Everything was just fine before SHE breezed into Summer Bay. Liam and I had just cut a demo CD of the songs we had written together and I beginning to get a handle on my feelings for him, in fact I was pretty over him, and ready to pick up friendship where we left off. Well that, I guess is not entirely true. Liam was more than a singing partner and co-songwriter. He was, as I had constantly tried to remind myself, my teacher at Summer Bay High. There was no way a relationship with him could work, I knew that, and my only option was to deal with it and move on. Our friendship and our music depended on it.
Then the Euro trash sisters, Bianca and April Scott showed up in the Bay and I was totally fine with April and Xavier getting together, but I had never met a bigger cow than Bianca, and believe me that was an understatement as far as she was concerned. She had such a princess complex about herself, that made her thing and act like she was above everyone. She was so full of herself and down right snotty in her treatment of everyone, especially Liam who is so sickeningly captivated by her. I mean, what could he possibly see in someone like that, to follow her around like a pathetic lap dog, while she treated him no better than dirt, that made him so completely blind? He deserved so much better, someone who really knew him and understood him, someone like me. So I was a dumb little school girl, but I would never treat Liam like that. So why, I wondered could he not see that?
It hurt me that day at Angelo's, just as it always did to see the way Liam looked at Bianca, like there was no one in the room but him and her, like the way I felt when I was around him. So there I was on the bathroom floor at Angelo's, my face a mess of tears, blubbering to Nicole about it all, like a complete dork. Nicole, however, understood everything I was feeling for she had been there and felt the way I felt, but even she was telling me I had no choice but to let my feelings for Liam go and there was no way he could ever be allowed to pursue a relationship with me. I knew she was right, but all I could think about was that I wanted to be with Liam, so bad it hurt.
We did however agree that I needed to talk to Liam and get everything out in the open. I'd been practically avoiding him since Bianca started hanging around. I couldn't put it off any longer. I was going to have to bite the bullet and do it that night. When Nicole left, I frantically began washing the stale tears from my face and eyes and then decided it was useless to attempt to hide the fact that I had been crying. My face was a mess, but at that moment, I didn't care. I fluffed up my already wild locks and forced myself to smile.
I found Liam and Miss Euro Trash setting up the stage for our gig the following night. Liam was the first to notice my presence. "Hey Rube's, where have you been?" he asked and I was almost about to chicken out, but I knew that this time there was no turning back.
"Can I talk to you for a sec, Alone?" I emphasised glaring at Bianca. She met my gaze like I was one of her minions and smirked in her usual self satisfied way. My eyes then shifted back to the floor.
"Sure," he answered and concern swept over his face. I struggled to raise my eyes to meet his.
"I'll take that as my cue to go and annoy my sister, then." She shifted her glance to Liam, when he uttered a quick "thanks", but he failed to meet her eyes. Almost not soon enough, she was gone.
He motioned for us to move away from the main room where everyone was working to a quieter room. "So, what's up?" he asked.
My voice was shaky as I spoke. "I just have to talk to you about something and I don't think you're going to like it."
He rested a hand on my shoulder and I shivered from his touch, "It is about the opening tomorrow... are you nervous?"
"No I'm nervous, but it's not about the opening." I could not contain my tears any longer. I forced myself to meet his eyes and amongst the concern written across his face, I could have sworn I saw a hint of something else. My tears fell and a sob escaped. Without thinking he opened his arms and fell into his embrace. I felt so embarrassed that I was making a mess of his shirt, but that was squished by the feeling of his gentle arms around me.
"Its okay, Rube's, we can work this out." His hand cupped my head as I buried my face into his chest. For a long time we stood there, our bodies entwined in that embrace. Neither of us noticed that people were leaving until Angelo turned out the lights and suddenly both of us were praying nobody noticed our silhouettes in the dark. Liam jolted like he was suddenly aware that he was risking his job if anyone caught them. Oh Rube's, we better..." he began to pull away, slowly, but I clung desperately to him and fresh sobs escaped. "Its okay Rube's," he shushed me. I forced myself to let him go and step away, and he ran his fingers, gently, through my hair. I allowed myself a tiny smile as I gazed into his eyes.
Then before I could stop myself, shifted onto my toes and leaned forward so my face was inches from his. Our lips met and even though he resisted at first, I felt him relax into the kiss. Then he forced me away and I realized how far we had allowed ourselves to go. The chain of emotions that crossed his face was enough to make me run without stopping until I reached the beach and fell onto my knees in the sand. My whole body shook violently and I was gasping for air. Mentally, I was cursing myself for doing something so stupid. I knew nothing would ever be the same between Liam and me.