Love on Ice

Chapter 28 - James

Saturday.

Game day.

I text Liv this morning asking if she was alright and, as I suspected, I got no reply.

I contemplated texting Megs but I don't want to overstep.

Patience James.

Patience.

I make my way to the arena and head to my boys.

~~

We bag the win and make our way back to the changing rooms.

I ask my coaches to finish up and head to my office.

Once I'm in I grab my phone and call Liv.

She didn't turn up to the game.

To work.

I need to get to the bottom of this.

The line goes straight to voicemail, and I curse out loud.

I knew something was up.

The first mention of this game.

The panic attack.

The way she looked at me and lied straight to my face yesterday.

I find Megs name and dial.

I'm done being patient.

"James," a faint voice comes from down the line.

"Megs, will you please tell me what the hell is going on."

"I'm sorry James, I-I can't," she replies.

Fuck.

"Is she alright?" I ask.

That's all I care about.

"She's...no, but I have it handled James, you don't need to worry," she states.

I knew something was wrong.

"Megs..." I start.

"James." she cuts me off sharply, "this is not your problem, please, leave Liv be."

She hangs up.

What the fuck?

I thought it might have been because of what nearly happened yesterday between us, but then when she kissed my cheek, I knew that was her way of telling me it wasn't about us.

I slam my fist down onto my desk making the pencil pot fall to the floor.

I'm not giving up.

Not on my Liv.

I grab my keys and head out.

~~

I knock on the door, Megs opens almost immediately.

She must have noticed me coming up the driveway.

"James! You can't be here, you need to leave. Now." She states.

She looks exhausted.

Drained.

"No, Megs, not until I've seen her."

"That's not happening James, leave. Now." she shouts before pushing the door shut.

I block it with my hand.

"Megs, please."

I can feel the tears filling my eyes but push back the urge to cry my way through this conversation.

I need to see her.

To make sure she's okay.

Safe.

I notice Megs eyes filling with tears as well.

One slips down her cheek before the rest follow swiftly.

"James, she won't want you to see her like this," she says weakly.

Like what?

"Megs, I'm not leaving until I see her," I state.

I won't.

I will camp out on this damn step for all I care.

Megs takes a deep breath before opening the door.

"She's going to kill me for this, but I trust you James," she glares at me as I step through the door, "I can trust you, can't I?" she asks.

"Of course you can Megs, now where is she and what's going on," I ask again.

"She's upstairs, her bathroom."

I start walking towards the stairs.

"James," Meg raises her hand to me.

I stop at the bottom of the stairs and turn to her.

"She does this, every birthday and on this particular day, every year since what happened. I've been checking on her every half an hour, but there's nothing I can do, so I have to let her do it, please don't try and change what she's doing or talk to her, she'll be mad at you as it is," she says.

This is so confusing.

What is going on.

I nod, as though I understand.

"She will act like she won't want you there, and she will do everything in her power to push you away, but don't let her, stand your ground," she adds.

"Okay Megs," I reply.

I turn around and head up the stairs.

Trying to process the words Megs just said.

Nothing made sense.

Nothing makes sense.

~~

I push the door open to her bedroom and find a dark, empty room, only being lit by the light coming from the bathroom.

I take a breath as I walk through and push open the bathroom door, getting a full view of Liv.

I grasp the handle tighter as I take her in.