Rejected 22 Times

Chapter 30

i'm so sorry that this update took way longer than it should have, but I have a valid reason. Someone very close to me recently passed away, so I was a little busy. I was planning on updating two weeks ago, but finally here it is!

I would just like to point out that it has been exactly a year from Januray 2nd since I started writing R22T, Thank you to all the readers who have stuck by my side this whole year. I can't believe that much time has passed. It really means a lot, and I truly appreciate each read, vote, and comment, You're the best! Okay, here's the chapter.

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Chapter 30

My first instinct was to run. Running sounded like a good plan. My mindset was that if I could run away from my problems for long enough, then they would never be able to catch up to me. That probably doesn't seem mentally sane, but it works for me. Glancing at the curtain, which was the only exit from this small room, I saw that Liam stood in front of it.

So much for that plan.

Plan B: Face my problem right here, right now. Chase now stood up from his previous position while Mia still remained seated on the edge of the table. Looking back and forth between Chase and Mia, I concluded that I couldn't go through with plan B. Instead, I bolted towards the exit, ready to push past Liam.

"Sophia, wait!" Chase yelled as he grabbed my wrist, not allowing me to escape from this tiny prison cell.

"Hey! Get your hands off of her", Liam snapped, pulling me away from Chase and into his own arms. Without realizing it, I had begun to rub my wrist that been yanked away from Chase's grasp. Liam noticed and an expression filled with regret and worry fell over his face. "Are you okay?" he inquired as he gently lifted my arm to examine my wrist.

"I'm fine", I murmured, embarrassed by my failed attempt to escape. Pulling my wrist away from Liam's hands, I took a step back from the mayhem that had unfolded in front of me. As if he was trying to guard me from it all, Liam stood by my side with his hand resting on my back.

Liam's POV

I had this instinct to want to protect her, to keep her away from harm. The last thing I wanted was to hurt her any more than I already have. When she winced from my pull on her wrist, I immediately forgot every ounce of anger that I had once carried. When she assured me she was alright, I relaxed. Wrapping my arm around her was the least I could do to assure her that I was here for her.

"Can we just go home?" she murmured to me, quiet enough for only my ears to hear.

She said we. She didn't ask me to take her home. She wanted me to come with her. "Of course", I told her, rubbing her back.

"I just want to explain myself", Chase tried to interject.

Turning to him, all of the anger that had drained from my body had now returned. "You've done enough." I knew that I had to get Sophia out of here before this turned into either a screaming match or it ended with her in tears. I've let her cry too many times.

"Like you're so innocent" that jerk tried to rebuttal.

"Chase, stop", Mia finally spoke up, standing up from the small table. Under my arm, I felt Sophia's body tense at the sound of her friend's voice.

Chase hushed while Mia continued to speak. "I'm sorry, Sophia." She now turned to the girl I clutched onto. "I didn't mean for anything to happen." Part of me sympathized for the girl who was on the verge of tears as she apologized, but the other part of me despised her for hurting Sophia. "Are you mad?"

"Why would I be mad?" Sophia questioned back. "You didn't do anything wrong." Okay, that wasn't the retaliation I was expecting.

"What do you mean? I'm such a horrible person", the older girl began to cry.