Nothing's Fine

Chapter 23

I sunk against the cold wall, silently listening to Danielle and Liam argue.

“Listen to my words, she means nothing to me.”

“You’ve said that, like, five times Liam. What I’m telling you, is that your feelings show a whole lot more.”

“I don’t like her. She’s annoying! I tried to get her to become best friends with me, but she didn’t want that!” He growled.

“Liam. I’m not blind.”

“Did I say you were blind?”

“Would you shut up and listen for a moment?”

There was a silence.

“I just think we need a break. Sarah is a sweet girl. And whether you’re going to admit it or_”

“I. Don’t. Like. Her. You want me to remove her from our house? I will in a heartbeat!”

“Liam! Stop it!”

“Why? It’s the truth!”

“No it’s not! You love her and_”

“I don’t love her! I wish she would take her and her drama induced self and get the hell away from here because I’m tired of it! All the hospital bills we now have to pay for her, and the lawyer? And now, she’s the reason you’re trying to break up with me? It’s bullshit!” His voice came across as almost desperate.

Tears were streaming down my face. Louis always came around when I just needed to be alone.

“Babe, what’s the_” He stopped mid-sentence as their arguing continued.

“Liam, I just want you to work things out with her!”

“There’s nothing to work out! If I had my way, she’d be out of my fucking life!”

“You know that’s not true! You just said you were trying to become friends with her again!”

“I was at the beginning! But now, I’m getting tired of the cat and mouse game!”

Louis crashed down at my side, enfolding me in his arms. I sobbed into his chest. I felt his hand slip underneath my legs as he lifted me up. He held me tightly to his chest as he made his way up the stairs. He walked into his room, not bothering to shut the door. He laid me down on the bed, but didn’t lay down next to me. His kissed my forehead.

“It’s okay babe. He didn’t mean any of it. Stay here alright? I’ll be back.”

And with that, he left. Any other time, I would have stayed and cried myself to sleep. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it this time. I didn’t know what Louis was going to do, and I didn’t know when he was going to be back, so I lifted myself off the bed. I fumbled with the window seal for a bit before it slid open. I put one leg out and shifted my weight so that I was balanced. I knew the ledge was at least three feet from the window, so I was going to have to jump. Liam and I used to come out here and sit.

It had started with a dare.

“You know that ledge, outside my house?”

“Yeah?”

“Jump on it.”

“What?”

“Jump from the window to the ledge. Come on! It’ll be fun!”

“No! I’ll fall!”

“No you won’t! You have reflexes like a cat!”

I silently thought to myself about why I had reflexes like a cat. If I didn’t, I would’ve been dead by now.

“Besides, I triple dog dare you!”

“You didn’t even double dog dare me!”

“That’s how big this is, go. Do it now.” He smirked.

We were twelve. We were just starting to figure out that the other sex wasn’t so bad. I however, already knew that, which made Liam and I lucky.

“No.”

“If you don’t, I’ll tell Billy you like him!”

I gasped at the threat. Billy was the nerdy kid who had dandruff and had a lisp.

“Fine. If I die, it’s your fault.”

“Whatever. Go!”

We shuffled over to the window and slid it open. I did much like I did tonight. My weight was balanced as I jumped over. After Liam saw how easy it was to jump over, so he decided to join me. When he jumped, he toppled over me, earning a laughing fit out of both of us.

Sitting here thinking about the memories we had on this ledge. Our hiding space changed from the creek to this ledge. This is where we grew up with each other. This is where we asked each other questions when puberty hit and we got curious. Tears started forming in my eyes before I could stop them.

Why did Liam come back? Why did he have to come back and bring so many tears? I swear, that’s all I’ve done is cry when he’s around. Maybe Liam is right. Maybe we don’t love each other. Distance can make hearts grow fonder, but it can also make or break anything that could’ve formed between us.

“Sarah? Lou, she’s not in here!” Liam’s voice was muffled through the shut window.

“I told her to stay! Look in the bathroom!”

“Lou! She not fucking here!” Liam’s voice was strained and worried. Bullshit.

I laughed out of spite. He wanted me out of his life. He had me out of his life. He chose to come back.

“I’ll look around the house. I’m not sugar-coating this. It’s your fault.” Louis spat.

Louis went to get Liam. Liam wouldn’t have known if nobody had told him. I closed my eyes as I let my head fall against the back off the house. I obviously hit my head harder than I thought I did, because the window opened in the next second. Liam tear streaked face poked out the window. He started climbing out of it the second our eyes met. The ledge wasn’t big enough for me to make a run for it, so I sat there, silently.