“Oh God. What happened?”
“Brody walked out, Liam put some shorts on right as Brody busted back in throwing punches.”
“No he didn’t,” she says laughing.
“Sure did. They argued, I yelled, finally getting them to stop. I talked to Brody and then left, so they can talk.”
“Are you sure that was a good idea?”
“No, but they’re brothers, they can figure it out.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Liam
“What are you even doing here? I thought you weren’t leaving until today.”
“We decided to leave early, so Kenzie could spend the day with Haley.”
“Then why are you over here so early in the damn morning?” I ask, looking at the clock seeing it’s not even 8:00 a.m. yet.
“I know you usually have class at nine, so I figured I could catch you before that.”
“About Haley?”
“Yes, about Haley. I just never expected to find her in your damn bed. How could you sleep with her?”
“Shit,” I say running my hands through my hair, trying to figure out how to broach this subject.
“Shit what? Just tell me.”
“Fine, but don’t get pissed off,” I say as Brody just nods his head for me to continue. “I slept with her last year, I just didn’t know it.”
“What the fuck do you mean you slept with her last year?” Brody asks, looking full of rage.
“She tricked me.”
“She tricked you? Are you fucking stupid?”
“Fuck, alright I was drunk, we talked, I told her she looked like someone from home, she told me her name, which she made up.”
“You’re trying to tell me you didn’t know Haley when you saw her?” he says annoyed.
“No, she had brown hair and green eyes. She looked completely different.”
“You had no idea?”
“No I didn’t and when I woke up the next morning she was gone. I thought I either fucking dreamed it or that she couldn’t have looked like who I thought she did.”
“So when the hell did you realize it?”
“At a party here. She came here with her friend and as soon as she mentioned her friend’s name it all came back to me.”
“You’re talking about Quinn?” Brody asks.
“Yeah, she was with her the first night. I pulled Haley into my room and asked her about it, she told me I was a fucking bet,” I say bitterly.
“A bet?”
“Yes, a fucking bet,” I shout getting annoyed at the thought of it. “The girl who’s known me for years used me in a God damn bet. I was pissed, beyond fucking pissed.”
“Which is when you became the asshole who fucked with her.”
“Yes. I took it too far; I know that. I never meant for her to get hurt. I just wanted her to understand how it felt.”
“And the shit with Meg?” Brody asks suspiciously.
“That shit I had no part in. I wasn’t even here. I swear I wouldn’t have let that happen, if I had known.”
“So what now?”
“What do you mean?”
“You and Haley, what happens now?”
“I don’t know,” I admit.
“You need to know. You need to figure out right now what the fuck you want with her.”
“Why?”
“Because Haley isn’t just some random girl, asshole. If you treat her that way, I will kick your ass.” Brody states, looking ready for round two.
“Why do you care so much?” I ask wanting answers.
“Because she’s one of my best friends.”
“Why don’t you tell me the real reason?” I ask calling him out.
“I am. She doesn’t deserve to be dicked around.”
“I’m not doing that to her.”
“But you aren’t giving her what she wants either.”
“What does she want?”
“What the fuck do you think? What do all girls want?”
“She never said anything.”
“Do you not know Haley at all?”
“Yes, I know her,” I argue.
“Then what the fuck are you doing with her?”
“I like her,” I admit out loud for the first time to anyone.
“You like her, but you can’t give her what she wants. What she needs.”
“Why not?” I ask angrily.
“Liam, this is your last year here. You’re about to go pro. You’re going to be travelling around the country while Haley is here finishing school. You can’t let her stay here pining away for you. You can’t do that to her.”
“Shit,” I say as I run my hands through my fucking hair again, “I didn’t think about that.”
“Let her go now so she can find someone who can be there and give her what she wants. She deserves that.”