The Enemy

Chapter 8

Lias wouldn't tell Bryn what him and her father talked about.  It was supposed to be a surprise for her birthday which is in two weeks.

Bryn walked him outside and to his car.  He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.  "Will you please tell me now?"  She begged and leaned her chin against his chest.

"Nope."  He gave her a goofy smile and ruffled her hair.  She huffed and buried her face into his shirt.

"It's nohg hgfis."  She mumbled.

"What was that?"  He asked as he pulled away.

"I said it isn't fair."  He laughed shortly.

"You'll get over is." He kissed her forehead and climbed into his car.

"Call me tonight?"  She asked with a sad expression.

"I promise." He smiled at her then drove away.  She sighed and walked inside and to her room.  That was the most comfortable place in their house usually, but right now even that room felt empty since Lias left.  She couldn't believe she was feeling withdrawals when she just saw him like thirty seconds ago.

That night, Lias called her like he promised.  They talked on the phone for hours.  "Lias?"  Bryn said groggily.

"Yes baby?"  This made butterflies go crazy in her stomach.

"It's one o'clock in the morning."  He chuckled.

"Looks like it is.  Are you tired?"  She nodded then realized he couldn't see her.

"Yeah I am."  She frowned.  She didn't like saying goodbye to him.

"I'll text you as soon as you wake up okay?"  She sighed and said a quiet 'okay' before they told each other goodnight and hung up.  In a flash, it was morning and Bryn had a hard time waking up from the lack of sleep.  James had to practically drag her out the door.

She just dressed in sweatpants and a sweatshirt.  Just as he said, Lias texted her a cute good morning text.

Guess what -L

What? -B

I don't have school today -L

Bryn frowned.  Now she won't be able to talk to him because he will be sleeping.

What?  Why? -B

Water main break. -L

She was just about to text back when her phone began to beep, then died.  She then realized that she forgot to plug in her phone last night before she fell asleep.  The rest of that morning, Bryn's heart raced.  She was panicking on the inside.

At school, she couldn't even focus on what the teachers were saying.  All she could think about was that maybe Lias was thinking that she was ignoring him.  Many scenarios went through her mind.

At lunch, James tried to get Bryn to lighten up.  He even bought her lunch for her with the money he just got for his birthday.  She would just sit there and shrug her shoulders before picking at her food.

"Hey."  Bryn jumped and looked over her shoulder.  Standing over her with a bag in hand was Lias.  He looked down at her with a smile on his face.

"You never texted me back, so I figured I should just come to you."  He sat across from her and took everything out of the bag.  In it was a sub from subway cut in half, three chocolate chip cookies, a bottle of Dr. Pepper, and three almond joys.

"Why did you bring so much food?" James asked in the middle of shoving his face full.  Lias shrugged and gave each of them one of the cookies.  "Dude seriously?"  James smiled and ate the whole thing in two bites.  "Looks like you're good for more than one thing."  Lias just rolled his eyes at him and gave him one of the almond joys too.

Bryn just sat smiling at the both of them.  No matter what her brother says, she can tell that deep down he likes Lias.  He can't hide it, especially when he brings him food.

"What's wrong?"  Lias asked in between bites of his sub.  She just shook her head and started to eat her cookie.  The rest of lunch, they all sat and joked with each other until the bell rang.  Bryn sighed.  "I'll call you after practice tonight, okay?"  She nodded.  Lias planted a kiss on her cheek then waved goodbye as he exited the school.

"What is he doing here?"  Natalie asked from behind her.

"He just decided to visit me at lunch since he didn't have school today."  She nodded.

"But he still has practice?"  Bryn shrugged.

Bryn didn't hear from Lias until eight o'clock that night.

I'm sorry it took so long.  Our practice went longer than usual.  Coach had us running these new drills. -L

Why did you still have practice today if you didn't have school? -B

I don't know.  Coach called us this morning and told us to go to practice anyway.  Why? -L

Idk.  It's just weird I guess. -B

I swear I was just at practice. -L

When Bryn didn't reply for a little bit, he texted her again.

Bryn?  Please don't be mad at me.  I promise I was just at practice. -L

For some reason, she had an uncomfortable feeling in her gut.  She felt bad for thinking he wasn't at practice, but something just didn't seem right.

Ok. -B

Lias replied, but she didn't look at it.  She just laid in bed and listened to music until she fell asleep.  When she woke up, she had three missed calls from him.  She just sighed.  She knew she had to stop thinking that he was lying to her if she wants to be with him.  She just needed time to calm down.

Bryn didn't take her phone to school that day.  She had to be away from Lias, and texting him all day wouldn't help her.  She knew she was over-reacting.

"Hey.  Is everything okay?"  James asked her as soon as school ended.

"Yeah.  Why?"  He looked around then pulled her towards the empty part of the school.

"Lias has been texting me all day.  He said you've been ignoring him, so he thought something bad happened to you or something."  She just shook her head.

"No I just left my phone at home.  I'll text him as soon as I get there."  He nodded.

"There's no point right now.  He's in practice.  I told him to text you when he gets out and see if you reply."  She thanked him and went to her car.

When she got home, she was surprised to find her father already home.  When she went inside, he was in the kitchen on the phone.

"-No I don't care what the client said.  You will do what I-no Jerry.  You listen to me.  I am the seller, and-no you will not.  I swear to god Jerry, you lose this case and you lose your job with it."  He slammed his phone on the counter.  Her father was chief of police for the state.  He's always busy.

When he noticed her, he faked a smile.  "Hey Bryn.  I didn't know you were home already.  I didn't hear you come in.  How was school?"

"School was school."  She mumbled.  "Lias visited me at lunch though."  His head lifted.

"He did?  How come?"  She gave him an annoyed look.

"Dad, I'm talking to him.  Stop hating him."  She rolled her eyes.  "He visited me because he didn't have school today so he just wanted to see me.

"I'm trying Bryn.  It's hard not to hate someone who-" she cut him off.

"Who cares for your daughter?  Who is good at football so all of you feel threatened?"  He lowered his head and she scoffed.  "Like he said, he's not going anywhere.  So get over it."  She stormed to her room and slammed the door.