Toxic Truth

21

ZELLA

Featherlight kisses on my neck pull me out of my thoughts and I smile when Liam wraps his hands around me from behind.

"You're distracting me," I murmur.

"You already look distracted."

I sigh and put my paint brush down. Turning my head, I look at Liam.

His eyes narrow from whatever he sees on my face. "What has you so deep in your thoughts and worried?"

"It's nothing," I whisper. He places his thumb on my forehead to smooth the frown on my face.

"Zella," He insists and I let out a breath.

There's no hiding from Liam, he always knows when something's wrong and he makes it his job to do something about it.

"You're worried about the exhibition?" He asks, as if reading my mind.

The exhibition is in a month now and I'm so nervous. I don't know if my last painting will be completed in time or not. Even though there's a very low possibility of me not being able to complete it on time, I'm scared about how it will turn out.

Liam has been my only source of calmness and peace these past few days. Even though Sydney, Nat and my parents always try to help me when I'm nervous, Liam makes me feel so calm like no one else.

Only his presence is so comforting.

Liam turns me around so my back is against his chest and places his legs on each side of me, caging me on the carpet.

Then he starts massaging my shoulders and an involuntary moan slips out of me. "This is exactly what I needed."

He places a kiss on my head. "Will you tell me what's on your mind?"

"It's the exhibition." I close my eyes and get lost in his touch, already feeling the tension slipping away from my body. "I'm scared. I'm scared about the exhibition, the paintings, the event, everything."

I pause, searching up the right words to say and he waits patiently. His hands move down from my shoulders to my back and he starts massaging there.

"First there's the stress of completing my painting on time. Second, there's the stress of how they'll turn out, I just feel like I've done a shit job with these. Then I'm stressed about the event will be. I've contacted one of the best organisers here but I'm still nervous. I need the event to be successful. My parents and everyone else will be there. I need them to be proud."

I didn't even realise that he stopped massaging my back and turned me sideways, and that I had started crying, until Liam pushes his thumb under my eye and wipes the tears from there.

"Zella, I understand why you're so nervous, but you don't need to be. Everything will be fine."

He turns me around again and pulls my back against his chest, before continuing. "You're done with all your paintings, except one which is in progress. You can complete it in a day if you want to and you know that too, so even if you take all your time with it, it will be completed on time."

"Secondly, your paintings are amazing Zel. You cannot make bad paintings. This is your thing. This is what you're best at. You don't need to question your work or degrade yourself, you should know that you've done an amazing job, and your event will be amazing. Your parents will be proud of you and I will be too, more than ever."

"You'll be there?" I ask and there's an under-laced vulnerability in my question.

I want Liam to be there. I need him to be there. I need him to support me and calm me down if I panic. I need him to tell me that he's proud of me.

"Of course I'll be there. I won't miss it for anything," He answers intently.

"Promise?" I whisper.

"Promise."

I close my eyes and allow my self to stop thinking about the exhibition and get lost in his embrace.

I rely on him so much and it scares me. He's the only person who understands me so well that I don't have to say anything to him. He'll know what's wrong and make it right.

I look forward to seeing him everyday and the days I don't meet him, my mood is always down.

I don't want to lose him. Ever. I can't bare to lose him.

I'm so used to being with him, I won't know how to live without him.

And this is why I decided not to get so serious about anyone after I dated my ex. I didn't want to get so attached to some that I won't be able to function properly without them.

I was going strong with my will, I went out with men casually, had hookups, but never got a string attached to any of them.

That was until Liam came into my life and everything changed.

My stress level has intensified when Liam takes me to my bedroom, and this time, I'm worrying about something else completely. Something I can't share with him.

But the moment he starts kissing me and takes off my clothes from my body, I forget about all the worries and focus on the present.

Liam is mine, and he's not going anywhere.

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