It was almost nightfall when Emily and Avery returned to the shared apartment. They had been out for the day, but as they walked in, the atmosphere felt off. Avery immediately noticed something unusual.
"Lily's door is locked," Avery muttered, a frown forming on her face. "She didn't lock it when she left, right?"
Emily's brows furrowed in concern. "No, she wouldn't… Maybe she's just taking some time to herself." But even as she said the words, doubt crept into her mind. She had a sinking feeling that something was wrong.
The two girls exchanged a quick look, their concern growing with every passing second. It was nearly dinner time, and Lily should have been back by now. They both had their own ways of handling anxiety—Avery, the bold and straightforward one, and Emily, the more level-headed one who tried to keep calm in every situation. But tonight, neither of them could shake the worry gnawing at them.
Without further hesitation, Avery knocked on Lily's door, but there was no response. A knot formed in her stomach.
"Lily?" Emily called softly, her voice tinged with unease.
Still no answer.
Avery, growing more anxious by the second, turned to Emily. "We have to find her. Let's check Liam's room. Maybe she's in there."
They rushed to Liam's room, not waiting for any more signs of Lily's presence. When they pushed the door open, the sight before them left them momentarily speechless.
There, lying together on the bed, were Liam and Lily. Liam was asleep, his body curled up against the headboard, while Lily was nestled beside him, her head resting on his shoulder. They were both completely exhausted, the tension in Liam's posture softened by Lily's calm presence.
For a brief moment, Emily felt a pang of jealousy twist in her chest. Seeing Liam like this, vulnerable and unguarded, made her heart ache. But the sight of them, so peaceful and uncharacteristically open, also made her smile. She could see that they were more than just friends. Their bond, whatever it was, was undeniable.
Avery, always the more practical one, cleared her throat awkwardly. "Well, this is… unexpected." She looked at Emily, raising an eyebrow as if to say, What do we do now?
"Let's just give them a moment," Emily whispered, her voice barely above a whisper as she turned to Avery, her gaze lingering on the pair on the bed. "It looks like they both really needed this."
Avery hesitated but nodded, leading Emily out of the room. They left the door slightly ajar, hoping Lily would wake up soon so they could talk.
The sun filtered softly through the curtains the next morning, casting a gentle light across the living room. Emily and Avery were already up, sitting on the couch, their earlier worries still lingering in the air.
Lily finally emerged from her room, her hair slightly disheveled and her eyes still heavy with sleep. When she entered the living room, both Avery and Emily immediately looked up, concern and curiosity written on their faces.
"Lily," Avery started, standing up as she took in her friend's disoriented expression. "Where were you last night? We were looking for you."
Lily blinked, still groggy from the lack of sleep, and ran a hand through her hair. She gave them a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. I just… needed to make sure Liam was okay."
Emily raised an eyebrow, still unsure. "What happened? Why were you both… together like that?"
Lily sighed, her gaze softening as she sat down beside them. "It's a long story, but I'll tell you everything."
Lily took a deep breath and began to recount what had happened the night before.
"It started when Liam collapsed at the library," she began, her voice steady but filled with the weight of the events. "I was worried about him, so I brought him back here. But he was so exhausted, so much more than I realized." She paused, looking down at her hands. "He didn't want to admit it, but I could see how much he was pushing himself. He doesn't care about his own limits."
Emily's eyes softened. "Liam doesn't care about himself. He cares about everyone else too much to notice when he's reaching his breaking point."
Lily nodded. "Exactly. So, I stayed with him. I didn't want him to be alone when he was so… broken." Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke. "I never realized how much he hides from everyone, how much he's trying to protect us, even if it means ignoring his own needs."
Avery furrowed her brow. "So you stayed with him? You slept there?"
Lily smiled faintly, feeling a warmth spread across her chest. "Yeah. We both fell asleep. I didn't realize until this morning, but I guess he needed that. He needed someone to just be there with him, not for anything else, but just to… be there."
Emily nodded thoughtfully. "I can see that. But why didn't you wake us up? We would've helped."
Lily shook her head. "I couldn't. Liam… he doesn't trust easily. He doesn't open up to anyone. But last night, for the first time in a long while, I think he let me see the real him. And that's a lot more than he's ever given anyone."
Avery leaned back into the couch, her gaze distant. "Liam's really been through a lot, hasn't he? I never thought he'd let anyone close enough to see this side of him."
Emily glanced at Lily, a small smile on her lips. "I think it's a good thing. He needed someone to show him it's okay to lean on others. And it looks like he's doing that with you."
Lily's cheeks flushed slightly. "I don't know about that. But I do know that I want to help him. I don't want him to shut everyone out. He can't do everything alone."
Avery nodded, her expression softening. "You're right. He's been trying to carry the weight of the world by himself for too long. Maybe now he'll finally realize that he doesn't have to."
Emily smiled warmly at Lily. "We'll all be here for him. Just like we're here for you."
Lily smiled back, the warmth in her chest growing. "I know. Thank you, both of you. I'm glad I don't have to do this alone either."
As the three girls sat together in the living room, they talked for hours, catching up on everything they had missed. It felt like the beginning of something new—something hopeful.
For the first time in a long while, Lily allowed herself to believe that everything would be okay. She didn't have all the answers, and Liam was still a mystery in many ways. But one thing was certain: he wasn't alone anymore. And neither was she.
As they spent the morning talking, Lily felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, Liam's cold shell was starting to crack, and perhaps, they could help him put the pieces back together.