The Unexpected Twist - Marline (best books to read for young adults .txt) 📗

you, why are you calling?” He asked concerned.
“I’m in the forest close to our house. I’m lost. I’m here with Cam, I’ll explain everything when I see you. I’m fine.”
“I’m coming right away.” My father said, and hung up.
“Let’s sit down.” I told Cam, “they’re coming to pick us up.” We sat down on a fallen tree and I was so tired from all the crying that I nearly fell asleep.

“Claire, what happened?” My mother demanded. Cam and I were sitting in our living room and my parents were standing in front of us, hands on their hips, looking very stern. I didn’t know how much to tell them, how much Cameron would let me tell them. Just before I was about to start my story, I looked over at Cam.
“No more lies.” Cam sighed, as if she could read my thoughts. I nodded took a deep breath, and told my parents everything. Halfway through the story my mother sat in between Cam and me and wanted to comfort us both at the same time. My father on the other hand was pacing around the room, growing angrier by the moment.
“We need to inform Liam’s parents about this.” My father stated, when I had finished the story.
“No, no please don’t!” I sprung up from the couch. I didn’t want anything to do with Liam, not with him, not with his family, nothing. My father didn’t listen though, he was already on his way to the phone.
“Dad, please don’t!” I begged him again.
“They need to know about this, Claire.” My mother told me. I sank back on the couch, there was nothing I could say to convince my parents anyways. They also called Cameron’s parents and asked them to come over.

Liam and Cameron’s parents were at my house in no time. I was happy that my father met them at the door and explained my story to them briefly because I knew that I was not able to tell it to them myself. Especially not the part about where Liam had saved me and we had spent the night together at the lake. Telling it once had been painful enough.
Cameron’s parents walked into the room.
“Cam, why didn’t you tell us?” Her mother asked, as she walked over to her daughter and pulled her into a strong embrace.
“I was embarrassed… and scared.” Cam said softly.
“Oh honey.” Cam’s mother said, as she took her daughter’s face in between her hands. Tears sprang in her eyes. “I’m sorry I haven’t been spending much time with you lately.” “It’s not your fault that I didn’t tell you.”
“Yes, yes it is.” Cam’s mom said. “I was far too busy with work.” Cam was crying now too and even I couldn’t blink away my tears. I was surprised that my eyes were still capable of producing tears, after having cried for so long in the forest.
Liam’s parents were standing in our living room looking rather awkward. When Cam and her mother finally let each other go, Liam’s mother came up to us and gathered us both in a hug. Then she turned to me.
“Claire, I know this is hard to believe but I am sure that Liam is not in that group. I do not doubt what you have heard but I know my son. And I also know that he meant what he said to you. Even before he knew it, I knew that he loved you.” She looked so sincere. I didn’t know what to say. Was it even possible that a mother knew her son so well? At the same time, I did not want to believe her, for fear that she was wrong because I did not know if I would be able to deal with another disappointment, another heartbreak.
“How do you know?” I asked while trying to stifle my sobs.
“I saw it in the way he looked at you.” Liam’s mother answered.


Chapter 7

The police was informed and one by one we had to tell them the whole story. After that, they immediately left for the forest and I had to lead them the way. I was blinking back tears the entire time. When we came to the hiding place the police surrounded the door and pulled out their guns. I thought this was a little extreme but there was nothing I could do about it because they pushed me aside and told me to wait a few meters away. The feminist in me did not agree to this but at the same time I had to admit that I did not feel like getting hurt. Two police men descended the stairs and wanted to open the door but it was locked so they kicked it open.
“Put your hands up and don’t move!” I heard one of the police men shout. I hadn’t realized that I was holding my breath but apparently I was because I was now releasing it. I was afraid that we had made too much noise and that the guys had all left through the other door, the door Liam and I had left through. Two other policemen went down the stairs and a few minutes late the guys came up one by one, handcuffed and looking very angry. I stood behind a tree so I would not have to see them, and especially not see Liam.

However much I despised Liam, I could not testify against him when the police saw the footage of when he pretended to rape me. I had to admit that he saved me and got me out of there safely. Due to the fact that Liam gave the police a number of other videos, he was soon declared innocent. The other guys on the other hand, were sentenced to two years in jail. I thought I would be relieved when this whole thing was over but instead the situation had gotten more complicated. I didn’t know what to believe anymore, if Liam was innocent or not and although I really didn’t want to, I knew the best thing was to confront him and ask him directly. I got the chance the following day already because Liam appeared on my doorstep. My mother opened the door and then called up the stairs that Liam was here to see me. I could hardly pretend like I wasn’t there and escaping through the window wasn’t an option either so I took a deep breath, opened my door and walked down the stairs. Liam stood in the doorway wearing a light blue shirt, my favorite color on him, and his eyes captivated me instantly.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hi.” I answered. I was very uncomfortable, didn’t know what to think, what to say but Liam looked so at ease and his tranquility seemed to pass over to me.
“We need to talk. Do you want to go for a walk?”
I don’t know. Do I? I asked myself. No, I don’t. But at the same time, yes, I most desperately do. What do I say? I realized I better say something, anything, because I was just standing there, staring at him, probably looking very dumb.
“Sure.” Is what I ended up saying.
He moved out of the way as I walked out the door. The last time I felt this awkward was right after I had kissed him for the first time. We walked in silence for a few minutes, nodding and saying hello to a number of people along the way until we reached the forest. When we were completely surrounded by trees Liam turned to me and said:
“I’m sorry I didn’t make it to our date.” I looked at the ground. It was now or never, if I wanted the truth about if he truly liked me or not I had to ask him. I took another deep breath and looked up into his eyes. I nearly forgot what I was going to say and had to snap my eyes away to a nearby tree to clear my mind and organize my thoughts.
“I heard you talking to Stan yesterday night, a few hours before the police. You were laughing about the fact that I believed everything you had told me.” I was afraid to look at him, afraid of his answer. What was better, a happy lie or an unhappy truth? I wasn’t so sure at the moment. The silence started to become deafening and so I finally raised my eyes to meet his.
“Claire, I only said that so that Stan would believe me and let me into the group. I said that to get evidence against him.”
I didn’t answer him. I had all these emotions going through me and even though he had told me that it wasn’t true what he had told Stan, it still hurt. I was also afraid of believing him because if he was lying, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to handle another heartbreak.
“I don’t just tell anyone I love them, you know.” Liam’s eyes darkened and he sounded annoyed. “Do you even trust me at all?”
All of a sudden I thought of the fact that I barely knew Liam at all. We had been sworn enemies ever since we met and I didn’t know any other side of him.
“Your answer couldn’t have been clearer.” Liam said and he turned around and walked away from me. I was too stunned to answer him, I hadn’t thought of the possibility that he might take my question as a lack of trust on my side. Because even though I barely knew him, both my mind and heart knew that I could trust him. Snap out of it Claire, go tell him how you feel about him! Yes, I had to go tell him, I wouldn’t be able to bear another night in my bed knowing that Liam was not mine and that he could get together with whomever he liked. The thought of him being together with another girl hurt me even now and it fueled my decision to run after Liam and say I was sorry.
“Liam!” I called when I had nearly reached him, but he continued walking and did not turn around. I caught up to him but practically had to jog to keep up.
“Slow down,” I panted.
“Why should I?” He angrily turned towards me.
“So I can say I’m sorry.”
“How is saying sorry going to make up for the fact that you don’t trust me? You know trust is one of the most important elements in a relationship.”
“Yes, I know. And I do trust you. I was just hurt, that’s all.” I had never understood those desperate girls who would do anything to get the guy they liked back but at that point I was ready to get on my knees and beg.
Liam didn’t answer immediately and every second crawled past as if it was an hour. Then finally, in an extremely calm tone he said: “I think it might be better if we don’t continue this relationship, Claire.” The fact that he put so much authority in his voice and made it so extremely evident that he was two years older than me, prevented me from doing anything stupid and made me determined not to show him how hurt I was.
“All right.” I managed to say.

The moment he was out of sight was the moment I crumpled to the ground and burst out into sobs.

Chapter 8

Life went back to normal, or at least to the way it was