Teenage Runaway

Chapter 20

Taylor got in her car and followed Liam's--at a distance--with sleeping Bentley in his car seat in the backseat. Taylor met him in a hotel bar, where he already had a pint in front of him. Silently, she sat on the bar stool next to him. After a few beats of silence, Liam finally spoke.

"I just can't understand why you would do that to me."

"It was an accident," Taylor said, her mind fumbling for a coherent explanation. "He was a little drunk and--"

"You need to stay away from alcohol. You know what it does to you."

"Look at where we're sitting." Taylor pointed out. "I wasn't even the one drinking."

"You didn't have to follow me here. I needed a drink."

"We all need drinks, Liam! Do you know how many drinks I need?" Taylor whisper yelled, not wanting to wake her sleeping son in her arms.

"You're an alcoholic."

"And who told you that? My mother?" Liam nodded. "Did she tell you how many times I passed out drunk? Or how at my own Sweet 16, I got so drunk I had to get rushed to the hospital and get my stomach pumped? Oh, and let's not forget the most famous time of all, when I got drunk at a party and ended up pregnant!" Taylor sighed loudly. "God, I need a drink." Wow, Taylor thought, is this bartender getting a show,

"I think you need to go back to counseling." Liam told her.

"I'm going back home," Taylor said, ignoring Liam. "I need to get ready for Sam's rehersal dinner in an hour."

"I'll come with you." Liam said quickly. He left a few pounds on the bar for his drink and met Taylor at the front of the hotel lobby, which was located adjacent to the hotel bar. "Where do we stand right now?" Liam asked, rightfully confused.

"I don't know. I love you, but you paid someone to abort your child."

"And I love you, but you kissed one of my best mates." Liam said with a light laugh.

"I guess we're even." Taylor half-joked.

"Yeah, I guess we are." Liam smirked, slipping his arm around Taylor's waist.

"Where is everyone?" Taylor asked Sam when she arrived in the ballroom of the hotel her and Liam had just argued in an hour prior.

"It's over." Sam sighed. "You guys are over an hour late."

"We're sorry we missed it." Taylor apologized.

"Oh, I'm not mad. I'm getting married tomorrow!" Sam cheered.

"I'm going to go talk to Louis." Liam whispered to Taylor.

"Liam, don't."

"I'll see you tomorrow at the wedding." Liam said, kissing her forehead before walking off to find Louis, who was eating leftovers in the kitchen. He went white when he saw Liam with his fists clenched at his side.

"Liam, I can expl--"

"Out of every girl you could have kissed, you had to choose Taylor?! My Taylor? Really?" Liam was furious. "And she gets in an accident on her way home from your house, after you kissed her! She could have died!"

"I'm so sorry, mate. The guilt has been eating me alive. I wanted to tell you myself. I'd just seen Eleanor out with another man and--"

"I don't care what happened." Liam spat. "I want you to stay away from me and my family."

"Liam, you can't be ser--"

"I am. I don't want you anywhere near her." Liam said, leaving.

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