That One Summer...

Chapter 20

“Louis, what the hell do we do? He’s not here! What happened to him? Where could he have gone?!” I was frantically pacing around the campsite. Louis had shown up merely an hour after I called him about Liam’s disappearance.

He stood straight up from the hood of his car and bit his lip in thought. “You said your phone is gone, right?” I nodded. He continued, “Okay. I have two theories. Either he called someone who came and picked him up, or he hitchhiked back home or something. Have you called your phone?”

I nodded again. “He just won’t answer. Or maybe my phone is dead. And someone came here and kidnapped him.”

Louis rolled his eyes. “Emma, calm down. This isn’t a fictional story. Think logically. Where would Liam go?”

I closed my eyes. Where would Liam go? Not anywhere I’d be, that was for sure. But would he think I’d go back to his place? No, he would know that I would need to vent to someone. But he wouldn’t just go home, would he? Not without leaving a note or calling me to tell me that he wouldn’t be there if I came back. But he was mad. People always do crazy things when they’re angry. I’m example number 576 for that.

I sighed, knowing exactly where he was. “He’s at his parents’ place. They don’t live too far from here if I remember correctly.”

Louis nodded and walked over to me and took my hand. “Let’s go get him, Emma.”

I bit my lip hard, trying not to let myself cry.

Louis patted my hand before he kissed it gently and towed me to his car, knowing I was in no condition to drive. “I’ll have a friend take care of Liam’s car for you.”

I made no response.

Once we were in the car and were setting out to find Liam, Louis looked over at me. “It’s not your fault.”

For the first time in a few hours, I actually smiled. “You’re the second one who’s said that to me today.”

Louis smiled. “You have a right to be angry with him. It’s inexcusable kissing another girl like that.”

I shrugged. “But I should have talked it out with him. I shouldn’t have left him stranded like that.”

He shook his head. “He deserved it.”

I laughed. “Well, aren’t you a relationship expert.”

He showed no shame. “When I heard about what Sage did to Niall, I was upset that he didn’t do anything worse than break up with her.”

“He loved her! No matter how badly she hurt him, he couldn’t hurt her without hurting himself.”

Louis got defensive. “Hey now, I’m just saying my opinion.”

I peered over at him. He stared intently at the road and tapped his hands on the steering wheel as if he had a song stuck in his head that he couldn’t get out.

“You’ve never been in love, have you?” I smirked.

The tiniest of smiled played at the corners of his lips. “What makes you say that?”

I called his bluff. “You’re avoiding the question.”

Silence filled the car as he debated whether or not he really wanted to go down this road with me. Figuratively, of course. We were already about halfway to Liam’s parent’s house.

Finally, he sighed and looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “Alright. I’ll spill. There was this one time that I felt something close to love.”