The Things He Doesn’t Say
292 Words
After that conversation, Liam changed.
Not in a way everyone noticed.
Everyone still saw the hockey captain.
The confident one.
The untouchable one.
But I saw the cracks.
The way he went quiet when someone mentioned Ethan.
The way he carried guilt like it belonged to him.
The way he always checked if I got home.
Even when we weren’t talking.
Especially when we weren’t talking.
I found proof of that one night.
A message.
From him.
Not sent.
Just sitting there.
Tell me you’re safe.
I stared at it.
Because Liam had written it.
But hadn’t sent it.
Why?
Then my phone rang.
Ethan.
Again.
I answered.
“Hello?”
“Sophie.”
His voice sounded tired.
“Can we talk?”
I hesitated.
“About Liam?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
I sat down.
“Okay.”
For once, Ethan didn’t argue.
“I know you think I’m trying to control you.”
I didn’t answer.
Because I did.
“But I need you to know something.”
His voice lowered.
“I’m not scared of Liam because he’s my enemy.”
I frowned.
“Then why?”
Silence.
Then:
“Because he was the person who knew exactly how to hurt me.”
That surprised me.
Because it sounded personal.
Not like rivalry.
Like heartbreak.
“What happened between you two?”
“I’m not ready to talk about everything.”
I sighed.
“Everyone says that.”
“I know.”
A pause.
“But I promise you…”
His voice broke slightly.
“I’m trying to protect you.”
And for the first time…
I wondered if Ethan wasn’t protecting me from Liam.
Maybe he was protecting me from remembering how much Liam used to matter.
- Writer
