Running Away (Liam Dunbar x Reader - Book 1)

The Story Behind Creating 'Running Away'

Author's Note:  One of my Tumblr followers wanted to know the story behind Running Away. She asked what inspired me to write this series. How and where did I come up with it. I answered it on Tumblr, but wanted to share the same backstory with you guys as well. 

Like the reader, I was 17 when I got my heartbroken by the one I love. It wasn't a puppy love situation (like I believe Liam and Hayden's relationship is). It was the real deal. The, he's my best friend (for 14 years!!!), my soulmate, and the guy I could see myself spending the rest of my life with, real love. However, somewhere along the way and completely unexpectedly, something changed and it was over before I could ask what happened. I experienced something I never had before. Heartbreak. I lived through the whole can't sleep, won't eat, being depressed, and losing myself. I lost myself and pushed myself away from my friends and family. The worse part of it all, everyone could see it, how much I changed over a stupid boy. It took years, literally, to repair myself and find somewhat of my old self. I would never in my life, wish this kind of pain to anyone, not even my worse enemy.

When I saw Liam and Hayden kissing for the first time in the back of Theo's truck, my heart sank a little bit. I absolutely ADORE Layden. I mean I freaking ship them, but I couldn't believe this small action made me a little bit jealous. I realized I was jealous of a fictional character and their relationship. It was in that moment, when Layden kissed, that gave my heart a small pang. Of course, that pang was nothing compared to the pang I experienced after seeing my ex-boyfriend with the girl he started dating after me. It was like a wrecking ball landed on my shattered heart.

My mind began to toy with the idea of what if Liam's best friend was the one that found and rescued Liam and Hayden, drove them back to Scott's to safety, and saw the love of her life kissing someone else in the back seat of her car from the rearview mirror? Would she experience the drop of a wrecking ball on her heart? Would she admit something about it, or would she push her feelings aside because she loves him enough to want him to be happy, even if it isn't with her?

The idea of having her running away (Well, flying across the world) to Isaac and Jackson in Paris was because in that moment when she realized she was in love with Liam, she knew her friendship with Liam was over. It would never be the same, nor could it go back to what it used to be. Instead of dealing with it, seeing him being with someone else, and being second in his life, she runs away as far as possible because having to face the reality of it is unbearable.

During my heartbreak experience, I wanted nothing more than to run away as far as possible from my ex-boyfriend/ex-best friend, but when you're 17, a minor, with no job, or money, it's was impossible to do that. (What's worse in my case, was he was my neighbor! It was impossible to get far away from that boy!) So I wanted to create a story where it was possible to run away from heartbreak and go to a place where you'll find yourself, learn more about yourself, and mend your own broken heart...

Ergo, Running Away series.