Chapter 34

Liam

April 7th, 2017 | 10:00 pm

Going to my old place, pick me up on your way home?

Liam sighed as he read Lexi's text, he wished Lexi had stayed. Although he had managed to get her to go and he even saw her dancing with Josh, she had still left. Liam watched as Josh danced with some blonde and Ryan danced with Maeve. Liam then looked back at Rachel. They were dancing together and Liam was trying not to let her see his worries. Except, as always, she saw through him.

"It's not your fault Lexi is hurting," Rachel said softly.

"Yeah it is," Liam said, shaking his head.

"Not everything is your fault," Rachel replied.

Liam bit his lip nervously. "I did something really stupid and I think I really hurt her."

Rachel's eyebrows furrowed. "What did you do?"

Liam sighed. "Austin asked me to help him help Lexi move on from him."

Rachel's jaw dropped. "What?" she asked.

"I thought it was the right thing to do, Austin's involved in some pretty bad stuff, he hurt her so much, I thought it would help."

Rachel didn't say anything, her mouth was still hanging open slightly.

"She still loves him and it seems pretty obvious that he loves her too," Rachel said.

"I know," he said. "I messed up, I've spent so long making her move on and now she left and I feel like I hurt her by making her come here."

Rachel pursed her lips. "Austin still cares about her."

Liam knew that as well deep down. "I wonder what made Austin break up with her then."

"I think we all make mistakes even with the people we love," Rachel said softly.

Liam looked into her grey eyes and held her a little closer. She was talking about them now.

"I'm sorry, I hurt you," he whispered.

She smiled softly. "It's okay, you're here now."

Towards the end of the night, they paused the music as someone took the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to announce the prom king and queen."

Liam had his arm around Rachel's waist. He knew she was going to win.

"Our prom queen is Rachel Davis!"

Rachel smiled up at him and he kissed her.

"Congrats, babe," he said excitedly.

Rachel went up and got her crown. She stood next to the presenter as they announced the prom king. Suddenly, Liam's phone buzzed, he ignored it at first. However, it kept buzzing, he looked down at his phone. His dad was calling. That was strange. Liam didn't answer, but then it rang again. Whatever it was must have been important. He left the gym and picked up the phone.

"Liam?"

"Yeah Dad, what's up?"

"Something happened, Lexi's at the hospital, and your mom is operating on a boy named Austin West right now."

Liam didn't even let him finish. He raced to his car. He got to the hospital in ten minutes. Liam ran through the hospital until he got to the surgical waiting room. He found his father in the hallway.

"What happened?" he asked.

Liam's father took a deep breath and sighed.

"Lexi went to her old house and found this guy, Austin there, this other guy, Rick, followed them there and he had a gun, the cops came."

"Is Lexi okay?" Liam asked, interrupting his father.

His father pressed his lips into a line. Finally, he nodded. "She's in the waiting room."

Liam ran past him and found Lexi curled up in a chair. Her knees up against her chest. Silent tears were pouring down her face. There was blood all over her hoodie. No one else was in the waiting room. Liam kind of guessed Austin didn't have any other family.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

It was a dumb thing to ask, of course she wasn't. She looked up at him, Liam thought losing Lexi's father was bad was rough for her, but Lexi looked even worse now. Her makeup was running down her face, tears soaked her hoodie, and her hands were shaking.

"He's in surgery," she managed to say after a while. "Your mom is operating."

"What were you doing at your old place anyway?" he asked.

Lexi's shoulders shook. "I just wanted to be near my parents, where I could feel close to them again."

Liam took a seat next to her. "Why was Austin there? He told me he was staying away from you," Liam said, voicing his thoughts aloud.

That was his first mistake.

Lexi's head snapped up at him. "You talked to Austin?" she asked.

The guilt was clear on his face. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"What did he say?" she asked.

"We just agreed he was bad for you and that I could help you move on, it was after Maeve admitted Austin was paying her to hang around you."

Lexi stood up abruptly. The tears were pouring down her face again. Except this time it was because of Liam, not Austin.

"I can't believe you, Liam, I told you how much I despised Macy intervening in my relationship and you did the same exact thing," she said angrily.

"I was doing what I thought was best for you," Liam explained, also standing up now.

"You don't know me," Lexi cried out exasperatedly. "You don't know anything about me and Austin, just leave me alone!"

She stormed out of the waiting room and Liam watched her storm down the hallway and out of sight. Liam's father gave him a strange look from outside the waiting room. Liam only sat back down in defeat. It wasn't a surprise to Liam. Her reaction was fair, Liam had meddled in something he wasn't a part of. He had only wanted to help though.

Rachel came into the waiting room a few minutes later, the crown she was once so proud of now lopsided and falling off her head. She sat down next to him in silence, she just quietly took his hand in her own.

"I saw Lexi running out of here," she admitted. "I'm guessing you told her what you and Austin discussed."

Liam nodded in response. "I was just trying to help," he mumbled. "Does Lexi not realize how amazing she is without Austin and his mess?"

Rachel took a moment to reply. "Wouldn't everyone's lives be easier without other people's problems?" she asked rhetorically. "Liam, we don't choose the people we love, she loves him and he so clearly loves her, whatever problems that's brings, well that's life."

"She could be so much happier with a guy like Josh or Ryan who wouldn't drag her down," Liam pointed out.

Rachel frowned. "That's how you see it, Liam. You think that Austin is some unnecessary weight in her life, but to her, he is her lifeline and she is his."

Liam looked over at her. "He's going to hurt her again."

"You don't know that," she pointed out. "Besides, Liam, you have hurt me once or twice too."

Liam glanced up at her. She was right. No one was perfect. He took a deep breath and finally nodded.

"I'm sorry, what an awful way to end the prom."

She shrugged. "I'm with you aren't I? It's not so bad."