Page 88 of The Design of Goodbye
With sudden fear, I thought of Liam. I whipped around and spotted him. He was frozen on his bike, hands gripping the handles, helmet lopsided. Something was wrong.
Snap out of it, Liam. Snap—
Clay’s car backfired again, and Liam let go of the handlebars and covered his ears, the motion knocking off his helmet. Panicking, he fumbled to get off his bike, but he didn’t have the balance and awareness to do so properly, and he fell to the ground.
“What’s Roo’s problem?” Jules laughed. So did Claire. So did Tanner. So did Alex.
My heart plummeted. We weren’t the only ones who’d noticed Liam.Everyonewas staring. A few people had the decency to look concerned, but most were snickering. Liam was terrified. How did they find this funny? And was anyone going to help him?
It should be me.
I didn’t know what to do. If I went to him,everythingwould change. But as terrifying as that thought was, all I cared about right nowwasLiam.
I took a hesitant step forward.
“What are you doing?” asked Jules, grabbing my wrist and pulling me back. “Were you going to Roo?”
My throat tightened, and my eyes prickled. I was worried for Liam, and I wanted to go to him, but Jules was physically holding me back, and her judgment had me trapped.
I watched as Liam suffered alone.
He needed someone—me—to bring him back to reality.
And then, suddenly, Taylor was by his side. I wished I could hear what she was saying, and if Liam responded, but I was too far away.
“Well,” snapped Jules, “were you?”
“No,” I lied, not taking my eyes off Liam and Taylor. “I wasn’t.”
“She was,” said Tanner.
“You’re such a liar, Madison.” Jules spun me around to face her. “Do you want to go over there?”
“Jules, shelikeshim,” said Claire. “It’s obvious.”
“She stares at him all the time during lunchandwhen he’s at the bike racks,” said Alex, adjusting his baseball hat. “Even I noticed that.”
“Is that—” Jules was surprised. “Is thattrue?” When I didn’t respond, which was probably an answer in and of itself, she said, “Claire, you’re right.” Jules pointed her index finger at me, waving it as if I was a naughty child. “You watch Liam all the time at lunch. And when he’s not there, you’re constantly checking his table to see if he shows.”
“I do not,” I said weakly.
“You do!” Jules threw her hands up in exasperation at my denial. “And you care about his feelings way too much. The other day, you...”
My ears were buzzing so loudly she sounded like she was underwater. How was I going to get out of this mess? Jules was never supposed to know how I felt for Liam.
But.
None of that mattered right now because Liam neededme.
“Are you listening to me?” asked Jules.
“No.”
“Excuse me?”
“Claire’s right.” I felt like I was on the verge of passing out. “I need to help Liam. Have fun on your double date.”
“Are you serious right now?” hissed Jules. “If you go to him, our friendship is over.”
