Just Stop It

chapter 14 heartbreaking truth

Julia awoke to the sound of voices, she hurriedly got dressed but noticed her bra was not among her other clothing. But still, she continued to get dressed and be prepared to go out of the room. She was in the hallway when she realized that it was Liam's friends that were gathered in the great room. Well, who else could she expect to be around this time of the night? 

She wondered if she can slip quietly and look for her bra by the pool, she didn't want any of Liam's friends finding it and make fun of her. But she knew she was too late when she heard Nick's loud voice announcing he found something by the pool. Her heart sunk for she knew it was her bra. She can hear David's voice but she couldn't clearly hear him. Then Mc Kenzie talked something about a bet that he thought was called off but couldn't hear him well, then the  guys were laughing and cheering on Liam then to her horror, she heard Mc Kenzie asked, "So how much do we owe you, Liam?"

Julia couldn't move as she was rooted to the spot.  She stood behind one of the thick columns that separated the great room from the hallways that lead to the bedrooms behind the house.  She can hear them laughing and drinks clinking as they cheered Liam on. The tears started to fall in her eyes, and she almost blacked out at the realization that what happened tonight between them was all a game again for Liam. He did it to win a bet. 

She went back to the bedroom and gathered her bag and shoes. She couldn't face Liam now and she couldn't face his friends either. She saw his car keys on the dresser and without thinking she retrieved them and left the room. She was glad that the room has its own balcony that leads to the pool and to the garage. She hastily stepped out and move directly to the car. 

Liam went back to his bedroom to check on Julia and noticed that she wasn't on the bed anymore and one look on the dresser where he placed her things told him that she had risen and gotten dressed. He checked the bathroom but she wasn't there so with his heart on his throat he looked out the window and saw her running into his car. He got out of the room and ran as fast as he could to reach her before she can speed away. 

"Julia wait, where are you going? What's the rush?" Liam said as he tried to stop her from getting in the car. "Honey, are you crying?" Julia stopped from getting inside the car as she turned to him.

"How much was the bet on me Liam?" she asked him as she looked at him fiercely with her eyes. She was deeply hurt by what she had heard tonight. 

Liam stood still surprised at her question. "Who told you about the bet?" he asked. 

"How could you do it? How could you play something like that on me?" Julia cried as she pounded Liam's chest with her small fist.  "I thought that what we have last night was real and that you truly wanted me, but then again it was nothing but for a damn bet!" Julia shouted at him. 

"Julia, listen to me, last night was real baby... and the bet was not what you think it was," Liam tried to reason with her but her disappointment in him has blinded her to listen to any reason. "Just how much was the bet that was placed on me? Answer me! Damn you!" Julia shouted. She was wild and angry and would not listen to him anymore. 

Liam didn't know what to say to calm her and how to explain the situation to her without hurting her much further but at that moment his phone gave out the ringtone assigned for his dad. And he knew he had to answer it before his dad's girlfriend decided to cut the phone call. 

"Julia please calm down, don't go please, honey, let me just take this call then we talk," Liam pleaded. But when he turned around to take the call Julia jumped into the car and sped away. 

David and Nick were at the porch watching carefully at the scene before them and when Julia got in the car and sped away, they knew that something has come between them. 

Slowly they walked towards Liam who was left behind, he was talking on his phone when suddenly Liam dropped to the ground and cried.  And they knew too that was also a one bad news. 

"Liam, bro common inside. Do you want me to call your mother?" David offered. They pulled Liam from the ground and half carried him back to the house. Liam cried all the way towards the house. He may have hated his father but that was because he missed him. He hated him for leaving them but that doesn't mean he doesn't love him. It was too late for him to realize that he love his father. And he wasn't there to tell him so. His death was like a blow to him. He couldn't breathe as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. 

"Mike spare the whiskey, Liam needs to drink something stronger to take away the shock," Nick shouted as they settled a shock Liam on the couch. 

"Call his mama David," Mc Kenzie said as they tried their best to keep Liam from collapsing and hyperventilating. 

"Where is Julia? She might calm him down a bit," Mc Kenzie added. 

"She left, I think they had a fight too," Nick said as he let Liam sipped the whiskey.

"No wonder our boy here is in a bad shape. Don't you dare collapsed on us bro." Mc Kenzie snorted silently as he looked at Liam's slumped figure, while he busied himself massaging Liam's cold hands. 

 "Call Julia too, David. Tell her if she's not coming back I'm breaking up with her." Mc Kenzie said. Liam's head snapped up towards him and Mc Kenzie laughed. 

"Your mom and your stepdad are on their way bro, just hang on will you," David said calmly. 

"Please call her too, David," Liam asked as he closed his eyes at the sudden fatigue he felt.