No Regrets

  As long as Liam could remember he had feelings for his best friend’s elder sister. For him Chloe Dawson was the embodiment of perfection. She was beautiful and smart and to him her laughs were perfection. Unfortunately for him and his infatuation for her both would butt heads with each other regularly over petty things and arguments. Liam had always tried to get her attention but Chloe would always treat him like trash and view him as her younger brothers best friend. Chloe had always been one of those stuck up brat kids whose parents had given them everything while Liam came from a tough childhood where his parents had abused him. He was finally able to be freed from his parents after Damien had found about the a***e and called his mother. By the time Mrs. Dawson reached the house with the authorities Liam was bleeding from his back because of his dad having whipped him with the belt and rushed to the hospital.   It took Liam 2 weeks to be discharged from the hospital and he was welcomed with open hands into the Dawson’s household by most of them. It had been common understanding made between all of them that no one was to bring up the incidents of his past life in front of  Liam for he still went through the trauma of them on his birthday where he would lock himself in his own room going through the traumas of his a***e not talking to anyone. For Chloe Liam was an irritation. She hated him not only for the fact that he was her brother’s best friend but also the fact that she had caught him staring at her several times. Chloe had completed her Bachelor’s in Business and was soon to take over her dad’s company .However the reason for her hate multiplied when she came to know that her father was going to only give her ownership of a part of the company while a part was going to be given to Damien and Liam respectively. After hearing this Chloe was fuming and had barged out of her dad’s office and had called up her boyfriend Alex about it. Everyone knew about the rivalry between Liam and Alex. That was one of the reason Alex was dating Chloe and several people had tried to make her understand but Chloe would not listen to reason. She was a lovesick puppy for Alex and at the age of 22 she was being manipulated by him like a 12year old girl. “Hey babes what’s up couldn’t resist hearing my voice?” Alex’s smooth voice came over the line and Chloe could feel butterflies fluttering in her stomach. “My dad is going to give me only a third of the company and the other 2 parts will go to Liam and Damien. He is giving it to that bastard over his own blood.” Chloe said anger evident in her voice. Alex smirked upon hearing this. He had trapped Chloe in his web and she had been doing exactly what he wanted. The Dawson’s company was his rival company and if he managed to get Chloe as the head he could get information out with his seduction tricks he could wipe the competition and ruin them. “She is attracted to her doom like a moth to fire.” Alex thought and Laughed.   “Wipe the board then. Make Liam runaway. Show your cards and hurt him enough to make him leave.” Alex said and a sinister looked formed on his face. Chloe caught on to what Alex was saying at laughed. “Thanks baby Kelly won’t be around longer. Love you.” Chloe said ending the call. “Love you” Alex spoke “Not.” After the line went dead. Chloe rushed to her home to confront Liam. Just as she entered her home, she looked up to see her mom and Damien leaving the house.  ‘Perfect.” She thought. “Where are you guys going?” She asked them. “Grocery shopping” her mom responded. “Cool what time will you be back?” She asked them. “Around an hour or so. Liam is in his room upstairs please don’t trouble him. “Her mom responded and Chloe rolled her eyes. Her mom always preferred Liam over her. She waited for her mom and Damien to leave until she heard the distinctive voice of the car’s engine driving of she rushed towards the stairs bounding upwards 2 stairs at a time. Chloe stood before Liam’s door and took a minute to calm down her breath before knocking on the door. “I don’t want anything Damien. Just please leave me alone.” Liam’s voice came through the from behind the door. “Its me Cloe. I wanted to talk to you. “Chloe responded trying to make her voice as sweet as possible in order to coax him into opening the door. Chloe heard the distinctive sound of someone shuffling inside the room and the door swung open to Liam standing there in a Red T shirt and blue jeans. Anyone could see through his pained smile at his disheveled state. His eyes were red and puffy and had eye bags under them. His face was littered with pimples and his hair was a mess. Chloe for a moment felt pity for him but she resolved herself.   “Can we talk?” She asked him. Liam nodded allowing her to enter his room. Chloe had expected his room to be messy like her brother’ s but she was surprised to see that his room was organized and neat. His books were in a stack on his study table and a photo album on his bed. Chloe looked in that album to see a picture of Liam and his sister in there. Liam’s sister was younger by him by a couple of years and had been living with her uncle after that day when Liam took the hits for his sister.   Liam viewed himself as a failure because he was not able to protect his sister and didn’t want to face her. Leah had called non-stop from the past 2 years hoping that her brother would come meet her in Los Angles. However Liam couldn’t bring it in himself to face her. Liam wasn’t built and was rather lean and scrawny. He sat on the chair by his study table while waiting for Chloe to talk as she sat on his bed. “So you have feelings for me??”, Chloe says getting straight to the point and not beating around the bush. Liam stiffened at her claim and wondered what had given it away because he was yet to confide about it in anyone. ‘Cat’s out of the bag’ Liam thought and nodded. “Well I want to say something to you.” Chloe said to Liam and for a second Liam had hoped she would say yes to him. He motioned for her to continue on. “How could you have ever imagined someone like me would date someone like you!” Chloe said smirking. In that one sentence Liam could feel his little world that he had left crumble into nothing.   “Look at you, you are nothing, no one ever truly wanted you. You were hated by everyone. Your Mom, dad hated you. And then you ran to your best friend like the pathetic wimp you are. If I were you, I would have left. Man up a bit Liam” Chloe said smirking and stood up from the bed and left. Every word that came out of Chloe’s mouth made him wince. Liam sat there the whole day contemplating, Chloe’s words ringing in his ears set on repeat.  He heard Damien and Sedona return but he couldn’t bring it in him to stand up from the chair he was on. Liam skipped dinner and began to pack his essentials in his bag and took some money he had earned doing some jobs now and then. He waited for the lights to dim in the house before writing a note Dear Dawsons, Thank you for showing me kindness when I needed it the most but I have to go to find my place in this world. I know am hurting you Damien the most for you have known me the longest and am sorry for leaving without a goodbye. Thank you for treating me like your son and rescuing me from my hellhole of a life. -Liam.   Liam left the note on his study desk and picked his bag and sneaked out of the door at midnight. He looked back at the house that had been his home for 5 years since he had been rescued by them. Giving one last look he picked up his bags and began his way towards Los Angles. Unbeknownst to him a certain blonde haired girl had been discreetly watching him leave and was jumping up and down in jubilation that her plan had worked.