Prove Me Right by Anna Brooks Page A

my mom crying?
    I sit at the end of the bed with my knees bent and good arm wrapped around them. I’ve told her I’m fine … well, not told her out loud, but in my head I have. Everyone’s here. Pierce, my parents, Char, and Travis. I wonder where Caroline is. She’s so cute. I always wanted two babies. Well, I take that back, I did want two babies. Now I don’t know what I want. I focus again on the small brown stain on the wall. I wonder if it’s dried blood.
    Why are they all staring at me?
    I heard the doctor tell them I’m fine; my body is just in shock. For some reason, I can’t form words outside of my head. He also told me the baby was just fine, but I grabbed his arm and shook my head … I don’t want any of them to know yet. I whispered, “Don’t tell.” He understood and said it was confidential.
    Pierce stands in front of me blocking my view. He bends down and a look of pain crosses his face. “Talk to me, Meara. What happened?”
    Nothing. Everything. I don’t know. I tell him, but he doesn’t hear me. He turns his head to the side when the door opens. Footsteps then Charlotte’s voice. “Thank God you’re here.”
    Who’s here? Everyone who matters to me is here. Except Declan. I haven’t seen him in a while. He’s too busy saving lives.
    “Meara?”
    Liam. Is that Liam? Yes, it is. I can feel him.
    He stands in front of me and places a hand on my shoulder. I tilt my head and slowly raise it up to be sure it’s really him. Tears roll down my cheeks, but my eyes are frozen on him.
    “Princess,” he whispers.
    It all comes back now. I opened the door, pills, a razor blade, liar …
    I stand up and slap him across the face. Then I bring my good arm back and punch him in the jaw.
    No. No. No.
    I collapse into his chest and try to hit him again, but I have nothing left. He’s everything I want, and he just took it all away. My arm goes through the motion, but there’s no more struggle left inside of me. I can’t fight him anymore.
    His arms wrap around me and I gather up what strength I have, pull it from deep inside, and push him back, arms flailing. Another set of hands wrap around me from behind and Pierce’s voice cuts through everything. “Shh, Meara. It’s okay.”
    “No, it’s not!” I scream through the burn in my throat. Nothing will ever be okay. I’m going to be alone for the rest of my life raising a baby by myself when I should be living in a house with Liam. With a dog, rocking on the huge wraparound porch.
    My mom walks over and I shrug off her attempt at comfort. I don’t want her pity right now.
    “Meara,” Liam pleads.
    “No! Leave. I don’t want you here.” I turn away from him, right into Pierce, and sob into my brother’s chest as I struggle to catch my breath.
    Liam touches my shoulder. I’d recognize his touch anywhere. Normally, his hands bring me nothing but pleasure, whether it be comforting or sexual. But right now, it makes my stomach coil with disgust for everything that he’s ruined without even knowing it. I waited my entire life for him, and all along, I asked one fucking thing of him. I struggle out of Pierce’s hold and run to the bathroom and slam the door behind me. My stomach lurches and I heave into the toilet.
    Everything becomes blurry again, and I fall to the floor. My body once again a pile of skin and bones.

Chapter 11
    Liam
    THE LAST THING I remember was doing a few lines in the bathroom of our dressing room and stumbling to the bus where I thought Meara was coming to meet me. Somehow, I blacked out waiting for her and the next thing I knew Brandon and his girlfriend, Mary, woke me up. Brandon’s brother is Travis, who is married to Meara’s cousin, Charlotte. Brandon and Mary were in town for the concert and found me passed out on my bus when Travis called them. I threw up on the bus and fell walking to their car, more fucked up than I thought. They didn’t tell me anything other than Meara was hurt and I needed to go with