Page 38 of His To Unravel
I glance down, touched by their reactions, but still feeling a tinge of embarrassment at how taken I am with him.
“You know,” Carolyn says, resting her chin on her hand, “I wasn’t sure about him initially, but it’s obvious he’s serious about you. And that necklace?” She gestures toward it with her glass. “That’s not casual. That’s claiming.”
I laugh, studying my hands as I toy with the edge of a napkin. “He doesn’t like to leave any room for ambiguity, that’s for sure,” I reply, heat building inside me at the memory of Nathaniel’s simmering intensity. I know they can see it too.
But not everyone at the table is enjoying this exchange. Landon sits stiffly beside Tyler, his eyes flicking between the girlsand me. His expression is guarded and his usual easy smile is nowhere to be seen.
Oblivious to the tension, Sophie adds, “I have to say, Liv, he’s clearly swept you off your feet. And if I were you, I’d be enjoying every second. You deserve it.”
I smile, grateful for her support, even as a knot twists in my stomach. I want to let myself fully enjoy this time with my friends, this sense of normalcy, but my mind keeps slipping back to Nathaniel, the memory of him calling me a “good girl” echoing in my mind like a whisper only I can hear.
But with some effort, I manage to stay in the moment, resisting every urge to pull out my phone and text Nathaniel. It isn’t easy—every time I think of him, a sense of longing tugs at the back of my mind, like a thread tethering us, stretched across the city.
Nevertheless, I tell myself that tonight is supposed to be mine. A reminder of who I am outside of him.
I laugh with Carolyn, listen to Sophie’s endless stories, and even let Tyler’s dry humor pull a few reluctant smiles from me. I manage to feel grounded, if only for a few hours.
As the evening winds down and our group slowly disperses, Landon catches my eye from across the table and offers to walk me back.
The streets are quiet, the buzz of the bar fading behind us as we take a familiar path back to campus. The silence between us is comfortable at first as we walk side by side under the soft glow of the streetlights.
But as we reach a quieter stretch of the road, Landon’s pace slows, his gaze dropping to the ground.
“Liv, I need to say something,” he starts, voice low. His eyes flick to mine, earnest and vulnerable. “I’ve… I’ve had feelings for you for a while… I know I probably should have said something sooner, but I guess I always thought maybe, someday, you’d look at me that way too.”
I feel my breath hitch, caught off guard. We’ve known each other for years, and I’ve always valued Landon’s loyalty and friendship. But I never thought he harbored feelings for me—not really. Now, as I meet his gaze, guilt begins to stir beneath my surprise.
Perhaps I’ve been willfully blind, choosing not to see what might have been there all along. I figured if he had wanted more, he would have said something, and since he hadn’t, it seemed easier, safer, to assume there was nothing there.
However, in this present moment, I wonder if I should have asked him, or at least thought about it, instead of leaving him waiting, hoping. I feel a heaviness press on me, urging me to respond with care, to tread carefully along the lines of our friendship.
“Landon,” I say gently. “I care about you a lot, but…not in that way. You’re one of my closest friends, and I wouldn’t want to jeopardize that.”
He looks away, his shoulders tensing. For a moment, I think he’ll let it go. But then he sighs, his expression hardening, and turns back to me with a determined look in his eyes.
“I can’t just ignore these feelings, Liv. I’m not going to give up that easily,” he declares, his tone shifting from gentle to resolute. “I know you’re with Nathaniel now, but it’s only a matter of time before he breaks your heart. I’ll be here to pick up the pieces when he does.”
The words sting, sharp and unexpected, a painful reminder of every insecurity I’ve tried to bury. His implication is clear. He still thinks I’m not good enough for Nathaniel—that it’s inevitable he’ll grow bored of me. Frustration and hurt well up inside me, but I force myself to swallow them, holding his gaze with as much calm as I can muster.
“Landon, that’s not fair,” I reply, my voice even, though I feel the edges of my patience beginning to fray. “You may think youknow what kind of person Nathaniel is, but he’s been nothing but kind and supportive. You’re wrong about him. And about me.”
Landon looks away, his mouth set in a stubborn line. I want to press him further, but I stop myself, sympathy tugging at me. I can see the pain in his expression, the frustration barely concealed beneath his mask of indifference. So, instead, I take a breath, letting the silence settle between us.
We reach the edge of campus, where our paths diverge, and I pause, giving him a small, kind smile. “Thanks for walking me back, Landon,” I say, hoping to end the night on a softer note.
He nods, still looking off into the distance, and mutters a soft, “Anytime, Liv.” With a final glance my way, he turns and walks in the opposite direction, his figure disappearing into the night.
As I continue down the path alone, a heaviness settles over me. My mind replays Landon’s words, his warning echoing uncomfortably.
Part of me knows I should tell Nathaniel what happened. But I hesitate.
Because deep down, I know exactly how he’d respond, and I don’t want anything—or anyone—disturbing the tentative balance I’ve finally found.
Eager to makeup for lost time, Nathaniel surprises me when he shows up at my doorstep the next evening to whisk me away on another date.
The rooftop he brings me to feels like something out of a dream. It feels like we’re somewhere else entirely, cut off from everything except each other.
Fairy lights strung above us give off a gentle, golden glow against the deep blue of the evening sky. The city skyline stretchesbefore us, alive with twinkling lights, and soft instrumental music drifts through the air.
