CHAPTER EIGHT
"Are you sure you're okay?" Liam asked as we got to his house.
I pause before looking at him. "I was with someone." I start.
Liam raises his eyebrows, exhaling disappointedly. "Honor..."
"It was a girl from work. My dad walked in.. He..He.." I stumble, blinking back unwanted tears. "He freaked. Basically threw Mia out. And then he slapped me, making me hit my head." I recall the events rapidly, not wanting to live through them again.
I didn't know whether I was a dyke or not. All I knew was having sex with girls paused the rapid flow of memories, and, truthfully, I was terrified of having sex with guys.
But that didn't mean I wasn't attracted to them.
I just couldn't let myself be.
"I'm so sorry," Liam says, grabbing my hand as we walked up the steps to his house.
I don't reply as I follow Liam to his room, narrowly missing his mom who was making noise in the kitchen. I just wanted to sleep this off.
"Can you stay with me?" I asked Liam, who was shuffling out of his room, wearing boxer briefs. I was in his bed, tucked into his warm grey sheets. But the memories.. they wouldn't stop, and I didn't want to be alone.
Liam gave me a warm smile, "Sure." I watch as he gets into bed next to me, the mattress dipping down. I turn towards Liam.
He lays on his side, facing me. "You'll be okay," He whispers reassuringly. I nod, biting my lip. Liam leans in, pressing his lips to my forehead.
"Goodnight Liam," I say before turning around, shutting off his bedside lamp.
-
I make a decision the next day, right before school lets out.
At lunch I had noticed Harry staring at me from the other end of the cafeteria. His eyes were no doubt drawn to the bruise on my cheek, like everyone else's. Instead of deflecting his glare like I had been with everyone else, I held it. I wanted him to know it wasn't okay that he was following me around. I wasn't some doll.
But apart of me also wanted to know who Rich was, and why Harry was paranoid that I was working for him. Were him and Harry enemies? If so, why? What was he involved in?
I knew Harry was a virtual stranger. I had never even had a real conversation with him before, let alone we had never been pleasant. But I had a right to know why I was being accused of something - and what that something even was.
But, sitting here in seventh period, I decided I would follow him, instead of vice versa. Everyday after school I saw Harry leave in his old, loud pick up, parked in the back corner of the lot. I would simply watch from a vantage point, and then jump in my car and slip behind him.
Of course, I had no idea where it would lead. Maybe he was only going home - nothing suspicious. But the possibility that I'd find out what was behind this 'Rich' thing pushed me further with coming to my decision.
So, my adrenaline pumping, here I was - hiding in my car, waiting for Harry to leave. I had slipped out of seventh hour a few minutes earlier and ran to my car, parking it on the side of the street, prepared to follow Harry at a moment's notice.
In my rearview mirror I watched the kids of my high school file out of the building in a flur. I caught site of my target - Harry was walking with his hands shoved in his pockets, laughing at something a blonde haired boy was saying.
