My Brother's Best Friend Is The One For Me

Don't Blame Her. Not Afraid Now

Chapter 27. Liam

You've got to be joking. You've absolutely have to be kidding me. Did that honestly just happen? Did I really just almost fix things and then screw them up even worse? Damn it, why am I so naive? I should've believed Cassidy. I should've seen that Sophia didn't care about me.

Daddy direction. Bullshit.

I heard someone knock on the door. I really didn't want to talk to anyone right now...

"Li, I know you're in there," I heard Stefanie's voice say, "Open the door or I'll find the key."

I sighed and stood up, walking over to the door. I put my hand on the knob and hesitantly swung it open.

"Yes?" I asked, looking at her.

Her eyes were red and puffy. Did I do that? Did I make her cry?

My heart hurt knowing it could be a possibility. I didn't want to be the reason hurt. I wanted to be the thing to comfort her.

"Look," she started, "I know I'm last person you want to see right now, but I need to get this off of my chest. This is not your sister's fault. If anyone's, it's mine. I'm the one who you cheated on Sophia with. I didn't stop you and I'm partially to blame. So if you want to be mad, fine. Be mad, but don't you dare blame her. All she wanted was to protect you. She wasn't going to scold you and rub it in your face that she was right. She was about to apologize. Then you stormed off like a child. I realize that this is a lot to process at the moment, but there is no excuse for how you treated her. She did nothing wrong."

My gaze fell to the floor. She's right. I was just making everything thing worse without trying.

Her hand caressed my cheek. I looked up at her in surprise.

"That's not all I came up here to say..." she whispered.

She took a step forward, making our chests less than an inch apart.

"I'm sorry," she said.

I pushed my eyebrows together and said, "What on earth do you have to be sorry about?" She shrugged.

"Everything that went on downstairs. Being a cry baby. Sophia..." Her hand slipped off my face and her eyes dropped to the ground.

I laced my fingers with hers and pulled her into me. My other arm gently brushed her back and rested on the small of it.

"Don't apologize for her," I replied, "She did this to herself. It may have taken me forever to realize it, but better late than never." She cracked a small smile and laughed once.

"Still... I wish you hadn't have had to find out like that."

"I'm fine," I whispered, "As long as you're here with me," My lips brushed hers. "I'm perfectly alright."

We kissed in my doorway. Nothing could have gotten my mind off of Sophia more easily. Stef was all I wanted right now. Nothing could change the deep pit in my stomach that formed every time I saw her.

I want Stefanie, and I'm not afraid to admit it now.