There's Gnome One Like You ~ A Gnome Alone Fanfiction

8) Happy Ending

"I'm thinking of breaking up with her soon."

Just as Liam confessed this to Chloe, there was a knock at the door.

"It's probably her. Hold on," Liam said to Chloe, getting up from his tiny couch and heading towards the door.

He unlocked the door and opened it reluctantly.

"Hey," his girlfriend said, in a sharp tone.

"Hey, Jessica. I'm sorry I didn't-"

"You said that last time. When are you going to actually follow through on anything?" Jessica exclaimed, peeking over Liam's shoulder. "Who's that?"

Chloe sat on Liam's couch awkwardly, watching the meltdown.

"That's my old friend Chloe, remember? The one who works at the school now like me." Liam explained, sounding a little nervous. 

"Oh, are you seeing her now?" Jessica asked, demanding Liam to give her a truth that didn't exist.

"No, we were just-" Liam went on, before Jessica interrupted.

"I've had it with you. It's over. You can forget about me driving you to work!" Jessica screeched, before storming off. Liam watched her as she walked away, before slowly closing the door with a sigh.

Unsure of what to say, all Chloe could let out was: "What now?"

"Well, I never thought I would be the dumpee." Liam sighed, removing his glasses from his face and wiping his eyes.

"You always gave off that impression to me," Chloe tried to joke, before Liam started bawling like a toddler. "I'm sorry...I was just trying to lighten the mood."

"It's okay," Liam panted. "I know you were just trying to make this easier."

Chloe stood up and hugged her friend. As she held the crying Liam in her arms, she felt a warmth in her heart that was speaking to her. She pushed herself away from Liam gently, before moving in slowly and planting a kiss on his tear-stained lips. She closed her eyes for a moment, and so did Liam. Chloe opened them a few times to see if what was happening was really real. After about a minute, the two separated.

Chloe nervously backed away, and went back to the couch. Liam followed. The two sat next to each other awkwardly for another couple of minutes.

"So...uh," Chloe started, before repeating her previous question. "What now?"

Liam started to grin before laughing a bit. 

"Maybe I should be glad Jessica dumped me." Liam spoke, as if he was working out the thoughts going through his mind. "I don't know if I would have had the courage to do it myself."

"Why did you want to break up with her anyways? I mean, I have an idea, but I wanna hear it from you." Chloe said. 

"She just wasn't interested in the same things as me. I mean, when we first met, it seemed like she was, but over time, our interactions just got harder and harder. She would snap at me for...well, being me. You know, good ol' laid back Liam!" 

Chloe sighed. "Did she try and change you?"

Liam nodded as his eyes began to fill with tears again. He looked deep into Chloe's eyes. 

"I was never good enough for her."

Chloe hugged her friend again, before he went on.

"I have something I've been meaning to tell you for awhile now." Liam began. 

Chloe listened closely.

"I...I was going to ask you out senior year. B-but, I never did."

"Why?" Chloe asked.

"I didn't want to ruin our friendship. And besides...I know I'm not your type."

"Liam," Chloe started. "Maybe you weren't my type. And maybe you still aren't 'my type'. But what I do know is true...is that I love you more than anyone else in the world."

Liam put his glasses back on and gave Chloe the biggest smile she had ever seen on Liam for the entire time she's known him. He leaned in close to her, and the two began to share a long, passionate kiss once again.

******

Things got better for Chloe and Liam throughout the winter months. Chloe and Sandy got to meet up over Christmas break, Chloe's mom got a job from home which allowed them to spend more time together, and Chloe and Liam officially started dating. Things at the elementary school got better as well, with Chloe getting better at addressing the needs of her students, as well as her boss.

"Oh, you two look so cute together!" Chloe's mom cheered as she snapped a photo of the two in front of the fireplace on Christmas Eve. "So where are you all going tonight?"

"He's taking me to-" Chloe began, before Liam interrupted.

"We're going to Ruthie's Steakhouse!" Liam announced excitedly.

"Chlo, you never let me take you there, what gives?" her mother joked. Chloe laughed as she held onto Liam's hand tightly, looking at the snowy evening outside their large living room window. She wondered what Liam had gotten her for Christmas, other than an exquisite dinner date, and wondered if he would like the new headphones that she had gotten him. 

Everything was perfect, in that moment. Chloe and Liam knew that any promise that they would make to each other, was a promise that they could rely on for the rest of their lives. As Liam held Chloe's hand just as tightly, he looked at her with his bright eyes behind his thick glasses and said to her, "There's gnome one like you."

                                                                                               THE END