Chapter 2

2 As usual, I'd talked myself out of being upset.

I crossed half the country to see him, and this is what I found.

A massive feeling of disconnect washed over me.

A motorcycle zipped past the girl, and Liam instinctively pulled her behind him.

He was holding her hand.

That protective move was like another stab to the heart.

At the same moment, Liam saw me across the street.

He still had no expression on his face.

He just paused, then quickly walked towards me.

The girl called out, "Hey," and grabbed Liam's sleeve.

"Why the hurry?"

Liam didn't pull away, letting her hold on to him.

He stopped in front of me, looking down.

"What are you doing here?"

A faint light flickered in his eyes, a light that I used to think was tenderness.

I forced a smile, and held the gift out to him.

"Happy birthday, Liam."

Liam was about to take the gift when the girl spoke.

"Oh my gosh, Liam, we're going to miss our reservation. Let's go!"

Liam stopped moving, and walked a few steps forward with the girl tugging his sleeve.

Then, he stopped and turned to face me.

"You coming, or what?"

My legs felt like lead, but I followed them.

I was still feeling numb, stuck in a loop of what I'd seen.

I was aware I was a total third wheel, a burden sitting in the front of the taxi.

But how could I just let go of someone I'd loved for so long?

In the back, the girl was chattering.

Talking about some lab stuff I didn't understand.

Liam was responding quietly, and the two of them seemed perfectly in sync.

I started replaying moments from our relationship.

At the beginning, I used to love telling Liam about my day.

Even if he never replied, I still enjoyed it.

Later, when I was excitedly telling him about the kittens that had appeared outside my dorm, he cut me off.

"Do you have to be so… idle all the time?"

From then on, I stopped telling him anything personal.

So, of course, I had no idea he actually did listen to people's "idle" talk.