Back To Square One

Aria’s POV:

I returned home, freshened up, and sat by the window with my draft book in hand; I had no idea what I should write about.

My gaze moved to the clock, and it was 8pm; maybe I should go to bed and try to come up with something.

Wait, my brows furrowed when a bright light illuminated from outside like a car light; someone had just driven in.

I waited for a while, and my doorbell rang. I wasn’t expecting anybody, and Ava knew my password.

The doorbell rang again, and I sighed heavily, walked to the door, and pulled it open.

My eyes widened in shock, and the knot in my stomach loosened when I found Liam standing there.

He was dressed in black jeans and a black jacket. “Umm…you,” I leaned by the doorway. Was he here to finally make things clear to me?

Liam shoved a bag to my face. “What is this?” I questioned.

“Yours,” he answered. I held the bag and checked the content… It was the jacket I wore yesterday. “You forgot this.”

“Oh,” I felt really down; I thought he had come here so we could talk before he leaves… Turns out I had forgotten my jacket there.

He turned to leave, and I felt something sharp pierce my heart. Did he really come just for the jacket?

“Liam…” I called. Why was he acting so cold with me? Was he doing it intentionally, or did he have no idea what he was doing?

He stopped on his path and turned to me, then he waved his key in the air. “Let’s go for a ride.”

I nodded happily and quickly turned to go drop the bag when he stopped me. “It’s chilly out here; put it on.”

Right, I wore my jacket, and I loved the smell… He cleaned it up so nicely, especially after I vomited all over it.

I closed my door and followed Liam to the porch; there was a sport bike parked there, and my brows furrowed.

“Umm…Should we go with my car?” I asked instead; it was safer and more comfortable.

Liam chuckled and picked up the helmet and walked to me. “You have such long hair; it’s pretty,” he muttered before helping me put on the helmet, and he buckled it tightly.

A smile curved on my lips; I assume it was a compliment.

“I never cut it,” I said, and he hit the helmet, and I flinched, thinking it was going to hurt.

“Come on, Burgundy.” He climbed and waited for me, but I didn’t want to.

“Isn’t it dangerous? We could fall and bruise ourselves.”

“You won’t fall,” he assured me, but I still didn’t feel comfortable getting on it. Couldn’t we just take my car?

“It’s really cold; all the rush of air could make me sick.”

“If you get sick, then I will cancel my flight, stay back, and take care of you.” 

“Really?” I asked in excitement, and he chuckled… I cleared my throat. Why was I acting like some spoiled brat right now?

“What about you? Where is your helmet?”

“Get on already.” He had a frown, and I nodded and climbed on the bike, but he didn’t ignite it.

“Hold on to me.”

“Umm…I am fine.” I didn’t want to touch him; if I do, then he will pretend it was nothing and never talk about it again.

Liam started the bike and quickly pressed on the brake. I wrapped my hand tightly around his waist and felt my heart about to leave my soul. He craned his neck and stared at me with an amused look…he did it intentionally.

He drove out, and I felt so free right now; I loved the feeling, the drill.

I let the air wash past my face, calming my nerves, and I also felt safe with my hands wrapped around Liam’s waist.

He slowed down in a basketball field; there was no one present, and it gave me the creeps. Why would he come here this late?

I got down and took off the helmet. “Why are we here?”

“To talk,” he answered and walked towards the cheerleading stairs as I followed him.

“We could have talked somewhere else,” I retorted. There were restaurants, ice cream spots, and even my place would have been better.

“I prefer this space; if you say anything like you being a prostitute, then I will send a ball flying your way.” He picked up a basketball and pointed at me. Did he bring me here to threaten me?

“I was just saying the truth,” I muttered beneath my breath, and he craned his neck.

“What did you say?”

I shook my head in denial and sat on one of the stairs. “You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.” I used his words against him, and he chuckled.

“I don’t, but I have to.”

Then it was his choice; I don’t want him to say in the future that I had forced him into talking.

Liam sat on the stairs behind me. How did he expect us to have a conversation when he was talking from behind? But I didn’t dare turn to look at him because I was scared I might not be able to look away.

“I thought bringing that night up would make you feel uncomfortable, so I never brought it up.”

Well, that was considerate.

“But it was meaningless, Burgundy,” he blurted, and my eyes widened in shock.

I felt his breath close to my ear. “That night, all you thought about was Caleb Thompson, so why should I have placed any importance on it?”

I pressed my thumb in my palms as my ears became hot; I couldn’t even comprehend his words.

“So no, that night meant nothing to me.”

It hurt.

His words

It broke me; it shattered me in ways I never thought I would be… I clutched my chest as his words kept resounding in my ear.

That night, it meant nothing to him… So I was right; I was just a prostitute for a night.

“You men are all the same.” I stood up angrily and walked down the stairs, but he just sat there watching me. I wanted to be out of this fucking place, but there were no cars around.

Maybe that’s why he brought me here; he knew I couldn’t leave even if I wanted to. “Why do you want to hurt me, Liam?” I cried out, Was it fun saying such words to me? If it really meant nothing, then he could have lied to me; he could have lied just to make me feel better. At this point I would prefer a lie to anything else.

Liam stood up, picked a ball, and approached me. Was he going to hit me with a ball? He shoved it to me. “You will feel better after throwing the ball.”

I hit the ball off his hand and sniffed my tears; I was an idiot. How much did I know about this man? So how could he have so much effect on me?

“2000,” I blurted, and he raised a brow.

“Since I was just your prostitute that night, then you should pay me for it.”

His eyes grew in disbelief, then he chuckled lightly and bit his lip. “Are you worth that low Burgundy?”

“It was a meaningless night for you, so do I dare think I am worth a dime?” I asked furiously; he nodded and retracted his phone.

“Where do I scan?”

I clenched my fist and gritted my teeth. I fished out my phone from my jacket pocket and opened my QR scan.

Liam scanned my phone, and we stood there just staring at each other; I guess it meant we were done with whatever business we had.

I was stupid that night; I wanted to prove to Caleb that someone else apart from him could want me. I met Liam; he had such a great pull to him, and he understood what I needed without even asking questions.

That night we didn’t talk much; last night I saw a completely different version of him. He let me have a taste of his world; it was fun and exciting, and now I was back to square one.

We got intimate; he paid me for it, and as a normal prostitute and client business, this was the moment we went our separate ways.