Chapter 2
We went back to Liam's place to clean up after our swim. It took longer than expected, even sharing the shower. We both felt too lazy to prepare lunch so we headed back to the diner. No one came to take our order so I went up to the counter. Leah and Rachael were in the kitchen talking, gossiping more like it. Not that I was eavesdropping but I couldn't help hearing a couple of names I knew; Dexter and Indi. Suddenly I wasn't hungry anymore. I grabbed Liam's hand and we headed back towards his place.
"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said, not in the mood to discuss it.
"Hey wait," he said, grabbing my other hand and turning me to face him, damn it, now I couldn't concentrate on walking angrily. "Come on Nicole, talk to me." He looked at me so sincerely that I couldn't not answer. I thought about why I was angry and it seemed ridiculous now.
"It's stupid," I told him. "Leah and Rachael were talking about someone I didn't want to be reminded of, that's all."
"Who?"
"Just a girl I used to be friends with."
"Indi?"
"Yes, Indi."
"Why does it upset you so much?" Good question. It was in the past, why was I so upset? I could think of one reason it bothered me so much to think about the Walkers but I couldn't share that with Liam.
"We just ended on such bad terms, which was my fault, but it hurts to think about it. I was miserable for so long and now I'm happy. I don't want to go back there." I hugged him then and held on like I'd never let go, he did the same.
That afternoon I didn't get much studying done but the following day I knuckled down and then sat my exam on Friday morning. On Friday afternoon I went over to Liam's place. I bounded in and threw myself at him.
"Five down, one to go. I can't wait till they're all over." I kissed him. When we broke apart I asked about his day. He said he'd been busy fixing the place up and had even taught a lesson today.
"That's great," I told him.
"Yeah," he agreed "things are finally coming together."
"They are, for both of us," I said and we kissed again. We made plans to go shopping to Yabbie Creek on the weekend. I went home and hit the books so I wouldn't feel guilty on our day out tomorrow.
I was so excited when Liam picked me up that morning. Anytime I got to spend with him was good. I spent the first two hours dragging him around clothes shops but he didn't complain. We laughed at the reactions we got from a few obvious fans, varying from pointing and whispering to gaping mouths and even a squeal. We got ice-cream and ate it in the park, getting ready for the next hour of shopping. Unfortunately a group of fangirls cornered us just outside a shop on our second session. They giggled and all told Liam that they were his biggest fans and even asked him for autographs. Liam was very gracious, I guess he had to be considering his career at the moment. I moved aside and let him do his thing. It would only take a couple of minutes for him to make them happy. I did catch one girl throwing me dirty looks, I bet she had posters of him on her bedroom walls. While I was standing to the side I absent mindedly scanned the crowd. My eyes finding a face that made something cold drop in my stomach.