Elena couldn't stop thinking about her conversation with Liam at the park. It wasn't just his words that stuck with her; it was the way he listened, genuinely and without judgment. It felt strange, almost foreign, to have someone care enough to ask about her life—and then actually wait for her to answer.
But the very thing that made her feel drawn to Liam also frightened her. People had a way of turning on her when she least expected it. She didn't know Liam well enough to trust him, and she wasn't sure she wanted to let anyone in, not even someone as seemingly kind as him.
The next morning, Elena woke to the sound of her mother yelling for her to hurry up. She sighed and dragged herself out of bed. Her house was already bustling with activity, as usual. Her older sister, Maya, was sitting at the kitchen table, scrolling through her phone while their younger brother, Jacob, noisily slurped his cereal.
"Elena, why are you so slow?" her mother snapped when she entered the kitchen. "Maya is already ready for the day, and Jacob has finished breakfast. You're always the one holding us back."
Elena bit her tongue and poured herself a glass of water. No matter what she did, she always seemed to fall short of her mother's expectations.
"Maybe if you woke up on time for once, you wouldn't be so behind," Maya said with a smirk, not even looking up from her phone.
Jacob giggled, and Elena felt the familiar sting of being the family punching bag.
"I'm going to school," she said curtly, grabbing her bag and heading for the door.
---
At school, Elena kept to herself, as usual. She went through her classes in a daze, her mind drifting back to the park. She wondered if Liam would be there again today.
Hamly cornered her at lunch, plopping down beside her with a grin. "You're acting weird again," she said, poking Elena's arm.
Elena sighed. "I'm not acting weird."
"Yes, you are," Hamly said, her tone teasing. "You've been in your own world all day. Let me guess—it's about that boy you won't shut up about."
"I don't talk about him," Elena protested, though her cheeks flushed.
"Not directly, but I can tell you're thinking about him," Hamly said, wiggling her eyebrows.
Elena rolled her eyes. "You're ridiculous."
Hamly leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "So, are you going to see him again?"
"I don't know," Elena said honestly.
"You should," Hamly said with a grin. "You're too much of a hermit. It's about time you made a friend outside of me."
Elena frowned. Hamly's words, while meant to be lighthearted, struck a nerve. She didn't like being reminded of how isolated she was.
"I'll think about it," she said, ending the conversation.
---
After school, Elena found herself walking toward the park again. She told herself she was just going for a walk, but deep down, she knew she was hoping to see Liam.
The park was quiet, with only a few people scattered across the paths. Elena found her usual bench near the pond and sat down, pulling out a book to read.
"Elena?"
She looked up, startled, to see Liam standing a few feet away.
"Hi," she said, her heart racing.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked, gesturing to the empty spot on the bench.
"Sure," Elena said, scooting over.
They sat in silence for a moment, the sounds of the park filling the air.
"Do you come here a lot?" Liam asked, breaking the silence.
"Sometimes," Elena said. "It's peaceful."
"Yeah, it is," Liam agreed.
Another silence followed, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Elena found herself relaxing in Liam's presence, which surprised her.
"Can I ask you something?" Liam said suddenly, his voice hesitant.
Elena looked at him, her pulse quickening. "Sure."
"Were you at that party last week?" he asked, his tone careful.
Elena stiffened. Her mind raced, the memory of that night flooding back.
"Why do you ask?" she said cautiously.
"I thought I saw you there," Liam said, watching her closely. "But I wasn't sure."
Elena hesitated, unsure of how to respond. She didn't want to relive the humiliation of that night, but something in Liam's voice made her feel like she could trust him.
"Yeah," she said finally. "I was there."
Liam's expression softened. "Did something happen? You seemed upset."
Elena looked away, her throat tightening. "It's nothing. I don't want to talk about it."
"Okay," Liam said quietly. He didn't push her, which Elena appreciated more than she could say.
---
Over the next few days, Elena and Liam kept running into each other—at the park, at the grocery store, even on the street near her house. Each time, they talked a little more, their conversations growing longer and more personal.
Liam told her about his family, how his mother had started her own fashion design company and was always busy. He mentioned his younger sister, who was still adjusting to their move.
"What about you?" Liam asked one day as they sat together at the park. "Do you have any siblings?"
"Yeah," Elena said, her voice tinged with bitterness. "An older sister and a younger brother."
"Are you close?" Liam asked.
"Not really," Elena admitted. "They're... different from me."
"How so?"
"They're just better," Elena said, her shoulders slumping. "At everything. My parents love to remind me of that."
Liam frowned. "That doesn't sound fair."
"It's not," Elena said with a bitter laugh. "But that's just how it is."
Liam was quiet for a moment. "You know, my dad used to compare me to other kids all the time. Said I wasn't good enough. It sucked."
Elena looked at him, surprised. "Really?"
"Yeah," Liam said, nodding. "But I realized something. It doesn't matter what other people think. What matters is how you see yourself."
Elena wanted to believe him, but the weight of her family's expectations felt too heavy to shake off.
---
One evening, Elena found herself sitting on her bed, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her conversations with Liam replayed in her mind, his words echoing in her thoughts.
She had always kept to herself, building walls to protect herself from the pain of rejection and disappointment. But with Liam, those walls seemed to crumble without her even trying.
For the first time in a long time, Elena felt like someone saw her for who she really was—not who she was supposed to be.
As she lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, she realized something: she wanted to keep seeing Liam. She wanted to let him in.
And that terrified her more than anything.