Rock Star. (Editing)

Steph’s POV

“Il get it!” Dad yells, walking to the front door before pulling it open and rolling his eyes at the boy standing on our front porch.

“Steph! Its Liam!” He yells out, as a shy smile makes its way to my lips while butterflies dance around in my stomach.

Liam. My boyfriend.

“You want leftovers? It’s meatloaf?” Dad asks before closing the door behind him, keeping the cool of the night from engulfing the warmth of the house.

God, he looks good.

Wearing dark blue jeans that hang low on his hips a, white t-shirt that clings to his arms and chest as he rubs the back of his neck. The material is doing nothing to hide his nipple ring as I run my tongue along my bottom lip, remembering the way the cold metal bar felt in my mouth the other night.

“No, but thanks anyway Mr E.”

My dad let’s out a breath “That’s fair... shit is still repeating on me.” He huffs out a burp while rubbing his chest. Liam let’s out a laugh as I roll my eyes at Dads comment, knowing mum will lose it if she hears him.

“She will hear you dad, be careful” I say with an amused look, unable to keep my eyes of the boy I love standing in the hallway.

“ETHAN!” Mum yells from the kitchen as my dad puts his head down.

Busted!

I burst out laughing, watching him mumble something under his breath while making his way into the kitchen. Probably to beg for forgiveness.

Should have known better old man.

I love my mum more than anything, but her cooking does tend to repeat on you from time to time. Wiping the tears from my eyes, I jump up off the lounge and run into Liam’s arms, feeling like home once his arms circle around me. He presses me closer into his chest that I can hear is heart beating. I breath him in, my mind fogging over as the scent of earth and mint tickle my nose. “Hey ladybug” Liam whispers into my ear, sending a nice shiver to run down my spine while his lips brush my earlobe. I pull my head away from his chest, looking up into eyes that are staring down at me, think how lucky I am to have him in my life. His black wavey hair was falling just above his grey eyes as he smiles a perfect smile, melting my insides in the process.

“Hey” I say dreamily, rising onto my toes as I kiss his soft pink lips while he pulls away a bit too quick for my liking.

“Is everything ok?” I ask confused, my head tilting to the side as I try to read him. Maybe it was his father again? Liam’s father has always wanted him to take over his sporting goods stores when he graduated college. Mr Jackson is the owner of one of the largest Sporting goods stores in America, and as Liam is an only child, Mr Jackson expects him to take over one day. His dad always tells him that his dreams of becoming a “rock star” was just that, dreams, but Liam has always had a love of music and he will never give that up.

“Is it your dad again?” I ask as he takes a step back, rubbing the back of his neck nervously again, and my stomach twists into a tight knot at the expression on his face.

“Not quite” he says looking anywhere but me, and I am suddenly hit with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I know Liam loves me just as much as I love him but seeing that look on his face is leaving a nasty taste in my mouth.

“Can we talk? Outside maybe?” He breaths quietly, his thumb out towards the front door as I stick rooted to my spot in the hallway.

“Outside? Why don’t we go up to my room?” I say, taking his hand in mine but he pulls away at the last minute, leaving a sharp pain to invade my heart as he turns and walks towards the front door, waiting for me go outside with him. My mouth has gone dry, feeling like I have just stuffed cotton balls into my mouth. I take in a deep breath as I will my body to move. I nervously walk outside, waiting for Liam to close the front door to join me on my porch. The cool air is an instant relief for my overheated skin, but it does nothing to help with my nerves as I rest my back against the railing, waiting for Liam to speak. He stands in front of me, hands dug deep into his pockets while he chews on the inside of his cheek. He isn't that far away from me, I only have to reach out my arm to touch him, but right now? he feels incredibly far. And I hate it.

“You know how the band records our music and then we uploaded it to YouTube?”

I nob with a chuckle. I can't help it because he must have forgot that I’m the one who helps set up the cameras and uploads the footage.

“Yes. Considering I’m the one who does it."

“Right, well...our videos have made some waves in England and this big music manager is interested in meeting us, if all goes well, he wants to sign us to his label.”

My eyes light up as I am unable to contain my excitement. I throw my arms around his neck, holding onto him tight as I smile into his neck. “Liam that’s fantastic! I am so proud of you! When do you leave?”

This is his dream! And it's all coming true!

He removes my hands from his neck, leading me to the front steps as we take a seat together.

Placing his strong hands on my hips, he pulls me away to look down at my face, seeing a wide smile that is spreading from ear to ear. I can't help but be happy for him. He and the other guys have been dreaming about this for so long and now it's finally here! All those late-night jam sessions in overly crowded garages, playing at our school events and caravels to being picked up by a record label? It was all worth it!

“We leave in two days. We have a lot to do before then. We need to pick a few songs that we want to play and all the packing that's involved too.” He rakes a hand through his wild hair as my head tilts in confusion.

“Packing? How long will you be there for?” I ask confused while he begins to breath heavily, like he is struggling to get the next words out.

“That’s the thing.... we won’t be coming back.” He comments as my eyes widen in shock. My arms fall from around his neck, resting limply by my side as I take a step back.

What? Did I just hear him right?

I shake my head “What do you mean? What if it doesn’t work out? You will have to come back? Right?” I say rushing the words out, feeling my heart crush ever so slightly at the way he is looking at me.

“The guys and I have decided to stay in England, to try and break through there. If it doesn’t work out, then we will come back, but not for a few years.” He whispers the last words as my life begins to crumble all around me. I pale as his words hit me over and over again. Years. Leaving in two days. My body is trembling, eyes wide open as they begin to fight off the oncoming tears that are building up behind them as I fight to spit out the words that I am afraid he will speak.

“A-are you breaking up with m-me?” My voice trembling as the tears fall from my eyes and stain my cheeks. I can feel my heart breaking as the words leave my mouth, and all I can do is stand there looking up at him, unmoving. He wouldn’t do that to me, to us. He just wouldn't. Liam quickly stands up straighter, shoulders back and head tall as pulls away from me, like being too close to me will burn him. Which makes the crushing feeling in my chest even worse. The boy looking back at me isn't someone I know, isn't someone I had shared all my secrets with, who would ride his bike with me down the street while our friends rode ahead, and who had been my first kiss... This boy is a complete stranger to me, and for the first time since I had known him, I felt fear prick at my skin.

“I have to do this Steph. This is my dream, and I won’t give that up for you." His voice is emotionless as he continues to look down at me, feeling all those bits of my heart I had given to him shatter under his words. His once beautiful grey eyes are now dark, making me shutter back as I wrap my arms around myself.

“I didn't tell you to give up anything for me. You're the one giving up.”

I whisper, my eyes cast down at my bare feet while I look at my freshly painted toenails. Bright blue with a hint of sliver glitter in them. I take a deep breath, pushing down the hurt and pain, leaving room for the desperation I feel to burst through.

“You're giving up on us Liam. Did you ever think to discuss this with me first? before going off and deciding all of this on your own? We can make it work; I love you that much that we can make this work. After college I can come be with you...”

“I can’t expect you to give up everything for me. Your family, your future...” he says while looking just over my shoulder, arms hanging by his sides. He doesn't even have the decency to look me in the eye when he crushes my heart.

“You are my future! I want to be with you!” I pleaded, my voice raw and desperate as I move closer to him, wanting nothing more than to touch him, for those strong arms to engulf around me. But I don't get the chance, because he moves out of my reach and heads down the stairs on the porch.

“Christ!” Liam growls out, runs his hands through his hair, pulling on the roots aggressively while my whole body shakes with heart break. Liam begins pacing back and forth on my front lawn, having a mental debate about what to say next while tears blur my vision. I can’t lose him. I won't. He might be ready to throw us away, but I'm not. We can do this; he just needs to see that. He needs to have faith in us the way I do. I can go to college in England, or I can stay here and visit on holidays! It will be hard, but anything is better than this! I love him too much. Liam suddenly stops pacing, feet frozen while I hold my breath, waiting for what he will say next. But the look he gifts me with leaves me shocked that I gasp in devastation. The lack of emotion in his eyes and the glare that is masking his face is all too much as he finally says the words that leave my heart and soul in utter ruin.

“We are over Steph. I am going to England, and you will stay here. I am going to follow my dreams and I won't let this” he motions between us with his hand “get in the way of that.”

With his final words slicing through me, ruining me for another, he turns his back to me and quickly jumps into his car, taking off down the road without even a second look.

I am frozen in my spot.

I don’t know how long I have been outside for before I feel my dad's hands on my shoulders. I turn and hug him, cry into his chest as I struggle to breath. He didn’t even give us a chance! I know we could have made it work! I could have applied to colleges in England, or visited him on holidays, video chat. Anything! I know we are only 18 but I have loved him since forever. We grew up together, our mothers are good friends. And I thought he was mine too.

My dad brought me back inside. I could hear my parents' voices but not what they were saying as I begin to climb the stairs one by one. I couldn't stop the tears from falling as I made it to my bed, burying myself under the covers. I hugged my pillow close to me, breathing in Liams scent, which only made me cry harder while memories of the night before invaded my mind. We had made love for the first time that night, after we told one another how much we loved each other. Did he know yesterday? Of course, he knew! Did he just sleep with me then fuck off to England? I cried harder as my eyes became too exhausted to stay open any longer. I close them, welcoming the darkness behind my eyelids.

••••

The sun was blasting through my bedroom window, due to the fact that I had forgotten to close my curtains the night before. Stupid fucking sun. My head was pounding as I struggle to open my eyes, only to shut them quickly once the sun light burned them. The light is just too bright today! My body felt heavy as I began to lift myself up and swing my legs out, hanging them over the bed and dared to look out my window to see black clouds off into the distance. Fits my mood perfectly. Taking a few deep breaths, I begin to recall the events from last night. Springing myself off the bed I go in search for my phone, tripping over my clothes that were thrown about my room. Falling to the floor, I start digging through the pockets of my jeans I wore yesterday as my fingers make contact with the devise. Bingo! I sit back on my bed, scrolling through till I find his name and press call. I bite my thumb nail as anxiety begins to claw at my chest. We can work this out, I know we can. Liam is the love of my life, and I will not give up that easily. My hands tremble as I wipe fresh tears away, holding my breath as a automated voice greets me through the phone.

Sorry but this number has been disconnected.

I pull the phone away blankly staring at the screen. Disconnected? I call again but the same voice tells me the same thing. “No” I whispered as I pull up my Facebook page, typing his name into the search bar and pressing search, waiting for his profile picture of the both of us to appear on the screen, but it doesn't.

This doesn’t make any sense!

He is not on my friends lists and all pictures of us tagged together are just tagged with my name, not his. A wave of nausea hits me as I push my laptop aside and scrabble to my bathroom, throwing up into the toilet.

“He blocked me?” I sob out, leaning my back against the bathroom wall. I bring my knees up to my chest, hugging them as I cry into my folded arms. How is this happening! He only ended things last night and he is this quick to cut me out? Did I mean anything to him at all?! Was I the only one who loved him?! With these thoughts, anger starts to build inside on me as I pull myself up from the floor, rushing out of my room, taking the stairs two at a time. I will be dammed if he wants to end it like this after everything. I grab my keys off the coffee table, running out the door towards my car, bare feet and all. I don't give a shit that I’m in my night shorts and tank top, with my hair in a knotted bun that is sure going to be a bitch to brush out.

I need to talk to him!

I hear my mum yell out to me from the opened door, but I don’t stop, I can’t. I need to go see Liam. Jumping into my car, I quickly turn the key as I spot my dad running towards me with panic filling his eyes. Sorry dad. I put the car into drive, taking off out of the gates that surround our property and onto the quiet street. It doesn’t take me long till I'm parked out the front of his house. Turning the car off, I jump out and run up to his door, knocking furiously.

“Liam! Open up!” I scream, continuing to pound on the wooden door but no one answers. I rush over to the window but can’t see anything as I let out a frustrated sigh. I continue to shout his name when a woman appears to my left, scaring the fuck out of me.

“Shit!” I yell, jumping back a little with my hand over my chest.

Mrs. Smith.

“Steph? Are you ok?” She asks, approaching me with a concerned look.

Mr Smith, Liams next door neighbor sat down on the porch swing that Liam and I had once sat on, looking at me with a frown between her eyes.

“Sorry Mrs. Smith...I was just looking for Liam” I said looking back at the front door “But it looks like no one is home.”

“They left to take Liam to the airport, didn’t he tell you?” She said, snapping my head towards her. What? She must be wrong!

“Airport? Are you sure? Liam told me he was leaving in two days?”

“No dear, they all left early this morning. Again, why didn’t he tell you?” She asked, standing to approach me. I didn't realise I was shacking till Mrs. Smith pulled me into a hug. I buried my head in my hands, sobbing while she rubbed my back trying to sooth me. But nothing would. Why would he tell me he was leaving in two days? I don’t understand! Did I mean nothing to him at all?

“Sshhh its ok dear, its ok. Do you want me to call your parents to pick you up?” She whispers as I shack my head no., I don't want them to see me like this again after last night. I pull away from Mrs. Smith while wiping my tears away. I continue to stare at the ground for some time before she speaks.

“He broke up with you. Didn't he?” she says with a frown. I didn't have to say anything really, because my behavior had done that for me. I don't know why but I begin to tell her everything that had happened in the last fourteen hours.

Maybe to justify why I was screaming at eight in the morning?

“He is a fucking idiot! Don’t worry, once he lands Il be giving him an earful!”

“DONT!” I yell “Sorry...but please don’t say anything... I just...I...” I had no idea what to say. All I know is that I didn't need Mrs. Smith or anyone else fighting my battles for me.

“Just forget about it...I've got to go now, take care Mrs. Smith.” I say, hurrying back down to my car. Once in, I start the engine with shacky hands as I grip the steering wheel and head home.