Page 73 of Please Don't Leave Me

“Come on, Liam. You’re just drunk and overreacting.”

“Being drunk isnotan excuse for anything. Now go before I drag you out.”

I can't listen to this any longer, so I walk over to the attached bathroom. I take a long hot shower and use that as an opportunity to cry without anyone being able to hear me.

When I’m finished, I dry off and get dressed in my sweats and baggy T-shirt. I’m not sure I’ll even be able to sleep after that, but I have to go through the motions.

Shortly after I crawl into bed, I hear a soft knock on the door. Although it was barely loud enough for me to hear, I startle. I don’t want to talk to anyone right now, but I also don’t want anyone to worry. It’s probably B coming to check on me, and if I don’t answer, she’ll just come in anyway.

I crawl out of bed and walk over to the door, opening itslowly. I see Liam standing in the hallway. He’s wearing a different shirt and sweats than he was before, and his hair looks wet from showering.

I don’t say anything because there’s nothing to say. I ruined his 4th of July weekend, along with everyone else’s.

“I’m sorry to bother you. I’m sure you want to be alone right now.”

I just stare at him through the cracked door.

With my silence, he continues. “I’m so sorry that happened to you, Lou. I just want you to know that I didn't tell anyone what I saw. If you want to tell them, that’s your call. I just needed to tell you that so you wouldn’t worry about it all night. And I wanted to tell you that Tony and the rest of the guys are gone.”

I still don’t know what to say. Tony is probably feeding them all lies on the ride home. Telling them I asked for it or that I came onto him first.

Liam bends down to catch my eyes, which I didn’t even realize had been staring at the floor.

“I feel responsible for what happened to you.”

I cut him off. “Liam, no. You had nothing to do with what happened.”

“He was my friend that I invited here. I was never close with Tony because I don’t like the way he treats women, and Evie has never liked him. But I still invited him here with that group. I brought him into a house with my wife, sister, and two other women I care for very much.”

His eyes are full of tears, one escaping down his cheek, and he quickly wipes it away.

“That was irresponsible of me, and I won’t forgive myself for what he did to you.”

“Nothing happened, Liam. I’m fine.”

“I’m okay with everyone else believing thatif you’d like, but I don’t ever want you to think that what happened was nothing. I sure as hell don’t.”

His words hit me in a way I wasn’t expecting, and my eyes are wet again. I want him to leave. I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I want him and everyone else to forget what happened and move on.

“Goodnight, Lou. Please let Evie or me know if you need anything.”

He turns and walks away. I lock the door and lay back down in bed, thinking about what Liam said.

The next morning,I wake up, unsure of when I fell asleep. The last time I remember checking my phone was around four in the morning.

I walk to the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror. My eyes are bloodshot from crying, and I spot a hickey on my neck from where Tony was biting me. I shiver and push that memory away, deep down.

I splash my face with water and throw on a sweatshirt to go downstairs. I can hear everyone eating breakfast in the kitchen. The last thing I want to do is go down there and face everyone and answer their questions. But I know that the longer I stay up here, the bigger a deal it becomes, which is exactly what I don’t need.

I get down to the kitchen, and everyone watches me as I descend the stairs. I'm grateful when no one asks any questions, but I can still feel the tension thick in the air. I sit down at the table and pour myself a bowl of cereal. I keep telling myself nothing happened, everything is going to be fine, and that I just made a big deal about it in my head.

Chapter Twenty-Four

LOUISA

The rest of the cabin weekend should have been fun. We lit fireworks, played more yard games, and went out on the water, but I couldn't shake the ghost of what happened that night with Tony and Liam. No one has brought up the incident except B. She came up to my room the following night while I was getting ready for bed. She curled up on top of my sheets, and we talked.

I told her what happened in as little detail as possible. She could tell I was uncomfortable, and she repeatedly told me that I had nothing to be ashamed of and that Tony was the only one to blame. But I can't help but be embarrassed and hold back, which is something I've never done with B before. It makes me feel a little guilty, but what she doesn't know won't hurt her.

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