Chapter 15
Lily and Liam exited the Cafe. Liam opened the door for Lily to pass first before he followed her from behind.
"You can tell your driver to go back, I will take you back home once we finish," Liam said to Lily.
Lily's eyes moved towards Chris who came out of the car at that time and then at Liam.
"He isn't my driver, he is my bodyguard. Also my dad wouldn't be pleased if my bodyguard doesn't go everywhere with me," she explained.
"Oh?" Chris brows raised up as he spoke. He could understand why her father had a bodyguard following her around. Considering his status and power in the society, there were people who would love to bring him down and to do so, they needed to get someone or something very precious to him and in his case, Lily was his special human.
"I see. I guess that's why he is always around but rest assured, nothing will happen as long as you are with me," he said to her.
She smiled, "I know, just if he doesn't come, my dad wouldn't want to know if I was the one that sent him back, he would make Chris pay the price," Lily explained.
Liam caressed Lily's arms with his, "Okay then. That's fine." He said to her.
Chris didn't like Liam's arms on Lily but they again who was he to meddle. After some seconds, Lily walked up to him.
"You can drive the car behind Liam's, I will be driving with him," she said to him. Without giving him a chance to speak, she walked away.
They both had mixed feelings. While Lily was unsure of what to say or do or how to deal with her feelings, Chris was angry and confused.
He wanted her away yet he felt a magnetic pull towards her. It was as if they were unlike charges yet they attracted one another perfectly.
He watched as Liam opened the passenger seat of his car for Lily to go in before closing the door. He got into the car once Liam got into his and followed behind them.
He knew this would happen, he knew she'd like someone else, he knew men like him weren't suitable for women like her. He knew they were incompatible yet he let his guards down and this was the repercussion for his actions.
She looked happy with Liam and more suitable and comfortable. He couldn't help but wonder what might happen before the end of today. He couldn't help but think they might kiss later today. As he thought of that he clenched his fist tightly on the steering wheel.
Lily tasted divine and the thought of another man's lips on hers riled him up. As he reminisced about their special moments together, he couldn't help but get angry.
"I could really help you choose the best outfits," Liam said to Lily. He glanced at her slightly before looking at the road back.
She chuckled, "I am not doubting it, I'm just saying how can you tell my preference?"
"I do help my mom and sis to pick their dress. I'm good at it. Perfectly good at it," he assured her.
"That's nice. I can't wait for you to show me your skills," she said to him and just then her stomach grumbled.
"Shit!" She muttered and Liam chuckled.
"Hungry I see, so you haven't eaten?" He asked and she nodded her head.
"Why is that so?" He asked.
She sighed, "Because I didn't have a good day. It was terrible but I will be fine," She assured him.
"That's not fine. I can't take you out on an empty stomach and if you do not mind, wanna share what ruined your mood?"
Liam leaned back on the seat, she looked at the window and watched the people on the streets. She couldn't tell him and most especially she was trying to forget it all and move on.
Liam noticed her reaction. "If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine. Let's get you some food," he said.
"Chinese, Japanese, Mexican or Italian food? Which is it?" Liam asked Lily.
"Wow, you must like all varieties?" She teased.
"I've tasted all and I like them all. Which do you wanna have?" He asked.
"Let's go for Italian food," she said.
"Italian it is. I know of a very nice Italian restaurant, let's go there."
"I see where you get your good looks and fit body from?" She teased and he chuckled.
"I'm glad you find me attractive," he said and she chuckled.
"I'm complimenting not telling you I find you attractive, you just have to relax and not jump into conclusions you know," she said. She bit her lips from laughing at his reaction when she said that.
He aced his right hands on his chest and feigned hurt, "Ouch! You hurt me."
She laughed, "Aww, I'm glad I was able to."
After a while, he parked in front of a restaurant. He came down from his car quickly so he could open the door for Lily to come down. He opened it for her and she came down.
Chris scoffed at Liam's attitude. He found it annoying even though he knew that was the right thing for a gentleman to do. He didn't find anything Liam did to be amusing to him instead it irritated him and seemed forced in his eyes.
Chris got down from the car and closed the door. He ran towards Lily and Liam so he could be walking behind them. Liam placed his hands on the small of Lily's back as he left her to the restaurant.
Chris frowned, he felt the need to take Liam's hands away but decided to take his eyes off them.
He opened the door for the both of them to step in before going in.
While Liam and Lily sat down at a table for two. He sat down at another table for two beside them but he was backing Lily. He took up a magazine on the table and acted as if he was reading it while in his mind, all he planned on doing was listening to their conversation.
Not too long, a waiter came dressed in a formal outfit. "Welcome sir, ma," she greeted with a bright smile on her face.
"This is the menu," she passed the menu to both of them so they could look and make their choices.
"You may leave for now, when we discuss, we will get back to you," he said to her.
After that, she went to Chris' table and gave him a menu too. He told her to not worry as he was with them and wasn't hungry.
"What would you like to have?" Liam asked.
After telling the waiter their order when she came back, they engaged in conversations while they waited.
"I have always hated maths until I turned seventeen. It was crazy you know," Liam chuckled.
"I cannot believe you. Maths is like the easiest subject on the planet. I loved it and I did exceedingly well in it."
"That's good. I never loved it or maybe it was because I didn't pay much attention to it. You know then, being the school hottest kid and notorious bad boy, I had quite the reputation," he said.
"Hmm, I see. Quite the reputation I see. I am so eager to know what happened and changed you, stories are what I live for," Lily said.
For the first time Lily felt a very genuine relationship with someone. Conversation wasn't forced with Liam and she wasn't trying hard to impress or fit in unlike when she was with Stacy, Ariana and Dorothy.
With them, it was more about clubbing, men and sex that they had not taken interest in the interest of one another.
She was starting to realize the difference and what she was missing all the while she was with the people she thought were her friends.
Thankfully, if Chris had not gotten involved and she hadn't put Ariana in her place, she might have still been with them by this time, thinking of their next big wild move.
Slowly she was starting to know herself better and having time for herself. Something she needed for a long time but hadn't realised until now.
"Okay, I will tell you." Liam cleared his throat.
Where Chris was, he was irritated. Nothing Liam seemed to do pleased him. He called them all to show off in his mind and wondered what Lily thought about Liam. He felt hurt that she was enjoying his company and she was laughing more.
"I am the definition of the cliche high school bad ass guys who had girls all over them," he began.
"Isn't that what they all say to impress!" Chris muttered underneath his breath that no one except him would be able to hear him.
"I had girls with me every day and changed them every week," he chuckled.
"Oh! Now I'm so curious!" Lily exclaimed, placing her chin on her palm as she used her ankle to support herself by resting them on the table.
Liam felt some warm feeling in the pit of his stomach having Lily's full attention on him. It made him want to keep going.
"I didn't care about the feelings of these girls as I made it clear from the start what it was about and they had no issues with it but then after a night with them, they become clingy and act all hurt everytime I ask them for space."
"It's like I'm reading a Wattpad cliche novel listening to you," Lily interjected.
"Like I said, it's a cliche story but then again it's real, the world revolves you know," he raised his brows playfully at her and she chuckled.
"Okay Mr Bad boy, keep up with your story," she ushered.
Chris was annoyed. He wondered if she had started to feel something for Liam as she seemed too comfortable around him and he didn't like it.
"Mr bad boy indeed!" He muttered more to himself. He didn't like how he was feeling. He wasn't supposed to be acting and feeling this way.
"I would skip classes. I Went to a party, smoked and in fact I created more trouble. You know the perk of being from a wealthy family. I easily escaped punishment and..." He sighed.
"Thinking of it, I really feel terrible. But luckily thank God for her." He said.
"Her?" Lily asked with a questioning brow.
"Yes, her." He said.
"I didn't want to deal with education. I felt it was stressful. I just wanted nothing that would make me think critically or make me use my brain. I believed my parents were there for me. I believed I needed none of it as I had a big empire waiting for me but she made me realize my privilege."
"I am so eager to know who she is and where she is now."
Liam smiled weakly. It aged whenever he remembered her and it ached whenever he spoke about her but it's been over none years now and her memories were one of the best for him.
"We will get there," he said to her. Just then the waiter came with their food.
"You want to keep talking about it or later?" Lily asked. She hadn't realised how his glowing smile had changed to a sad one when he mentioned the mysterious lady.
"Okay. So then I met her. She schooled somewhere else. I almost hit her with my car and didn't say sorry to her. Turns out she was going to the same place I was and when she saw my car, she hit it hard."
"The horn of my car started making noise and I came out to meet her. She folded her arms across her chest waiting for me and when she saw me, she said 'You Foo!'"
"I was furious. I wondered who she was and who gave her the guys to hit my car and then I asked her what her problem was."
"Wow! She must be feisty. I'm starting to imagine her as the lead female character of an action film," Lily laughed.
Liam laughed but Chris didn't find it funny. He found it lame.
"Yes she was. That was the beginning of our story. To cut the long story short, she made me realize what I was missing and how I was taking advantage of my wealth and not doing anything. She was the only one who could put me in my place and make me realise my mistake."
"With her it felt right, I started studying more and partying less. She'd seize my phone when she was teaching me and make me see what I had in me I didn't know off." As Liam thought of her, he smiled. Those memories would forever be gold to him.
Her smile, her snort, the way she spoke, the way she listened to him when he spoke, the way she hugged him, the way she fluttered her eyes and the way she danced were all amazing to him. She was everything he needed.
He couldn't do a thing without thinking of her and telling her of it first. It was as if she was that part of him that needed to know everything. He thought they had everything going on well until she revealed to him that she was dying.
A lone tear rolled down his cheek making Lily wonder. He had been quiet for quite some minutes and she wondered why. "Liam..." She called his name.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
Liam had not realised that a lone tear rolled down his cheek until Lily made him to. He quickly wiped it off and smiled.
"I'm sorry, I was taken aback." He said to her honestly.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked him.
"It's fine. I'm so sorry for ruining your mood, let's eat," he said.
He felt stupid for ruining the mood and showing a side of him he shouldn't show just yet. He felt he had acted too weak and Lily might not really like that but in reality, Lily felt bad for him.
She knew something was bothering him but decided to not ask as she didn't want to make him more hurt than he was.
"I'm so sorry for asking you. I..." Liam cuts her off.
"It's fine Lily. I think I should have brought up that topic. I just ruined the date for us," he said.
Lily smiled, "It's not a bad thing. I'm glad you did. It was nice having someone to talk to once in a while." She said honestly.
"It won't be once in a while again. It will be constant from now on." He smiled.
After Liam parked the car in front of Lily's mansion, he rushed down to open the door for her.
"Thanks for tonight, it was lovely," Lily said to him.
"It's no problem. Can I hug you?" he asked and nodded her head.
He pulled her in for a hug and squeezed her lightly. "Stay safe and goodnight," he said to her.
"Goodnight," she replied, waving at him. She waited until he drove away before she turned to go into the mansion.
She had come to realize that she needed to work on herself and build herself. Today she realised she was missing out and needed to communicate more.
Just as Chris was about to leave, she stopped him.
"Chris." She called.
He halted and then turned to look at her.
"Let's have a talk."
