One More Chance (Chance, Part 2) (4 page)

“What kind of letter?” I ask confused.

“Did you apply for an internship for the summer?”

“Yes
,” I say excitedly.

“Then I’m guessing it has to do with that.”

“It’s been at the house all week?” I ask confused.

“No, it came today.  Where’s the internship at?”

“California maybe.”

“What?” Kenzie practically yells causing everyone at the table to turn and look at me. “You’re going to California?” she says looking anything but happy.

“I don’t know yet, it’s one of the locations I applied for.”

“Wow, trying to get as far away as possible huh?” Isaac asks
, with a knowing look.

“It’s just an internship, but it’s
a great opportunity,” I defend.

“
Why California?” Brody asks.

“It’s where the company is located.”

“Is that the only one you applied for?”

“No,” I say feeling nervous to tell them more.

“Where else are your internships located?” Kenzie asks curiously.  I eye her, letting her know I don’t want to talk about this right now, “Well?” she asks ignoring my looks.

“All over really.”

“I thought you told Quinn you applied for one in London,” Brody interjects.

“London?” Kenzie
shouts.

“It would just be for the summer,” I say
, trying to calm her down.

“You want to move out of the country?” Denise asks curiously.

“I don’t know, maybe,” I say, shrugging my shoulders.

“Can I come visit you?” Isaac asks happily, causing me to laugh.

“We’ll see.  I need to get into one of the programs first.”  It doesn’t take long for Kenzie to excuse herself and rush out of the room.  I follow behind, knowing she’s mad I didn’t tell her about my plans. “Hey.”

“Why didn’t you
tell me?” she asks, looking hurt as we stand in the living room.

“I wanted to see if I got into one first.  No point in saying anything unt
il there was something to share,” I say as I walk around the chair to where she is standing.

“S
o, you won’t be here all summer,” she asks with a confused look.

“I’m not sure yet,” I say face to face.

“If you go anywhere, can I come visit you?” she asks looking hopeful.

“Absolutely, even in London,” I say with a smile.

“Oh my gosh, what happens if you fall in love with someone from London?” she asks looking excited.

“I doubt that’s going to happen.”

“But it could.  You could find your husband over there.”

“I’m going to do a job
, not look for a husband Kenz,” I say laughing.

“It could happen.  I’m excited for you, just sad to hear you aren’t going to be here for the summer.”

“We don’t know that yet.  I only applied for three internships.”

“California, London, and where else?”
Liam asks as he enters the living room, looking anything, but happy.

“Michigan,” I say quickly.

“So you aren’t planning on spending the summer here at all then,” he says, as he approaches us.

“No, I won’t be h
ere this summer no matter what,” I say as confident as I can.

“Why is tha
t?” he asks with a knowing look, as he stops directly in front of me.  I can’t help but look up at his handsome face.  I can even smell him, God how I’ve missed him.

“
Because I plan on getting an internship,” I state confidently.

“I’ll let you two
talk,” Kenz says as she quickly disappears.  I want to glare at her for leaving, but I can’t, I want to see and talk to Liam alone.

“Look, I’m not here to argue with you. I said I would come to dinner because it’s what we’ve done forever, but if it bothers you
, I can go home,” I say feeling nervous.  I don’t want to leave, but I’m not sure how long I can be alone with him either.

“Doesn’t bother me at all.
  I don’t really care what you do,” he states coldly.

“Then why are you here asking me about my summer?”
I ask, as I stare up into his beautiful blue eyes.

“Just curious
, I guess.”

“Well by all means, don’t let me keep you from your life or your girlfriend,” I say as turn to walk away.

“I’m having the paperwork on the house drawn up,” he says stopping me in my tracks.

“What?” I ask confused as I turn to look at him.

“Both of our names are on your house.  I’m having my name dropped, so you’ll get the new deed soon.”

“I don’t want your house
, Liam.”

“You’re living in it aren’t you?” he asks confused.

“Yes, but that’s because I thought you were coming back, since you aren’t, I don’t want it.”

“Then you can sell it or do whatever you want with it, it’s yours.”

“No, it’s not,” I argue.

“I’m not going to fight you on this Haley,” he says looking flustered.

“I’ll be out by the summer.  Then you can sell it or do whatever you want with it.”

“And where are you going to go?”

“I’ll move back in to the sorority house.  It will be my senior year, so it will be fine,” I state like I have all the answers.

“You love that house.”

“I don’t want it,” I state bitterly.

“Why are you being so damn stubborn?”
he asks sounding defeated.

Luckily, I don’t have to say anything else because Liam’s girlfriend comes walking in. “Hey baby, I wondered what happened to you,” she says as she comes up and wraps her arm around his waist.

“Just dealing with a few loose ends,” he says before looking at me.

“
Have a good night,” I say hastily before walking away.  Loose ends…the fucking asshole.  I’m not a fucking loose end.

I head back into the dining room, “Is
everything okay dear?” Mom asks with a concerned look.

“Yeah, I think I’m going to head home though and see what the letter says.”

“Okay.”

“Come back over then, so we know if we can celebrate or not,” Denise says happily.

“I’ll come with you,” Kenzie says quickly.  The two of us walk home, “What happened?”

“He want
s to give me the fucking house,” I practically shout.

“Wow.”

“I’m not taking it,” I state, getting angrier by the minute.

“Why not?”

“I want no hand-outs from him.  I want nothing from him,” I say as I stomp up the driveway.

“But
, don’t you love that house?”

“It w
as supposed to be our house, it isn’t.  I don’t want it,” I state irritated as I pull open the front door with Kenzie right behind me.

“So when are you going to move out?”
she asks confused.

“End of next semester.  I’ll do a final scrub down and he can sell it.”

“I’m sorry,” she says looking apologetic.

“Don’t be.”

“Are you going to cry?” she asks worriedly.

“No, I’ve cried way too long already,” I say as we head
into the kitchen.  I grab the letter Dad was talking about.

“Ho
w will you know which one you got?”

“This letter will tell me if I got one at all and if so which one,” I say as I stare at it.

“Open it already,” she says rushing me.

“I’m nervous,” I say as my hands start to shake.

“Do you want me to open it?”

“No, I’ll do it,” I say as I rip the envelope open. I quickly skim the information.

“Well, what’s it say?” Kenz asks eagerly.

“I got it, holy shit I got it,” I say jumping up and down.

“Which one?”

“London, I got London,” I scream excitedly.

“No flipping way,” she says as she grabs the letter to read it for herself.  “I guess I need to get a passport soon,” she says excitedly as we jump up and down squealing in excitement. “I guess we should head back over and tell Mom and Dad.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” I say as I grab the letter.  We head outside and back across the street.  As we enter the house I can hear people in the living room
, so we head there.

“What’s it say?” Denise asks excitedly.

“I got London,” I squeal, causing Mom and Denise to do the same.  Mom, Dad, and Denise jump up to give me hugs and congratulate me on my internship.

“What’s all the yelling for?” Liam and Brody
ask.

“Haley got the internship, she’s going to London for the summer,” Denise informs them.

“Holy shit, that’s awesome,” Brody says as he comes up and hugs me.  Liam doesn’t say a word; he just continues to stand in the same spot.

Liam

“Aren’t you going to say something?” Kenzie says as she slaps me lightly on the arm.  Haley just told us she’s leaving for London this summer and I feel like I can’t move.  My feet are frozen to this spot on the floor and my mouth feels like I have cement in it.  What do I even say?

“What do you suppose I say?” I ask annoyed.

“How about congratulations for starter,” she says, like it’s a no brainer.

“Congratulations,” I finally speak.

“Thanks,” she says with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on her.  Before I know it, Kenzie is pulling me from the room.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I snap at her, though she did nothing wrong.

“Wrong with me?  What the hell is wrong with you?” she argues.

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit.  If you think you are over her, then you are clearly mistaken.”

“I am, I’ve moved on.”

“Then why have I caught you staring at her all night?  Why did you rush out to her when you found out she was applying for internships around the world?

“I haven’t been and I was being nosey.”

“Is that what you want to call it?” she asks, calling me out.

“That’s it,
” I lie.

“And what about this house deal?”
she asks with a knowing look.

“What about it?”

“Do you not know Haley at all?”

“Yes
, I do,” I say getting irritated.

“Then you know she will never take that house from you.”

“She’s not taking anything; I’m giving it to her.”

“Oh yeah
, because she takes handouts too,” she says sarcastically.

“Then what do you suppose I do?”
I ask feeling defeated yet again.

“Move into it.”

“What?” I shriek.

“You heard me.”

“I play professional football Kenzie, in Minnesota.  How would that work?” I ask annoyed.

“Your season’s over, go now.”

“Go where?” I ask stupidly.  I know what she’s saying, but I won’t do it.

“To Michigan, move into your house.”

“No.”

“Yes,” she snaps.

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you aren’t over Haley.”

“You are wrong,” I argue.

“I’m not wrong and you need to try to fix it before you lose her forever.”

“You are wrong.  I don’t want Haley.  We tried us; it didn’t work.  I moved on; she needs to do the same.”

“Yet if
she does, how’s that going to make you feel Liam?” she asks as she watches me closely.

“Fine, I don’t care what she does.”
I say, lying my ass off.  Of course I’m going to care and whatever dickhead she dates better treat her amazing or I’ll personally kick his ass.

“T
hat’s bullshit and you know it,” she says calling my bluff.

“No
, it’s not.”

“Just know
, when you do truly lose her, you will have no one to blame but yourself.  Hails is great and one of these days she is going to open herself up again and when she does, you can bet your ass, some guy is going to swoop in and sweep her off her feet.”

“I hope so.”

“You’re going to wish it was you though,” she says before walking away.

“Fuck,” I shout as I run my hands through my much shorter
hair.

“What’s wrong?” Brody asks as he comes through the door.

“Nothing,” I lie.

“
Hails?” he asks with a knowing look.

“She won’t take the house,” I say changing topics.

“No shit,” he says laughing.

“Why won’t she take the house?”
I ask frustrated.

“You know Haley dickhead, she doesn’t take handouts.  Not from you, not from anyone.”