Palas

54. "Will you cook tonight?"

My smile leaves my face the next day. After relaxing all day in my room and later with Ava on the beach who is surprisingly well, I am up and early, ready to get breakfast with James. He asked to see me before he leaves and I want to thank him for helping my dad. But my plans are interrupted when someone knocks on my door. By instinct I know it isn't Harry. It sounds different.

My smile leaves when I open the door to reveal Liam. The skin under his eyes is almost translucent and bright blue, highlighted by his dark tan. His once white of his eyes is bloodshed, but the thing what worries me the most about his eyes is the kindness they once spread. It's nowhere to be seen.

"Liam." I frown as I open my door further to him to let him through. He walks to Rosie's bed that is still the same as she left it. I couldn't bring myself to clean her stuff, not before I had it confirmed she's gone for good. I have a feeling Liam is about to do just that.

"I want to collect some of Rosie's things," he says and stands next to her bed looking down, maybe wishing she was still there like the last couple of weeks.

For the past weeks she had been nice to me and Liam. Until they had a fight that had him begging me to tell him where she was. I didn't know, but she probably was out selling and using drugs. I can't even imagine how Liam must feel. His childhood love that he tried to save time after time only to see her slip through her fingers in the very last days of her freedom. Where my own breakup can almost be called peaceful, his is the opposite.

"That's okay.. how is she?" I have to ask him and part of me wants to know if she still has that dead look in her eyes. If I have come to know Rosie, I would think her to be someone to fight 'till the bitter end. Not surrender as easily as she did.

"In jail," he shortly answers. "What is her stuff?" He asks as he enters our messy bathroom. Cleaning hasn't been my priority the last days.

"Let me help you," I almost beg because I feel a distance.

"Don't need your help, thank you."

"Oh, okay. I was actually just about to have breakfast with James, but I'll wait for you."

"So she's speaking the truth then?" Liam's head pops out of the bathroom with some hope in his eyes. "She didn't break you guys up?"

"She kissed James if that's what you're referring to." I don't think she deserves the credit for breaking us up. We really did that ourselves.

He doesn't response and gets going with his work to clean out our room with everything that reminds me of her. He even gets rid of the many gums she plastered on her nightstand and all the tissues that she used for her constantly runny nose. I don't help him and only watch.

9:23AM

Alex: I'm running late, can we make it lunch?

9:23AM

James: sure, just call I am on the beach

When he's satisfied, he lets himself catch a breath on the end of her bed. But I guess it isn't her bed any longer.

"I'm really sorry for you Liam."

"Are you? Because she told me you didn't let her escape," he snaps and finally I understand why he's acting so cold. He believes I am to blame for the police arresting her.

"The police was on to her Liam. Although I understand you both blaming me, this isn't my fault." I hope to talk some sense in him but I can't help but feel a little guilty. I know it is irrational but I did hold her to the ground and I watch the light behind her eyes disappear.