Hung (Under Revision)

29: Afraid To Lose You

Skye

I pull away from Liam and drop into the chair. With my face in my hands, I try to make sense of the past fifteen minutes of my life.

The last thing I expected to see when I stormed into the hotel was my art, framed and displayed prominently in the lobby.

The very last thing I expected to hear was the manager of the hotel telling me how many people offer to buy them from the hotel. Which explains why Gordon gets inquiries from all over the country.

This morning, I thought everything in my life was lost. My parents were lost months ago. My career, which never really started, was lost when Kelso fired me. Liam was lost because I blame him for losing the Kelso job. I still blame him.

Except now I see I didn't need the Kelso job. I hated Kelso. I hated the idea of my work being locked up in some mansion. But I'd needed the money so bad. And I had my heart set on the gallery show.

Meanwhile, I'd already been having my own gallery show, right here in this hotel. Liam went and did it all without telling me. After I'd made it clear I didn't want his help.

I don't understand how I feel or what to think.

"I should be mad, but thank you," I say, looking up at Liam.

"There's nothing to thank me for."

"There is. You did so much for me, and I appreciate it. I really do."

"But?"

"There's no but. Not really." I don't think, anyway. Why did he do all this stuff for me? Why didn't he tell me? Why did he do it when I told him not to help me? It's so important for me to make it on my own.

"It doesn't seem like there's no but."

"There isn't. I don't know what to think." I really don't. Every emotion in existence has coursed through my veins today. I'm already running on no sleep from last night. It's like my brain has shut down, and all my emotions, heightened from exhaustion, are spinning at ninety miles an hour. I can't make sense of anything.

Liam heaves a great sigh and sits at the table in the chair beside me.

"Skye, this is killing me. I don't know how to make you see how much I care about you. You don't know what to think, but you're in the driver's seat here. I want you in my life. I need you in my life." Liam jams his fingers into his hair.

My entire body is numb. I need time to think. The painting is near me, and I pull it in front of me. The pain and anguish I'd felt when I created it come flooding back. I wanted him to know the pain I felt. That's what I came here for in the first place.

"I just don't know."

"You're the only person I've ever felt this way about. The only person I've ever wanted."

"Yeah, you kind of know my background, so I know what you mean." He obviously knows I've never had a serious boyfriend before. I wonder if he realizes I've never had any boyfriend before.

"I flat out don't know what to do. I've seriously never been in this situation before."

"Well neither have I."

"So why are you torturing us both?" He swallows, hard.

I manage a weak smile. "It's been a rollercoaster morning, my head is swimming. I need time to clear my head." Maybe I should go home and crawl into bed to digest everything.

Pushing the chair back, I stand. My hands hesitate over the painting, unsure whether to take it with me or leave it for Liam.

"What are you doing?" His voice is strained and he puts his hand over mine. His touch is electric.