The Darkest Days

51. Relationship #1

"Tessa."

She blinked her eyes but closed them again and mumbled.

Mason got inside the van and sat himself beside her. Her head was leaning back in the seat and he moved her so she could rest on his shoulder.

"Are you mad at me?" He asked gently and caressed her hair.

He wasn't expecting a reply so it took him by surprise when he felt her shake her head.

He looked down. Her eyes were still closed, not a line on her face. He moved away a strand of her brown hair and smiled. "Thank you."

She responded by wrapping her arms around his waist and snuggling closer to him.

He rested his head on top of hers while hugging her back. "I'm sorry."

She didn't reply anything.

"I shouldn't let a friendship get between us. Thank you for understanding me and giving me time to correct my mistakes." He sighed in content. "Thank you for not walking away or giving up on me."

Tessa opened her eyes but showed no sign. Her eyes stared blankly into space, shining a little from the moisture in them.

They both didn't know that just behind the van, Audrey and Liam were standing.

She saw their silhouettes holding each other and an unsettling feeling washed over her.

Liam was talking but she didn't hear a word. When he grabbed her cold hand, she teared her gaze away from the shadows and to the boy standing in front of her.

"If you feel tomorrow that I shouldn't have said anything, I'll take it back."

"Liam-"

"I'm sorry I'm saying this, but I just need you to know. All this time that you've been gone, I realised that I really should have manned up, there was no bigger regret. When I came back to you, I had decided that I'll tell you."

Audrey found it hard to concentrate on his long, fast words but she did her best to soak everything in.

"I like you." Liam finally confessed. "I really, really like you. I have for a long time. I'll go back home soon so it's pointless to see a future for us, but while we still have our last days, I need you to know. Your friendship was something I really cherished. Whoever will be your man is a d*ck that I'm f*cking jealous of."

He slowly moved his piercing gaze from her to his feet.

Audrey's lips parted and she gulped. "So you said it after all this time."

"I know you always hoped I wouldn't but-"

"I did." She said. "I never wanted to have to give you an answer. You know I am not a person who commits-"

"I kno-"

"Let me finish."

He stopped.

"I didn't want you to confess because I'd have said no and you'd have gone away. I'd have lost a good friend."

Liam grimaced.

"But now I change my answer."

He looked up with wide eyes. "Huh?"

She cracked a smile at his reaction. "I said now I'll change my answer."

"But.. what.. why suddenly.."

She neared him and placed her arms on his shoulders. "No labels and sh*t." She titled her head. "We're still free to be ourselves and not bound to each other to do anything."