No Filter

Chapter XV (15)

I turn away from the sight of them kissing. I bite my bottom lip and back away until I hit a tray behind me. I hear a loud shatter, and I close my eyes and cover my ears.

"Ally," Lauren spoke, "look what you made me do."

I open my eyes, and my hands shake. "Lauren, I am so sorry." She kneels down to the ground, and I see the glass bowl that was filled with candy shattered into pieces. "Let me help you," I offer.

I kneel down beside her and pick up the big pieces of glass. Lauren asks, "Why were you even backing away?"

"I...uh..." I glance ahead of me and meet eyes with Liam for a short moment before I dart them back to the floor. His eyebrows creased with a bit of confusion and worry. I bite my bottom lip, leaving Lauren's question unanswered.

Lauren grabs the stack of glass in my hands, and a feel sharp end cutting through the palm of my hand. I yelp, looking at the blood coming out

"Ally, oh, I'm so sorry," Lauren says.

"It's okay," I said, wincing. "It's only a cut." A long one it seems.

"Ally," Liam begins, "are you alright?" I avoid eye contact with him.

I close the palm of my hand and rise up with Lauren. As she went to go dump it, I walk around Liam and the girl and grab the broom and dustpan. I begin sweeping the remaining pieces along with the candy.

I try my best to sweep with only one hand. I didn't want to stain the broom with my blood. A hand holds the broom in place, and I look up and see Liam.

"Ally, let me do it," he says.

I shake my head. "It's okay. I got it, Liam."

"You sure? Your hand is bleeding. We should get that clean up first," he says. He placed his other hand over mine, and chills run down my spine. His warm touch vibrates through my skin, and goosebumps rise. "Let me clean your hand first."

I nod my head. He takes the broom away from me and sets it leaning against the wall. He takes my wrist and leads me into the other living room, away from the other guests. He sets me down on the couch and grabs the first aid kit. Setting it in between us, he opens it up and grabs some wipes.

"Open up your hand," he says.

I hesitantly do so. He pulls my hand closer and looks at it for a moment. He lifts his eyes and says, "I'm sorry, but this might hurt."

I bite my bottom and prepare myself for the pain. He gently taps the wipe on the cut, and my hand squirm. I let out a light yelp and kept twitching at every sting.

Liam tosses the bloody wipes in the nearby trashcan. He puts Neosporin over the cut, followed by three bandaids to cover up the wound. He crumpled up the bandaid wrappers and tosses them in the trash. "There you go."

"Thank you," I said.

He smiles. "Anything for a friend," he replies. I frown.

His eyebrows crease for a second, asking, "I thought you weren't going to make it?"

I shrug. "The manager let me out early."

"Well, I'm glad that you are here," he says. "But you missed out on the cake."

I sigh in disappointment. "What?! Was it chocolate?"

"You know it," he says.

"Oh, no," I swallowed, disappointed. He chuckles.

"Hey," the girl from the kitchen peeks her head in. His girlfriend. He turns around and faces her. "I already sweep up the remaining pieces."

She walks to us, and Liam wraps his hand around her waist. As I got a closer, I realize she was a lot older than us. She was woman who couldn't be past her thirties.