The Sound of Waves (Book #3 - Liam Payne Trilogy)

Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

That night, nothing really went as planned. Liam and I had planned to cook a nice meal for ourselves - well he wanted me to cook due to my culinary courses at the university - yet when we went to find something to cook, we realized he actually had no food. Because we were both caught up in the moment and other things, it never occured to us that since Liam's parents weren't staying with him this year, the fridge and cupboards would not be as full as mine were. We ended up going into town for a take out dinner, eaten out on the wall where I supposedly had my wrist accident two years ago. It was unexpected bliss, everything just seemed to fall into place like a puzzle and I felt like I was untouchable.

I should have realized that this so called 'happiness' couldn't last forever. "Come on," Liam said, getting up from the beach in front of his house. It was starting to get dark out and the stars were beginning to shine as he pulled me to my feet. "Where are we going?" I asked. "I'm walking you home, silly," he said, as we began the journey. "Awe, really? Can't we stay out a little longer?" I said, leaning into him as he pulled me close to him. "You sound like a child," he said. I stuck my tongue out at him.

When we walked up to my walk way, Liam stopped, "I'll see you tomorrow," he said, barely kissing my cheek. "Um," I said, taking his hand and spinning him around before he could walk away, "What's wrong?" I said. "Nothing, just a little jet lagged," he mumbled. "If anything, I'm the one who is jet lagged," I said, placing a hand on my hip, "Tell me Mister." Liam briefly looked past me and up at the house, then looked back into my eyes and lied straight to my face, "Nothing," was what he said. I turned my head and spotted my father and Josh talking right on the other side of the patio door. They seemed calm, but then I caught Josh gesturing towards Liam and I. My father had his arms crossed and with a few words, he had my brother in rage. I could hear the faint sound of them screaming at each other and I knew it couldn't be good. I stepped down onto the sand with Liam while keeping my eyes on their argument. I could see it was escalating, that's when my mother stepped in and made my father back up as he had approached my brother face to face. It was a frightening thing. My brother was basically 5 feet 6 inches tall, while my father was 6 feet 3 inches. I quickly grabbed Liam's hand as I saw Morgan step between them. She was no better than Josh, with her tiny frail body, but she faced my brother and made him look into her eyes she said a few words and he glared at my father. I caught my fathers lips moving and at that, Josh pushed away from Morgan and tore open the patio door. "You ignorant man! Who gives you the right to make decisions in my house-" I heard my father screaming after my brother, but the glass door slammed shut before I could hear anything else. My brother screamed out in anger as he walked over to the stairs and sat with his head between his knees. From my spot I could see his chest quickly rising and falling, he had his hands in such tight fists that his knuckles were white. I kept my eyes on Josh for so long that I didn't see what else happened in the house. But when I looked up to the sound of the door opening, all I saw was Morgan. She quietly opened and closed the door and slowly walked over to Josh. She sat on the step behind him and gently placed her hands on his shoulders, rubbing ever so slightly. I saw the tension in his shoulders disappear immediately. She slid down one step and kissed the back of his neck, then I saw her move her head to try and get him to look into her eyes. I felt like I was frozen in shock as I watched some dramatic movie, except it wasn't a movie and I wasn't in shock. I was angry and worried, hence why I was gripping Liam's hand so hard. Silence had to fill my ears deafeningly before I broke away from Liam and ran up the steps, calling my brothers name. His head shot up as I approached him, "What happened?!" I asked. Morgan looked at me, then at him but she stayed silent. "Josh," I said as my voice cracked, I hated when they fought. "Dad and I got into a fight," he mumbled. "I know that," I say, shifting my weight from one foot to another, "But what about." Josh took a deep breath, "I was trying to reason with him. I told him I think Liam should stay with us at the house so that he isn't completely alone over there. But then he got angry and said not as long as he was alive. I then suggested you go over there and he got even more angry stating he didn't know what you two would do with that much freedom. I tried to tell him you were 19 now and a full adult, that you didn't need to be watched over, but he still thinks you're in middle school. I'm sorry, sweetie, I really am. I tried but he's so god damn stubborn." I bit my lip as I swallowed hard, "Y-You asked about that for me?" I said. He looked up at me like that was a stupid question. "It's just," I tried to explain, "I didn't know you thought about Liam being alone over there and trying to fix it and make us both feel better." "I'm your brother not a ex convict," Josh teased and I smiled as his blood pressure seemed to return back to normal. I looked back over my shoulder to call Liam up to the house, but when I turned around he wasn't there. "Where's Liam?!" I asked, looking back at my brother and his girlfriend. "Honey, he left when you came running up here," Morgan said. I was pretty sure my mouth formed a perfect O. "I thought you knew," Morgan said, regret filling her eyes. I shook my head furiously. I turned around and was about to run after him when the patio door opened and my father called. "Brooklyn!" I froze, "What?" I asked, turning around. "Come here," he said. "Yeah, just give me a few minutes and-" "No, young lady, now," he said. I felt butterflies flutter in my stomach as I turned back to Josh and Morgan then climbed the stairs. This couldn't be good.

"Yes?" I said as I stood in the kitchen with my father pacing back and forth in front of me. I was in the house for barely two seconds before Josh followed in behind me and stood next to me. "You're not her body guard, Joshua," my father snapped as he stopped pacing when Josh re-entered. "I'm also not a child," Josh responded, "And neither is Brooklyn." My father stopped pacing again to glare at Josh. "You are both my children and I will not tolerate the out bursts I've been hearing from the both of you lately." "But, I haven't done anything-" "Enough!" My father cut me off, "This talking back and raising of voices towards myself and your mother needs to stop." "I didn't even come close to yelling at mom," Josh said. "I don't want to hear another word from you," my father said, pointing angrily at Josh. "How about some respect first!" Josh said, "My whole life, all I've given you is respect. I still do! And now that I'm a grown man it baffles me that you still treat me like a child!" "He's right," I said. "I said enough, from you!" My father said. "We're equal now, dad!" "No way in hell are we equal! Nor will we ever be!" My father shouted. "David," my mother finally said, what had been stopping her from speaking up earlier? "I think you've said enough." "For Christ sakes! Don't you see that we have to get it through our children's thick skulls that we are in control, not them!" "Jesus, dad! I'm 31 years old! I. Am. Not. A. Child. Get THAT through your thick skull!" My father clenched his teeth, I guess he wasn't ready for all this talking back. "I wish I could just..." He sneered, balling his hands and stepping towards my brother.

"Just what? Hit me? I would think twice before doing that!" Josh grabbed my arm and began dragging me outside. "Where the hell are you taking her?" My father called after us. "Somewhere I know she will be safe!" Josh yelled over my shoulder as he dragged me along. I was still so incoherent that I almost couldn't understand what was going on. I felt like I was in a trance as Josh sat me in the back of his car and he jumped in the front seat with Morgan by his side. Everything confused me from there.

I stayed quiet and in the car when Josh pulled into Liam's drive way. "Stay here," he said as he got out of the car. I was still incoherent as he got out. I was left alone with Morgan and she turned back to look at me, but I didn't meet her eyes. Instead I watched my brothers every move as he walked up to Liam's house. Liam opened the door when my brother knocked and even the sight of him standing there in his jeans and no shirt didn't snap me from this strange trance. He leaned on the door frame casually as Josh began to speak. Then as Josh explained everything I saw his posture change, he straightened up and crossed his arms across his bare chest. He had a concerned and determined look on his face as he nodded his head. Josh turned around and so did Liam, closing the door. I watched as my brother came back to the car. "What did you tell him?" I asked, as he sat down. Suddenly the rear passenger door opened and Liam was standing there now with a hoodie on. "What he needed to hear," Josh said, with a nod towards Liam as he climbed in beside me. I didn't hesitate as I moved closer to him and put my arm around his middle as he slipped his arm across my shoulder. No words were needed. Josh put the car in drive and began to pull out onto the road, "Where are we going?" I asked. Josh still seemed to be fuming and that worried me. He was always spontaneous when he was angry and that led to him doing stupid things. "I don't know," he said as we pulled back onto the main road. "Honey, pull over," Morgan said calmly as she placed a hand on my brothers arm. He took a very deep breath then pulled the car to a stop on the side of the road. "Take a deep breath," Morgan said. Josh glared ahead then did as instructed. "Where were you planning on going?" Morgan asked. "I don't know," Josh mumbled. "Why did you leave?" "Because my father was being an ass hole!" Josh snapped. "Josh," Morgan warned. "All he's ever done is treated me like a child! I'm sick and tired," he said. "I know, sweetie, but is this really what it takes to prove to him that you aren't a child anymore? Running away from the fight you're struggling to win?" Morgan asked. I felt like I could see my brothers blood pressure dropping immensely. "I just couldn't stand to be in the same place as him," Josh said, with a now steady voice. "I get that, but babe, why did you bring Brooklyn-?" "Because I wasn't going to leave her alone with our raging father. I'm her brother! I'm supposed to protect her." "Now why did we being Liam? Why didn't we just go there instead of driving all this way into town?" Morgan said. "Because I don't want him finding us. He knows that Brooklyn would have gone right there, but by bringing Liam with us, he's in the loop and I eliminated that aspect for my father." "You make it sound like we're in some action movie, being chased," Morgan said and Josh stayed quiet. "Don't make it more than it is, Josh," Morgan said. Josh sighed and put the car in drive. "Where are we going?" Morgan asked. "To a hotel for the night, I'm not dealing with this tonight!" Everyone stayed quiet in a silent agreement.