Nothing's Fine

Chapter 32

He slowly lowered his body next to me and took a deep breath. He picked up the picture and turned it over to look at it I watched him sigh as he continued to stare at it.

He looked over at me and caught me staring. I looked down and began to play with my hands again. He laid the picture frame down and took my hands in his.

“I’m sorry okay?” He sounded almost desperate.

“Why?”

“Because I’m an asshole.”

“You kinda are.” I laughed, but he just kept staring.

I decided to continue. I wanted to know why he kept this picture and framed it. Out of all the pictures, why this one was so important.

“Why did you frame this?” I motioned towards the picture.

“You really don’t wanna know.”

“Yes I do. You took maybe a million that day. Why this one?”

He sighed as he stood up and ran his fingers through his hair.

“It was the last picture I took of you before I realized anything was wrong. It was the last picture when I still believed we were best friends. I guess I was obvlious up to that point. It’s my favorite in a way. There’s nothing really fake about it.”

I bit the inside of cheek. How was I supposed to tell him I was leaving?

He sat down on the bed and looked at me. I stayed seated on the ground, afraid to move. He was the last person I wanted to talk to about leaving. I wanted it to go from Louis, Carter, to Liam, to the rest of the boys, but of course, it was going to be the opposite way.

“I’m sorry about earlier today.” He spoke again.

“Please stop apologizing.” I whimpered.

“Why? So it’ll be easier for you to break my heart?” I looked up at him.

He had tears in his eyes. That did it for me. My hands flew up to my face and I began to sob in the middle of his floor.

“Don’t do this to me. Please?”

“What do you want me to do? Tell you it’s okay? That I’ll be fine?”

“I need to do this!”

“Then let me come with you.” He spoke as he lowered himself next to me once again.

He craddled me in his arms and rubbed my back.

“I’m not going to ruin your summer.”

“You’ll ruin my summer if you leave. Especially without me.”

“I can’t Liam. I need to do this on my own. You’re going to leave.”

“I won’t Sarah. I won’t. I’ll stay.” He whispered in my ear.

“You hate me Liam. Why do you want to come?”

“Because I don’t hate you. I want to come. I want to be there to support you.”

“I can’t. You can’t.”

“You can and I can. We can learn each other again Sarah. We can learn to trust each other.”

“You have Danielle.”

“I don’t give a shit. Let me come with you.” He begged.

“Liam…”

“You would let Lou if he begged.” He pulled away to look in my eyes.

His were wet with tears as were mine. Fighting with him anymore would useless. He had already won. I nodded and his eyes were instantly opened with excitement.