LIAM (3 page)

…August 26
th
…

Today is the day I’m losing Mandi to another man. Forever.

I’ve lost her to…

ROBIN WICKHAM…

My beloved goddess is marrying the guy she’s been dating for the past two years. Robin is the big shot who drives the Maserati. He’s recently upgraded to a black McLaren. Who does this guy think he is? A real-life Batman?

Yeah, I know I’m being petty because I’m jealous of Robin. This is such an ugly feeling.

Robin is actually a pretty decent guy. He’ll treat Mandi right. With him, she’ll have a great future.

With me, well, let’s just say that my future is one big blur. I haven’t declared a major yet. I just don’t know what to do with my life yet. These past years, I’ve been working hard toward one goal, and that goal was to make Mandi see me as more than a friend or a second little brother. I’ve been trying to prove that I’m the man who can one day make her very happy.

But that will never happen now.

I wish I’ve done more. I wish I haven’t been such a chicken and loser all this time.

She’s wearing a white dress and I’m the second shooter at her wedding. Since this morning, I’ve been watching her from behind my DSLR, snapping hundreds of pictures of her.

I’ve been hiding behind my camera so that no one can see the painful expressions that I can’t remove from my face.

I can’t smile or laugh. I’m so damn depressed that I have to work hard to keep my body from shaking. I want to vomit. I’m thinking I should just go home.

I’m about to leave when Carl finds me on the terrace lawn.

“Yo, Shaggy,” Carl says. “You okay, man?” He pats my shoulder. My bro can see right through me and he knows that I’m not okay. I shrug.

For Mandi, I have to keep it together. I don’t want to remind Mandi of that sad little kid I was when we first met. Not on her special day. Not ever.

I don’t want to disappoint her either. I’ve promised her wonderful pictures, and so I’ll deliver.

“I’ll be fine, Carl. You holding up okay?”

Poor Carl’s been running around all day like a rooster without a head. He’s one of Robin’s groomsmen, and an unofficial wedding coordinator.

He arches his right eyebrow at me. “I’m happy for my sis, but I can’t wait for this day to be over. I’m going to sleep for the next three days.” He stretches his neck. “Why can’t people just get married in City Hall and forget about this huge dog and pony show?” He sighs.

“I feel your pain,” I chuckle.

“Thanks. Anyway, Mandi wants you to take some photos of her in the powder room.”

“Okay, I’m on it. See you later, bro.”

~*~

If I ever get married, remind me not to hold the ceremony and reception in a modern-day castle. I have a terrible sense of direction and I’m wandering around this palatial mansion like a dazed mouse in a test maze, trying to find the powder room. I was there earlier today, shortly before I wandered onto the terrace to breathe.

Now, inside and on the second floor, I don’t know where the hell I am.

The building, Victorian in décor, is beginning to look and feel haunted. I shiver. Then I hear giggling down the hallway.

Julie, one of Mandi’s best friends and bridesmaids, comes out of what I assume is one of the guest rooms. Her blond hair is a mess, and so is her teal dress. It’s like she’s suddenly forgotten how to wear clothes. Forgotten that her best friend’s wedding is happening any minute.

Coming out of the room behind her is…

ROBIN FUCKING WICKHAM.

What the hell were they doing in there? Do I even have to ask?

Luckily for me, the door of the guest room nearest to me opens when I turn the knob. I hide myself from their view, hoping they didn’t spot me earlier. I doubt it though, as they’ve been too busy kissing each other to have noticed me.

Shit.

I have to tell Mandi. I can’t let her marry this fool.

~*~

In the powder room, bright with sunlight, Mandi looks like an angel garbed in a Vera Wang wedding dress.

Her face lights up when she sees me.

Tears well up in my eyes, tears I struggle not to shed.

“I can’t wait to see your pictures, Shaggy,” Mandi says, smiling. She turns her head. Which is my better side, left or right?”

I don’t answer her question. What should I say? How do I tell her about what I just saw?

“What’s wrong, sweetie?”

“Mandi… I…”

Dammit. Cat got my tongue. She’s so damn beautiful. Looking at her and not being able to tell her what’s been in my heart all these years makes me want to cry.

The smile disappears from her face.

“What’s wrong, Willie?”

“Don’t… don’t call me that anymore, Mandi. Call me Liam. I’m not a little boy anymore.”

Mandi looks confused. “I… I know that.”

“Can I still call you Shaggy?” Her eyes are wide. She looks so damn innocent. She’s not taking me seriously. I let out a frustrated sigh.

“What’s bothering you?” She stares at me with concern clearly written in her eyes.

She’s not oblivious; she is well aware of my huge crush on her. She must have noticed all those boners I’d struggled with hiding whenever she was near.

What she doesn’t know is that it’s far deeper than a schoolboy crush or an infatuation. I would give my life and soul for her.  

“Everything is bothering me…” My lips tremble. “Robin… you shouldn’t marry him.”

Mandi breathes deeply. She takes my hands and gives them a squeeze. “Listen, me marrying Robin won’t change a thing between us. We’ll always be friends. We’ll always be family.”

I draw my hands away from hers, curling them into fists behind my back. My nails dig deeply into my palms. A tear trails down my face. Then, more tears follow.

“I don’t want that. Not anymore. I’ve always wanted more than that.” I kneel before her. “Give me five or six years, Mandi. I promise… I’ll make you happier than Robin ever can. Don’t marry him today. He… he and…”

My throat closes up on me. I want to tell her about what I just saw, but she interrupts me.

“I’m very happy with Robin. If you love me, you should be happy for me.”

“But Robin, he—“

“It’s inappropriate for you to act this way, Will—I mean Liam. Please, leave me. Take a break. Don’t take any more pictures today.”

I feel my heart breaking into a million pieces.  

“We’ll talk once Robin and I get back from our honeymoon, okay?”

I shake my head. Before I can say anything else, Julie and the other bridesmaids burst into the powder room. The girls are laughing as they surround Mandi, like a swarm of flies honing in on honey.

Julie has fixed her hair and dress. There’s no way to tell that she had snuck off to fuck her friend’s new husband earlier.

I can’t believe this is happening.

“See you later, Mandi…” I leave the room and pass Robin in the hallway. He’s standing very close to one of the castle staffers. The young woman, slender and blond, laughs as he whispers something in her ear. She’s my age, or younger even.

“You have a beautiful laugh, Alice,” Robin says to her. Fucking creep.

Rage bubbles in me. I see red, and I’m going green like the Hulk. Close up, I see that the bastard hadn’t even bothered to zip up his pants.

“Oh hey, Scooby,” Robin says when he notices me.

“Hey, Robin. It’s actually Shaggy, and… fuck you,” I say before socking him in the eye.

“You don’t deserve my Mandi!”

I’ve never seen Willie—I mean Liam
go green
like this before. I rush over to kneel beside Robin.

“Oh my god, Robin!”

Cue the waterworks and theatrics.

Part of me wants to throw my arms around Liam and kiss him. He’s done something that I’ve wanted to do for the longest time—give Robin the beating he deserves.

Yes, I know about the cheating. I’ve known about it for ages.

And frankly, my dears, I don’t give a damn.

My mother worked her whole life, breaking her back over a sewing machine while we slept. When our father left her, she had barely a cent to her name. Carl and I had to live in a shitty neighborhood. And to this day, Mom is still working. Plus, her heart has never mended after Dad left her.

I don’t ever want to be hurt like Mom.

And I won’t be, because I don’t love Robin.

Why am I marrying him then? You’ve guessed it; I only love his money.

Julie can go suck Robin’s cock all she wants. At the end of the day, only one thing matters: I’m going to be Mrs. Wickham, the new wife of one of the wealthiest and most successful hedge fund managers in NYC.

Plus, girl here hasn’t signed a pre-nup and will not have to sign a post-nup.

Ka-ching!

Call me a gold digger. Call me a sellout.

I call this survival. I want a life where I’m free, where I have all the time in the world to do whatever I want because the money is taken care of. I want to be able to support Mom and help Carl out if he ever needs help.

Robin’s money can get me all of that and luxuries that go by the name of Jimmy Choo, Edie Parker, and Hermes… You get it?

“Are you okay, darling?” I help Robin get up. He reeks of Julie’s perfume, a distinct blend of roses and skank.

I don’t get it. Do they really think I’m that stupid? I mean, I’m good at acting all ignorant and gullible, but still. Geez, are his pants unzipped?

Robin pouts at me. God, I hate it when he does that. It’s so damned unattractive. I give him my best sympathetic look. Then he looks over at Liam.

I glare at my poor Liam. He’s all shaken and flushed. He stares at me with apologetic, puppy dog eyes.

That sad little boy—he’s still there, right there, just looking at me and begging for forgiveness.

I wish I could hug him, but I have to be steely. I’ve played all my cards right for two years just so today could happen.

“Get out of here, Liam.”

He gnaws on his bottom lip. Tears roll down his cheeks.

These words will be hard for me to say, but I can’t have this boy—no, man, in my life anymore. He’s an apple and I’m Eve. I can’t give up everything I’ve worked so hard for now. I can’t give up the cushy life I’ve yearned for, not for Liam.

In this world, you can’t survive on love alone. Money talks. Money is queen.

I hold back my tears and shake my head at Liam. “I never, ever, want to see you again…”