Forget Her Not

prologue

Liam Moore's house is in complete chaos.

This isn't how he likes it most of the time, but it is Christmas Eve tonight, and he has invited practically everyone from school to this huge party that he has thrown. The music is loud, and the living room is full of sweaty people. Grinding. Groping. Dancing with absolutely no regard to the concept of personal space.

I stumble backwards a few steps. Someone's arm is in my face, elbowing my cheek in the process and they smell like teenage boy and cheap, stale beer. He doesn't bother with an apology, or maybe he does, and it is just completely drowned out by the swelling volume of hardstyle music. I push him off and wriggle my way to the side of the room. Combing the crowd for Liam like some lost kitten has proven to be a bad idea, so I resort to just scanning the room for him against a wall.

I check my phone again. No new notifications. No reply to the string of recent messages I had sent. I slide it back into my back pocket carefully.

Being here is overwhelming. Something that is completely out of my scene of things. I am too used to just staying back home, where no one is able to point out at me when they see me, or shoot me daggers with their eyes. A girl who I have never seen before, grabs her friend with the nice blue highlights by the arm when she spots me. This jostles her cup and she shrieks out loud when she spills her drink.

I dart away through the closest doorway while they are occupied.

Liam already knew that I would be coming tonight. He had been the one to suggest it, direct but not pushy in that casual way of his. I clutch the paper bag that I am holding tighter and peek in. Gift still wrapped. Card still there, slotted in carefully at the side.

"Arden!" Kyle Fletchers bounds up towards me. "Arden Ames!"

Kyle is usually charming. Cocky about it too, and maybe his attitude is not entirely undeserved. Devilishly handsome face, pretty blue eyes and effortlessly chatty. Kyle is usually charming, but tonight his words come out a little slurred and he holds himself looser.

"Hey, Kyle." I say. "Careful."

I reach out a hand to steady him. He must misinterpret this though, because he hands me his drink instead.

"Here, have it. It's not doing anything for me. Shane locked away all the good stuff for the after party."

He rolls his eyes and gives a dramatic sigh. "You'll probably need it anyways."

I peer down into the cup.

"Why is it murky?" I ask.

Kyle peers down too and wrinkles his nose, confused.

"I dunno. I got it from, um. I dunno. Here."

He takes the cup back from me, and tips its contents into the pot plant next to us. Then he looks down at the now empty cup in his hand, and plonks that into the pot too.

"Do you know where, oh."

I meet Shane's eyes from across the room. He is shouting something out at Kyle, but it is impossible to make out what he is saying over how loud the music is. Kyle must think so too, because he shouts back, "We can't hear you, dumbass!"

People call Shane Lapp the golden boy of our school. Star football player, impeccable academic standings, and boyfriend of super rich, head cheerleader, Kenzie Pennell. When Liam had first introduced us, he had been so friendly and sweet, making sure that I had felt included in conversations and offering to carry my books for me. It had made me feel bad for just assuming that he would be a jerk.

Tonight, Shane's returning smile seems a little forced. Maybe because he is surrounded by a gaggle of ditzy, giggling females, who still flock to him even knowing that he has a girlfriend. It looks like he is trying to step away from them, but a girl with way too much wing to her eyeliner ropes an arm around his waist, and the rest of them combine efforts to squash him in their mass of bodies.

"Arden?"

My breath catches.

"Hey," I breathe out.

Liam looks stunning tonight. He always does. With his tousled brown hair and vibrant blue eyes, he can practically get any girl he wants, but he chose me. I can already feel the beginnings of a blush starting to fan my cheeks, and he smirks at this. He loves the effect he has on me, how he can make me forget what I am about to say with just one look. He reaches out, skimming my cheek with his thumb before tugging on my wrist gently.

"Let's go upstairs."

Apparently, he isn't as oblivious to the attention that we are receiving as he seems.

He shoots Kyle a glare for some reason, but then he is leading me up with him and still holding my wrist in this soft gentle cradle, so I do not ask what that is about. He is pulling me into his arms before his bedroom door even closes. I drop his gift onto his bed to return the gesture and wind my arms around him as well. His heart pounds. Our embrace is very tight.

Liam pulls away too soon. The line of his jaw is set a little stiffly.

"Merry Christmas. Well, almost Christmas." I say.

I try not to let my smile waver, but the room feels tense for some reason. I pick up the paper bag that I had dropped, and hold it out to him.

"I know you're used to fancy presents," I tease. "But you're not allowed to not like this."

Liam cracks a brief smile. "Thanks."

He takes the bag from me and sets it down onto his desk. He does not let his fingertips touch mine.

"I didn't get you anything. I thought it would be easier for you that way."

My heart stutters an uncertain beat. Easier? Liam straightens up. His face looks detached, and he shifts himself so that he is leaning away from me.

"What do you mean?" I ask quietly.

"Arden, I never loved you. All of this," he says, as he gestures between us distantly. "All of this was just a game."

The world halts into a standstill. My mind short circuits. I take a step forward, towards him, but this only makes him move away. He avoids looking at my face, opting to crane his neck and sigh as though he is feeling bored or something.

"Liam, what? What are you saying? Is this-"

"I never loved you."

My breath lodges in my throat. A huge hole opens itself up in my chest, and begins to swallow away at my very source of being. I am cracking apart into miniscule pieces, and these very pieces feel hollow and frozen, completely devoid of warmth, because oh gods no this cannot be happening.

My heart is cracking.

"No, don't say that. Please don't say that."

Liam shakes his head. The look in his eyes is stone cold.

"Why would I lie?" he asks.

His voice came out in a hushed murmur. He takes a step closer towards me. Tilts my chin up.

"Don't cry. You know how much I hate it when girls cry."

A sob catches itself in my throat.

"Li-Liam no, please."

He presses a single finger onto my lips. My stammering stops.

"Get out of my room, please."