I Promise // l.p.

Chapter 22

I screw my eyes shut and keep still, waiting for him to pull away. Liam keeps his lips firmly pressed to mine, almost as if he's waiting for me to kiss back.

Don't give in. Don't you dare-

I cave in and respond to his kiss. The second I do, Liam's hands drop to my waist and pull me tightly to him. I slowly pull back before he could get too carried away and glance down.

"You had to of felt something." Liam whispers, keeping our foreheads in contact.

I don't respond. I shouldn't be feeling like this. I shouldn't feel... happy? Relieved that he kissed me? I pull my bottom lip between my teeth to fight the smile I'm holding in.

"Well, say something." He pulls my chin up so that I'm forced to look at him. He looks anxious and worried. Just like he did that first time we kissed in my tv room 3 years ago.

"You-" I sigh, "You can't just kiss me and expect everything to be okay."

I wish it could be like that, but it can't. That sort of stuff only happens in the movies.

He lets go of my arms and sits down on his bed. "I swore I would've had you back when I told you what really happened."

"What?" I'm confused.

"About Sophia being a beard."

"You never told me that." I sit down a safe distance away from him, intrigued.

"I told you the morning you left the hospital. You don't remember?" Liam looks up at me.

"I might have blocked you out a couple times that day..." Guilty.

"Oh."

"You can tell me now?" I suggest.

"Basically, Sophia was my fake girlfriend. Management got pissed when that photo of you and Louis were everywhere, so they went along with that stupid game the paparazzi were playing." His tone changes to annoyed, remembering that accident with Louis. "They let everyone believe that you and Louis had something going on, and they hired me a girlfriend."

So in a nutshell, this whole situation is my fault.

"You should have told me." My voice cracks and I try to blink away the tears forming in my eyes.

"I know. I was just afraid of how you would react." He runs a hand through his hair.

"I'm so stupid." I mutter. My stupidity ruined what I had with Liam. And all this time I've been convincing myself that he was at fault. "I ruined us."

"No you didn't." Liam stands.

"Then who did? Because it wasn't you!" I cry.

"Modest. Just like I said they would." He mumbles the last part.

"You deserve someone better than me." I wipe at my eyes.

"No, Katie." He sighs and walks over to me. Liam pulls me into him and I nuzzle into his shirt. "Please don't cry."

"Hey," He brings my chin up, "I think we were both at fault here."

I look away from him.

"And now we know that, so we can forgive each other." He continues.

"How could you forgive me?" I manage to get out.

"Katie, I have been miserable without you. It's like I've been walking around with just half a heart. I can't sleep, I can't eat, and I can't focus knowing that you were somewhere hurting. I love you and I care about you. You're all I know."

"Liam," I am completely marveled with his way of words. I feel like an idiot, because I'm standing here with no idea what to say. "It can't be as simple as just going back to the way it was."

"Why not?" He asks cautiously.

"Some things were said and done that... affected our relationship." I try to find the right words.

"What do you mean?" He furrows his eyebrows.

"Maybe we should take a break."

"What?" By the look on his face, I can tell he's torn. "We've already took a break. Isn't 4 weeks long enough?"

"I don't know, Liam. I just want to take all this in." I breathe.

"I understand." Liam mumbles and turns to leave.

"Done." I grab his arm and spin him around.

He cocks his head in confusion.

"I took it all in." I say, earning a smile from him.

"C'mon, lets get out of here." Liam tosses me a hoodie and leads me out of his house.

I don't know where he's taking me, but I let him pull me a ways down the street. I'm glad I was able to get rid of those horrid crutches earlier this week. I smile and shake my head once we stop.

Liam climbs halfway up the tree and sits on a large branch, gripping onto another one to keep his balance. "C'mon."

"If we were going to a tree, why didn't we just go in your backyard?" I look up at him.

"Because you like this one better."

He knows me all too well.

"If you haven't noticed, I have a restriction." I point to the brace on my knee.

"Climb one-legged." He jokes.

"I can't." I giggle.

"Lets try this then," Liam jumps from the branches and crouches down. "Get on."

"You can not pull me up this tree on your back." I cross my arms.

"Yes I can." He argues.

"I won't let-"

Liam throws me over his shoulder and grabs onto the tree. "I'd hold on."

"Liam," I warn. I know he's serious when he lifts one foot and pulls up with his arms. I slide my way to his back and wrap my arms and legs around him.

We get to the spot where Liam was originally sitting and he pulls an arm around my waist to help me keep stable. This tree has to be the second largest in the neighborhood (first is Liam's) and it has long and wide branches which made it easier to climb. There used to be a clubhouse farther up. Well, it's still there but it's been weathered to the point where if you stood on the floor, it would crack the wood. Liam and I discovered it one day, and we kept it to ourselves. It wouldn't be often that we would come this far into the neighborhood, and when we did, we would sit up there all day until our parents came looking for us.

"Now how am I gonna get down?" I laugh.

"Why do we have to go down? I've got all I need up here." Liam's eyes pour into me and his face is completely sincere.

I look down and blush at his compliment, swinging my un-injured leg back and forth. "Me too."