Walks like Rain

Fighting Words

I gathered myself up from his bathroom floor and lifted my head to the mirror. I wet a cloth with cold water to wash off my smeared make up. I dried off and took a deep breath before opening up the door to see Liam sitting outside the door, looking quite upset himself. He looked up at me and began to stand, but I pushed past him and made my way to the living room. I grabbed the blanket off the love seat that we had used the day before and brought it over to the couch, where I made a place suitable enough to sleep in for the duration of the rest of the night. I was settling in when Liam appeared in the doorway.

"Bay, come to bed."

"No."

"You can't sleep in that."

"Watch me."

"God dammit, Bay!" He yelled, flinging what I assumed to be a book onto the floor from a nearby table. His sudden actions made me jump. "I just want to protect you!" He threw more things onto the floor, scaring me even more that I already was. I bit back tears.

"Stop." I said weakly, not sure if he heard me. "Stop!" He heard me that time, because he started walking towards me. I noticed one of his fists were clenched tight. "D-don't come any closer."

He sat on the opposite end of the couch. Too close for my comfort. "I don't understand why you're so afraid of me."

Has he lost it? Did he see what he had just done? "Because you do shit like this!" I practically screamed.

"I'm sorry. I...I can't help it."

"You have anger problems...they scare me."

"I don't mean to."

This needed to stop. I didn't want to cry anymore. I didn't want to be there with Liam anymore. "I'm going to sleep." Silently, Liam got up and went down the hallway to his room, soon returning with one of his tshirts.

"Put this on." Not wanting to argue with him any further, complied with his instructions. "Come to bed. Please." Unwillingly I got up and went into his bedroom, deciding to lay on the left side of the king sized bed. It was quite a large bed for one person. I wondered how many other women had laid in this exact spot. Liam followed in close behind me and stripped off his shirt and unbuckled his jeans, pulling on flannel pants and leaving his chest bare before climbing in next to me. He tried to pull me close to him but I pushed him away. Clearly annoyed, he rolled over and fell asleep with his back facing me. I laid awake for hours.

I remember waking up before Liam feeling very unrested. Maybe I can sneak out without him noticing, I thought. I silently crawled out of bed and out his bedroom door. I thought I was in the clear until I stepped on a creaky floor board. Liam groggily mumbled my name.

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

"It's so early."

"I have to work later."

He sat up, stretched, and rubbed his eyes. "I'll drive you."

"I can walk."

"You're not walking. It's dangerous." I rolled my eyes. I hated this. I'm 19 years old, I don't need to be babysat like a six year old child. I was done with him. Reluctantly I agreed to let him drive me, but when he asked me when my shift was over, I didn't reply. We had to stop off at my house so I could change into my work clothes. I made Liam stay in the car while I changed.

We pulled up to the shop and Liam got out and opened my door. "I'll come in and wait for you."

"No, you won't."

"Fine, I'll wait in the car."

"Go home, Liam."

After my shift ended I started walking out of the parking lot. The wind started to pick up and I didn't have a jacket. I started to run my hands up and down my forearms, attempting to warm myself up. My teeth started chattering. The familiar black vehicle pulled up beside me.

"Get in the car."

"I told you to go home."

"I'm not leaving until you get in this car." Although I was still mad at him, I was freezing. I rolled my eyes and got in the passenger side. I need to stop giving in to him so easily. "Stop being so difficult." He spoke flatly, putting the car into gear and flying down the road.

"Take me home."

"You can come to my pla-"

"I wanna go home!"

"Okay. I'll take you home."

We pulled into my drive way and Liam put his car into park and removed his keys from this ignition. He unbuckled himself and started to get out of the car to open my door. I could do it myself, I wasn't a baby.

"Stay in the car." I spoke quietly, opening my own door for myself.

"Can I come in?"

"No." Despite me telling him not to, he got out and followed me to my front door. Does he ever listen? We stood outside my front door for a moment before he bent down and kissed my cheek. I turned to unlock my door. "Goodbye, Liam." I attempted to unlock my door, but as it turns out it was already unlocked. I pushed it open a crack and stepped back, bumping into Liam's chest.

"Why won't you go inside?"

"The door was already unlocked. Liam I swear to God I locked it before we left." He placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Relax. I'll go in and see." He entered first, and I crouched down behind him, following him into my living room. "There's no one here. It's nothing to be frightened of."

"But I locked the door. Someone had to be in here."

"Relax. Everything's fine." I went into my kitchen to get some food, leaving Liam standing in my living room. I put my keys down on my kitchen table when I noticed something was out of place. I didn't have much on my round glass table, just a napkin holder and some bills. But there was a piece of paper there that didn't belong. It was a note written on yellow notebook paper in scribbled handwriting. I quickly skimmed over it and screamed. Liam came running in. I couldn't speak. I just pointed to the note.

"I found you(: tell your body guard I'll be seeing him soon. And I'll have my good time with you later(: see how easy it is for me to get in?

See you soon, -Jason"

I couldn't say anything. No words came to my mind. I didn't know how to respond or what would happen to me, or Liam. I was terrified. I felt my knees get weak and my body shake in fear. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before. I leant into Liam's body for support. He put his arm around my body and rested his chin on my head, unsure of what to say himself. After a deafening silence, he finally spoke.

"We're getting you new locks. Now." He walked me out to his car, watching me lock my door and kept me close to him. "I'm going to keep you safe. I promise."