Page 45 of The Design of Goodbye
Tanner slapped Jules on the butt, wrapped his arms around her, and asked me with a knowing glint in his eyes, “What’s going on here?”
I stood there, body tingling with embarrassment, heart open and bleeding, trying to figure out what to say. Bruce took advantage of my inability to speak and sauntered over.
“I always knew you had a good body, Winters, butdamn.” Bruce whistled, eying me up and down. “Can I book you as entertainment for my birthday party? Maybe with evenlessbathing suit?” He swung an arm around my shoulders. My skin crawled.
Liam surged forward and slammed Bruce against a locker, growling, “Don’t touch her.”
Bruce held up his hands in mock surrender. “Dude, chill.” Bruce inched to the right, attempting to free himself from Liam’s grip. “I was playing around. Winters and I are tight.”
“Leave her alone,” said Liam, shoving Bruce one last time before releasing him.
Now free, Bruce headed down the hallway, arms still raised, like everything that had happened was a big joke.
“Wow, Madison,” said Jules, stepping closer to me. We were night and day, Jules and I. Here I was, falling apart and broken. Here she was, put together and whole. “You’ve stooped pretty low if you have to get Roo to defend you.”
Of course, I said nothing because I was still that burnt piece of paper. She laughed at my silence before walking away. I faced Liam once she disappeared, taking in deep, shuddering breaths and wondering if I’d make it home before I broke down.
“I’m sorry,” he said, chest heaving and cheeks flushed. “I’ve probably made things worse for you.”
He probably had, but I didn’t care. My heart warmed for everything he’d done for me. I cleared my throat, hoping that determined sob would stay put. While I didn’t sob, my voice was wavering, on the verge of a breakdown. “Bruce and I aren’t tight. Thanks for doing that.”
I glanced down the almost-empty hallway, at the dozens of pictures remaining. I slumped against a locker and slid onto the floor. All energy had been sucked out of me. Nothing was left of me to give.
Liam kneeled next to me. He was close enough I could feel his warmth. I closed my eyes, trying to memorize the feel of him. Of his presence, which was so strangely comforting.
My cheeks were wet. “I’m crying now.”
“That’s okay.”
“I can’t do it.” I sniffed and wiped my face. “There are too many pictures, and I don’t want to look at them anymore and—”
“I’ll do it.” He took his backpack and jacket off, setting them next to me. “Don’t worry.”
I hiccupped. “But you have work.”
“I can be late. This is more important,” he said. “Olive will understand.”
“I don’t—” I exhaled sharply. “I don’t understand.”
“Understand what?”
“Why you’re so nice to me.” I wrapped my arms around myself because, even in my hoodie, I felt chilled to the bone. “I haven’t been nice to you. I don’t deserve your kindness. I’m not—”
Remember what I always told you.
“Because, Madison.” My stomach twisted at the way he said my name, so quietly and with so much care. “Behind your walls, I see the real you. The one you fight to keep hidden, especially around them. I get you’re trying to protect yourself, and I can’t judge you for that.” He rubbed the back of his neck, then added, “You don’t have to hide around me, though. If you don’t want to.”
His admittance terrified but comforted me.
“Thanks,” I said. No other words could describe how much his meant to me. I pointed to his jacket and asked, “Can I?”
He shrugged like it was a request he got all the time, but his eyes said otherwise. He watched intently as I draped his jacket over my chest. He cleared his throat and stood.
“Liam, wait.” When he did, I said, “I see your walls, too. You can talk to me about them if you need to. It would stay between us. I promise.”
He didn’t speak but nodded before he grabbed the pile of pictures he’d dropped earlier and crumpled them up. Over the next ten minutes, he took down the pictures, his gaze never lingering on them. During that time, something changed between us. Or at least, I liked to think it did. It did for me. Liam wasn’t just my math tutor anymore.
He was something more.
