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“But…how?” Lily asks. “Why?”
I’m too frozen with shame and guilt and pain for Chloe, so I just sit there staring at the wall.
“Why would you write her love letters?” Ava mutters to herself, probably trying to make sense of this. Maybe there’s no making sense of it.
Lily gasps. “Unless you…oh my gosh. Liam, do you like Chloe?”
The walls are closing in on me and I can’t breathe. I can feel their gazes on me, questioning, accusing, demanding answers.
But I can’t answer them. I can’t stay here a second longer.
“I’ve got to go,” I mutter and make my way to the exit. Everyone else is dancing, oblivious to the turmoil inside me.
“Liam!” Lily calls after me, but I ignore her. I have no idea how I’m going to get home, and I didn’t even tell my parents I’m leaving. Gosh. My head’s a mess right now.
Lily grabs hold of my arm and yanks me back. I pull away from her.
“Wait. Liam, please.”
Tears of frustration well up in my eyes. I need this night to end.
“Liam!”
I’m at the exit now and pull the doors open, bursting into the cold air. I didn’t even grab my jacket from the coat room.
The cold wind slaps me from all sides, but I can’t feel that pain. Only the one I caused the girl who means the world to me.
The door opens and Lily rushes out, she too without her jacket. “Where are you going?” she demands. “You don’t drive.”
Having a license would be really convenient right now.
“Go away,” I mutter, looking anywhere but at her. “I want to be alone.”
She wraps her arms around herself.
“Lily, you’ll freeze to death.”
“And you won’t?”
I don’t really care about that right now.
The door opens and I expect the others to join us, but I’m surprised to find Mom and Dad there with confused and worried looks.
“What’s going on?” Mom asks. “Why are you standing out here in the cold?”
“Come inside.” Dad gestures as he holds the door open.
My cheeks, nose, even eyelashes feel like they’re frozen. Maybe I deserve this punishment.
Lily hurries inside, bouncing from one foot to the other as she tries to warm herself.
Mom steps toward me. “Liam, come inside.”
“I’m good out here.”
“I don’t want you to catch a cold.” She slings her arm around my shoulder, and I don’t protest as she leads me inside. Dad shuts the door, and Mom looks from me to Lily. “What’s going on?”
Lily glances at me. She must sense not to tell our parents about this because she pushes an innocent smile on her face. “Nothing. Just got into an argument. It was stupid.”
