Can't Say Love

I Can't Let You Go

~Liam's POV~

“Oh, Leanne,” Ruth crooned. “You can come out now.”

      I walked out of the room and refused to meet their eyes.  I was wearing the dress…  It was a horrendous, bright, contraption completed with frills.

      I heard a camera click and my gaze shot up to meet Daisy’s.

      “No one will ever know about this,” I warned.

      She just grinned.  “Everyone’s gonna know about it.”

      Ruth smirked at me and said, “All right.  Apologize.”

      “Right now?”

      “Mum!  Nicola!” She yelled loudly.

      I tried to run out of the room, but Daisy held me back.  “Oh no you don’t.” She laughed.

     “What’s up?” My mum asked coming into the room.  She took one look at me and burst out into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.  “What are you doing in that?”  She asked.

     “What do you want, Ruth?” Nicola raged.  Her eyes widened in horror when she saw me.  “What the hell are you wearing?”

     “Nicola!  Language.”  My mum said, trying her best to keep our family from swearing.

     “I’m sure you’re all wondering why Liam is dressed in this beautiful outfit.” Ruth began eloquently.  “He is here to apologize to everyone about his horrible singing in the shower this morning.  Liam?”

     “I’m sorry,” I said.

     “Say it like you mean it,” Daisy commanded.

     “I’m very sorry that I disrupted your precious mornings with my singing.  I won’t do it again.”  I looked directly at Daisy.  “Is that suitable?”

     “Eh, fine” she decided.

     Relieved, I ran out of the room and took off the dress.  When I went in search of everyone else an hour later, they were in the kitchen.

     “When he was four, Liam ran through the neighborhood with just a cape on.  He wanted to be Batman…  On the first day of third grade, he wouldn’t let go of my leg.  When he brought his first girlfriend home, he built her a fort and said it was her castle…”

     “Okay mum,” I said thoroughly embarrassed.  “You can stop now.”

     Daisy smiled.  “I like hearing this stuff,” she told me.

     “He had a weird fear of being away from home.  He couldn’t leave here for a sleepover until he was twelve.  He allowed his sisters to dress him up as a girl for awhile…”

     I clamped my hand over my mum’s mouth.  “Please refrain from saying anything else about my childhood,” I groaned.

     “Thanks for telling me that, Karen,” Daisy teased me. “It’ll be great for blackmail later on.”

    “My pleasure.  If Liam bothers you at all, you just call me and I’ll set him in his place.”

    “That sounds perfect.”

    “So Daisy,” I said trying to change the subject.  “Would you consider taking a walk with me?”

    “Sure.”

    She pulled on some shoes, and we left my house.  I led her to a forest path, having a secluded destination in mind.

    “I apologize for my family,” I said.

    “Why?  They’re amazing.”

    “My family is amazing?” I asked, speechless.  “Are you sick?”

    “No.  They’re so open and accepting towards me.  I’ve never felt so welcomed. Your mom is great and Ruth could be my own older sister.  Nicola is hilarious, and your dad cares about you an incredible amount.  It’s awesome.”

     “I don’t see how it’s so great.  They’re just… them.”

     “And that’s why.  Everyone is so normal.  Nothing is superficial, but it’s still pretty perfect.”

     “I don’t see how it’s perfect.  My dad has been nothing but cold, my sisters are insane, and my mum is… my mum.”

     “Your dad is an intelligent man who has his own opinions.  Your sisters talk to me about everything.  Your mom makes me feel at home. I haven’t felt that way in a really long time.”

     “When did you decide to be a prostitute?” I asked, immediately regretting my decision.

     “Isn’t this pretty?” She asked, holding up a flower.  “I see more up ahead.”  Grabbing her wrist before she could leave, I asked angrily,

     “Why won’t you tell me anything?” 

     “What do you mean?” Daisy asked, feigning ignorance.

     “I’ve been trying so hard to get to know you.  But every time I get close to figuring you out, you block me off.  I just want to be friends, Daisy.  Why can’t you realize that I don’t want to hurt you?”

     “Why can’t you just leave me alone?” She yelled.  “I don’t want to open up to you.  I’m sick of your prying.”

     “I’m just trying to help you!”

     “I don’t want your help.  You don’t understand when to stop, do you?  I’m here to help you get Kelly back.  I’m not here to create a relationship that I’ll miss when I leave.”

     “What do you mean, leave?” I asked, hurt.

     “When Kelly takes you back, I’m gone.  This deal of ours is over in a little.  I can’t stay with you when it’s over.”

    “Yes you could.”

    “Liam, be realistic.  Say after a date with Kelly, you take her home.  You’re about to go into your room with her, when she sees me.  That’s just a disaster in the making.  It’s best that I just disappear.”

    “Is that what’s best for you or for me?”

    “Both of us.”

    “Why can’t we stay friends?” I asked, confused.  “I don’t want you to just… leave.”

    “Liam.” Here Daisy looked me directly in the eye.  “After a little, you’ll just get so used to me not being there that it’ll make no difference.”

    “I could never get used to you not being here,” I said truthfully.  “I would miss you too much.”

    “Stop saying stuff like that!” She yelled.  “You don’t know anything about me.  That’s the way it’s going to be, okay?  I’m sorry.”

    “Daisy,” I said, putting my hands on her shoulders.  “No matter how many times you try to push me away, I’m going to keep bothering you.  I know that you need someone to trust.  All I want to show you is that I can be that person.  I promise.”

     “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

     “I promise that I’ll keep them,” I told her.  “I promise that you can count on me.”

    “Just go away, Liam,” she said sadly.

   “No.”

   “Fine.”  She stepped past me and walked back the way we came.  Dejectedly, I sat down on the ground.  Why did she push me away?  Why did she want to leave so soon?  I thought that we could continue to be friends.  Obviously Daisy had other plans.  I couldn’t help me be hurt by that.  We had gotten really close these past two weeks.  How come she was so eager to throw that all away?

   I slowly walked back to my house.  When I entered, I saw Daisy talking to my dad.  She glanced at me, and stopped talking.  I bowed my head and walked up to my room.  If she didn’t want to talk to me, I wouldn’t bother her.  But I wanted her to know that she could trust me.  And you don’t need words for that.