A Whole New World | Octavia Blake [1]

Chapter 39

~~~~~~~~unedited~~~~~~~~

Liam

In the 12 years Addison and Liam have been friends, he's never seen her snap as bad as she had done with Murphy. The look in her eyes when she aimed that rifle at Murphy's tortured and beaten figure was a wake up call for Liam. There was no empathy, only anger, and that's what truly terrified him the most.

She effortlessly pulled the trigger without thought, without question. The second time she tried to go after him, is the moment where Liam knew for sure that the girl he called his best friend on the Ark was gone. She's become unhinged, barely controllable.

The deadly and murderous glint in those once innocent and sweet eyes makes his stomach churn just at the memory.

"Hey," a voice to his right greets. All thoughts are pushed aside, his eyes turning away from the flames that dance in front of him to Raven.

He smiles softly at the girl, lifting his chin off the top of his clasped hands. She takes a seat next to him on the bench with a small sigh, keeping her hands tucked in the pockets of her signature bomber jacket.

"I heard what happened," she finally looks away from the fire, meeting Liam's eyes that never left her. "How is she?"

"She's..." Liam trails off with a sigh of his own, unable to find the right wording.

"She's Addison?"

He's quick to nod in agreement, releasing a sarcastic and airy laugh, "Yeah. She's, uh...she's Addison."

Raven chuckles under her breath, "How are you doing with that? Heard it was pretty bad."

Liam averts his eyes back to the fire, listening to it crackle and pop from the wood it consumes. He didn't want to lie her, but he didn't want to tell her truth either. He doesn't want nor think Raven should have to be concerned with everything she's got on her plate, but it's nice to know that someone cares.

Addison's not in her right mind and Dawson's been too occupied with his posts. Raven's here, but does he really want her to know? A part of him does, but another doesn't.

"That bad, huh..." her voice brings Liam back again.

"Uh..." he clears his throat awkwardly, keeping his nervous and embarrassed eyes moving around different spots on the fire, "I-I—"

Raven chuckles, resting a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry about it."

At the action, he glances at her with a small smile tugging on his lips, "I just have a lot on my mind."

She turns to face him more, removing her hand from his shoulder, and sticks it back in the pocket. "Let's hear it. What does Liam Montgomery have on his mind?" Liam mimics her position and faces hers, raising a brow in silent question. "Come on," she smacks his shoulder, a smile playing on her lips, "I've got all night."

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Hours had gone by and they still sit by the fire, talking in hushed whispers to not wake anyone. He found it hard to talk so quietly when he's telling stories to someone like Raven that has to tease and joke about every little thing to make things more interesting, and to just purely give him a hard time.