Chapter 3
By the time 7:30 rolled around, I was antsy to go out with Lucas. I just keep staring at the flowers that now take up residence on Krista's desk and just keep getting madder and madder. I get myself all ready to go just as I hear knocking at the door. I smile to myself knowing that Lucas liked to be right on time.
But when I got to the door and open it, it wasn't Lucas standing there. Instead, there in a dark hoodie and sunglasses, stands Liam with a big smile on his face. "Oh you have got to be kidding me!” I mutter and went to slam the door in his face but he reaches his arm out to stop me and steps inside the room. Glancing around the hall quickly, I shut the door and turn to face him.
"What the heck do you think you’re doing here Liam?” I ask crossing my arms and leaning against the door.
"Oh you know...I had a break in filming and thought I'd come and visit these um...lovely dorms,” he smirks looking around the room and frowns seeing the flowers on Krista's side. "Those weren't for her, you know."
I shrug and check my watch. "I know, I didn't want them....and Krista, who by the way will be back in like five minutes, is just so "in love" with you and was just too happy to take the flowers out of my hands.” I smile and put my hands on hip.
Grumbling he walked a little closer. "You are impossible Katy! What do I have to do to prove to you that I want you?!”
“For the last time, I'm just Kate now. Not Katy, ok? And you don't have to prove anything, because I don't care!” I yell and then squeak when he grabs me and kisses me holding me tightly against him.
I allowed myself to give into him for a moment as the door knob turns and in walked Krista rubbing her hair dry with a towel and Lucas right on her heels.
"OH MY GOD, IT'S LIAM WARREN!” Krista screams as I pull myself away in a hurry and took a giant step back looking quickly over at Lucas.
"Lucas, I-,” I start to take a step towards him but he put his hand up to stop me.
"No...I get it Kate. How can I stand a chance against a movie star?” He smiles sadly and walks out again.
I cover my face with my hands and peek over at Krista who was completely star-struck. So not how I wanted tonight to go.
Clearing my throat I step towards her and take a deep breath. "Krista Quinn, I believe you know who he is,” I point towards Liam. "Liam Warren, this is my roommate and best friend, Krista Quinn."
He puts on his big dazzling movie star smile and reaches his arm out. "It’s very nice to meet you Krista Quinn."
She squealed and shook his hand while practically melting into a puddle.
"N-nice to meet you L-Liam,” she stammers and steps back attempting to fix her shower-wet hair.
He nods at her politely and looks over me. "We really need to talk about this Katy.” He spares a quick glance in Krista's direction.
"Oh, right...I'll just grab my brush and hair dryer and go use Brittney's room, she's hardly there anyway.” She quickly recovers herself, grabs her things and makes a bee line for the door.
Taking a deep breath to collect my thoughts, I sit on the edge of my bed and nervously rub my hands together.
"Alright...start talking."
He sits down next to me and lightly puts his hand on my knee. "You have no idea how many times I've thought about this moment. Seeing you again, and being able to confront you about everything that happened...” he starts and grabs my hand.
"Liam...” I tried to stop him but he shakes his head. "No, hear me out, ok? I thought when I saw you again, I would be pissed and take it out on you. But I think over the last four years that I've kicked, punched, drunk and destroyed that anger. So I'm at a place now that I can just sit here, hold your hand and ask you. Why? Why did you leave the way you did, Katy?” He asks me softly and looks up into my eyes.
I bite my lip to keep the tears I could feel starting to build at bay. "I couldn't handle it. All those women flaunting themselves and throwing themselves on you, barely dressed, I might add. And that night....at the party, you didn't seem to care where I was involved. It was like I became invisible and when I talked to you, you blew me off because it was business. It was then that I felt like I lost the man I loved.” I whispered and looked down where our hands were entwined. “That night, when I threatened to leave, I thought you would go out of your way to come talk to me, let me know we were ok and that Hollywood wasn’t getting the best of you.” I look down as I take a deep breath, “But you didn’t.” I glance over at him, “And I didn’t want to wait around until you woke up and realized how far you pushed me away.”
He blows out a breath and squeezes my hand tightly. "It nearly destroyed me when I found that note. I tried your cell, your mom's phone and even your brother's. No one would tell me a word about where you went. I even went home myself at one point, and then had my mom asking your mom questions. You know your mom can't ever stop going on and on where you and Derek are concerned,” he smiles and bumps my shoulder. "Over the years, I've found out small details about your life....all but where the heck you wound up. So tell me....how did you end up in Georgia of all places?” He asks leaning back. I turn toward him as I moved my legs around and wrap my arms around my knees.
"Well....I knew you would be in L.A. So I wanted to be far away from that madness. I did go home for a little bit, but made everyone swear to not let anyone connected to you know I was there. I think I cried for a week straight....” I bite my lip and look over at him out of the corner of my eye. "After I kind of mourned the end of everything as I knew it, I decided I needed to figure out who I was again. I decided to go back to school. Looked around online, found a reputable school in a small town....so, here I am.” I shrug and took a good look around the dorm room. "I left Katy Warren behind when I came here....became the quiet Kate Parker, and no one has a clue what a crazy life quiet little Kate had before she landed here."
Liam smiles softly and reaches over squeezing my hand. "Sounds like you could give me a run for my money; you must be one heck of an actress, Katy."
I laugh and shake my head. "Hardly…just very shy around a bunch of new people, a new state and city and everything else. The few times I do go home, it's almost like I'm living someone else's life. Things there are all interconnected to our life together....and I...just can't handle all the reminders." I whisper the last part and look down to where our fingers are now wrapped together.
He squeezes my hand lightly and tilts my head up so I’m looking up at him, "I want there to be a life together again, Katy. No more of this nonsense." He motions around the room. "You belong with me."
I take a deep breath and bit my lip. "Liam, part of me wants that more than anything..."
"But?” He asks and raises an eyebrow.
"But....I don't know if I could live like that. Be the object of millions of photographers, in magazines and all that craziness. That's just not who I am." I untangle our hands and stood up stalking over to look out the window. "How the heck can you sneak around like this anyway? Don't you have millions of fan girls trailing you all day?" I ask with a smirk.
He walks up behind me and puts his arms on either side barricading me to the spot as he presses against me. "You’re changing the subject, Katy," he whispers in my ear and I take a deep breath.
"N-No I'm not...." I stutter out and try to push him back a bit.
He laughs brushing a kiss by my ear and steps back. "M-hm...So, what do I have to do? Whisk you away on a romantic weekend? Get on your best friends good side? And by the way, by the way she acted I don't think that will take much doing..." He smiles and sits on the edge of my bed.
I laugh softly and shake my head as I cross my arms, “No, you have to get on MY good side again, Liam. This isn’t like a movie where you just jump back where we left off and everything’s “Happily Ever After”. You’re going to have to really make an effort at this.”
He puts on his killer grin popping off the bed and pulling me into his arms, nuzzling his nose up my neck, smiling as I shiver and whispers into my
ear, “Challenge accepted.”