for me.
We practically spent every single day together and got super close. Then he moved the same day I started sophomore year. It broke my absolute heart and I guess that explains one of the walls that I've put up in my life.
It's like every time I get close to somebody they decide to leave, so it's better to protect myself before something like that happens again and I don't let myself get to quickly attached.
Anyways, Matt and I lost contact over the years because we honestly believed that he was never going to move back, but I guess just like Jessica some things change.
What's the odds that both Liam and I's exes both decide to come back the same exact week?
Even if Matt and I never technically dated- it sure felt like it with how much we use to act like one.
"So, tell me about this guy you're dating."
"Liam? Not much to say." I shrug and Matthew chuckles in amusement with a shake of his head at me. "That's it? That's all you have to say."
"Yeah?"
"Okay, I'm clearly not getting anywhere with that, so where exactly is the lucky guy?"
And as if Matt touched a sensitive nerve I can't help but flinch at that simple question. Where is Liam? I sure can name a lot of places where he isn't but where he is, is definitely not something I really want to think about.
"He's currently hanging out with Jessica Thompson." I remark blandly and Matt's face instantly morphs into one of distaste, pulling his eyebrows down and his mouth into a slight frown at the sound of that.
"Jessica Thompson? As in his ex Jessica? The girl that he was completely obsessed with? The same girl that shattered his sweet little heart? That Jessica?" He questions in disbelief and it makes me feel slightly better knowing that I'm not completely overreacting by this situation.
Jessica was Liam's first serious love so I definitely don't like this situation. It's like every insecurity I have about myself and our relationship is putting me on edge right now.
"Yes, that Jessica. The same Jessica that fricken spit her gum in my hair in seventh grade." I whine before continuing and giving him an earful on my relationship problems. "Oh, did I also happen to mention that my amazing boyfriend hasn't texted me in about- I don't know, six hours after I completely blacked out by hitting my head on the damn floor."
"Giana, trust me when I say Jessica Thompson is the least thing you have to worry about- she's no threat unless Liam makes her to be. . . You're boyfriend is lucky to have you, some people can't even come close to finding an amazing girl like you in today's world, and if he doesn't realize that? Then it's his lost."
His eyes held so many emotions that I couldn't even begin to describe it in just one word alone. It reminds me of why I first started liking him. . . It was like I could stare into his eyes and never get tired of it.
It hurts to hear what he's saying about Liam.
But, what hurts even more is that there's even a possibility that Liam can let me down.
He promised me forever one day and now that his ex is back in town he suddenly decides to take back his word? It just doesn't work like that.
"You should move on and let someone treat you better than that, Giana Russo." His smiles is so genuine and sweet that he could convince any girl to believe him so easily.
"I can refer you to a friend." He smirks like the smart ass he is and I can't help but lightly punch him in the arm to stop a blush from creeping up.
He's definitely talking about himself here.
Oh, Will.
_____________
"Matthew Mazzanti is back in town?" Jessy gasps with a look of confusion laced in her features, her eyes scanning mine to see if I could confirm her suspicions.
"The one and only."
"As in the one boy you never dated but practically did all at the same time?" Emma chimes in knowingly.
"Oh. Em. Gee. He's so hot!" Becca squeals loudly, fangirling over my ex boyfriend who was never actually my boyfriend to begin with.
Emma and Jessy nod in agreement as we continue to stroll on over to Logan's place.
As soon as we reached the dark brown door, Emma forms a fist and brings her hand to loudly knock against the wooden door. We all decided to zip our lips shut about Matt and I's encounter yesterday as the door opens.
"Aye, it's my favorite girl along with her favorite girls!" Logan chirps excitedly as he pushes open the door widely, immediately pulling Emma's small frame into a tight hug.
How has he not asked her out yet?
They're beyond adorable together and clearly very into each other.
As soon as I stepped inside there was Chase, Enzo, Liam, Juliette, and Jessica all sitting together and talking about- gosh who knows what.
Of course the first thing I take in is the fact that Jessica is sitting right next Liam with her hand on top of his.
Maybe he's never been mine to begin with. . .
I clenched my jaw tightly and take a deep breath in. So, I couldn't catch up with Zach the other day but for some reason he's allowed to spend one on one time yesterday and today with his ex?
Cool.
Jessy loops her arm around mine as her eyes fixate on the two in front of us.
"Don't pay attention." She whispers lowly as we all head on over to the couch, the two of us taking a direct seat across from them.
Not awkward at all.
I didn't say a word to Liam- I didn't even dare to make eye contact with him.
I couldn't.
I'm not letting him get the best of me.
"Hey Giana, right?" Jessica questions just loudly enough to grasp everyone's attention- something she seems to love.
My heart is aching and I feel as if my throat is closing up, so tight almost to the point where I can barely breathe.
All I could do is nod.
He still hasn't moved his hand.
"You know that Liam and I use to date, right?" She questions once more and I could see Liam tensing up besides her.
My eyes fell on him and he looked like a deer caught in headlights.
Nervous and afraid.
"Yeah and what's your point?" I challenge, my voice coming out as blunt as ever, and with a raise of my brow she throws a fake giggle out.
"No point really. I just wanted to make sure this wasn't awkward for you especially since I was Liam's first love." She emphasizes that last part and I could tell that her goal was to make it well known that fact to me.
She clearly wants me to backoff.
"Awe really? He's never brought you up before I guess there was not much to know." I fire back with a fake pout and she squints her eyes together like she's about to threaten me.
"He clearly didn't want to make you feel bad."
"I'm going to grab some water from the kitchen. Giana, do you want to come with me?" Liam intervenes not only trying to prevent a fight from breaking out between the crazy girl and I, but probably to also tell me that I need to 'chill' and that I'm 'overreacting.'
We've never really fought since we've become a couple but it's seems like that's all we ever do lately. He's backing away from me like he's never known me and I feel my heart aching every passing day.
This isn't fair.
If he's in love with her than he should tell me and not make me go through all this hurt.
"Nah, I think I'm good."
Liam gives me a pleading look and of course my heart pulls at the sight of him so I give in with a frustrated sigh and a slight roll of my eyes.
I force myself up from the couch and start to follow him into the kitchen with a defensive fold of my arms, he lowly shuts the door behind us and faces me.
These last few days have been a rollercoaster of a ride, it's like he's repeatedly trampling on my heart and trying to break it, but even with all those broken pieces I keep choosing to love him.
"I don't have anything to say to you." I admit truthfully, and he nods his head understandingly at me, pushing his nervous hands into his pockets.
"I'm sorry, Giana. I should've been there for yo-"
Something in me snaps and I feel not only my eyes whelm up with tears but my stomach boiling with anger.
"But you weren't! I needed you and you weren't there. . . A-And unless you have some amazing excuse as to why you were hanging out with her, especially her, out of all people that you can hangout with after the hell of a day I had, than, I think you and I are done with this conversation." I cant help but choke up on my words and that instantly makes a flash of pain pulse through his brown eyes.
I don't know if I really made sense but I honestly don't care.
I have to get everything off my chest.
"I don't know what to say-"
"You never do, Liam!" I huff out in frustration, my eyes glistening as I see him not even attempting to fix the scattered mess that's called my heart which he's created.
"You know what it's okay, I now know where we stand." I let out a shaky breath as I straighten my back. It takes everything in my to turn on my heel to walk away from the boy who I thought I once knew.
But that doesn't seem to work as Liam quickly rushes behind me and grabs my hand to stop me. My heart is racing and so are my thoughts.
Am I the one who's not enough?
Of course, that's why he's choosing Jessica, right?
"What does that mean?" He questions desperately his voice as shaky as my hands.
"That you and I are clearly a problem. . . You're ex-girlfriend has been back in town for less than seventy-two hours and all you can think about is fixing things between you and her." I breathe out heavily, running my hands through my hair straight hair completely terrified of what he may say next to me.
This is my first real relationship and I don't always know exactly what to say all the time or the right things to do, but all I know is that this is the time where I should be feeling the most happiest. And I can't help but like second choice in his eyes.
I've never been anyone's first choice, and for the very few months that Liam and I have been together he's made me feel like I was. But then girls like Emily and Jessica come around, and I'm no longer his priority.
"Really? I'm the problem." He throws back sarcastically, taking a few step closer towards me until my back hits the kitchen counter, my hands grip the cold counter in attempt to ease my anxiety.
His eyes pierce through me and I feel my entire heart about to burst.
"Weren't you the one who was out with Matthew Mazzanti earlier today?" He questions in disbelief and I scoff at how rude he's being.
He's been hanging out with Jessica since the second she got to town, the only reason I went out with Matt in the first place is because he ditched me for her.
"That's beyond the point, Liam! The only reason I hung out with Matt is because you've been spending all your time with Jessica. . . You know its so funny how you're always so concerned about ruining my life that you can't even realize that it already got screwed up the day I started tutoring you." I spat and his jaw instantly clenches at my harsh words, a nerve struck as those words sunk in.
I didn't mean to say it, but I did, I did because I was hurt.
"Than go be with, Matt, if he's such the better guy." He growls lowly, and my heart sinks as I realize what I've done. I just made us go back to square one, the place where Liam and I first started; when he was cold enough to dump ice water over my head, and the place where he was still able to rat me out in front of both of our parents without any sense of guilt.
"Your life would be way easier without me in it, I'm always there screwing something up." He confess, the anger gone as fast as it came, and all I can hear is the heavy amount of guilt laced in his voice.
Maybe we both messed up but that doesn't mean I want to loose him, I never intentionally want to loose him.
"I hope that you know you drive me completely insane," I begin to say and I could see how much he takes that to heart as he adverts his gaze to the floor, inhaling a deep sharp breath of air, and even after what we both said to each other that doesn't stop me from trying to fix this mess between us.
"But I would rather be insane than not know what a life without you would be like." I whisper, my voice scared to rise as his intense eyes rake mine, my hand lies flatly on his chest but he catches me off guard when he slowly lifts my hand off with his own, rubbing small circles on my knuckles with the pad of his thumb.
He brings my knuckles to his lips and places a soft kiss, letting out a shaky breath of air before wrapping his arms around me and engulfing me in his warm arms— a place that I never want to leave. But as he takes a step back so he could see my face, I can't help but notice how his eyebrows are pulled together as his thoughts seem to consume him.
I reach for his hand to comfort him and he doesn't waste any time bringing it close to his chest, so close where I can feel the rapid patter of his heart against the back of my hand. "Before you, Giana, I never planned to fall in love, I never expected that someone could ever love me. . ."
He breathes out a shaky breath of air and as I look into his eyes I've never seen such a vulnerable side to him. "I'm just the hardheaded guy who sits in the back of the class with his loudmouth friends, the only reason people actually know is me because of my place on the football team." He admits with a low chuckle, but this time it wasn't because he was amused from one of his goofy jokes— this time was different.
"But then I met you and that all changed. I actually wanted your love, I craved it, every single second we spend together is another memory engraved in my brain, because everyday that I spend with you is a day I don't want to forget." He promises, making my heart beat so loud that it overpowers every other miscellaneous sound in the room, besides his voice and his voice only that are still coming though as clear as day.
"I'm in love with you, Giana, it's always going to be you." He swears and I can't help the soft smile that spreads across my face as those words sink in.
But of course our moment is cut short as I hear a loud growl escape Jessica's lip from the other side of the room.
She does know that she isn't a dog, right? Growling isn't polite.
And right as I was about to open my mouth, she pipes up as loud as she can, almost to the point where I think all of America can possibly hear her loud mouth.
"Shut the hell up!" She squeals in anger and stomping her obnoxiously loud feet angrily.
Cool, she went from a dog to a pig. I guess I missed the memo on animal impersonation day!
(A/n- Chapter forty-three is officially out! What are your thoughts on this chapter? What do you think is going on with Liam and Jessica?
Thank you so much for reading and please, please don't forget to click that little star on the bottom of the page, to comment, and share! I appreciate it when you guys do. Until next time!)