by Layla James
“Great, “I mumble. I just hope I don’t look half as bad as I feel. I exit the plane, get my suitcase. My phone vibrates. “Hey, Mom,” I answer.
“Where are you?” she asks.
“By the bathrooms.”
“Be there in a second,” she says, hanging up. I lean against the wall and close my eyes. I really need a nap.
“Sweetie,” my mom yells. I look up and over at my mom. I stop. Jen is walking beside her. A huge smile on her face.
I grin ear to ear and run toward them. Jen wraps her arms around me. “Your mom let you out of the house,” I ask. She squeezes me tight. I know I’ve only been gone a few days, but it feel so good to talk to Jen.
“Your mom talked her into it,” she says. She pulls back and furrows her brow. “I’m sorry, Katy. I shouldn’t have said--,”
“No,” I stop her. “You were right. I was being selfish and overly dramatic. I’m sorry I was acting like that. I have a great life,” I say.
Mom sniffles and I look up at her. “No waterworks,” I say and hug her. She hugs me back, tightly.
“Well,” she says. “Let’s get home. You want to have a Glee marathon or The Vampire Diaries.”
“That is the hardest question you’ve ever asked me,” I say. I stroke my chin. “Damon or Sam?”
“What the hell, Sam!” I yell.
We all laugh and walk toward the Exit.
We spend the rest of the night piled up in the living room, eating chocolate, watching and singing along to Glee. When Jen’s mom calls for the fiftieth time, she finally leaves. “I’m so glad we’re talking again,” she says at the door. “I thought I was going to explode.”
“Me, too.”
“So, nothing from Liam?” she asks.
I shake my head. “Nope, haven’t talked to him since I took his Mom to his house. And only then for a quick second.” I shrug my shoulders and fight back the urge to scream. “It will be, okay.”
She nods. Her phone starts ringing. “Ugh, my mom. I have to go. See ya at school.” She gives me a quick hug before she walks off yelling at her mother in Chinese.
I shut the door behind her and glance at my mom. “Ready to watch some more Sam?”
I nod. “Always ready for that,” I say, before plopping down beside her.
Chapter Thirteen
My hands are shaking when I walk into the hallway Friday morning. I’m a little tired from staying up and watching Glee reruns all night long with my mom. But, I’m so nervous it outweighs my lack of sleep. Not to mention I could barely eat any of my breakfast.
Jen is waiting for me by my locker when I walk up. “Hey, darling. Brought you a coffee,” she says, handing me a cup of goodness. “I figured with your lack of self-control you stayed up late watching Glee.”
“You’re right, I sure did. It was awesome.”
She smiles and it falters when she looks over my shoulder. “You need something?” she asks.
I glance back and stop short. “Brian?” I ask.
“What’s up, Katy? I’ve been looking for you all week long. Where ya been?” he asks, grabbing my shoulder and hugging me.
“I’ve been in Florida with my dad, he just moved. The better question is what in the hell are you doing here?”
He laughs. “Mom and I moved here. She wanted to be closer to Liam.”
Jen coughs, causing me to smile. “Oh,” I gesture toward Jen, “Brian this is my best friend Jen. Jen this is Liam’s brother Brian.”
Jen flutters her eyelashes and offers him her hand. I roll my eyes. She is nuts.
“Nice to meet you,” she says.
“You, too.” The bell cuts us short and Brian holsters his backpack up his back. “I guess I need to get to class, I’ll see you two later?”
“Yeah, sure,” I say, before he darts down the hallway.
“Why didn’t you tell me he was a hottie,” she squeals.
“Because, I wasn’t really checking him out, Jen. Jeez. Not to mention he is only fourteen,” I say, shutting my locker. “He does look like Liam though.”
“Ya think, you need to start having me on your mind when you see these boys. Age ain’t anything but a number.” She scoffs. “Gah, Katy, stop being so selfish,” she says. She winks and runs toward class.
I don’t see Liam all day. Brian sits with us during lunch and I almost ask but I don’t. I don’t want to say his name. A large lump grows in my throat when I think about it. So I don’t ask. When the bell rings I go straight home. Jen asks me to come to her house for a Vampire Dairies up-date on Hulu, since we have neglected it because of Glee but I decline. I just want to go into my room and read or relax. Mom isn’t home yet, she won’t be back from the office until five or six. I’m not complaining, I like the time alone.
I go to the kitchen and pull out some lunch meat and bread. I fix a sandwich and walk up to my room. I stop short when I open my door. A little bear is sitting in the center of my bed, a rose fastened to it. I nervously glance around my room. Please, don’t let Hayden be here again.
I set my sandwich down on my desk and walk to the bear. I untie the rose and hold it in my hand. I wait for something to happen. Maybe Mom thought this would make me feel better? But that’s kind of a romantic gift for a mother/daughter relationship.
“You know,” I hear and I turn toward the door. Liam is leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest, his big grey eyes wide, a dangerous smile crawling up his face. “If I ever thank Hayden for anything, it’s going to be pointing out where the extra key is hidden.”
I try not to smile but I do anyway. It sends a few tears down my face. I look down at the bear and pick it up. “Little bear,” he whispers, kicking off the doorframe. I wait patiently for him to make it to me. I smell him first, that salty sea water and mellow sandalwood. His fingers tilt my chin up toward him. “I’m sorry,” he whispers.
I bite my lip and nod. I can’t risk saying anything; a sob is riding on my lips.
“I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I overdramatized the situation; I know you were hurting; it just hurt me to see you with him. It hurt worse than anything else I’ve ever felt.”
I nod.
“I’ve missed you, Katy,” he whispers, moving his mouth closer to mine. “I’ve missed you so damn much.”
“Brian is here,” I mumble out.
He grins. “He is, so is my mom. She wants me to bring you by their new house. Thank you, Katy,” he coos. I lick my lips and nod. “Little bear,” he whispers. “I want you back. I want you back with me. I’m not pretending anymore, I haven’t been for a long time. I want you to be with me, because I want you. Not to stop some rumor.”
I let the sob out of my throat and smile helplessly at the sound. “I’ve missed you, too,” I whisper.
Liam lowers his mouth toward mine and kisses me. It feels like the first real thing I’ve felt in weeks. It feels like he really is kissing me, for me, not for an agreement. Liam lifts me up and places me on the bed, showering me with kisses.
“I don’t want to let go,” he whispers.
“Then don’t.”
He sighs into my hair and whispers, “I think it’s time to give Avalon High more things to talk about.”
I gasp. “Liam, you wouldn’t be suggesting anything our parents wouldn’t approve of.”
“I am little bear.”
“I’m both appalled and turned on,” I whisper.
He laughs and pulls me closer to him. “Come here, we have some rumors to start,” he says, before bringing his lips back down to mine.
The End.
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