As expected, Liam avoided me for the next couple weeks. He was still finishing the last Play; complimenting every girl he would cross in the hall or in class, but refused to even glance in my direction for an extended period of time. Andy had tried to excuse his best friend's actions as it being over Annie passing, which I'd agreed with, but part of me was sure it was because he tif we let our emotions take over. I couldn't blame him, because I felt very much the same about the entire thing, though it felt like a small piece of me was missing not communicating with Liam.

It wasn't until today, two weeks since the night in my bedroom, that I finally had enough of sitting at the same table. Despite Shay and Andy being incredibly friendly still, Nic and Jay made sure to shoot me dark and bitter looks throughout the entire lunch period. And Liam had began to just pretend I wasn't even here, not that he was treating anyone else any different. He was in his own little world and not even Andy could penetrate through. My friends had found their own little successful love stories within this little table, I would never make them choose between me and their love interests.

I stared at Liam for a moment longer before I stood and squeezed Brianna and Bryan's shoulders and walked out of the lunch room without a word.

*

The only place I had felt at ease over the last couple weeks was running around the football field. Despite it occasionally having a blanket of snow over it, I still ran. Maybe I was running to something, but it was more logical I was running away. Away from Liam and his avoidance of me. Away from my hurricane of confusing emotions.

"Hey, Reese!" My head whipped up to find Andy jogging in my direction in his Letterman, rubbing his hands together. "Not too bad, Taylor. Last I checked you could barely keep up with us walking."

I smiled but didn't say anything. This led him to cutting me off so I was forced to stop. "You know I'm your friend, right?"

"Of course, Andy."

"I love Bri and you're her best friend. She's really worried about you too, Reese. She thinks the whole reason you wrote up this Playbook was to distract you from your parents and what happened to Raya.."

I winced, struggling to catch my breath as if he'd punched me in the gut and knocked the wind out of me. He stared at me in sympathy before continuing.

"Losing Annie was rough on Liam, you of all people would understand what that's like." Andy said, shoulders slumping. "I know he's been pretty cold and distant lately, but please try and not give up on him. You and me, we're all he's got. I. . . I don't want to see what happens, what him spiral, if he loses you too."

I bowed my head. "I pretty much told him I was in love with him that night. The night Annie passed. And we kissed."

Andy didn't look surprised. "Yeah, he told me. He's confused. He's scared. He's just really broken right now. But what he is sure of is that he needs you, Reese. Hell, I need you too. You've made me a better person in the process of all of this."

"You've always been a good person, Andy. Don't say that."

After a moment of contemplation Andy stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. "I've got your back just as much as I have Liam's. I fully support whatever it is that you two decide to do, just try and not hurt me in the crossfire, 'kay?"

I nodded, desperately wanting to listen the mood. "You need a shower, Wilde."

Andy's dark eyes were shining with amusement when he pulled away.

"Touché Taylor."

*

Clearly my father didn't take Liam's threat to heart. As soon as I stepped foot through the front door I was met with him inches in front of my mother, looking ready to slap her. She had her back against the wall, her hands in front of her stomach, as if shielding the baby growing within her, afraid that my father would try to harm it in some way. Between my hurt from Liam's sudden cold shoulder and everything I'd talked to Andy about an hour ago, I was in no mood to stand and watch my father hurt my mother again.

"Get out!" I growled. "If you can't keep your mouth shut and your hands to yourself for five minutes, get the hell out of this house!"

My father whirled away from my mother and turned to me. Straightening, I closed the distance between us as my father spoke. "Excuse me? This is my house!"

"This is not your house! This is Grandpa Gene's house." I spat back in his face. "You're hardly ever here. And when you are, you're hurting Mom. This isn't just about you two anymore, or me, it's about that beautiful life growing inside of her."

I could feel the anger radiating off my dad intensifying by the second. My mother must have felt it too, because she started forward. "David, just go! Leave her alone!"

"I get it, Dad. You hate me for killing your precious Raya. You hate Mom for allowing herself to love me. You're afraid that I'll get the new baby killed too. But you've never been a father, not really. You've never been a husband. You've just been a selfish piece of shit that abuses women."

In hindsight, provoking the father that has a history of abuse probably wasn't the best idea. But the thought he would ever hurt me purposefully never crossed my mind; not until the back of his hand slammed into my nose with such a brute force that it began bleeding instantly. My mom screamed and rushed for me, but I had already grasped the door knob with a bloody hand and taken off down the driveway. The last two weeks spent running around the field did me good, I was a good couple blocks away before my legs gave out and I collapsed against the cold concrete, a pool of blood staining the ground beside me. I dug my phone from my pocket, touching my other hand to my nose with a whimper. I thought about calling Bryan, but knew that would be dangerous, he'd without any doubt be in handcuffs by the end of the night.

"Hey, Reese." Liam's voice was a hushed whisper. "I'm sorry—"

"Liam." I gasped. "I need you to come pick me up. I'm a couple blocks form my house."

There must have been a sense of urgency in my voice because I heard the sound of his keys within seconds. "Are you okay? Reese, what's going on?"

I hung up and sent him my location before slipping my backpack off and setting it on the sidewalk, then pulled my sweatshirt over my head and balled it up, touching it too my nose. I tried to hold back my tears as every time they'd sting my eyes a sharp pain would shoot through my nose. In what seemed like seconds, the familiar rumbling of Liam's truck sounded through the quiet neighborhood. He didn't even bother to shut the car off once he'd pulled up and put it in park, he hopped out and crossed the street to me in a few graceful strides.

"What the fuck?" he touched his hand to my wrist and pried the sweatshirt from my nose. "Did Jay do this?"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry for calling you. I. . . Bryan wouldn't have hesitated to get himself thrown in prison if I called him."

"And you think I won't do the same?"

I knew that it wouldn't take him long to piece everything together, and honestly the fear of him doing exactly that had been in the back of my head, but I'd have to pray he wouldn't. "No, Liam. I was hoping I could spend the night at your house or something, get ice on it, then figure out what the hell I'm going to tell Brianna and Bry."

There was no hesitation in his answer this time. "Yeah, of course."

**

Once I'd gotten some ice on my nose and forced down some water, I obliged and followed Liam to his room. I had to stifle a laugh at the sight of the Spiderman comforter that had replaced his football throw. A few Marvel posters had since been tacked on to the wall too; the room definitely looked as if it belonged to a teenage boy. "Now I know why you never bring girls up here to have sex. Could get their spidey sense tingling with all the superhero posters watching and doing it under Mr. Parker himself."

Liam laughed, it was so hoarse that it was easy to assume that he hadn't been doing much talking the last couple weeks. "Man, I don't think I've slept with a girl since early Sophomore year."

My eyes immediately left the blanket and shot to him, expecting him to laugh at his own joke, but he looked a hundred percent serious. "You're joking, right?"

"You're a very judgmental person, Reese Taylor, for someone who knows that people are multidimensional. But no, I'm not kidding. Sex was not the first thing on my mind after my family died. All I wanted to do was make my dad proud so I bettered myself as much as possible on the team, focused on winning, and off season I tried my best to keep my grades up so I wouldn't lose my chance at a scholarship."

I nodded, feeling a little guilty. "If it makes you feel any better I've never gotten passed second base."

A hint of Liam's lady-killer smirk touched at his lips. "Doesn't make me feel better but I'm not surprised either."

"Gee, Liam, thanks." I joked.

He shrugged a shoulder. "It's their loss, Reese, you're definitely one of a kind."

My eyes lingered on him as he pulled his shirt over his head. Bad things seemed to happen every time he was shirtless in my presence, it was like my self control was thrown out the window. Noting my uneasiness, he lifted his head with a smile and said, "I could keep one on if you want."

"No. It's fine."

It is very much not fine, Reese.

"So why'd your dad hit you?" Liam didn't beat around the bush as he threw himself on the bed beside me, fingers curling into a fist on his lap. The very small, simple action caused his entire arm to tense.

"Liam, I don't want to talk about it."

He turned to me with a dark look. "I do. I need to know why he did it so I know why I'm beating the ever living shit out of him."

"You're not going to do anything." I touched my hands to the sides of his neck, hoping it was enough to calm him. "I kind of deserved it anyway."

"No woman deserves to be hit, Reese." He said through his teeth. "And if he's over here hitting you what makes you think he won't continuing taking his aggression out of your mother?"

The statement made my entire face hurt as tears surfaced, "I just have to hope Mom is smart enough to call the police."

"Do you know how many women die from domestic violence? Because they have your mentality, because they're afraid of the repercussions of calling the police?" Liam was far angrier than I'd ever seen him. "Once an abuser gets a taste of blood he'll continue to do it. He'll kill your mother. He'll kill that unborn baby. He'll kill you, Reese."

I shook my head. "No, Liam. He would never—"

"They all say that until it's too late, Reese! They all defend his actions, try and convince themselves and everyone around them that it was their fault, that it won't happen again. But it does. Over and over and over again. I'm not going to continue to allow him to hurt your mother, to hurt you, Reese. I fucking love you and there's no way in hell I'm going to let that piece of shit take you from me."

My hands fell from his neck to his lap, my chapped lips parted as I tried to find the words to say.

"I'm sorry." He finally whispered a few minutes later after recollecting himself. "I don't know how you expected to come to me and not have me go back and kill him."

My mind was still trying to wrap itself around his words, but after a moment, I met his eyes and said, "I hoped that your desire to keep me safe would overpower the urge to kill him."

He cupped my cheek in his hand and rested his forehead against mine, but he didn't respond. The knuckle of his index finger eventually found the bruised bridge of my nose as he pulled away, a scowl forming.

"I want to kill him, Reese."

I nodded, squeezing my eyes shut in hopes it'd prevent more pain. "I know, Liam. But please, please just stay here with me."

I thought for a fraction of a second my words weren't going to be enough to keep him here. Relieved washed over me as soon as he fell back against his pillows and opened his arm expectantly. I scooted closer and rested my head against his chest, feeling a good portion of the heavy weight I'd been carrying around the last couple weeks lifted.

"Liam." I whispered. He rested his hand against my shoulder, squeezing it as an indication for me to go on. "Did you ever figure me out?"

There was silence for a long timebefore the room filled with his quiet voice. "No, but I think I'm starting to."