Chapter 6
I was sitting on the stairs to my basement, watching a bunch of teenagers dancing. I could easily see Liam sandwiched between two beautiful girls. He looked distracted and I suspected that he didn’t even notice all the pretty girls around him. I wished I could be like these girls. That he would notice me or even think of me that way.
I turned my head so I couldn’t see him anymore. It wasn’t good for me to think about him. Rose waved at me. She was dancing with a handsome guy that I knew from school, but I didn’t know his name. He was pulling her closer to him, while whispering something in her ear. She turned to face him and said something back.
I wished that I had her confidence. She could come to a random guy and flirt with him without blushing or look like a total idiot. Well, I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t talk to my brother’s best friend without blushing. Hell, I couldn’t even walk pass a group of guys without tripping! I was the opposite of gracious. I was the opposite of her. Suddenly Rose was beside me, taking back her breath.
“Why aren’t you dancing?” She asked.
“Rose, who would I be dancing with?” I shot back.
“Pretty guys. There are tons out there!” She said, waving her hand in the direction of the dance floor.
I sighed, irritated. Obviously, Rose couldn’t get that none of the pretty guys asked me to dance.
“C’mon girl! I know you’re not in a good mood, but can you do it for me?” She asked, locking her puppy eyes on me.
“What’s going on with you? You okay?” She finally asked when she saw that I didn’t smile back.
I couldn’t stop my eyes from skipping to Liam. He was still dancing, but with three different girls. Rose instantly got the message.
“Oh, honey. Don’t let that asshole ruin your night. It’s his lost, not yours. Get on that dance floor and show him what he passed!” She said to me. Her pep talk actually helped. I rose from my spot and walked straight for the dance floor (okay, it wasn’t exactly a dance floor; it was just a little spot that was free of furniture…). Rose was right behind me and she began to dance. I tried to follow her, I really tried. But I couldn’t get my body to move. Rose took my hands in hers and threw them in the air.
“C’mon, I know you can dance! That trick doesn’t work on me!” I relaxed a little bit and began to move my body to the rhythm of the music. A moment later, several guys were trying to dance with us.
“Smile, beautiful!” Rose whispered in my ear. God that felt good. Just letting go of everything, not thinking… I got a glimpse of straight brown hair. I stretch my neck only to see two green eyes staring straight at me. In one second, all the self esteem I had built up tonight crumpled to my feet. With those eyes, every promise I’ve made to myself were broken. I had promised myself not to run away. One look and I already wanted to hide in my closet for the rest of my life.
The last time I’d seen his eyes, starring into them, I was about to kiss his so kissable lips. I couldn't believe I actually kissed him! And he had pushed me away… Liam, Lisa, Amber… they all thought I was a freak. I ran upstairs, pushing several couples that were making out. I made my way to the kitchen and took a glass in one of the cabinets. The table was loaded with beer and vodka and… well, pretty much all the alcohol a typical teenager would be drinking at a party. But I just wanted water. Clear my mind so I could think like I normally did. I opened the faucet and filled my glass. I lift it to my mouth and gulped down half the glass.
“It’s hot out there.” His voice made my jump. I turned around sharply, taking another sip of water. Liam was looking at me, a small smile playing on his lips.
“I guess…” I said with a little voice.
“I didn’t see you dance much tonight…” He observed.
“Sorry if not every guy in this house is not willing to dance with me!” I shot back. I immediately drop my eyes to my feet. God, I should stop doing that… I wasn’t going on a safe path.
“Well, I didn’t dance with everyone in this house… And the girl I didn’t have a chance to dance with happens to be the prettiest.” He said while taking a step toward me.
Oh no no no no no…! He wasn’t himself. I ran out of the room and got to the stairs. I finally stopped in the middle of the dance floor, trying to take back my breath. At the same moment two hands caught me by the waist. I knew exactly who it was.
“Stop it!” I said to him while I turned around.
“Just one dance… Please, for me.” His green eyes starred into mine and I suddenly couldn’t say no. he started to dance and my muscles followed him without my permission. God, why was he doing this? Because he felt bad?
He pressed his body closer to mine. He bent his head and his nose brushed along my neck. I could feel his breath on my skin that sent shivers down my spine. I liked this, and I hated myself for that. Why couldn’t he just leave me alone? Everything would be so much easier! Suddenly the music changed, leading to a slow. Liam took a step back and smiled at me. He smiled! I was so mad at him, but at the same time my stomach did this weird jump that wasn’t utterly unpleasant. He took my hand, leading me back to the stairs. He opened the back door, let me pass, and closed it behind him. Immediately I found myself looking around the yard, feeling this same feeling of being watched.
“Look... I know I’ve been mean since the concert...”
“Mean? The only time you talked to me was when you showed us this... this wolf thing. And then you disappeared again. Not talking to me, not even looking at me, avoiding me... But that didn’t stop you from making Cole’s life harder, right?
You...” I drifted off, finally looking at him. His eyes were pained and his mouth was wide open, like he was preparing to say something, but a second later, he closed it.
“Never mind.” I said when he didn’t say anything. I started toward the door, not daring to look behind when I felt his hand grab my arm.
“Wait. I’m sorry, okay? It’s just... It’s complicated but I didn’t mean to be that way with you. I just wanted you to know that.” Suddenly I remembered that night. The night I kissed him. Rose had told everyone that...
“You were drunk. But I know it’s not true.” Liam finished for me. His eyes locked with mine, and my
breath caught in my throat. The main question in my head was: How? I didn’t tell anyone... And...
“No, you didn’t...” He continued. I bit down my lower lip, trying to think clearly. How did he know what I was thinking? It was like he could read my...
“I can read your mind, Alicia...” He said finally. I couldn’t believe my ears! He couldn’t read my mind... My thoughts were private. Made for me and no one else. I instantly cleared my mind, thinking of a blank wall.
“It won’t do anything. I can still see...”
“Does Cole...?” I didn’t have to finish my sentence. Liam already knew what I was asking.
“I’m not sure. Normally, our kind can only read the minds of the ones they love. But Cole is incredibly old...” He said, locking his fingers between mine. This was crazy, it wasn’t possible... His voice echoed in my head. The ones they love…
“I know it is, and I’m so sorry.... He said in response to this thought, while pulling me into his arms. I relaxed against him, leaning my head against his shoulder. His bent down his head so his lips were pressed against the side of my neck.
A shiver passed through me but I wasn’t cold at all, enveloped in Liam’s arms. His lips slowly made their way to my jaw and to my cheek. When they were just inches from mine, he stopped.
“I love you.” He whispered his sweet breath washing all over my face. It didn’t smell like alcohol, I noticed. But before I could ask anything, his lips were on mine, parting them. My mind was racing, trying to find an explanation. He couldn’t love me. And I was sure he wasn’t drunk... But there wasn’t any other explanation after this one. After a moment, I couldn’t concentrate on anything but his lips, and his hands that were moving across my hips, pulling me closer to his body.
I could feel every tense muscle in his back, through the tin fabric of his t-shirt. And I couldn’t keep myself from running my fingers in his soft hair. God, that was so good... Just living this moment. With him. I had forget all the absurdity of this scene in less than a second, giving in to his kisses and his love. I didn’t doubt that he love me anymore. Not with the way he looked at me, the way he talked to me and he held me close to him, wrapping his arms around.
Now he was backing away slightly to take back his breath. And I’m not sure if it was really me that kissed him this time, but he barely had time to take one breath before our lips were meeting again this time more eagerly than the other. I felt, more then heard, the moan that escaped his mouth when my hands slipped under his collar, touching the hot skin of his shoulders. But in one second our perfect moment shattered at the sound of one voice. My brother’s voice.
“Liam…” He said. Liam took a step back, putting distance between our aching bodies. His eyes were fixed on me for a split second, and then he focused on Ben.
“Ben, please, I didn’t-”
“Alicia, go inside," my brother said, still looking at Liam.
“You promised!” He yelled at Liam.
“I know, but-”Liam started to say.
“What the hell, Ben?” I shouted back at him. He turned to me, surprised. His face instantly softened.
“Alicia, just go inside. Please.” I turned to Liam and he simply nodded.
I sighed before opening the backyard door. I entered the house and got to the basement without looking back. What was wrong with my brother? Okay, he saw us kissing, but he doesn’t need to make a scene out of it. Seriously!
“Alicia!” Rose screamed in my ear.
“I can hear you, you know. I’m not deaf,” I said to her.
“Where have you been? I was looking for you,” she asked. I stayed silent, not knowing what I should say.
“I saw you dancing with Liam! Did you like it?” She continued. What kind of question was that?
“Yeah, I guess… He’s a good dancer.” I said without thinking. “Yes I enjoyed dancing with him. And he led me to the
garden…” I didn’t know if I really wanted to say the last part… What if he was really drunk and he hadn't meant to kiss me? Maybe it was better to keep that secret and wait until tomorrow. Rose’s eyes were full of questions.
“Okay, what’s going on?” She asked. I smiled at her; she always knew when something was happening with me.
“He kissed me…” She opened her mouth but I cut her so she didn’t have the time to scream. “Don’t tell anyone!” I hissed in her ear.
“Why?” She asked her eyes ready to bug out.
“Promise me.”
“I promise, but I want to know why.”
“Well… I don’t know really, but I think that Liam promise… Liam promised that he wouldn’t touch me…Oh, Rose! Ben saw us and it looked like he was ready to beat him up!”
She didn’t say anything for a long time, and when she finally spoke, it wasn’t quite a sentence.
“Oh…” She finally pulled herself together.
“You don’t know for sure… And besides, maybe Ben was mad at something else…” She tried to comfort me.
“Yeah” I said, not really meaning it.
At the same moment, a guy came running down the stairs. He was screaming to everyone that Take A Chance was going to play in the garage. A crowd of people, urge us to climb the stairs. And they continued to push us all the way to the garage. When we finally got through the door, I could make out a mini stage in front of a drunken pack of teenagers. We had to wait only a few minutes before Liam and Ben entered the garage – the other members were already on the improvised stage.
***
The concert seemed endless. They were still playing, after like a thousand songs. I tried unsuccessfully not to look at Liam. He was slamming in his drum set, not looking happy at all. His face was a weird mix between hatred and something else. I couldn’t quite replace it. Something like disgust or jealousy… Or even anguish. But why Liam would be jealous? Jealous of what? And what was he disgust at? And anguish…? I had so many questions without any answers. But I will have some, when I’ll talk to Liam. When this stupid concert is over, I promised myself.
Then I turned my attention to Ben. He was singing at the front of the improvised stage. His face was set in stone, not giving away his emotions. But I could decipher this face well, since he was my brother. Yes, he was pissed, but not like Liam. My brother only looked annoyed. His eyes swept over me and it was like having freezing water poured all over my head. His look left me shivering. I was scared, and I had a good reason.
“Whoa, they look pissed.” Rose said at my ear.
I simply shook my head. I guess I wasn’t the only one to see it. Yes, they looked pissed. But what was I suppose to say to that?
“I don’t think anybody realize…”
I looked around. My garage was full of teenagers. The girls were swaying their hips to the music; they’re arms in the air. The boy’s were screaming, grinding with the girls. They didn’t seem to know that something was going on between my brother and Liam. But I didn’t care. I didn’t know half of the kids who were there tonight. My brother probably didn’t even know them all. But it bothered me that all these strangers were able – if they were smart enough -to see all my personal problems. Yes, my personal problems. Because it was personal. And it was definitely a problem, and a big one.
***
The concert had finally ended but I could see neither Ben nor Liam. I had moved to the basement, with all the others, but I didn’t know for sure that they hadn't left to finish off their fight.
Ben was suddenly at my side.
“Leave him alone.” I turned my face so he couldn’t see my eyes.
“Why? Is he pissed at me?” I asked, without looking at him. I wasn’t scared anymore; he could say whatever he wants. I didn’t care.
He didn’t respond. I sighed heavily.
“No.” he finally said in a whisper before he walked to the other side of the room. I ignored his command and got back to searching for Liam. He wasn’t in the basement or the garage. So maybe he was outside…? So I got to the stairs and slowly climbed them. When I finally got passed the back door, I saw no one. Liam wasn’t there either. God, where could he be? Was he even in the house anymore? Maybe he got tired of the party. I reentered my house and just wandered around, still searching for Liam. I got tired and slumped in a chair in the kitchen.
“Alicia! What are you doing?” Rose asked, causing me to jump out of my seat.
“Oh, god! Rose, you scared the shit outta me!” I said to her. I could easily feel my heart pound through my ribs.
“Sorry.” She said an apologetic look on her face.
“I was searching for Liam. I don’t know where he is.” I said, remembering her question. She just nod, a huge smile suddenly lit her face.
“What?” I asked.
“I know where he is. I saw him go upstairs, to Ben’s room.” She said to me. She pushed me in the direction of the stairs.
“Thanks!” I called back to her while I was going up the stairs. But I hesitated at the door, my fist ready to knock. Before I could talk myself out of it, the door opened and Liam got out, passing me.
“Liam!” I cried after him. He didn’t even turn at the sound of my voice. I ran after him but he was walking so fast! In a second, he was down the flight of stairs and opening the front door. I catch it before it slammed into place.
“Liam?” I screamed. He ignored me and walked even faster. I suddenly stopped dead in my tracks.
I give up. It was obvious that Liam wasn’t going to talk to me tonight, and besides, I would talk to him sooner or later. He couldn’t stop talking to me or my brother right? I watched as he entered his house and slammed the door without given me one look.
After that, I went straight to my room, trying to tune out the sound of the party that was taking place in my house.
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