Going the Distance ✔️

Chapter twenty five.

We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the place, keeping an eye out for his parents and enjoying the day. It was still sunny with a little breeze as the afternoon got cooler and Liam's phone continued to buzz as did mine but, my texts were from Xanthe.

"I feel really bad," I said, "we should have invited her."

Liam switched his phone off until it no longer buzzed anymore. "She wouldn't have come anyway. She likes to please our parents and if they want her to become a lawyer then she will do it, no questions asked."

"If she had the choice, what would she do?" I asked Liam who was looking straight ahead as we kept walking.

"She would go to college," he told me, "but not to law school. I think she wants to do something in fashion, but I'm not entirely sure because we aren't close anymore." That saddened me. I wish they were close like they used to be but what happened between the two of them seemed to be haunting them and it never seemed to stop.

I checked the time on my phone. "We should wait by the car, the last lecture of the day should be ending soon."

Liam sighed as we trailed back to the parking lot. "Are you ready for the repercussions of our actions?"

I nodded. "What's the lie going to be?" I hated to admit it, but the lying was becoming easier and easier every day and that frightened me.

He shrugged. "I haven't thought that far ahead." We spotted the car shortly after and we approached it, waiting for his sister and parents. "You're the one who suggested it so you come up with a decent lie."

I froze and my mind went blank. "I can't lie to save myself, Liam. You're the expert." He said just as everyone else was coming our way. "Oh, God."

"You better think of one quick." Liam smirked, enjoying this a little too much.

I knew I was screwed. Thanks, Liam.

"Where the heck have you two been!?" Mrs. Gilbert yelled just as she approached the car. "We have been leaving messages all day and you don't even have the decency to reply!"

"You missed all of the important lectures about your future," Mr. Gilbert growled, "are you going to enlighten us and tell us where you have been all this time?"

I swallowed, knowing it was my turn to speak. "We got lost."

"Lost?" Xanthe questioned, folding her arms across her chest.

"And our phones died." I added quickly.

Liam chuckled at my little white lie. "I'm not even going to argue with you about this anymore. You two are grounded. You will not leave the hotel, you will not go out with us tonight, you stay put until the morning." Mrs. Gilbert finished as she unlocked the car and got in as did everyone else.

We followed along and we drove back in utter silence. I kept wondering if it was a bad idea ditching them or not, but would we have enjoyed it if we sat through the many lectures that were planned? I could tell that Xanthe didn't have a good day and I really wished I at least invited her. But, she would've gotten grounded as well and I didn't think she was the type to ever get into trouble with her parents.

When we arrived back at the hotel, we were told a bunch of rules about being grounded and they even apologised to me for being like this since I was the exchange student but I was involved and I accepted that. I knew there would be a punishment that came along with what we did today and I was ready to do that punishment.

We got back to our hotel room and Xanthe went into our room and slammed the door shut. Liam smiled. "Well, at least we don't have to make an excuse as to why we can't come to dinner tonight."