As much as the world fails you, never regret having a good heart

 

Liam was about ready to go to the nearby convenience store and hope he found something he liked to drink. He was sick of listening to his family back in Seoul. Why wasn't he working somewhere full-time? They'd given up on the education he was pursuing. He might as well come home.

Of course, he didn't want to do that. He promised he'd try harder. It was as if the pandemic wasn't a problem anymore, but it was. Even if he saw how restrictions were lifted. They didn't want to hear he was working at the grocery store.

He guessed he was depressed. He looked around his small place. Yes, he'd let it go. There were too many dishes to think about washing and the laundry... Oh, he might as well be climbing mounds of it in his bedroom. 

Yes, maybe he was pitiful. At least, Keir would never know. No one came to Liam's. 

A thought occurred to him. Did they sell hard liquor at the convenience store? He'd never looked. 

Liam reached for his jacket and grabbed a hat just because he might need one, and then looked for his keys. Naturally, they were already in his pocket. Thank God. Of course, he looked at the little hook by the door. That's where Lizzy always said to put his keys. He'd just neglected to do it. (You know, that phase where you stop doing things your ex always said to do.)

He sighed, looking at the empty spot on the wall. Suddenly, a knock came from the door and Liam practically jumped out of his skin. He couldn't think it was Keir showing up. He would have called. Anyone would have called.

He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. Liam squinted. He hoped it wasn't the Girl Scouts. It gave him a shiver, having little girls shame him for a messy apartment.

Liam bit his bottom lip and opened the door.

Uber heart failure!

"Lizzy!" He grimaced and then panicked ever so slightly, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you do live here after all," Lizzy's smile was open as she moved forward, but he pushed back and closed the door behind him. All he could do was manage a nod as he looked at her. He could only imagine what a loser she thought he might be while she looked sexier than ever. He never remembered her this sensuous. His Lizzy was more of the HELLO KITTY everything in pink outfits.

"I wish you would have called," Liam managed to say keeping his wits about him. He said they should see if the diner across the street was open. So they did. She didn't say much and neither did he.

Maybe it was their farewell cheeseburger dinner.

"I moved back," she finally said after the onion rings arrived.

"Moved back?" There were waves of anxiety that shook through him. He kept sipping his Dr. Pepper thinking he would never get to sleep tonight.

"Not in your building," Lizzy said she got on at the police station.

"Good," Liam felt he should have said more, but he couldn't help but stay mute.

"And..and I met someone," her words cut like a knife. He thought he might be choking for air.

"Oh." He cleared his throat, but the tears would not stop. It was as if he was crying a river.

Liam watched her eat the burger. His appetite was gone. He reached for his mask in his pocket and stretched it across his face. For the first time, he felt comfort in wearing the damn thing.