"Hi."
She giggled and shared a look with Tori. Although I knew that I made her feel happy and that was enough for me. Her cheeks flushed with an adorable shade of rose, but I figured that shyness wasn't the main reason for them.
Before I could ask the ladies to come in, to warm up from this freezing weather, someone pinched my cheeks.
"Aw, well isn't this adowable! Wittle Wiam has a girlfriend!" Annabelle exclaimed loudly, just as I gasped in pain. She wrapped her arms around me, almost choking me to death. She looked like a koala hugging a unicorn.
I rubbed my cheeks in frustration and embarrassment. Lena coughed.
Meeting her eyes, I let out a small gasp, this time in bewilderment. The amount of shock in her expression was like a pang in my chest. I realized what her thoughts wandered by; why would a girl be at my house?
For a split second, I looked at Belle. Her long, sandy hair was almost pinned straight, falling down her waist. Her wide blue eyes seem frozen in that puppy dog face. Her pink lips were pulled into a wide grin. Her skin glowed. She had an incredible beauty; that was undeniable. Her petite frame added to her fairy-like features. It was hard to believe that she was related to Adam in any way.
Belle let go of me and smiled broadly in Lena's direction, offering her hand for a shake.
"Hello there, I'm Annabelle Black. Adam's twin sis' and Liam's cousin! Call me Belle," her cheery and Australian tone rang in our ears. Lena's features immediately softened and her confused expression now flooded with kindness and friendliness.
"Ah, these boys! Never the gentleman type. Come in girls, you must be freezing! The weather here is bloody horrible." Belle ushered the Winter girls to come in, as Adam and I both received a smack on the head.
“Oi! That hurt!” cried out Adam.
I glared at my cousin's back, hoping to burn a hole in her hair. I took a glance at Adam, but he was too busy drooling over Tori.
We all awkwardly sat on the couch, the Blacks next to each other and the Winters by each other's side. We almost resembled those clans in Twilight.
The tension thickened and you could almost cut through it with a knife. Thankfully, Tori broke the unwanted silence.
"So, Adam and Belle, what brings you guys to America?"
Two heads snapped up and smiled at each other sadly. Belle eyed me.
"Well, it’s that, ever since Grandma died, we figured that no one could take care of Liam-"
"I'm eighteen, not a kid!" I protested, the way she talked about me made me feel like a baby.
"-and since Adam and I are 20, it would look less fishy than Liam staying here alone. Mum's upstairs, sleeping. Jet lag is shit," I earned a glare from Belle.
"Well, that's awesome. We do need some friends around here," said Tori with a secret smile, her eyes glued on Adam. Lena and I shared a look and agreed to set these two up.
"What about a truth or dare game?" Adam suddenly blurted out, a familiar glint of mischief in his eyes. Belle grinned and then stood up.
"I'll go get the hot chocolate and marshmallows," she exclaimed, heading to the kitchen. Adam stood up as well and ushered for the girls to go in the basement. I followed and was once again proud of having decorated that part of the house.
The electric fireplace had a certain antique look about it. The hardwood floor was the perfect type to slide and dance on with your favorite socks. There were three creamy colored love seats, although they resembled a pet bed, but in a bigger size. The lighting was soothing, giving the room that final homely, comfortable touch. I smiled with pride.
Lena and Tori's eyes widened and they turned to look at me, their eyes asking: "Did you do this?" I felt a small blush rise in my cheeks and shyly nodded.
They plopped themselves on one of the love seats and talked in hushed voices. Meanwhile, Adam sat on the opposing one and I raced back to the kitchen to see what was taking Belle so long.
I found her humming "I Got a Feeling," while putting marshmallows in five mugs filled with hot chocolate.
I leaned against the counter, a million thoughts running in my head, silence seemed to be quite comforting at the moment. "Oh hey, Liam," she acknowledged me.
"You really like her, don't you?" asked Belle softly, smiling.
I nodded. "Are you two together yet?"
How I wish.
I shook my head.
Belle nodded, as if expecting this answer. She placed the mugs on a tray, then bored her eyes into mine.
"You never know how much time you have." Her steps echoed in my ears.
"Liam, get your bum here! We're about to start!" Adam's booming voice pulled me away from my thoughts.
I ran to the basement and my heart's beat quickened when I saw Lena sitting alone on one of the love seats. Tori was beside Adam and Belle chose to be alone. Lena patted the space next to her and I sat there. We weren't that close, each one on the opposite sides of the love seat.
"Liam, truth or dare?" asked Belle, smirking amusingly. Her brother copied her.
Smirking + Belle or Adam + Truth or Dare = Uh, oh.
"Um, truth," I answered almost immediately. Their truth questions could be bearable, but the dares were absolutely frightening.
When I was nine, I visited them in Australia. Truth or Dare was played, I was foolish enough to say dare and that caused their neighbor to slap me for asking her if "her muffin was buttered and if she wanted anyone to butter it for her."
"Okay, can you remember the very first time you fell in love and with whom?" The hot chocolate in my hands was suddenly very interesting.
"Yes, I remember my first love." I hoped that this answer would satisfy Belle's question.
"Who did you fall in love with, Liam?" asked my cousin, a certain impatience and amusement in her tone. I could feel Lena's eyes burning in me.
“Lena."
The room was so silent, a pin could drop. Lena wrapped her arms around me and there they stayed.
"Aw," cooed Belle, Tori and Adam at the same time.
The awkwardness was broken and the game continued. No one chose dare, we all feared one another. The questions were funky and funny.
We'd all discovered weird facts about each other: Adam had his first kiss at five, Tori had an obsession with bears, Lena's most embarrassing moment was when she wet her pants when the teacher asked her to sing a song in kindergarten, Adam had a fetish for girls who like noodles and Lena's first crush was some kid named Parker in kindergarten.
"Tori, truth or dare?" asked Belle, the devil of all. Tori's eyes lightened with mischief.
"Dare."
Oh god.
We all held our breaths until Belle blurted out the demand or dare.
"Kiss the hottest guy in this room."
Tori's eyes immediately flickered and lingered on Adam. He smiled, perfectly portraying the "bad boy who gets all girls" image.
I could see Lena intensely eyeing both of them. She looked concentrated and worried. Her eyebrows were furrowed and she looked absolutely adorable.
Victoria leaned in, slowly anticipating the moment. Adam's eyes were glued on her lips. The chemistry between them was literally glowing.
Just as their lips were about to collide, "Can't Hold Us" blasted from Adam's phone. Flustered and frustrated, he looked at the caller and his face darkened. Tori fumbled to keep her breathing steady, I could see. Belle's expression darkened the same way Adam's did. She seemed to read her brother with ease
"Hello?" Adam answered, appearing a bit nervous.
"Um, hey babe."
Tori raised her eyebrow at the nickname,
"Oh, nothing special, just hanging with Liam."
"I miss you more, Kylie." Although, the words seemed to get caught in his throat.
"Listen, um, I've got to go, love."
"I-I love you too."
The phone call ended, leaving everyone confused, anxious or afraid to say one word.
"Who was that?" Tori tried to ask that without displaying her obvious curios
ity. Adam preferred to stay silent for a couple of seconds, then he and his sister talked at the same time.
"That's Kylie."
"His girlfriend," Belle earned a death glare from Adam. Tori's face fell, sadness clouding in her eyes.
"What time is it, Liam?" asked Lena, fury making her voice tremble. I took a peek at my watch.
"11:00."
"Tori and I need to get back, Mom's going to kill us!" she exclaimed, and I was uncertain if she just wanted an excuse to leave or if her words were truthful.
"Absolutely not, you two aren't walking back home. The snowstorm outside will turn you into human ice cubes. Sleep over, we don't mind, right Liam?" Adam said in a strict voice. I nodded in agreement.
Tori didn't seem to like this. "No," she disagreed.
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"Absolutely not."
"Yes."
"Yes."
"No."
Tori smirked in success as Adam groaned. She got up, brushed invisible wrinkles off her outfit and looked at Lena expectantly.
"Come on, let's go."
Adam grabbed her wrist, making her swiftly direct her eyes to him.
"Stay," he said, a pleading expression in his eyes.
"No," Tori's expression softened a little.
"Please stay," Adam begged.
Tori gave up and eyed Lena. "Do you want to stay?"
Please, stay here.
Lena shyly nodded her head, burying her face in my chest. I just hoped she couldn't hear how loud my heart was beating. Tori sighed and called Mrs. Winter, informing her that they're sleeping here.
"Well, she's grounding both of us for Christmas and the week after that, but it's okay." She shrugged. Adam fist-pumped in success.
"Belle, hand me the covers to your right, will you?" asked Lena. She took the covers and set them on us.
Adam made himself comfortable on one of the love seats. Tori raised an eyebrow sassily.
"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, both hands on her hips.
"Sleeping, duh?"
"Go sleep in your rooms, boys."
After a lot of fighting and begging, us boys grumbled our way to the room we shared.
I slipped into bed, the lights still on. I heard Adam do the same as we both had busy minds. Me, thinking about Lena. Him, thinking about the other Winter girl.
"Adam?"
"Yeah?"
"We're going to sneak back there right?"
"Absolutely."
After an hour or two, Adam got up and ushered for me to follow him. I happily obliged. We had to be careful, because the wood would creak at any touch, tiptoeing was the ideal choice.
The basement might've as well been the coziest-looking place. The creaking of the fire was the only sound heard. Belle was snuggling and slightly snoring in the love seat. Tori was curled up in a ball, peace reigning over here. The person who made my breath catch in my throat was Lena.
Eyelids closed against the dim light of the room and her breathing deep and relaxed, all the muscles in her face and body were totally at peace, like a baby in its' first throes of slumber. She twitched her nose, just like the time she slept on my shoulder at the park when we first met. Innocence showed on her sleeping face, the peaceful and serene dreams blocking out the dangers of the outside. Her soft breathing, making the world seemingly standing still.
I slowly laid beside her and pulled the covers on us. I wrapped my arms around her and I felt complete. She fits exactly in my arms.
"Beautiful," I whispered in her ear.
I immediately froze when her thick eyelashes fluttered to reveal sleepy chestnut brown eyes.
"Hey there," her voice sounded angel-like, her sleepy state coaxing it. She snuggled up closer to me.
"Hey, beautiful." Pink lips pulled up in a small smile and I saw adoration in her eyes. I closed my own eyes, resting my chin over her head, but sleep seemed to be impossible.
"Liam?"
"Hm?"
"What are we?"
Her question caught me by surprise, I opened my eyes and looked at her. Her expression displayed curiosity. Her olive skin was struck by the light and she resembled a Disney princess. The question: Was I the prince?
"I don't know." I felt her head nod a little.
"Liam?"
"Yeah, Lena?"
"Why do you love me?"
"The answer to that would be as long as a Stephenie Meyer typical novel. But you know what? What have I got to lose? I love how you light up at the sight of ice cream. You care about everything, even the little things. Your eyes always display the emotion you're feeling and I love that about you.
“Your kindness couldn't be measured and you're the sweetest person I've ever known. You're beautiful. I love how you criticize your quirks because you don't see how unique and gorgeous they make you. You read through me like a book and you know exactly what I feel. You know how to make me happy and how to cheer me up. I love how you prefer spending the day in sweats and a baggy shirt than skinny jeans and a fancy shirt.
“Everything you do just shine and you're adorable in every single way. You're sensible and when you cry, I just want to wipe your tears away because you're worth it. You-"
I was cut off by a drowsy Lena kissing me softly. She broke off the kiss and smiled at me. A small chuckle escaped her mouth.
"Shut up, Liam. I love you too."
Soon enough the only movement was the slow rising and falling of her chest, each intake of air, showing the depth of her oblivion. She was totally at peace, at rest. I was truly happy.
My eyes flickered to Adam and Tori and I smiled.
He chose to sleep on the opposite side of the love seat and she was on the other one. He didn't want to get in the way of Tori's wrath if they wake up in each other's arms. Although, their hands slightly touched one another. They both had small unconscious smiles on their faces. They reminded me of Tonks and Lupin, when they died only slightly brushing each other's hand.
Of course, Tori and Adam weren't dead.
Everything was perfect, just perfect.
I closed my eyes and fell into the deepest sleep I'd ever had in a long time. I knew that my heart felt peaceful and truly happy for the first time in years.
21
You are Wanted
“The moment you start being in love with what you're doing, and thinking it's beautiful or rich, then you're in danger.”
~Miuccia Prada~
Lena Rose Winter
The warmth of Liam made me feel like I was a small baby being cradled in a beautiful human's arms. Safety reigned over me and I couldn't feel more comfortable. I fit perfectly in his arms. I couldn't dare open an eye because I just wanted to cherish this moment. Even though this felt like heaven, there was a slight, tiny problem.
I needed to pee.
The urge of my bladder obviously couldn't wait and I cursed myself for not taking a trip to the bathroom before. But a woman has to do what has to be done, am I right?
So, I gently took Liam's arms and placed them by his sides. His calm, peaceful demeanor suddenly grew duller. I regretted doing what I'd done, but I had to pee. I didn't think Liam would like it very much if he woke up the next morning with a wet girl in his arms.
I bet he'd like that very much.
Shut up dirty-minded me.
A small smile appeared on my face as I saw Adam literally resting his chin on Tori's head. Weird, because last time I saw them, they were barely grazing each other's hands.
I had a feeling that even though Adam had a girlfriend, Tori was the one for him. They were exactly the same.
Sometimes I wonder why I'm so dumb.
Will you shut your pie-hole please?
Meanwhile, Annabelle Black was cuddling up with one of the pillows. I bit my lip from laughing because she looked so innocent. My instincts told me that if I tried to snatch that small pillow away from her, she'd ninja attack me and Jackie Chan would be jealous.
Honestly, I already loved Belle. She was a new addition to my life, as was Adam, but she had this aura about her that was so kind, yet bad ass. She seemed like the kind of the girl who'd gladly listen to your problems and would be up to prank Barack Obama.
A Unique Kind of Love Page 13