Learning To Love (bxb) ✔️

Bonus Chapter: Meet the Parents (part 2)

Liam's POV

I'm shaking so bad.

My fists are clenched tight, my mind barely registering the pain of my fingernails digging into my palms.

Silence falls over the table for a couple of moments before I can't take it anymore and storm out of the dining hall.

I feel nothing but blind rage. I'm so ready to punch something, although the rational part of my mind supplies that it wouldn't do any good. (And I'd probably just end up hurting my hand anyway)

God, those two make me so angry. Are they always like this? Does Rowan live like this? Facing constant belittling?

Before I know it I find myself in front of Rowan's bedroom. I didn't even realize I was walking here. A part of me thinks I shouldn't go in without permission but the bigger part is too angry to care.

I step in and close the door behind me. I take deep breaths to try and calm myself before I ruin anything in Rowan's bedroom. I take in the blank walls and the neat, minimalistic room and try to get the tenseness in my shoulders to go away.

I'm only alone for a couple seconds before I hear frantic footsteps stop at Rowan's bedroom door.

"Li? Are you alright?" Rowan asks softly through the door. Sudden tears well up behind my eyes and I can feel the anger starting to melt away.

"I'm okay-" my voice breaks, forcing me to swallow before speaking again. "I'm okay."

"Can I come in?"

"It's your room."

The door creaks open slowly to reveal Rowan. He steps into the room before closing the door behind him.

"Baby, tell me what's going through your mind." He says, stepping closer towards me. My jaw starts to tremble with the effort of holding back my tears. Why do I cry when I'm angry?

"They're so terrible. What they said." I whisper quietly. Rowan holds his arms out for a hug, and I gratefully fall into his embrace, the tears finally breaking free.

Rowan just holds me for a while, carding his hands through my hair while I cry my heart out.

A sudden thought makes me jerk backwards in a panic.

"Oh my god. What did I just do? I can't believe I did something so rash. I completely yelled at your parents and disrupted what was supposed to be a nice evening and they definitely hate me now and I've probably ruined your family life-"

"Hey. Hey," Rowan kisses my forehead, "Don't worry about it. They had it coming."

He gently thumbs my tears away, and I send him a tiny, shaky smile. I have the best boyfriend in the world.

"Besides, that was pretty hot, seeing you all riled up like that." He murmurs in my ear, making my face flush bright red.

"I- what-"

Rowan chuckles before sending me a smirk, "you're so cute. I love you, I hope you know that. I'll love you no matter what."

"I love you too." I sigh into his shoulder.

A soft knock at the door startles us.

"Who is it?" Rowan asks.

"It's me, Kaylee. And Alistair's here too. Are you guys okay?" Comes the muffled reply through the door.

"Are you okay?" Rowan asks me quietly. I nod in response.

"We're fine." Rowan calls out. Kaylee slowly cracks open the door.