Ice To Meet You

When Liam shows emotions

The waiter walks to our table and interrupts our tea party.

"What can I get you ladies today?" He asks amiably.

"I'll have 6 tequila shots," Hannah quickly answers and the waiter scatters away. We shoot our shots and Hannah updates me on her life. She's been to a concert, attended a friend's breakup party, slept with 3 random men. We gobble our shots down talking about her work and drunk Mia is not having it—she just can't mash it down any longer.

"I told Liam that I love him," she blurts.

"You did what?" Han asks me dramatically raising her eyes. "Are you fucking insane Mia?" Her voice is all screechy and shrill. Why is everyone reacting so badly to this?

"What did I do wrong?" Even drunk Mia is unsure of herself right now, which is a feat in itself.

"You don't say a blasphemous thing to a man like Liam. Are you trying to drive him away?"

"How is expressing my feelings driving him away?" She is insane.

"You've been in a relationship for 2 seconds. Saying I love you so soon—are you stupid? You don't even love yourself Mia. You have never even been in love. He must have freaked the fuck out..." I shut my eyes to hold back my emotions. She is right—I hate myself. I don't deserve love—what was I even thinking?

"Open your eyes Mia, stop acting like such a kid!" She yells at me.

"Why are you so mad?"

"Mia you have a man like Liam in your life—use it to build connections and don't expect love from him. He's an addict for god's sake! Move on to something better—don't get your fucking heart involved."

"I am not like you."

"You can't be like me. I am fucking awesome. No wonder he hasn't been coming around to you now," she gasps.

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you think he's keeping you in his house?"

Because he cares... I of course won't say that. "Why?"

"He feels guilty for his shitty behavior. Ask him if he was only drinking that night, I can bet your sweet ass he was on some shit too. Mia—get the fuck out of there and come home. You don't belong in this world."

I don't say anything further—I let her words sink in. She's my best friend—of course she's right. I just—Liam isn't a drug addict—is he? I have to ask him. I have to talk to him. I get up from the chair. I won't let Hannah's word cloud my mind—I believe in him—he won't—or would he?

"Where are you going?"

"I have to pee," I lie.

I make my way to the restroom and dial his number. If he was on drugs while he almost killed both of us—we are done! Liam—my Liam? He just—he's—he can be. He—I—I am not going to judge him. I am going to give him a chance.

"Hello?"

"Liam?" I am trying so hard not to cry right now.

"What's wrong?" How can he tell from just one word?

I take a deep breath in, "Were you on drugs the night we crashed?"

There is some disturbance on his side—I can hear some people talking. "Give me 5 minutes," he says.

"No! Talk to me now," I shriek like the annoying sorority girls who end every sentence with 'I can't even."

"Not you baby," he says and all my anxieties give me a break. He's leaving whatever he is doing to talk to me—his baby! Okay he didn't say his baby but he said baby, right? I should clarify.