Chances

Eight.

"I love her." His words repeat in my brain. Too much is going on. He can't just spring this on me. I'm with Ashton, he knows this. Is that why he's being a jerk to me? Because he loves me? Or maybe it's because he thinks I don't love him? No, he knows I don't love him. I don't, and I can't.

"Liv? You in here?" Ash knocks on the door. I wipe my eyes from the tears that have been falling recklessly down my face.

"Yeah, I'm here." I answer, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Are you crying?" I don't answer him. He goes into the stall next to mine and peaks his head up. I look down and try to get my breathing back to normal. "Babe, please look at me." He begs. I look at him and I can see his sadness in his eyes. Whenever I cry, people get sad. Apparently I look broken when I cry, but I also look adorable. It's weird.

"Yeah. I just-" I take a moment to think of an excuse, "I'm thinking of my mom. She just.. From what I remember, she was so great. And I'm scared to go back to the states. Let's drop it, yeah?" I say, sniffling.

"Come out then. We're about to go." He looks down at me and gives me a small smile. I get out and look at my reflection. I look like hell, but I honestly don't care. We walk out of the bathroom and Luke's eyes catch mine.

Luke's POV

Wait. Liv was in there. Liv was in there when I confessed to Cha... Crap, crap, crap, this isn't good. I need to talk to her. Yeah, that's what you need to do, Luke. Make it worse. My subconscious mocks me. He's right. I can't do that. I have to wait until she talks to me. But you do need to talk to her. I swear to fucking god if you.... If I don't shut up, I'm going to do something I'll regret. I do need to confront her.

"Liv, wait!" I scream and run up to her. Her cheeks are red and has pale lines through the red. Tear stains. I hear her gasp and she looks at the ground.

"She's not feeling very well, Luke. Why don't you back off." Ashton says. Does he know what just happened...?

"I'm fine, Ash. I can talk to him." She gives him a small smile and he glares at me. God, why is she with him? She doesn't know how he is. She doesn't know.

"Luke?" She asks and I snap my eyes to her hazel ones. When she cries, her eyes get rose-red where the white should be, causing her beautiful hazel eyes to turn Spring Green.

"Liv. I know you heard what I said, just hear me out oka—"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She cuts me off and stares at the ground.

"Yes, you do. I need to tell you why I feel like that."

"Why you feel like what? Listen, I am with Ashton right now. I know you care for me in ways I can't comprehend, I just.... I'm happy with him, Luke. I haven't been this happy in a very long time. Please, let's just be normal. Let's just be how we were. Please?" She's crying again.

"Yeah. Yeah, friends." I stutter. I quickly turn on my heel and head towards Cha.

"Hey, um, do you mind if I ride with you to the hotel? I kind of don't want to, um,—"

"Yeah, I totally understand why you wouldn't want to be in the car with Liv and Ashton. Hop on." She says and pulls out a mother helmet from under the seat. She hands it to me and I put it on.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Anything for a friend." She says and smiles. She gets on first, I swing my leg over the bike and sit behind her.

"Where do I, um, hold?" I ask awkwardly.

"Just hold my shoulder." She says. I hear her laugh and she starts up her purple motorcycle.

"I'm happy with him, Luke. I haven't been this happy in a very long time." Her words repeat in my head. She doesn't know how he is, she doesn't know what he does! How can she be happy? I can't say she doesn't know him. Fuck, they've been friends since she was adopted. But I know what she wants, I know what she needs. I know how she deserves to be treated, he doesn't! He thinks he knows, but I know her way better than he does. Better than anybody does! She is my light, she's my sky, she's the reason why I wake up in the morning. But who's hers? Ashton? He can't be her anything, and I know that. And he knows that.

"Luke!" Cha screams. I snap back to reality and see that she was freaking out.

"What is it?" I scream.

"Why are you sobbing?" She yells back. I didn't realize that I had tears of anger streaming down my face.

"I just.. Liv." I say and look at the road passing by my feet.

"I understand." She says and pulls into the motel parking lot. "Perks of having and riding a motorcycle: you get places five times faster than a car. Why? I don't know." She laughs.

"Let's check in."