The first day back at school after vacation was always a whirlwind of noise and chatter. Friends reunited in hallways, swapping stories of their time off, laughter bouncing off the walls. For Lily, though, the return felt heavier than ever. The one person she'd always relied on to make school bearable, Liam, was more distant than she'd ever imagined possible.
Lily groaned as her alarm blared, pulling her out of restless sleep. Rubbing her eyes, she checked the time and scrambled out of bed. She hurried through her morning routine, half-expecting Liam to be waiting downstairs like he always had before. But when she reached the kitchen, it was empty. His plate from breakfast was already in the sink, washed and put away.
"He's already gone," she muttered, disappointment settling in her chest like a stone.
Grabbing her bag, she stepped outside and began the walk to school alone. The crisp morning air bit at her cheeks, but it wasn't enough to distract her from the loneliness that had crept into her mornings.
As Lily walked into the bustling school building, her eyes instinctively searched for Liam. It was a habit she hadn't been able to break, despite knowing he wouldn't be looking for her. Sure enough, she spotted him across the courtyard, his head down, walking briskly toward the library. He didn't look up, didn't notice her at all.
Her heart sank. She hadn't expected him to greet her or even acknowledge her, but seeing how completely he ignored her still stung.
In class, Lily sat at their usual spot by the window, where she and Liam used to share quiet conversations or exchange notes. Now, Liam was seated on the opposite end of the room, his eyes glued to the textbook in front of him, his face a mask of detachment.
"Liam," she whispered during a quiet moment, hoping to catch his attention.
He didn't respond.
"Liam," she tried again, a little louder.
This time, he glanced at her, his expression blank. "What?"
She flinched at the coldness in his tone. "I... nothing. Never mind."
Without another word, Liam turned back to his book, shutting her out completely.
By lunchtime, Lily was sitting alone under a tree in the schoolyard, picking at her sandwich. Most of her classmates had their own groups, and without Liam, she felt out of place. She didn't notice Joe approaching until his voice cut through her thoughts.
"Well, well, look who's all by herself," Joe sneered, his tone dripping with mockery.
Lily glanced up, frowning. "What do you want, Joe?"
"Relax, I just thought I'd come over and keep you company," he said with a smirk. "Looks like you could use it, now that your little knight in shining armor has abandoned you."
Her jaw tightened. "Liam hasn't abandoned me."
"Oh, really?" Joe leaned closer, his voice low and taunting. "Then where is he? Huh? Used to see you two together all the time. But now he can't even bother to walk to school with you. Face it, Lily—he's done with you."
"Shut up, Joe," she snapped, standing up and grabbing her bag.
Joe laughed. "Touched a nerve, did I? Must suck, being left behind like that. Guess you weren't worth sticking around for."
Lily's hands clenched into fists, her face burning with anger and humiliation. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry, so she stormed off without another word, her heart pounding in her chest.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of frustration and sadness. During a free period, Lily found herself wandering into the library, hoping for some quiet. She spotted Liam at a table in the far corner, surrounded by books and notes. For a moment, she considered going over to him, but the memory of his cold dismissal earlier stopped her.
Instead, she found a seat at the opposite end of the library, pulling out her own textbook and trying to focus. But her thoughts kept drifting back to Joe's words, and the way Liam had changed so drastically.
When Lily returned home that afternoon, her emotions finally boiled over. She slammed her bag down in the living room and slumped onto the couch, tears streaming down her face.
"Why does he have to be like this?" she whispered to herself. "Why can't he just talk to me?"
Emily and Avery weren't there to console her, and the house felt suffocatingly empty. She hated how powerless she felt, how much she missed the Liam who used to care.
Upstairs, Liam sat at his desk, pouring over his study materials. He'd heard the sound of Lily's arrival, the faint slam of her bag, but he didn't react. He couldn't let himself react.
In the back of his mind, he knew he was hurting her. He knew he was pushing her away, and Emily too. But he also knew that if he let them in again, if he let himself feel anything, it would only make things worse.
He glanced at the drawer where he'd locked away the photo of him and Lily. It was better this way, he told himself. For both of them.
By evening, Lily sat at her desk, her tears dried but her heart still aching. She pulled out her notebook and started writing furiously, pouring her emotions onto the page.
"I don't know why you're doing this, Liam. But I won't give up on you. I don't care how much you try to push me away—I know the real you is still in there. And I'll find a way to bring him back."
As she wrote, a new determination began to build within her. She wouldn't let Joe's words or Liam's coldness break her. She would find a way to reach him, no matter how long it took.