Beneath the Surface

Chapter 3

"What happened to you at the party? I saw you sitting with Liam and then he was gone leaving you alone for the rest of the night." Natalie says once she sits down on my bed.

"Nothing. We were just talking. Liam had to get back to his friends." I lie.

"What where you guys talking about?"

"Justin."

"Justin? He knew Justin?" Natalie asked confused.

"No. He saw me looking at his letter in school."

"Oh. That's it?"

"That's it."

"He looked kind of down. Are you sure he didn't know Justin."

"Not sure and he wasn't down." I snapped.

"He looked down to me. Maybe you should ask him if he knew him. He might have a story to share with you. To keep his memory alive."

"Is this how it's going to be? Every conversation just leads to Justin?" I yell at Natalie.

"Calm down Hales. We're all just worried about you."

"Who?" I keep yelling.

"Me, Ethan, your parents."

"Well you all need to stop. It's getting on my nerves."

"Justin would want you to be happy."

"How would you know what Justin would have wanted? You guys weren't even friends!"

"Because he always hanged out with you! I barley saw you! You guys were glued to the hip!"

"Get out!"

"What?"

"I said get out! I don't need this!"

"Fine! I don't need this either!" Natalie says and slams the door on the way out of my room.

When I see she has finally driven away I get into my car and just drive. I needed to cool off.

I drive pass house after house until I head to the part of North Carolina where there are farm lands block after block. I get onto Copper Still Road. Doesn't Liam live on this street? I find myself wondering. When I get to 233 Copper Still Rd. I slow down. I see Liam outside yelling at his mom. I roll down my windows as he walks down the pavement and yells, "Wait!"

I abruptly stop the car and he run towards my car.

"Can you...?" He begins to say.

"Get in." I say and he gets into the passenger side of my car. As soon as he gets in I drive away.

"Thanks." He says as he puts on his seat belt.

"No problem."

"We were just arguing about Adam." Liam says out of the blue.

"It's none of my business." I respond back, but he looks hurt by my response.

"Where to?" He asks.

"Where did you want to go?"

"Anywhere is fine. Where were you heading?"

"Nowhere in particular."

"So you were just driving?"

"Is that a problem?" I ask raising an eyebrow at him.

"No. Of course not. Why are you just driving around with no destination?" Liam asks wondering.

"I needed to cool off."

"Cool off?"

"I had a fight with Natalie."