How could I have been so reckless and stupid? How could I have lost something so valuable? That USB had the power to ruin everything.
I groaned into my hands, letting all my frustrations out as my palms grew damp from my tears. I then heard someone clear their throat from behind me. The sound made a chill run down my spine and I felt like I was paralyzed. "Looking for something, Stella?" The deep voice said sweetly, but their was a hint of me menace behind it. He was mocking me almost - with a bitterness that made my blood run cold, my skin feeling like ice.
"Liam..." I sighed without even turning around. My eyes squeezed shut as I prayed to god desperately that he hadn't read it - or even found it. I would live the rest of my life helping others if god could have granted me that one little request. I couldn't face him, just stayed hunched over on my hands and knees as I waited for him to say something.
The USB hit the floor right besides me. I inhaled deeply. "You want to fucking explain or shall I just tell you what I think I already know?"
I remained silent, tears pouring down my cheeks.
"Alright then," he said with a bitter laugh. "I'm pretty sure I know everything. I read all the details you wrote. I was just trying to see who owned it so I could return it... But now I'm fucking glad I read it."
"Liam-" I began to plead desperately as I jumped off the floor and finally met his eyes. I knew I must have looked like a complete mess but at this point I didn't care.
"No, I gave you your chance to say something. My turn now. How could you be such a selfish fucking bitch? I don't know who's paying you or convinced you to do this, but it doesn't really matter. How could you do this? How could you lead Louis on for months... He thinks... He thinks you're in love with him. But all you're doing is tricking him into revealing secrets too you. What's wrong with you?"
"I don't want to hurt-"
"That's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard, Stella!" Liam growled, his teeth literally baring. I had always known he was fiercely protective over the rest of the boys, but the blazing hot look in his eyes took it to a whole new level. "If you didn't want to hurt Louis, you wouldn't have done it. Don't give me any crap that you give two fucks about Louis."
"But I do!" I choked out between a sob that made my entire body shake.
"I don't think you understand what caring about someone means, then. Lying to them, getting them to open up to you on false pretenses, making them fall in love with you all just for some stupid little story in a magazine. That's not caring about Louis. Honestly, you must really hate him to hurt him so bad."
"I wasn't going to go through with it! Once I got to know him I-"
"You what? Fell in love with him? That's not how your writing makes it look. And I know it was updated two days ago. So unless somewhere during the past two days you fell in love with Louis, I'm calling bullshit." Liam's words felt like they were stabbing me in the gut, blow after blow making it hard for me to breathe, let along stand.
What could I say to convince Liam? Nothing because I couldn't even convince myself. Maybe I had fallen for his quirky personality and silly sense of humor, but deep down the article had always been the prime force driving me along. I had done so much to get my story. Who would believe that I was never going to write it?
"You know what's the worst part?" Liam continued, shaking his head in disgust as he glared at me. His eyes had been in narrow slits since he'd first looked at me. I didn't answer so he continued. "You didn't just leave it at Louis, you involved Harry. You not only fucked with Louis, you brought his friendship into it. Which was on seriously shaky grounds, by the way. You almost ruined it. You could have destroyed them. God, this is going to destroy Louis! He doesn't trust easily. He never opens up to people. But you were different. You meant something to him, don't you get that? He's seriously in love with you. Or at least the person you pretended to be. Maybe it was all an act - be Louis' perfect girl, play hard to get and he completely out of reach. You sure know how to get a guys attention, huh?"
