Liam saw the tears falling from Rose's eyes and immediately grabbed his girlfriend into a tight hug, trying to comfort her the best that he could.
“I don't want to leave you,” Rose mumbled in a cracked voice.
“It's not for forever. We'll be together again soon,” Liam reassured Rose.
And with that, Rose let go of Liam and walked onto the plane, not looking back. It would hurt that much more if she did.
Rose texted Liam the second she landed in New York City.
I'm here. I miss you already. -R
Liam replied almost immediately.
I miss you, too. Webcam chat later tonight? -L
Yes please! I love you! -R
I love you, too. -L
And then Mason was pulling up to the airport in Rose's car to pick her up, so Rose hurriedly stuffed her phone back into her pocket, a sad smile on her face. She was back home, but she had never felt so alone. But the instant she saw Mason, her smile lit up.
“Hey! I missed you! How did the rest of tour go?” Mason questioned.
But Rose wasn't ready to explain the whole story just yet. It was still fresh in her mind and it would hurt too much to talk about her summer romance with Liam right now. Rose would tell Mason all of the details soon enough, but she just wasn't ready yet.
“I'll explain soon. I promise. Just... not right now. Let's just get back to the dorm. I just want to sleep before classes start tomorrow.”
It was now Wednesday of Rose's second week back at school. She talked with Liam over webcam every night, texted him throughout the day, and called him when either had a few free minutes to spare. It was difficult to go from seeing Liam every single day to barely getting to talk to him. It physically hurt Rose sometimes.
Just as Rose was thinking this, she saw that she had an incoming call on her laptop. Liam was calling her through his webcam.
Rose rushed to her laptop, fixing her hair along the way, and quickly answered the call.
“Hey! I was just thinking about you,” Rose said, moving the laptop over to her desk so she could get comfortable. She and Liam usually talked for at least an hour when they spoke over webcam. It was harder to hang up when they were right in front of each other, so their conversations often lasted longer.
“I was just thinking of you, too. Hence the call,” Liam laughed.
“I don't see how you can be so cheery all the time,” Rose said, jokingly.
“Well I'm especially cheery right now because I'm talking to you,” Liam explained. Rose blushed.
“Hey! Guess what I found today!” Liam said, suddenly excited.
“What?” Rose was a little hesitant to ask. Liam seemed way too excited about this. It couldn't be good.
And then Liam was lifting up a magazine and putting it right up to the webcam.
“What is that?” Rose questioned.
“It's us! I was checking out at the grocery store today and I looked over and we were on the cover! Check it out! We're making out on stage at my show in LA!” Liam said, practically giddy.
“Oh jeez... You are way too excited about this.”
“Of course I am! You're totally gorgeous! And now everyone knows that we're together! Not just the people who were at the LA show. Why wouldn't I be excited that everyone can see that I snagged myself the hottest girl around?” Liam said, sticking his tongue out at Rose.
“Oh hush, you. Although, that is kind of sweet. But I'm still humiliated. I haven't even told Mason that we're together, yet. What if he sees that? Oh man... he would kill me for not telling him.”
“You haven't told Mason yet? Are you serious? You've been home two weeks,” Liam asked, curious that Rose hadn't told Mason about him yet. Rose told Mason everything. Liam was suddenly worried that Rose was embarrassed of him.
Rose blushed before explaining, “It just.. it hurts too much to talk about. I miss you so much.”
Oh. So Rose wasn't ashamed of him. The exact opposite. She loved Liam so much that it hurt her to talk about him. And that thought broke Liam's heart.
“I'm sorry... I- I'm just so sorry. I promise I'll make everything better soon. Sooner than you think,” Liam said, a fire burning in his eyes.
“Liam, I appreciate it... but don't make a promise that you can't keep,” Rose said, sighing.
“I'll keep this promise. Trust me. But for now, I need to go. I have some stuff to take care of. I'll see you soon. Love you,” Liam said.
Rose barely had time to say “I love you” back before Liam had ended the call and disappeared from her screen. Rose missed him instantly. She had no idea how she would make it three more months before she saw Liam in person again during her next school break. She truly hoped that Liam would somehow find a way to keep his promise to make everything better.
Later that day, Rose was hanging out with Mason between classes. They were eating together outside at a picnic table, enjoying the warm summer breeze. Mason was going on and on about something random, but Rose wasn't really paying attention. She was in her own world again, thinking about Liam.
Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a light slap on the arm from Mason.
“Rose, what is wrong with you? You've been mopey ever since you got back. Please don't tell me you're all heartbroken because you and Liam didn't end up together. I mean, I assume that's what happened, since you won't tell me anything. I know you liked the guy, and I thought he might have liked you too, but, seriously though, you know the chances of someone famous ending up with one of their fans is like, one in a million, right?”
Rose couldn't help but laugh at the irony of what Mason was saying to her.
“One in a million... right.”
Rose decided now was the time to tell Mason the truth about her relationship with Liam. She figured it couldn't hurt any more than it already did to talk about it out loud. Besides, Mason was her best friend and deserved to know what had happened to her.
Rose started digging through her backpack and pulled out the magazine that Liam had showed her over webcam earlier that morning. Even though it was still kind of odd to see herself on the cover of a magazine, kissing her boyfriend, of all things, she wanted a copy of the magazine for herself, as a reminder that, yes, that really did happen, so she went out and bought one before she went to class.
Rose shoved the magazine in front of Mason's face.
“I'm dating him,” Rose explained, a smile on her face, trying not to laugh at her friend's reaction.
“Oh my god! Is that you? Oh my god, that is you! You actually snagged Liam Walker!”
Rose nodded, confirming his exclamation.
“How could you keep this from me, Rose? This is huge! Oh my god! You're dating Liam Walker! And that's why you've been so sad! Because you miss him! Oh my god! I can't believe this! This is incredible!” Mason went on and on describing how awesome it was.
“That's not even the whole story, Mason. I sang with him at his last show in LA. In front of everyone. That's where they got the picture for this magazine. It was amazing. It just felt... right, I guess,” Rose said, thinking back to that amazing night.
“I am so happy for you, Rose! You deserve something good in your life!” Mason exclaimed, pulling Rose into a tight hug.
“So I have one question for you: Can I talk to him now that you're dating?” Mason questioned..
“Who? Liam?”
“Yes Liam! I have to give him the standard I'm-Rose's-best-friend-hurt-her-and-I-kill-you speech,” Mason said, a serious look on his face.
Rose laughed, but knew better than to deny Mason, so she pulled out her phone and, reluctantly, gave in to his demand.
“Ugh, fine. I'll call him. Hold on.”
Rose quickly dialed Liam's number, which she knew by heart now, and only had to wait a second before Liam hurriedly answered.
“Hey, sweetie,” Liam answered, knowing it was Rose calling him.
“Hey.”
"I get to talk to you again so soon? I can't believe my l
uck!" Liam joked, even though he really was excited to get to talk to Rose any chance he got.
“Yeah, yeah... there's actually someone here who wants to talk to you, first. Can I just say I'm sorry?”
“Wait, Rose, what?”
But Rose had already passed the phone to Mason, who was now threatening Liam in his most intimidating voice.
“Listen up, Walker. You may be famous. And you may be super talented. But same rules apply for you that would apply to anyone else dating Rose. You better take care of my best friend. Break her heart and I break you.”
“Ummm... hey Mason. And... okay. I mean, uh, yes sir. I won't break her heart.”
“Good. Now, with that said, I'm so happy that you two are together!”
Liam laughed.
“I'm glad you approve. Oh, and Mason, while I have you on the phone, can I ask you a favor? Rose can't hear you right now, right?”
“Nope, she can't hear me. What's up?” Mason responded, shifting away from Rose just to be safe that she couldn't hear Liam through the phone.
Rose looked over at Mason with a questioning look on her face. She got even more confused as Mason's face lit up. He kept nodding his head, mumbling “yes” and “okay, I can do that” and “oh my god!” Rose had no idea what Liam was telling him, but she wanted to find out.
A few minutes later, Mason was handing the phone back to Rose, a smug smile on his face.
“What was all of that about, Liam?” Rose questioned once she had the phone back up to her ear.
“Don't worry about it. Just had to talk to Mason about a few things. But anyway, I need to go. I have a busy day ahead of me. I love you!”
“I love you, too!”
And with that, they both hung up the phone.
Rose immediately turned and attacked Mason with questions.
“You gonna tell me what all of that was about?” Rose asked Mason.
“I won't say a word. Now come on, we're going to be late for class,” Mason said, and with that, he stood up and began to walk away, leaving a dumbstruck Rose behind him.
It was now Friday afternoon, and Rose hadn't heard from Liam all day. Rose had texted Liam a few times that day, but he never responded.
It was odd for Rose to go so long without hearing from Liam. To be honest, she was beginning to worry about him.
Rose was about to go off campus for a little while and just walk around Central Park to take her mind off of things, but then Mason came bounding into her room.
“And just where do you think you're going?” Mason questioned her, blocking the door, not allowing Rose to pass.
“I was about to go to Central Park and walk around for a bit to get my mind off of Liam. I haven't heard from him all day. Want to join me?”
“Nope. You're staying right here.”
“What? Mason, come on. What are you playing at?” Rose questioned her friend's odd behavior.
“Nothing. I just want to hang out in your room. Let's watch a movie or something.”
“I don't feel like watching a movie. I feel like walking around New York City. What has gotten into you? Jeez,” Rose was beginning to get a little more than annoyed now.
“I don't care what you feel like doing. You are not leaving this room,” Mason said, wearing the most stern face he could muster up.
Rose knew not to mess with that face, so she gave in, sitting down on her bed with a huff.
“Fine. But don't expect me to be happy about it.”
“Trust me, you'll be happy soon,” Mason mumbled under his breath. Rose didn't hear him.
“What?”
“Nothing! So what do you want to watch?”
Rose just grumbled for Mason to pick something out. She didn't care. She was just annoyed.
An hour later, in the middle of the movie, Rose finally got a text from Liam. Her face lit up instantly.
Hey! Sorry I haven't texted you all day. I've been preoccupied. What are you up to? -L
Hey! Nothing at the moment. Just in my room. Mason has me practically locked up in here -R
Good. You should go outside. Tell him I said it's ok -L
Rose was confused. Good? Why was Liam happy about Mason locking her up? This day was just getting more and more confusing. And Rose knew that Liam was busy, but he had never been too busy to just send her a quick text before. And why did he want her to go outside? Rose had so many questions.
What. Why? -R
But Rose didn't get a chance to hit send, because, suddenly, she heard the sound of a guitar right outside her bedroom window. Rose glanced over at Mason, who was smiling over at her, a knowing look on his face. Mason motioned with his hands for Rose to go to the window and investigate, so she crossed the room to the window and peered down the two stories. What she saw, nothing could have prepared her for.
There was Liam Walker, standing outside her window, playing the guitar, serenading her on the street. It was the most romantic thing Rose had ever seen. Even better than the times Liam had sung to her in front of sold out crowds, because, this time, it was just Rose and Liam, and Liam was in New York City, singing only for her.
“Well, what are you waiting for? Your man is waiting for you. Go get him,” Mason told Rose, pushing her toward the door.
“Wait, you knew about this?” Rose questioned, pausing at the door in shock.
“Yes! This is what Liam and I planned over the phone the other day. He's here for you, Rose. So stop talking to me and go outside and get him!”
With that, Rose took off running down the stairs and out the door, stopping right in front of Liam as he sang his song to her.
By the end of the song, a large group had gathered around the couple standing outside. Everyone knew who Liam was, and a lot of people had heard rumors that a student at NYU was dating him. Now it was confirmed for them. It was kind of obvious that Liam was there for Rose. He never once took his eyes off of her as he sang.
“Rose, I hope you don't mind me coming here,” Liam said, setting his guitar down on the ground next to him, slowly making his way closer to Rose, until he finally reached her and took her hands in his own.
“Mind? Of course I don't mind! I'm just confused! What are you doing here, Liam? I thought we weren't going to meet up until my next school break?” Rose asked, confusion visible on her face.
“I couldn't wait that long. I had to see you again. I had to be with you. I love you, Rose. More than I could ever tell you.”
“I love you, too.” Rose replied, quickly reaching up and planting a kiss on Liam's lips, reveling in the taste that she could never forget. It tasted distinctly of Liam. Rose loved the familiarity of it all.
“So you came to visit me,” Rose said.
“Well, not exactly. My flight landed here about an hour ago, and I headed straight here, to you. I can hang out with you on campus for a bit, but then I'll need to head over to my new apartment to meet with the movers,” Liam explained, a large smile on his face.
Across the Miles Page 11
