Chapter 22 - I Don't Need You Falling

Vera's POV

It was a male voice.

Footsteps echoed through the quiet hallway, getting louder as the person walked toward us. The beam of light moved away from our faces and went back to the floor.

As the figure stepped closer, the bulb above us cast light on the person's face, and I saw the familiar face behind it.

Mr. Brooks stood in front of us, his glasses resting neatly on his nose and a torch hanging loose in one hand. His brows pulled together.

"Liam... Vera?" His eyes moved between us. "What are you both still doing in school at this time?"

Liam slowly loosened his arms around me and set me back on my feet. The moment his warmth left me, the cold air felt sharper against my skin.

"I had practice, Mr. Brooks," Liam said calmly, his voice steady. He glanced at me, then looked back at Mr. Brooks. "She got injured while waiting for me, so I'm taking her home."

Mr. Brooks stayed quiet for a moment, his eyes dropping to my knee. "Have you treated the wound?"

I quickly nodded my head. “Yes sir.”

He studied me for another second, like he was making sure I wasn't just saying it to end the conversation. Then he looked past us, through the open entrance. Rain was still falling, and the dark sky had swallowed what little daylight was left.

He turned back to Liam. "The rain has made it darker than usual." His tone softened. "Get home safely, and don't make your parents worry."

"Okay, sir," Liam replied.

Mr. Brooks gave us one last look before turning around. His footsteps slowly faded until he disappeared down the hallway.

I let out the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.

"Why is he still in school?" I asked, watching his back vanish around the corner.

Liam slipped both hands into his pockets. "He sometimes works late. Especially when some classes have practicals coming up."

"Oh." I nodded. That made sense.

I turned toward the exit. "We should get going."

I took one step, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Liam move. I already knew what he wanted to do, so before he could reach me, I stepped away first.

"I can walk."

He stopped, his eyes traveling from my face down to my injured knee, like he was trying to decide whether to believe me.

"Seriously," I added, giving him a small smile. "I'm fine."

He stared at me for another second before finally giving in. "Fine." Instead of arguing, he walked over until he was beside me, and the two of us walked out together in comfortable silence. Our footsteps echoed through the empty hallway.

When we reached the front of the school, the cool air hit me reminding me rain was still falling. Though not as heavily as before, now it fell in soft drizzles.

Liam looked at me. "Walk carefully." His eyes dropped briefly to my knee. "I don't need you falling again."

"I won't."

He pressed a button on his car key, and a sharp beep sounded across the parking lot as his red car flashed its lights. "Let's go."

We stepped into the rain together. His car wasn't parked far, but tiny drops still landed on my hair and shoulders before we reached it. I hurried to the passenger side, pulled the door open, and climbed in before shutting it behind me. Warm air wrapped around me almost immediately.

A second later, Liam got in from the driver's side. He closed his door, started the engine, and the soft rumble of the car filled the silence.

Without wasting another second, he reversed carefully and drove toward the school gate.

I rested my head against the seat. The tiredness was finally catching up with me.

When we got close enough, the large gate began opening on its own. I watched it with quiet surprise.

I knew it always opened automatically for students arriving in the morning or leaving after school, but watching the heavy gates slide apart in the rain still felt satisfying somehow. The security lights reflected off the wet road.

Soon we were outside the school, and the car picked up speed. Raindrops tapped steadily against the windows, mixing with the soft hum of the engine. Liam drove faster than I expected. Normally I would have complained, but today, I honestly didn't care. All I wanted was my bed.

I let my eyes wander outside. Streetlights blurred into long golden lines because of the rain, and he drove past the familiar roads one after another.

"I didn't know you played football," I finally said.

His eyes stayed on the road. "You know now."

I turned my head and stared at him. "That's all?"

He shrugged. "What more should I say?"

I scoffed. "You really know how to kill a conversation."

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "So I've been told."

I rolled my eyes dramatically and looked back out the window. The silence returned, but this time, I didn't mind it. My finger lazily traced random shapes on the fogged-up window, circles, lines, then a heart, which I wiped away to replace with a stickman drawing and wrote Liam's name next to it.

A few minutes later, the familiar gates of Hayworth Estate came into view. The security guards recognized Liam's car right away, and the gates slid open for us. The neatly arranged compound looked peaceful beneath the rain, and the trees swayed gently in the evening breeze while water ran along the sides of the ground.

We reached the front of the mansion. Liam pulled slowly into the driveway and parked, then switched off the engine. "We're home."

He opened his door and stepped out. I pushed the handle of the door and followed him. The rain had grown even lighter, but I still hurried across the driveway to take shelter under the large entrance. Tiny drops clung to the ends of my hair. I brushed them away before pushing the front door open.

The familiar warmth of the mansion welcomed me, as quiet as it used to be, that I almost thought no one was at home. Until…

I heard footsteps coming from the direction of the dining room. I lifted my head just as the figure appeared.

"Vera, Liam."

The voice carried a hint of worry. "I have been calling you both.”