The playground felt suffocating, even though it was wide open. The air was too thick, the dying light casting everything in long, shadowy shapes. I wanted to ask him so many things—questions that burned and twisted in my chest. Are you No_Name? Did you kill my father? The words sat heavy on my tongue, impossible to say.
Liam broke the silence instead, his voice cutting through the tense quiet like a blade.
"So…" He tilted his head, his tone casual, but his eyes said something else. "Do you play Mr. Spy?"
The question caught me off guard. My breath hitched as I scrambled for an answer. "Y-yes," I stammered, the word feeling like sandpaper against my throat.
Liam smiled, but it wasn't his usual easy grin. This one felt sharper, more intentional. "What's your username?"
My heart skipped a beat. No, it dropped straight to the ground. I froze, every part of me screaming to get away. "It's getting late," I mumbled, standing so quickly I almost tripped over my own feet. "We should head home."
I turned to leave, but before I could take a step, his hand closed around my wrist. "Not so fast," he said softly, pulling me back toward him. The world tilted for a second, and suddenly, I was in his lap, his arm around me to keep me steady.
"Liam, what are you—" My voice cracked as I tried to wriggle free.
"I know you know," he whispered, his voice low, warm, and impossibly close.
Tears stung my eyes. "I didn't want to know," I choked out, my voice breaking. "You're such a brickhead! I didn't want to know you."
His grip loosened, but he didn't let me go. "But you needed to," he said, his voice softer now. "You deserve to know."
The words hung heavy between us. I looked at him, my vision blurring as tears finally spilled over. The question clawed its way up my throat, escaping before I could stop it.
"Why?" My voice trembled. "Why did you kill him?"
Liam's expression hardened, his jaw tightening. His eyes darkened like a storm cloud gathering. "Because of you," he said, his voice low and steady. "Because he hurt you, Ava. I saw the bruises, the burns. I saw the way you flinched at every shadow. The way you shut yourself away from everything. He made you afraid. He made you believe that's all you were."
I didn't know how to respond. My thoughts felt like they were spinning out of control. I hated how much his words made sense—how much they hurt because they were true.
"He broke you," Liam continued, his voice cracking now. "And I couldn't let him keep doing it."
I shook my head, fresh tears streaming down my face. "You didn't have the right—"
"You're right," he interrupted. "I didn't. But I'd do it again. I'd do anything to protect you."
The intensity of his gaze was too much. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. But before I could fall apart, I leaned forward and kissed him. Just for a second. Just enough to stop him.
When I pulled back, Liam's eyes were wide, his expression unreadable. "I don't hate you," I whispered. "I… I wanted to thank you. For stopping him."
The tension in his shoulders eased, and his face crumpled in a way I hadn't expected. A tear slipped down his cheek, and he quickly looked away. "I thought you'd leave me," he said, his voice breaking. "I thought you'd hate me forever."
I let out a shaky laugh, brushing the tear from his face. "You're such a big baby," I said, trying to lighten the moment. "How could I leave you now? You're ridiculous."
He didn't laugh. Instead, he pulled me closer and kissed me—this time longer, deeper. His lips were soft, warm, and I felt safe for the first time in years.
And then I heard it.
I love her. I don't want this to end.
The thought hit me like a lightning strike, and I jerked back, gasping.
"Ava?" Liam's brow furrowed in confusion. "What's wrong?"
I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. "I… I heard you," I whispered. "Your thoughts. I heard them."