A Unique Kind of Love (19 page)

An alarm siren suddenly rang in my head, panic flood all over me. 

Oh, no. 

"Tori?" I said, urgently. I tugged on the ends of my jacket nervously.  

"Yes?" 

"I think we're lost," I admitted shyly.  

"Are you serious?" she exclaimed, stopping me and holding my shoulders. Her eyes widened and her mouth was wide open, forming a perfect
O.

"Yes." 

Tori clutched her stomach and started laughing. Her giggles were very contagious, so I joined along. After about five minutes of laughing our bums off, I steadied myself. The light in her eyes returned, as I mentally cheered. 

"In what way, exactly, do you find this funny?" I demanded, smiling.

Tori grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Because I knew, I realized that a long time ago." 

Her answer took me by surprise. 

"You little peanut!" 

She smiled and childishly winked at me. My shoulders slumped as I remembered our dilemma.  

"But how are we getting back?" I whined. Tori waved her cell phone at me. 

"You know how I've been looking at my phone a lot?" 

I enthusiastically nodded, resembling a puppy. I've always taken a liking to puppies. 

"Well… Your smart, amazing sister was using a GPS this whole time," she declared, her chin up high. I jumped on her to engulf her in a huge hug. 

"Anyway, where are we supposed to go now?" I asked, staring at her. In a way, I was grateful.

That girl was like a puzzle that completes me. If it wasn't for her, I would've never enjoyed the perks of having a best friend, knowing how it feels like to have someone behind your back, always there to support you and be by your side. 

Her dark eyebrows furrowed in deep thought and then she eyed me with a confused look etched on her features. 

"Well, we're on Maple Avenue, so we should turn left and the house would be there! I guess we weren't that lost after all!" 

My heart's pace quickened, as I ran a hand through my hair, in hopes of detangling it. I took a peek at my clothing and felt a grimace form on my face. My old, gray sweatpants managed to look presentable, but my baggy, pink, t-shirt made me similar to a homeless teenager.  

Liam doesn't mind. 

I smiled a little and nodded. He would be the last person in the world to judge me. I ran a hand through my hair, hoping to tame its nest but failed miserably.  

Our footsteps softly crunched on the snow, as my heart's pace quickened. Normally, I wouldn't be in this state after not seeing a person for a week but this was Liam. He was different, so unique in every single way. His eyes sparkle mischievously whenever he's planning something, or the way his features are defined, perfectly and indescribably making me drool, interiorly of course. The most extraordinary thing about him is the pair of blue eyes he had. They read me, almost like an open book. 

After the incident a week ago, he chose to lay low at school. He never talked to me more than a few sentences, but it was enough. There was a mutual feeling of comprehension between us. He held my hand from time to time and I knew he was still suffering over having an empty house.

"Lena?" questioned Tori, waving her hand in front of my face. I realized that I spaced out, blankly staring at the snow.  

"Huh, sorry."  

"Is that Liam’s house?" 

She nudged my shoulder, pointing at a small, modest house.

Looking at the house hit me hard in the chest, because I could smell the cookies Darla used to make. There were so many memories in that house, and it was hard to imagine that one of its guardians were gone.

I gave Tori the address a long time ago, so she can know where to contact me if I'm late, which never happened. 

I noticed a blue, prestigious Jeep parked beside Liam's car.

Whose car was this? 
I thought, trying to recall any of the neighbors’ car colors. Maybe one of them had come to check up on Liam.

I nodded in confirmation, as my palms became suddenly sweaty. Tori took my hand and ran towards Liam's abode. I struggled to keep up with her; after all, I'd never exactly been the sporty one in the family. My sister, on the other hand, was a soccer freak. 

She knocked on the door three times, not even slightly, breathing out of the ordinary. 

Whilst I, was panting. I wasn't sure if it was because I was tired, or because I was about to see Liam.  

No answer. 

Tori's eyes were fiery now, underneath the slightly frozen eyelashes. She tried again, this time a bit harshly. 

Still no answer.
  

My sister was flaming with anger now. 

Her palms and fists violently pounded on the door, as her face was red.  

"LIAM, OPEN THE DOOR, OR SO HELP ME I'LL-" 

She was cut off by the door opening. I expected to meet a drowsy, sleepy Liam, but instead, I was greeted by a slightly lighter shade of Liam's eyes.  

Tori and I sucked in a breath at the same time. I gulped. 

The guy standing in front of us was a bombshell. His dark golden hair was tousled, as if perfectly messed up to look this way. A few tendrils fell into his beautiful, striking eyes.

Oh, his eyes.

They reminded me of a Caribbean ocean on a perfectly sunny day. Something about him was familiar. Full, beautiful lips, just yearning to be kissed playfully smirked at Tori and me. 

He had a mischievous look that often was present within bad boys. He was quite well built, his white plain shirt showed his toned abs. Baggy sweat pants showed that he was comfortable and I felt like an intruder.

What if this was the wrong house? 

"Liam
, Lena, 
Liam,"
 I desperately reminded myself. 

I opened my mouth to say something, but my throat was completely dry. 

"Ey, Liam, you never told me you had such beautiful lady friends," his defined jaw line moved and I realized he was shouting. Captivating voice too. A dazzling smile never left his lips. A strong accent dripped in his words. 

"Australian,"
I thought.  

Wait, what?
Did he just say Liam?
 

Liam
 himself effectively appeared at the doorway, scratching the back of his neck nervously and tiredly. He looked handsome and somewhat a younger version of the magnificent stranger.  

"These are Lena and Tori, my friends," said Liam, his lips barely moving. Tori's expression was still agape and I nudged her. She recovered and blinked several times. 

The stranger chuckled and then offered us his hand.  

I shook his hand, as electricity buzzed.  "Oh, so this is the famous Lena?" I felt weak at the knees. I stayed silent, as if any word would even come out of my mouth.

He did the same to Tori, who appeared dumbfounded, star struck. Her eyes twinkled in a way I'd never seen before. 

"Hello, I'm Adam Damien Black, Liam's cousin." 

I think that's when he winked at me.

20

Estranged Blood

"I'm not the comeback girl, the awkward girl, the hipster girl, or the popular girl. I don’t want a label unless it's 
your
 girl."

Liam Christopher Black

It took me a few seconds to process what exactly was happening. My messy state didn't deprive me from seeing Lena literally devouring him with her eyes. I felt my blood boil. That idiot even had the nerve to wink at her!

Liam, man the fuck up, she told you she loved you. Have some confidence in yourself for her sake, you egghead.

I mentally agreed with my mind, if that made any sense. It suddenly clicked in my mind, how Tori was acting so normal about me talking?

Lena told her, duh. 

Ah, sometimes I hated my sassy side. 

Trust me, the feeling's mutual.

"Hey, Lena?" 

My voice seemed to snap her back to reality and I saw that sparkle in her eyes. I felt my heart beat a little faster.

"Yeah?" 

I shot her a small, sheepish smile. Her eyes met mine and all confidence lost was found. Those chestnut orbs shared my secrets, they were like a beautiful garden full of roses.

"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-"