Disconnected (3 page)

             
Katy still doesn't want me.  I just keep standing there, watching her in shock, unable to move.  "By the way," I hear her yell over her shoulder as she and the boyfriend--Lucas, apparently--take off, "I want a divorce!" 

             
She has a boyfriend, she just freaking slapped me in public, and she says she wants a divorce? Oh there is no way that is happening, because seeing her in person just reminded me even more how much I love her, even if she hates me.

             
"What the heck was all that?" Scott asks as he comes up to me. "Who was that?"

             
I turn towards him and take a deep breath to pull myself together. "That was Katy, Scott."

             
His eyes bug out. "Katy? Like, your wife, Katy?"

             
I nod and look in the direction she just left in.

             
"Whoa. Are you ok?"

             
"I will be," I say, "because I'm going to win her back."

Chapter 2

             
All night I toss and turn, thinking of every moment I spent having it out with Katy at the school. I'm really going to have to do something big to prove to her I want her.

             
Stewing over it brings an idea to mind. I can show up at one of her classes and force her to spend time with me, I think with a smile. There's no way she can avoid me then, and maybe, just maybe, I can convince her that she really belongs with me.

             
The next morning, I get up bright and early to go up to campus and find out Katy's schedule. I dial Scott's phone while I'm heading to the limo.

             
He answers groggily. "Hello?"

             
"Hey man, it's me."

             
"What time is it?"

             
"I don't know, like 7, I think. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you if you need me I'm going to be up at the college we were at yesterday."

             
"And why would that be?"

             
"I'm going to confront Katy. Not like yesterday, don't worry. But I'm going to her class and I'm going to do my damn best to make her realize we belong with each other, and apologize to her over and over again."

             
He sighs tiredly and I can hear him getting out of his bed and slipping on clothes. "Good luck, bro. I have a feeling you’re going to need it."

             
Shortly after I arrive on campus, I hightail it to the building marked "Administration” and walk up to the elderly lady working the desk.

             
"Excuse me, ma'am?" I ask leaning on the counter.

             
She stops her typing and looks over and her eyes widen when she notices who I am. Maybe this will be easier than I thought.

             
"Can I help you, sir?" She stares at me.

             
I put on my biggest movie poster grin and lean closer to her. "Well, I'm really hoping so. I'm trying to find a student. Katelyn Marie War...err, Parker, Katelyn Marie Parker. Is there any way you could tell me where her first class of the day is?"

             
She raises her graying eyebrow at me. "Are you family?"

             
              I grin widely at her. "Yes ma'am, I'm her husband." I pull out my driver's license to show her. "I just completely forgot what her first class was and I want to surprise her," I tell her, shaking my head.

              She nods while typing into her computer and looks back over at me, "Psychology with Mr. Wallace in the building right next door."

             
"Great, thanks!" I hurry out and take a second to make sure there isn't a swarm of girls around to attack me as I run over to the building a few feet away. As I get into the building, I notice how quiet it is and breathe a sigh of relief, the less craziness the better right now.

             
Walking down the hall, I check each room sign to see which class is what. Then I finally find Psychology and walk in to see a balding man organizing his desk.

             
I clear my throat and step further into the room. "Excuse me, sir?"

             
He looks up and raises an eyebrow at me. "Can I help you?"

             
"I'm hoping so." I smile at him nervously. "I have a question. My wife is in your first class."

             
"Who is your wife?"

             
"Kate Parker. Is there any way it would be ok for me to sit in with her today? You see, I'm an actor and I never get to see her. It would really mean a lot to me to be able to spend time with her, even if it is just in her class."

             
He scrunches his eyebrows together as he looks me over. "Kate's a real good girl. Are you sure she'll want you to be here?" he asks me curiously.

             
I stand up a little straighter and look him in the eye. "I have to win her back, sir. She's supposed to be with me."

             
He gives me a sad smile and nods. "Ok, just this one time. But if she doesn't want you here, I won't force my hand."

             
I nod and stand back as students start filing into the room, and as soon as they notice me and realize who I am, there's a lot of silence. Then fan girls start freaking out. I hear the whispers of, "Is that really Liam Warren?" over and over throughout the room, but I ignore it. These people aren't the reason I'm here.

             
I start feeling anxious when Mr. Wallace is getting the class settled to begin. Katy's still not here.

             
I walk towards the door to walk off being so antsy when I hear her voice. “Excuse me?” She’s frozen in front of some guys and I breathe a sigh of relief. But she’s pissed I’m here, I can see it in her eyes.

             
I lean against the door jam and cross my arms and I smile at her. "Hey baby, just thought I'd sit and spend some time with you while you’re in class today." I look behind me at the teacher. "Mr. Wallace already said it was ok. I told him that we just never get to see each other anymore."

              Katy's eyes pop out as she looks at me and says, "Are you freaking crazy?" She looks over my shoulder into the classroom. "First off, you don't get to call me baby anymore, ok? And second, you can't think you can waltz back into my life. I told you, I want a divorce, so I can put all this behind me!"

             
All my muscles tighten and I step forward, closer to her, and answer with one word: "No."

             
She looks confused for a minute, "No, what?"

             
"No divorce. I refuse to give you a divorce. I'm not dating anyone. Never gotten even close to serious, and I still love you Katy. You don't get to just sign the dotted line and be rid of me. I refuse it!" I step even closer and get face to face with her. "You are mine, Katy Warren."

              A single tear rolls down her cheek and it breaks my heart as I reach out to wipe it away. "Give me another chance baby, please," I whisper, and fumble for my wallet to pull out the picture I've kept there the last four years--the picture of us at the theater just before everything went crazy. "Give that Liam and Katy their chance."

             
She starts full out crying, but before I can comfort her the boyfriend comes around the corner. As soon as he notices me he gives me a dirty look, and then his face is almost murderous when he sees Katy's crying.

             
He pulls her away from me and asks her what's wrong. I want to deck him--this was my real shot!

             
She just shakes her head, and as she straightens herself I see the determined look come across her face as she looks at me. "I--I can't be with you."

             
Mr. Wallace chooses that moment to come to the door and ask if Katy's ready to come into class now. When her and boyfriend guy go into the classroom, Mr. Wallace looks over at me with a knowing smile. "I'm sorry Mr. Warren."

             
"Yeah, me too."

              After that disaster, I call my driver and as I am standing around waiting, I get an idea. Show her that I'm thinking of her, of us. I'll send her some of her favorite flowers. I bet the boyfriend doesn't even know what her favorite flowers are.

             
Smiling to myself, I call and make the order and think of one more way I can make her think of what we had.

             
I punch in my mom's cell number and wait for her to pick up.

              "Hi honey." I hear her sweet voice and smile.

             
"Hey mom, uh, I have a question. Do you still have that picture I gave you for safe keeping of Katy and me in Vegas?" I ask her nervously.

             
"Yes, I believe I have it in a box upstairs. Why?"

             
"Is there any way you could fax it to my hotel?"

             
"And again Liam, I ask why?"

              I take a deep breath and blow it out. Mom radar is hard to hide from. "I just really miss her Mom. I'd like to have it just to have with me, ya know?"

             
I hear a smile in her voice when she answers. "Ok sweetie, I'll fax it over to you. Love you, sweetheart."

             
"Love you too, Mom," I answer, and after giving her the number to the fax machine I hang up and climb into the limo to head towards set. I'm going to get that picture enlarged and send it to her with the flowers. She has to see what we had, what we've always had. One way or another I'm going to get through to her.

Chapter 3

              Later that night, I finish my scenes for the day when Scott and, unfortunately, Alexia, walk over towards me.

             
"Got any plans tonight, Liam?" Alexia asks me with her exaggerated smile, and I roll my eyes at her and give Scott a pleading look.

             
"I do. I have to go...take care of some things." I shrug and run a hand through my hair.

             
Alexia takes another step towards me and puts her hand on my arm. "Are you sure you can't skip whatever it is? I bet we could have a great time relaxing and catching up." She tucks her hair back and I take a step backwards when she tries to come even closer.

             
"I think he has some more important catching up to do today, Alexia," Scott tells her pointedly.

             
 Her eyebrows draw together and an angry look crosses her face and just as quickly it's gone. "What do you mean? You can't possibly have already met someone here that you need to rush off to be with." She crosses her arms and looks at me expectantly.

             
"Actually, it's not that I've met someone. It's that I've found someone. My wife, Katy, she's here. She's a student on the campus we visited the other day."

             
Alexia takes a step back and I notice she purses her lips together before she puts on a smile. "Oh. Well that's really great. Good luck with that." She turns on her heel and stalks away leaving Scott and I shaking our heads.

             
"You really gonna go back to campus again? Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?" Scott asks me as he tugs his jacket on.

             
I shake my head. "I have to get her alone, away from her friends and boyfriend." I groan that word out. "Have it just be us. Before she broke down by her class, I could tell she still held feelings for me, Scott. It was in her eyes." I let out a breath and close my eyes. "I'm going to make her realize what we have is real and that even through all this time apart, I haven't stopped loving her, ever."

             
He sighs as he tosses me my hoodie and looks over at me. "Alright, man. Do what you think you need to. But don't forget, Excite's giving us some entertainment tonight." He grins at that.

             
Shaking my head I follow him out to the parking lot. "I don't see myself taking part in all that anymore."

             
"You have to at least come be my wingman."

             
I sigh as I shake my head, "Fine, whatever. But don't expect me to be happy about it," I tell him. I get in my car and then make my way back to Katy's campus.