142 - the chapter with Audrey's outburst

Liam

" I've put up with your cousin for the past few months, just to please you! Do you have any idea how spoiled and annoying that brat is? " she spat, making me hold back my laughter. Okay, maybe putting up with Allie was quite a punishment " It was months of pretending to like her, months of catering to her every ridiculous whim and trying to be patient. Damn it, all I wish was that Rose had joined the sorority instead of her, at least I'd have someone with a modicum of brains to talk to!".

Audrey started pacing back and forth on the balcony, looking increasingly agitated with everything she had to get out, and I knew I should let her vent.

" I've spent the last few months putting up with all of this, and being patient, after all Rose was obviously crazy about Davis and let's face it, your cousin wants to die because of it, and Skyller had finally found someone on her level, so I just needed to wait for you to come back to me, and look at everything that happened! Did you even consider my feelings in all this? " She turned towards me.

Once again I sighed, lowering my head. I had no idea she felt that way, if I had, I wouldn't have spent so much time having casual nights with her.

" I'M TALKING TO YOU! " she shouted, surprising me.

" 'I thought you weren't supposed to say anything! " I returned with a frown " Ady, I'm sorry that....

" I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR EXCUSES!

" What do you want from me then? " I started to lose my patience " I still don't understand why you're here!

" Three years, and you haven't posted a single picture of me. But that girl you met last week has a picture with your father? " she finally exposed the reason for her outburst " You never introduced me to your parents and these girls come in overnight and steal everything from me! That's not fair!

She collapsed in a heartfelt cry, hiding her face with her hands leaving me not knowing how to react. Letting out a resigned sigh, I approached, putting my arm around her, hugging her in an attempt to comfort her.

" I'm sorry you feel that way, I never wanted to make you suffer " I declared still hugging her " if I had known I would never have stayed with you, I...".

She pushed me away, walking away with a surprised expression on her face, looking like she couldn't believe what she had just heard.

" What did you say?

" 'If I had known you were in love with me, I would never have played with your feelings, Ady. 'I just thought it was something casual,' I explained.

" Something casual? SOMETHING CASUAL FOR THREE YEARS? " she started slapping my chest, looking beside herself " How can you say that!? You're a big son of a bitch, Liam, you took advantage of me in every way!

Okay, maybe that wasn't the best choice of words. Letting out another sigh I held her back, stopping her from continuing to hit me. Audrey raised her face, her eyes red and injected with anger.

" 'I will no longer tolerate being treated like this, Liam. From now on, no one but you will be invited to any party,' she growled.

" 'All right, Audrey. I don't have to go to any sorority parties,' I emphasized.

" 'You don't have to? Let's see what happens to all your popularity and influence on this campus when I cut you out of everything, you idiot. And I'll start with the Spring Break trip," she pushed me away.

I let her go, crossing my arms, leaning back against the wall as I watched her.

" 'We already have other plans for Spring Break, Audrey. We're not going anywhere in Mexico," I warned, wanting to get it over with once and for all.

" 'Everyone wants to go on our trip to Guadalajara, Liam,' she stammered in a daze.

" "Audrey, that's the point. I've lived through all of this for the last few years and nothing seemed to be enough, but today I have everything I need right here in this house." I held out my arms, pointing to everything around me. "I see myself working with Rose in a gallery in a few years, arranging to watch a game with Theo after work, I see myself marrying Skyller and buying a damn minivan to fit a bunch of brats " I watched the shock take over the girl's face every second " I even see myself visiting the little beauty and Davis at work in some super secret lab, I don't know.

Audrey wiped angrily at the tears streaming down her face and I hated that feeling, but I needed to put an end to this story.

" They're all I need right now, Ady. And I don't care if you decide to walk away and not invite me to any more parties. I don't go where they're not welcome.

For a second, silence was my only answer, right before I closed my eyes, feeling the sting take over my face where she slapped it hard.

" 'You will regret this, Van Derr Waal.

Audrey raised her hand to hit me once more, but I held her wrist tightly, preventing her from hitting me.

" 'You'd better go, Audrey. This conversation is over,' I warned.

She pulled her arm away, turning her back on me and marching towards the car, where Savannah was already waiting with the engine running.

" 'Get out, I'm driving,' Audrey yelled at her friend.

" Drive? Have you gone mad? " Savannah retorted.

" Go on! " she slammed into the side of the car, gesturing for the girl to get into the passenger seat.

Savannah opened the door, getting out with an annoyed expression, heading towards the sidewalk.

" 'Go alone then, I'm not going in with you like this "' Savannah started walking down the sidewalk as Audrey pulled the car away, zigzagging down the street.

I hope she arrives safely at the sorority.

" 'Savannah, text me to let me know if she's okay,' I called out to the girl, who looked over her shoulder at me, nodding before walking back.

It's okay, my day will still be great.

It was with this thought that I went back inside the house, waiting until the time my father would come to pick me up.

Everything went as expected, and at the end of the day, my dad walked me to campus, determined to help me surprise my friends.

" Liam, look at me " he asked me when I was about to get off the car " I'm proud of you, you have no idea how happy your mom is for everything you've achieved without our help.

" You helped me a little bit," I said.

" "Liam, the credit is all yours this time," he insisted, caressing my face, "now let's go, your mom is already waiting for me and I'm sure you don't want to miss the time to impress your friends.

He got out of the car, going to the Mercedes that my mom drove and was standing right behind my Porsche. Without much thought, I got out too, smiling as I noticed the surprised looks I received. I typed a message to Skyller, asking her to meet me at the entrance of the main campus building, leaning against the hood, crossing my arms as I waited.

Rose was the first to see me, widening her eyes and nudging Sky to look in my direction. My girlfriend brought her hands up to her mouth, before running over to where I was, dropping the drawing tubes on the floor in the process.

I hugged her, leaning over her as I gave her a movie kiss, hearing our friends whistle, clapping their hands around us.

" Ahh my God, you're with your Porsche! " She laughed with her lips still pressed to mine.

" 'And I have my license back, so what do you say you give your car keys to Rose, and come for a ride with me? " I finally proposed.