Let the Floods Cross

“Did you tie all of your loose ends yet?”

Liezel smiled at the Bluetooth screen in her car and made a sound of affirmative. Although she is still shaken up about that confrontation she had with Alex, she is feeling much better at this point. With a new life ahead of her, she grew more excited over the concept of moving on. She is not going to get sucked into the repeating cycle of running back to Alex. Maybe for once, she will have a life of her own.

“I am nearly done, I promise you I will be ready to leave tomorrow.”

“And I will be here tonight, alright?” Berdych asked.

“Yes, I’ll be happy to have you here. I need to introduce you to my friend, Ace.”

Liezel focused on parking her car in the driveway before allowing herself to refocus on the conversation again. When she stopped her car, she turned the ignition off and canceled the Bluetooth setting on her phone. After she was done, she pressed the phone into her ear.

“I started packing all of my things from the hotel. By the way, Andy Murray is bummed out that you didn’t make it to the banquet. He wanted to personally congratulate you for winning, and possibly wanted to hear you congratulate him for winning as well.” He chuckled when he mentioned it.

She smiled, shaking her head.

“I’m glad that you started packing. Please do not miss the flight okay?”

“Yeah I won’t if we stop this conversation now and I get right to it.”

The female athlete chuckled.

“Alright, I have to go anyways. That loose end I just told you about, I need to take care of that right now.” She informed.

“Okay, Beckett, I’ll see you tonight!”

“Bye, bye, Berdy!” She giggled when she said it.

“I’m going to hang up now before you start to laugh at your own pun.”

And he did hang up.

Liezel got out of her car and nervously walked up the pavement. She did not notice that her legs are shaking in fear until she started climbing up the stone steps. Holding a deep breath, she tried to calm herself down. It is pointless for her to be freaking out, because she did not screw anything up.

When she confronted the doorsteps, she knocked on the door several times. It took a few seconds for someone to finally answer the door and when the door opened, Liezel sure was surprised to see Dale on the other end.

“What do you want?” She asked, not too nicely.

Liezel shook her head.

“Where is Kaya?”

“What, so you can tear her apart again?”

The tennis star made a sound of disagreement. She shot the model an apologetic look, trying to prove to her that she is not here for the wrong intentions.

“Then why are you here?”

“I need to talk to Kaya, I want to personally apologize to her.”

“Well, she’s in the studio recording and in case you are wondering; no, she is not recording with Alex. She finally caved and asked Loki to reach out to a producer to do the magic for her. She might be back in half an hour”

“I can wait for her.” Liezel declared.

Dale raised an eyebrow, both confused and irritated with her insistency.

“Okay, do you want to wait inside?”

“Sure, that’d be great!”

With a small nod, Dale led the dark haired woman inside the loft and into the living room. Usually, she would offer guests with drinks or small food but she did not feel like doing that right now. What Liezel did to Kaya is not right and she will not offer her hospitality to someone who talked down a dear friend of hers.

The two sat in silence for a good five minutes before it started to get uncomfortable. Dale did not know what to do. She wants Liezel to leave but it is not fair to send her away; Kaya deserves an apology and if it meant living through the awkward moments, she will.

“So I just want you to know that I did like you, I actually considered you as a friend before all of this.” Dale said aloud.

Liezel turned her head to look at the model.

“What are you talking about?”

“Beckett, I’m a bit ditzy but I’m not that stupid. I know you are not fond of me. Ever since I began dating Jack, you got your bitch face on.”

Liezel sighed, nodding her head in agreement. There is no point in lying to her. However, she is not in the mood to have this conversation right now.

“I just want to know why you didn’t like me. Is it because I’m with Jack?”

“Honestly? Yeah.” Beckett confirmed.

“Wait, what? In what world are you actually attracted to Jack Barakat?” Dale looked beyond shocked.

Liezel held both hands up in defense as her eyes widened.

“Whoa, slow down there, Levine! I am nowhere near attracted to Jack. He’s all yours I promise. That’s not why I am suspicious about you. I am suspicious about you because I care about Jack a lot. I love that dude! He is like a brother to me, and I feel the need to protect him.”

“Protect him?”

“Yes, you are the first person he has fallen madly in love with. It worries me, because knowing Jack, this shit never happens. And I just don’t think you actually love him. I know you are going to hurt him.”

Dale looked offended but she did not care. She is expressing her opinions now, since this is the only opportunity she gets to.

“And how do you know that?”

“You know why, Dale. You are a model, I know how you people are. You guys are shallow and would think of yourselves before others. And the fact that you banged Loki before getting with Jack unsettled me.”

The brunette shook her head in disbelief. She did not think that Liezel Beckett would be so judgmental. Liezel, of all people, judged her without knowing her. She took the model stereotype and used it to evaluate her and her personal qualities. Although she is used to it happening, she is still offended that it is happening now.

“I love Jack so much, you don’t even understand. Yes, I am a shallow bitch and yes I slept with Loki and he was kind of good in bed, but I love Jack and I would never dream of doing anything to hurt him.”

Liezel nodded, still slightly unconvinced. However, she did not hate her that much anymore. Dale admitted to her flaws, but she did not deny her love for Jack. Her response to Liezel’s accusations is not what it was expected to be. Liezel didn’t think she would be so blunt and honest. Maybe she did judge her too quickly.

She shoved the thoughts to the back of her mind. Instead of responding, she just kept quiet. There are no other ways to respond to it.

“Look, I’m sorry for being a bitch to you. You have to know, I’m looking out for Jack. He’s a great friend to me and I’m doing my job.”

Dale nodded.

“I understand.”

A few moments later, Dale perked up from her seat on the couch and turned to the tennis player. She bit her lips, hesitant to say something. Liezel did not look at her because direct eye contact with Dale Levine made her uncomfortable. After judging her for months, she has no courage to look at her.

“You want to know something that most people do not know about me?” Dale asked suddenly.

Liezel then turned to look at her.

“Sure, why not?”

Dale sighed and started her story.

“Everyone knows that my parents are not in the picture for me. They left right after I graduated from high school.”

“Yeah.”

Jack had been wondering why he could not meet Dale’s parents, and Liezel cannot believe that she is getting the actual story before he does—before the rest of the world does.

“When I graduated, they sat me down on a dining table and told me that they had to leave. They were going to leave me with the Lockhearts, which I did not mind at all, but yeah.”

Liezel cannot understand why her parents would just want to leave her. Maybe they cannot afford raising and paying for her college.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered to the model.

“They told me that they were CIA agents. They had been for most of their lives, and you know what else they told me? I was an accident, a huge mistake. My parents met on the field and had a one-night stand. I was an accident that they decided to stick to.”

The black haired woman did not know what to say. She had never heard of this story before and she can only assume that Dale had never told this story to anyone.

“Hey, everyone’s probably glad that they did not give up on you, because look at you! You are here now and they are hiding in secret.”

“Yeah, and the reason why this information isn’t public is because…”

“CIA likes to keep a low profile?”

“That, and the fact that I am embarrassed to have this information out for people to read on about. It makes me feel worthless and I probably am worthless, but if I do not think about it, I will not have to feel that way. If no one knows, they won’t see me that way.”

Liezel is beginning to understand her a bit more. She might have misjudged the model.

“Jack doesn’t know, Dale.”

“Now that you know, I am ready to tell him.” Dale admitted.

The tennis star raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“Why am I the first to hear this story?”

Dale turned to her and shot her a meaningful look.

“I am telling you first so you can actually learn to not judge a book by its cover next time you meet a ditzy model, yeah?”

Liezel nodded as a response.

“Good. Oh and by the way Kaya just texted, she asks me to show you to the door. She doesn’t want to talk to you.” Dale said, dropping her phone on her lap.

Sighing in exhaustion, Liezel gave up. She got up from her seat on the sofa with an understanding nod.

“Okay.”



Tomas closed the trunk to the rental car and grinned at the dark haired beauty behind him. He beckoned for her to follow him to the front of the car.

“Make sure you don’t leave anything behind.” He warned.

Laughing, Liezel nodded at him.

“You make it sound like I’ll never return here.”

“Oh, I have a feeling you won’t.”

“You may be right, but I still have a loft here—so I have to be back here.” She let him wrap an arm around her waist.

They are both standing outside of the car, which is parked outside of Acacia’s apartment complex. After saying goodbye to Ace, she made Berdych carry all of her things down for her and load them onto the car. Ace made her promise that she will return to Baltimore and meet up with her.

“You need to drive because I did not get enough sleep last night.” He said honestly, opening the driver’s door for her.

Rolling her eyes, she placed her hand on his shoulder and removed his arm around her waist. She helped Tomas book a hotel room, but apparently, the person next door kept their TV up at high volume in the middle of the night.

“Sure, I’ll do that.”

Just when Liezel is about to get inside the car, Berdych grabbed onto her shoulder lightly to prevent her from doing so. When she turned to him irritably, she noticed a troubled look on his face. His blue eyes are focused on something from a distance. She turned quickly to the direction of his interest and nearly dropped the car keys onto the pavement ground.

In front of them both is Alex, who is getting out of his own car. He jogged his way up closer to their vehicle. Liezel feel herself tense up as he got closer. Berdych’s grip on her tightened just a bit more.

“Shit.” She muttered.

“LIEZEL!” Alex called out, “WAIT!”

Sighing, Liezel looked up at Tomas for his approval.

“Just give me two minutes.” She reassured.

The tall tennis player nodded, releasing his grip on her. He gave her an encouraging smile and gestured for her to go at her ex-boyfriend. She shot him a thankful look before making movement to approach him.

“Oh, just signal me if you change your mind so I can get your things.” He winked at her.

She smiled at him briefly and ran over to the waiting Alex. He shot her a stern look as he glanced at Tomas.

“Alex?”

“Liezel, please don’t leave with him. I don’t want him to have you. I want you and only you.”

The tennis star shook her head in disbelief. Her hands shot up in exasperation, then dropped to her sides dramatically. She cannot believe that Alex is here now, when it is the least likely time for him to come and change her mind. Her things are already in the rental car, ready to go. Now is not the right time for him to ask for her forgiveness.

“Alex…”

“Listen to me, Liezel Marie Beckett, I am not losing you to that little shit over there okay? Please, I will do whatever it takes to make you feel whole again. I will do anything that you want me to in order to get you back.”

Liezel placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing his shoulder fondly.

“If you wanted me so badly, then WHY THE HELL DIDN’T YOU FIGHT FOR ME??”

“Liezel…”

She removed her hand from his shoulder.

“You didn’t even try to call me, and even though I was furious with you, I expected some phone calls. I expected you to try to win me back, but you didn’t even try. You just let me walk away from you. I felt so worthless knowing that I am not worthy enough for you to stay faithful to me. I am not worthy enough for you to fight for.”

Alex shook his head, teary eyed already.

“That’s not true.”

“Then why didn’t you stop me when I told you that I was leaving with thelittle shit?”

He wanted to tell her the reason why, but his reasons will only drive her away further. She will just think that he is too lazy to put in the effort to vie for her affections. The last thing he needs is more reason for her to leave.

“Alex, I will always love you but you have to understand that I can’t be with you. You already cheated on me once, what makes you think that you won’t do it again?” Liezel questioned, removing her hand from his shoulder.

Alex shook his head in denial.

“How do you know Berdych over there won’t?”

“I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt like I’ve given you for the past ten years.”

“And I blew it.” Alex concluded.

“Yes, you blew it, Alex. We are done because you’ve made a decision that clearly created this fate for us.”

He is running out of moves and arguments. Begging did not work, telling her how much she meant to him didn’t either, and now he is stuck with one last incentive for her to stay.

“If you can’t stay for me, then at least think about Jack and Zack, and even Ace.”

“Look, I can’t—they are not enough for me to stay. Tell them that I love them and care for them, there’s nothing much I can do for them. I have to move on.”

He gave up. If she cannot stay for her friends, then maybe she shouldn’t be staying here in the first place. She does not deserve to be in Baltimore if she does not appreciate everything this city has to offer.

There is nothing he can do to make her stay; but at least he tried—and failed.

“So there’s nothing I can do to change your mind?” He asked.

Liezel bit her lips in order to prevent herself from falling apart in front of him. She told herself that she wouldn’t shed any more tears for this man; she has shed enough in the past few days.

She wrapped both arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Hesitantly, he slowly snaked his arms around her waist. The two stayed like that for a few moments. Both are trying to savor the last moment they are going to have here.

When they both released each other, Liezel leaned in to give Alex a quick peck on the lips. It was too quick for Alex.

“Bye Alex…”

He nodded in defeat.

“I wish you the best!”

Liezel nodded and started making her way back to Berdych. When she reached him, he tapped on her shoulders several times and disappeared into the passenger seat.

Right before Liezel got into the driver’s seat, she turned back around and gave Alex one last look.

“By the way, this will not be the last time you see me. We will meet again.”

And with that, she got in the car and drove away.

Notes

Okay, that's the end!

Yeah, some of their storyline will be incorporated into the next story (which I've already posted the first chapter to, btw) but it will mostly be about Ace and Zack.

Thanks to skullsandcrossbones for commenting on the previous chapter!

The first chapter of Top of Your Ambitions is already up!