"My hatred is as strong as my love." When Liam- her best friend was admitted to the hospital, Lilliana was devastated. She refused to believe that Liam committed suicide. When Liam shut himself from the world, she went to the school to find the answers. But that didn't helped her in anything. And she knew that it was Liam who could tell her about the truth. So when she knew about the truth, she decided to give justice to Liam and teach a lesson to those who were responsible for Liam's condition. However, Lilliana wasn't expecting to meet a blue-eyed guy and get entangle with him. He was everything that she despised. Rowan Rogerson was the bad boy and the heartthrob of Crescent Heights. The more she tried to distance herself from him, the more he tried to pull her closer to him. Lilliana was slowly opening up to him when a shocking truth changed everything. What if Rowan was involved in Liam's case? What if he was the one to hurt Liam?
Chapter 1 ONE
“Let me see him, please!” the girl begged the doctor, with her eyes filled with tears. The doctor glanced at the elders and then spoke up firmly.
“You cannot see him at the moment. The patient needs to be kept under observation.”
The girl cried even more, tugging at the sleeves of the doctor. The doctor excused himself and took his leave.
The girl’s mother came up to her and said solemnly, “Oh my dear, Lily. Stop crying. He is going to be alright.” She hugged her daughter tightly, while keeping her tears in control.
“Mama…” she sobbed. Lilliana’s chest ached and she felt as if she couldn’t breath if she didn’t see Liam this second.
Liam’s parents – Freya and Jonathan were upset too. Their only son was in a critical state, fighting between life and death. When they heard about their son’s accident that took place in the school, Freya almost had a heart attack.
Lilliana got up from the seat and went to have a look at Liam. She stood outside the room and saw him through the round glass. “Oh Liam..” It was heartbreaking to see her best friend lying there unconsciously with his body almost covered in white. His eyes were closed, there were syringes attached to his skin. The boy who was once a happy child, who always had a smile on his face was no longer smiling.
The more she gazed at him, the more her heart broke. Her fingers trembled as she reached out for him. “Liam…please be okay.”
When Lilliana heard the news about his accident, she didn’t care about anything and came out from the school in the middle of her calculus lecture. She couldn’t believe it when Freya told her that Liam tried to commit suicide. How could he even think of such an extreme thing? Lilliana believed that it wasn’t the case. Liam would never do such a thing. He would never choose to take his own life.
“Dear, you are tired too. Liam is going to be okay so go home and rest. We are here with him” Freya said, placing her hand on Lillian’s shoulder.
Lilliana wiped the tears from her cheeks and turned around to face her. “Aunt..do you really think Liam tried to take his own life?”
The question made Freya even more upset. “I…I don’t know, Lily. We know what the school told us.”
“But do you believe them?” she pressed.
Freya sighed. The stress has made the wrinkles on her face visible. “Let’s talk about this when Liam wakes up, okay? You should go home and rest.”
Lilliana wanted to ask more questions but she resisted herself from doing that. She nodded and saying goodbye to Liam’s parents, she left the hospital with her mother.
When they reached home, Lilliana went straight to the bathroom. She locked the door and let out a deep breath. She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked dishevelled. Her brown hair was in a mess, her eyes were puffy and red from all the crying but when her eyes deterred to the locket she wore, all the emotions welled up to the surface again.
The locket was given by Liam on her seventh birthday. Ever since then, she has worn this locket, treating it like her most precious thing. She clutched the small heart and the tears blurred her vision again. She cried, harder than before.
She had given the idea that Liam would not be able to survive and that had scared her to the core. Even the thought of losing Liam gave her shivers. Liam was more than just her best friend, more than just a neighbour and more than just a boy she used to play with in her childhood.
“Lily? Darling, are you okay?” her mother asked from outside. Lilliana tried to soak up her tears and responded to her mother that she was coming out in five minutes. She freshened herself quickly.
Lilliana didn’t feel like having dinner. After what happened today, she didn't feel like doing anything except to be sitting beside Liam. “Lily, at least drink milk. I know you are upset but you cannot starve your body, dear” Miranda said with a worried expression.
Lilliana pressed her lips and taking a glass of milk with her, she went to her room. She placed the glass on her night table and sat on her bed. She turned on her laptop and typed on the search bar, ‘CRESCENT HEIGHTS.’
It was the school that Liam went to. Crescent Heights is a renowned school in the town and was ranked in the top schools of the country. Crescent Heights is a prestigious private school located in the heart of the city. It is known for its rigorous academic program, which prepares students for success in college and beyond.
The school offers a diverse range of courses, including advanced placement classes, honors courses, and electives in the arts and sciences.
Apart from its academic excellence, Crescent Heights also places a strong emphasis on extracurricular activities, with a wide range of clubs and organisations for students to join. These clubs range from academic teams to athletic teams to cultural organisations, and provide students with opportunities to explore their interests and develop their skills.
The school is also committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive community. The school values diversity and strives to foster an environment where all students feel valued and supported. With a dedicated faculty and staff, state-of-the-art facilities, and a vibrant student body, Crescent Heights is a top choice for families seeking an exceptional education for their children.
The school also provides scholarships to the students who showcase exceptional talent in academics, sports or arts. Scholarships were for those students who couldn’t afford to study in Crescent Heights without throwing a large sum of money. Liam was one of them.
Liam was a bright student. He gave the scholarship exam and scored good marks which secured him a spot at Crescent Heights.
The more she read about the school, the more pissed off she got. There wasn’t any news about the accident that occured today. She wondered if the school was trying to bury the news just to protect their image.
Lilliana was also told by her mother to attend the school with Liam, however she declined. She knew what their financial condition was and she didn’t want to burden her mother with it. On top of that, she has heard how the rich and spoiled brats treat others just because they have money in their pockets.
It then clicked her and she paused. A thought came to her mind and she, for some reason, was adamant that it must be that case.
Liam didn’t committed suicide. There must be something darker than the lie she and the others were feeded. And the one the school was trying to hide.
Other books by Xia Xia
More