141 - The chapter with Liam's surprise

Liam

I stretched out on my bed, turning over, enjoying the soft fabric of the new sheets my mom had bought for me. I ran my hand over the empty side of the bed that Skyller usually occupied, sighing before sitting up. She usually slept in my room, but for the past few days, she had been busy with a project and stayed up late drawing, making me have to settle for just sleeping. But today, the day promised to be great!

We were already in the middle of the week after my party and everything had been a success. I took out my cell phone, looking at the pictures that the photographer hired for the event had sent me the night before, choosing the best ones to post, while outside my room, I could hear the bustle of my friends getting ready for class.

Rose are we going on the motorcycle today?” I heard Christian shouting from his room, waiting for an answer that didn't take long to come from the room next to mine.

" Sure, I'll be ready in a minute," she shouted in response.

" That I doubt very much," I heard Theo laughing somewhere.

The bedroom door was opened, and Sky entered carrying a large tube with his project, giving me an exasperated look when he found me still in bed.

" Liam, you're not even up yet! You're going to make us late," she complained.

" I'm sorry, Baker, but you're going to have to give up my amazing presence today. I have other plans," I winked at her, finally getting up.

My girlfriend frowned, coming closer while analyzing my face, trying to understand the reason for this situation, but I was preparing everything to be a good surprise, and not just for me.

" What do you mean? You can't just skip class like that, Liam. Your parents were clear about that," she huffed.

I hugged her, leaning in to give her a brief kiss on the lips, winking at her as I pulled away.

" Don't worry, they know I'm not coming today, I have an appointment with both of them,” I reassured her.

" Appointment? What appointment? I didn't even know they were in town " she looked increasingly suspicious.

" It's a secret, but I assure you it's something incredible," my smile widened as I saw her roll her eyes.

Sky turned away, crossing her arms as she faced me, not looking so convinced by my explanation. I knew how much she got annoyed when I left her out of the news.

"You're not really going to tell me what it is, are you?”

" I'm sorry, Baker. You can't have privileges over others just because you're the absolute queen of my heart." I kissed her nose before pulling away.

She sighed, seeming to give up on the subject for good, starting to walk away.

" Okay, I'll see you later then…”

" 'You'll be surprised, Baker,' I warned.

I walked to the open door, watching my friends hurry to get ready and leave in time for class. Theo came down shortly after Skyller, carrying a tube of drawings similar to hers. Cam came down next, carrying some books. Rose ran up the stairs, looking like she had forgotten something in her room, only to be followed by Christian, who seemed to be running out of patience.

I closed the door, not wanting to follow another drama of those two first thing in the morning, concentrating on getting dressed for another day. When I finally left the room, everyone had already gone to class, leaving the house in absolute silence.

I chose a few pictures of my party to post, including some we took after the private celebration on Friday, leaving a few pictures of my parents with the girls highlighted. It didn't take long for the reactions and comments to start pouring in on my profile, making me smile before heading to the kitchen, helping myself to a bowl of cereal.

I felt good knowing that the celebration had exceeded all expectations, well, almost all....

Not for the first time that week I caught myself thinking that for me, the children's party I had on Friday was much better than the whole weekend partying with those people. I didn't really know the vast majority of those present, and those I did know, there were a few I really liked.

But what surprised me the most was the realization that for the first time in my life, if I had just that one party thrown by my parents with my friends, I wouldn't miss a big, lavish celebration.

In fact, I hadn't noticed how saturated I was with those people, and even for Spring Break coming up in a few weeks, I was already planning something different with my friends.

I finished eating, put the bowl in the sink, figuring I'd have to wash it later, opting for a short break before my parents arrived. I plopped down on the couch, looking up at the ornate ceiling of our house, wondering what the future would hold. I was about to enter the final year of my degree, and I knew I'd still have two more years of my master's afterwards, but I was about to really start a career and the whole being responsible for myself thing was giving me a new perspective on what I wanted going forward.

" Today will be amazing! " I commented with a lazy smile on my lips.

That's when the doorbell started ringing insistently, with a frown, I got up and went to answer it, surprised to find Audrey standing there. Her appearance was what affected me the most. Her green eyes were red and watery, her ever so carefully styled hair was messy and she didn't seem to have thought through the combination of her clothes before she left.

" Audrey, why are you here? " I asked suspiciously.

" Are you really going to say you don't know? " she accused me.

My gaze focused on the mini cooper parked anyway by the curb, where Savannah Hill was waiting for her friend with a tired expression on her face.  Poor creature enslaved by popularity.

" How much have you had to drink? " I crossed my arms, glaring at her.

" 'Why do you think I drank? " she returned.

" 'Maybe because you showed up here at my front door practically in your pajamas, making no sense at all, and most of all, you smell like tequila,' I pointed out the obvious.

She rolled her eyes, as if I was being ridiculous in my placement. I glanced at Savannah for an explanation, but she just shrugged, looking determined not to get involved.

" 'You still act like you don't know why I'm here. And you didn't even invite me in," she pointed a finger at me.

I took a step closer to her, closing the door behind me before crossing my arms.

" 'You know, I think it's better if we stay here where everyone can see,' I emphasized, noticing a few people walking around, giving us a curious look.

" 'You're a big idiot, Van Derr Waal! How can you do this to me? " she raised her voice, further increasing my surprise.

" 'You're really going to have to tell me what I did, because I have no idea.' I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms as I faced her.

" "The pictures, Liam! The pictures!

She practically screamed, waving her hands in the air.

" The photos? From the party, you mean?

" Yes, those pictures! How can you do this to me? It's been three years, Liam. Three years of dedicating myself to you " she accused me " three years of doing everything for you, waiting for the day you would finally notice me and realize how much I'm in love with you!

I couldn't formulate an answer to that sentence, limiting myself to continue staring at the girl in front of me with a neutral expression, trying to understand where it all came from.

" Three years and you never valued me, I put up with you seeing other girls, I did everything to get you included in all the parties, even knowing the possibility of you meeting someone else there, I even included the loser friends you got at those parties " she continued " When Baker showed up in your life and you were all charmed, telling everyone she was your girl, how do you think I felt? I tried to swallow my pride and all the jealousy I felt, because I knew that in the end you would realize that your place was with me and you would come back to me and Baker would be just the girl you never got anything with.

I didn't know what to answer, I continued to stand there with a stunned expression while the girl didn't seem willing to stop talking for even a second.

" When you finally started to get over her and pay attention to me again, Rose comes along. Do you realize what an unfair competition that was? You didn't give me a chance! " she raised her voice, letting the tears run freely down her face.

" Ady..."

" NO! IT'S MY TURN TO TALK, YOU BE QUIET!

I held up both hands in surrender, deciding to listen to her vent to the end, no matter how absurd it might seem at the time.