On The Ledge

Crossfire - Brandon Flowers
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The season started well, even though Sidney couldn’t play right away. It was exciting for Liv to see James play and start writing her article. Yet, she was still nervous, because she knew he would read it. Not that it was anything bad, but it was a little nerve-wracking to show him any of her work.

Practice had finished up and James and Liv decided to meet for coffee. Nothing too intense, but a way to slowly move into this—whatever this was—like they had planned.

“How’s the article coming?” he asked.

She shrugged, “I’m getting close. My deadline is in two days. I should have it done tonight or tomorrow morning.”

He nodded, “I can’t wait to read it”

The thought made her nervous again, “Yah, just don’t read it in front of me” she laughed nervously and then she looked down at her phone, hoping to look distracted.

“Why?”

“I don’t know” she shook her head a little, “I just don’t like—it’s people reading my work—people I like” she started to ramble a bit and James watched her cheeks go pink.

He smirked, “Liv, it’s okay. What I think is not going to affect anything. Plus, I know you’re not going to go and trash me” he winked and Liv caught sight of it, laughing a little.

“I would never” she replied.

“How about that coffee?” he opened the door to the building and they both stepped outside, making their way to James’ car. They kept chatting and James cracked a joke that Liv immediately laughed at. It stopped suddenly as they got to the car. Liv was concerned until she saw a woman standing in front of his car. A woman that looked all too familiar. She hoped she would never have to face her again.

“Summer, I thought I told you to leave me alone”

She didn’t respond, she only looked at Liv—glared at Liv.

“What?” Liv snapped, “Can I help you?”

She looked back over at James, almost with a look of satisfaction, “Mark told me what happened, I—“

“I know what happened. You both need to just leave us alone and fall back to each other. It seems you two were made for each other” he grabbed Liv by the hand and took her to the other side of the car. Suddenly Summer grabbed a hold of her other arm, “He’ll never love you like he loved me”

“No, I don’t know that. But at least I won’t run off to someone else’s arms because I’m scared” Summer glared at her again and Liv finally wriggled her arm away, with James’ help and climbed into the car. He brushed past Summer and she grabbed him this time, “You moved on awfully quick”

“I don’t even know what we are yet Summer, but right now, she understands me, because she knows how it feels to be replaced. I like her and she feels the same way, not like it’s any of your business. You need to move on, like I finally am”

James climbed into the car and he rested his head back as he watched Summer leave. He felt the warmth of Liv’s hand grab his and gently squeeze it. He intertwined their fingers and squeezed hers a little tighter, “I’m sorry” he said.

“It’s okay” she shrugged, “I just hope you’re okay.”

He nodded, “I’m okay”

She smiled, “Good. Now lets go get that coffee”

They went to a small café for coffee but ever since the confrontation with Summer, Liv could tell that James was distracted. She knew it was bothering him and she was unsure of how to get his mind off of it.

“Are you okay?” she asked, “I can understand if you just want to go home for a while”

He shook his head, “No, being out with you is exactly what I need right now”

“I know I don’t like her strictly because of her involvement with Mark, but otherwise she doesn’t seem like she’s a very nice person…was she always like that?”

He shrugged, “I know she always had a bit of a jealous streak, and she was always competitive”
“You don’t think she’ll keep trying, do you?”

“I hope not” he replied, “I’m just finally starting to put the past behind me and look forward. Like everyone has been telling me to do for months”

“Well I’m really glad you’re doing that with me”

He smiled at her, but didn’t respond and just reached across the table and squeezed her hand. All he could think was that she was the reason he started changing. If it wasn’t for her coming into his life, he would still be wallowing in self-pity, angry at himself, angry at her, unable to let it all go. She changed everything.

“James, you okay? You look like you’re in another world”

He smiled, “I am. I’m just…I’m glad I found you”

Liv blushed a little, “Really?”

He nodded, “You’re the reason everything’s changed.”

“Well you changed things for me too. I never thought I would ever get over him. But it seems like it might actually happen”

“Yah?”

Liv nodded, “I really like you. But I am scared. You need to know that. You need to know that he really hurt me, and trusting someone again is scary, but I also know that you’re different. I can feel it”

“I’m sure you’ve heard the promise before, but I don’t think I could ever do anything to hurt you”

She smiled again and shook her head slightly, in disbelief. How is it possible that there was someone like him out there? How could everything that’s happened have led her to him? Maybe it was useless to question it and just let it flow. But when he looked at her like that, it was hard to think of anything else. Right now, he was all that she wanted.