The Lies That Define Us (Us 2)

Ari

I watched Liam leave; the glass door shook from the force from which he’d closed it.

My mind was full of so many questions.

Why’d you kiss me again?

Why did I like it?

Who’re Spencer and Kennedy?

Why won’t you talk to someone?

He’d sounded so broken, and I just wanted to hold him, like maybe I could keep him together. It was a stupid thought, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself from wanting to help him.

I backed out of the kitchen and walked over to the dining room.

Mathias and Remy sat, speaking in hushed tones.

I cleared my throat, and they both looked up.

“I just…” I began, unsure of what to say. “I just want you guys to know that Liam might be angry and bitter about something, but he’s still a good person. A bad person wouldn’t have let a strange girl live with them, or feed them, and buy them clothes. He’s helped me so much, and he didn’t have to.” I picked up the fallen chair and righted it. My hands curled around the top, holding on. “He’s not always pleasant to me, but I know that’s because he’s been hurt. That’s obvious to me. For whatever reason, he doesn’t want to talk about what happened, and whatever it was, he’s let it push him away from his home, which sucks. But he does care about people. He’s a little lost right now, but he’ll find his way back. People always do.”

I stood awkwardly after finishing my mini-speech.

“Thank you, Ari.” Remy smiled up at me.

I nodded. “Well, um, I’ll just be going to bed now,” I muttered, taking a step out of the room.

When they said no more, I scurried away and up the steps.

I

knew Liam didn’t need me to defend him, and he’d be pissed if he knew I had, but I needed his parents to know that he was okay. Maybe he wasn’t the Liam they always knew, but he wasn’t completely gone. His heart was still there, buried beneath the rubble.

The sun had completely gone down, so I closed the blinds in my room and changed into my pajamas.

I turned the TV on before settling into bed. I hoped a stupid reality show or sappy movie could distract me from thinking about Liam.

I should’ve known better.

An hour later I got out of bed, unable to stand not knowing whether or not he’d come back, and ventured out into the hall.

I noticed the door to the room Mathias and Remy were staying in was closed, but Liam’s was still open, which meant more than likely he was still out there on the beach.

I tiptoed downstairs so as not to disturb his parents.

The house was dark, with only one lonely light on in the family room to help illuminate my way.

I skimmed my fingers along the wall as I walked, using that to help guide me through the house.

Liam didn’t seem to be in the house—unless he was locked in his secret room.

I trusted my gut, though, and my gut was guiding me to the beach.

I stepped outside, closing the door quietly behind me.

The night was chilly; a slight wind whipped around that blew my hair in all directions. I wrapped my arms around myself and continued forward.