Two Lovers Entwined

19. Ten years ago: Liam's nightmare.

Liam stood in front of the mirror in the cramped bathroom he shared with his roommate, Jace. The reflection staring back at him was one he had grown familiar with over the years: tall, dark-skinned, and focused. He brushed a hand through his short, cropped hair, checking his appearance as he prepared for yet another long night of studying. Engineering exams weren’t going to ace themselves, after all.

The door creaked open behind him, and before he could react, a cloud of white talcum powder hit his face, making him cough and blink rapidly. Jace stood in the doorway, grinning mischievously, his hands covered in the powder he had just flung at Liam.

“Damn, man! Really? You’re gonna make me look like I’ve been rolling in snow?” Liam protested, trying to wipe the powder from his face.

Jace laughed loudly, his tall, lanky frame shaking with amusement. “Just trying to help you lighten up a bit, bro! You’re too serious all the time, with your nose in those books. Gotta have some fun before you become a big-shot engineer.”

Liam rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips. Jace had a way of always finding humor in the most ridiculous things. Despite the terrible joke, Liam wasn’t ashamed of his skin, nor was he fazed by Jace’s teasing. He loved who he was, inside and out.

“Yeah, well, not everyone can rely on bad jokes to pass their exams,” Liam shot back, throwing a towel at Jace, who ducked out of the way just in time.

At that moment, the bathroom door swung open again, and Jessica, the Chinese exchange student who lived in their building, poked her head in. Her short hair was tied up in a messy bun, and she had a serious expression on her face.

“There’s a party tonight. You guys coming?” she asked, leaning casually against the doorframe.

Liam shook his head. “I don’t know, Jess. I’ve got an exam in the morning, and I need to get some studying in. I really need to focus if I want to pass.”

Jessica rolled her eyes. “Liam, you always say that. One party isn’t going to ruin your future. Besides, Hank and Frederick are going, and I’m sure Jace isn’t going to let you stay in all night.”

Jace grinned and slung an arm around Liam’s shoulders. “Exactly. You’ll be fine. Just a couple of hours, a few drinks, and you can be back by midnight. Besides, it’s the last big party of the semester. You really want to miss that?”

Liam hesitated, looking between Jace’s pleading grin and Jessica’s expectant expression. Part of him wanted to stay home, c***k open his textbooks, and get ahead on his studies. But the other part of him—the part that knew how hard he had been working—felt like maybe he deserved a break.

“I don’t know, guys,” Liam muttered, but his resolve was already weakening.

Jessica raised an eyebrow. “Come on, Liam. You’re smart enough to ace that exam even if you don’t study all night. Live a little.”

Liam sighed, knowing he was defeated. “Fine,” he said with a shrug. “But only for a few hours. I’m not staying out all night.”

Jace whooped and pumped his fist in the air. “That’s what I’m talking about! Let’s hit this party!”

A couple of hours later, they were piled into the first car they found parked nearby—Jace at the wheel, with Hank and Frederick squeezed into the back seat. The drive to the party was filled with laughter, bad jokes, and Jace’s terrible singing as he belted out the lyrics to some old-school rap track.

When they arrived, the house was already pulsing with music, lights flashing from the windows, and people spilling out onto the lawn. Liam could feel the energy of the party buzzing in the air as they made their way inside.

As they pushed through the crowd, Liam’s eyes caught sight of a blonde girl near the back of the room. She was standing alone, leaning against the wall with her arms wrapped around herself, her face downcast. She looked out of place, almost fragile in the chaotic atmosphere of the party. Her shoulders trembled, and for a moment, Liam thought he saw her wipe away a tear.

Something about her struck a chord with him. Without thinking, he began to move toward her, his instinct telling him to check if she was okay. But before he could get close, he felt a hand wrap around his arm, pulling him back.

“Hey, where are you going?” Jessica asked, her voice raised to be heard over the music. “Come on, we’re heading inside. Let’s get some drinks.”

Liam glanced back at the blonde girl, but she had already disappeared into the crowd. For a brief second, he debated whether to follow her, but the moment passed, and he let Jessica lead him into the heart of the party.

The night passed in a blur of laughter, drinks, and dancing, but the image of the blonde girl lingered in the back of Liam’s mind. Something about the sadness in her eyes had unsettled him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she was carrying a burden, one he hadn’t been able to help with.

As the party wound down, Liam found himself standing on the porch, staring out into the night. Jace was passed out on the couch inside, and Hank and Frederick were engaged in some heated discussion about sports. But Liam’s thoughts were elsewhere, lingering on that fleeting moment of connection he hadn’t made.

He didn’t know it yet, but that girl, that single moment of hesitation, would come back to him.

Liam's eyes fluttered open to chaos. The crackling sound of flames filled his ears, and the acrid smell of burning metal and rubber assaulted his senses. His mind was sluggish, disoriented, but the heat pressing against his face snapped him into focus. Jace's car—once the vessel of their carefree night—was now a raging inferno. Flames licked the midnight sky, consuming the vehicle, the heat so intense that Liam could feel it even from where he lay.

He tried to move, but a sharp pain shot through his body. His hands were covered in shards of glass and smeared with blood. Groaning, he forced himself onto his elbows, trying to piece together what had just happened. The party. The car. The laughter. The music. Then—nothing. The crash.

His breath quickened as he looked to his side. The car was overturned, crumpled like a toy thrown aside by a child. Inside, he could barely make out Hank and Frederick, their forms unmoving. Panic surged through him, but his focus shifted when he heard a faint groan. Jessica.

She was slumped against the side of the wreckage, her head bobbing slightly as she struggled to regain consciousness. Liam’s heart pounded in his chest. He didn’t have much time. He couldn’t lose her.

With sheer determination, Liam ignored the searing pain coursing through his body and began to crawl toward her. Every inch felt like agony, but he kept moving, dragging his body across the broken glass and debris. His breath came in short, ragged bursts, and his vision blurred, but he made it to her side.

"Jess," he whispered hoarsely, his voice barely audible over the roaring flames.

She didn’t respond. With the little strength he had left, Liam grabbed her by the arm and pulled her free from the wreckage. It took everything in him not to collapse, but he managed to get her a safe distance away from the car before his body gave out.

He turned back, eyes wide in horror as he saw Jace still trapped in the car, his body limp and unresponsive, flames encircling him like a cruel embrace. Liam screamed, but the sound felt muffled, as if it were coming from somewhere far away.

His throat tightened, and tears blurred his vision as the fire swallowed the car whole. Jace was gone.

Everything started to fade then. The edges of the world darkened, and Liam felt himself slipping away. His body went limp, his mind retreating into blackness.

When Liam opened his eyes again, the world was white, sterile, and quiet. The hum of hospital machines and the faint beeping of monitors surrounded him. His head throbbed, and every muscle in his body ached. He blinked, trying to focus on the room around him, the events of the crash slowly flooding back into his consciousness.

His throat was dry, and his voice was weak when he tried to speak, "Jace...?"

No one responded at first. His eyes adjusted to the harsh fluorescent light, and he saw someone sitting near his bed. It was Jace's mother, her face buried in her hands, shoulders shaking with uncontrollable sobs. The sight made Liam's heart break all over again.

She didn’t notice he was awake at first, too lost in her grief. When she finally looked up, her red, swollen eyes met Liam's. The pain in her gaze was too much to bear.

"Liam..." she whispered, her voice raw with anguish. "My boy... my Jace..."

Liam couldn't speak. His mouth opened, but no words came. What could he say? Nothing could fix the devastation, the loss. The guilt crushed him, suffocating any attempt to comfort her. His best friend was gone, and no explanation or apology could ever make that right.

Jace’s mother stood up shakily, wiping her tears. She walked over to his bedside and looked down at him, her eyes a storm of sorrow and anger. "You should’ve been there for him," she choked out, her voice trembling with grief. "You were supposed to look after each other."

Liam’s chest tightened. He wanted to tell her that he had tried, that he had done everything he could, but the words wouldn’t form. He was paralyzed by guilt.

She turned away, unable to look at him anymore, and left the room without another word. Liam closed his eyes, the weight of her words pressing heavily on him.

When he opened them again, Hank’s father was standing near the door, his face a cold mask of fury. The silence was suffocating as the older man glared at Liam, his eyes filled with a hatred that Liam could almost feel.

"You killed my son," Hank’s father finally spoke, his voice low and filled with venom. "You should've been the one to die, not him."

Liam flinched at the accusation, but he didn't argue. At that moment, he believed every word. The pain, the guilt, the responsibility for everything—it all felt like it belonged to him.

As the man left, slamming the door behind him, Liam felt his strength leave him once again. His eyes fluttered closed, and the world around him dissolved into nothingness.

When he woke again, he wasn’t in the hospital anymore. He was in a small, cozy apartment, the light filtering softly through the window. The smell of fresh coffee filled the air, and the familiar sound of soft footsteps approached him.

Sophia.