I wake up next morning with a slight hangover and the conversation with Liam playing in my head.

Drunk me is weirdly bold.I am glad I was a little tipsy because I wouldn't have said what I said otherwise.
There is so much more left though.But this is a start.
I try to push away these bouncing thoughts as I blush and reach for the phone filled with an uncertain expectation.

No New Messages.

Suddenly, my mood drops.
He didn't have to message me.
He used to before.
Things have changed.
Why am I disappointed then? I am the one who suggested one step at a time. He is not even awake probably.
Feeling my headache getting worse as I play last night's conversation over and over again in my head, I message Sharon asking her if she is free hoping that I will be calmer after I discuss this with her. Fortunately, she had a free day, so we agree to meet at the mall because 'I needed help shopping'.

"Okay, first of all, you can't say that we are going shopping when we are clearly meeting because you had this huge bomb to drop. I need to be prepared." Sharon says after I complete narrating her events of last night as we are sitting in The Bistro.

"W-what no! I needed help for shopping. We bought so much stuff. It just happens to be the day after Liam and I had our, erm our.."

"Yes, darling, your what?" Sharon says taunting me.

"Okay, fine. I am completely freaking out. I don't know how I survived the past three years without calling you. I don't know where we go from here."

"Okay, you have got to relax. Isn't what happened last night good?"

"I don't know. It felt nice but what if we are just taking things too quickly without assessing them?"

"Oh my God! Seriously, too quickly? Yeah, you have been taking things too quickly for the past, what 12 years, now" Sharon says sarcastically.

"Hey, you don't have to mean about it."

"Okay look. You are right, not on the too quick part but on the assessing everything part. You guys have suffered so much together and you need closure before you can move on. But isn't that what yesterday was? Your heart is telling you to come back and just be and things will eventually start sorting themselves out. It will take time and after what you have told me, yesterday was the perfect start for that. SO, what's stopping you?"

"You're right. I guess I just needed to hear it for someone else."

"So, why are you still tapping you knees on the table."

"It's just, erm , you know, nothing.."

"C'mon, out with it."

"Well, I thought that we are taking a step too and it's not like he has to but, you know, he hasn't texted me since last night like at all, at all; You know how he was like before. I mean I don't know what's going in his head right now and it's not like I am expecting it to be like the old times but it's Liam and--"

Sharon continues to look at me with her sly, mildly insinuating grin as I ramble on.

"I am not over reacting, I am just," I try to justify as her expression remains unchanged. "Okay, you know what, I am not going to listen to this, erm, you smi...I am going home." I say as I pick up my shopping bags.

"I'll stop by the house after my shift at the hospital. Love ya." Sharon says still smirking and sitting, sipping her coffee.

"See ya. Bye." I sigh as I continue walking.

As I reach home, I find a big vase of my favourite hydrangeas on the doorstep with a small note.

I had to leave to London for an emergency work thing. Hopefully, I'll be back soon
PS: Good morning, love :)

I blush as I read the small note over and over again rolling my eyes at my stupid mind.

------

I hear the doorbell ring at around 6 in the evening on Tuesday as I am flipping through the channels absentmindedly, convincing myself that I am just bored and definitely not missing Liam.
I open the door and lock eyes with familiar brown orbs and suddenly my heart gives in, admitting the truth.
His eyes are smiling.
"Hey" he says very calmly, looking at me, unblinking, with a tone of excitement in his voice.
"Hi", I mutter without any wait not being able to stop smiling.
"I was, erm, in London. There was some.."
"..work, I know. I got the flowers." I complete his words as we continue looking at each other without breaking eye contact.
We continue to look at each other silently trying to find the words to say next when a cough breaks us out of our trance and before I could register anything he continues, "I have a surprise for you."
"Surprise?" I ask him with my heart racing a little now.
"It's me. It's me," comes a voice behind him and walks in the a little, adorable, green-eyed, 9 year-old boy.
"Oh, my God! Reece, what are you doing here?" I say going on my knees to hug him.
"He is not the only one here."
"I look upwards to see Luke and Jenifer standing behind Liam.
How did I not see them before?
"Oh my God! What are you guys doing here?" I say, standing up to hug them too and invite them in.
"I didn't know I needed an invitation to come back home now." Luke says taunting me and I just roll my eyes at him in answer.
"Well, there was an international meeting for a possible expansion in the Asian markets so I flew in on Monday and then Liam came up with this plan to surprise you and Mum and luckily, Jen was free, so we all came for a small vacation."
Pops and my grandpa co-founded one of the most successful hotel chains in the Europe back in the 60s. Eventually, the chain expanded to America, and since, Jen was working in San Francisco, Luke decided to shift there permanently to handle the American markets while Samantha and Liam took care of the European market. Five years ago, Luke and Jen decided to adopt and that's when they welcomed Reece into our family.
I look at Liam who has now picked up Reece in his arms as Mum is trying to contain her excitement on seeing Luke and Jenifer.
As we are all go and sit in the living room, catching up, I glance back at Liam who has Reece in his lap as they about whispering something to each other.

When did they become best friends?
"I am going to go, I need to review the proposal. I will see you later," Liam says after a while as Mum prepares the table for dinner.
"Why don't you stay for dinner?", Jenifer asks him.
"Mum's been waiting for me, some other time." he says as he gets up and glancing at me expectantly. He bids bye to everyone and walks towards to the door stopping right in front me pursuing his lips.
"Erm, Bye."
"Yeah, bye." he says frowning for a split second then walking away and I watch him slowly walk out the door.

I turn to face Luke and Jen as Liam gets out of my sight, to find them looking me with their brows raised.
"What are you? Twelve?" Luke says in an obvious tone.
"So, you think I should.."
"You think? Didn't see you the look on his face?"
"Yeah! I'll be back." I say as I sprint towards the door.

As I get out the door, I look towards his house and I almost turn around in disappointment when I don't see him anywhere, when I hear a soft Hey and turn back to find him sitting on the patio looking ahead.I try to control the smile that has crept on my face.
He knows me too well.
"So, you knew I was going to come outside."
"I was hoping." He says as I just go sit beside him.
"How long were you planning to wait?"
He turns to me, his eyes holding a sad expression and his lips pursed in a completely serious expression, "However long it takes. I'll wait. I'll always wait, Kiera."
The smile on my face drops, all thoughts suddenly vanished and I gulp looking at him. 
My heart is beating faster to match his intensity.
I avert my eyes from him, sacred with the commitment in his words and attempt to change the topic that I was dreading, "Thanks for the surprise. It was really great."
"They were supposed to come for the gala but then Jenifer had some work at the last moment so they couldn't make it," he mumbles softly taking my hint and then everything goes quiet for a while.
I need to control my breathing.
"K, we are good, right?" he breaks the silence with an worries look on his face, "I know we talked after the gala but then, I mean, I left in a hurry on Monday and then--"
"Are you kidding me? Of course, it's alright. It was work and I anyways had some study material to get through before classes start tomorrow."
"Cool" he says as I watch him sigh loudly.
"Erm, Reece was going to come over later tonight to play Fifa with me. Do you want to join us?" he asks, fidgeting with his phone, well-aware that I don't play Fifa. EVER.
"Yeah, okay" I say knowing that he is well-aware that I don't play Fifa. EVER.
"Okay, I'll see you later then. Byee" He smirks as he gets up and starts walking towards his house.
"Bye" I say getting up and turning around to go inside when he shouts my name and before I could say anything, he wraps me in a tight hug from behind, burying his face on my shoulder, murmuring a "I missed you" then running towards his house shouting that he'll wait for me later tonight.
And I am just standing there with my arms in mid-air, my breathing suddenly stopped, my cheeks blush red and my heart pounding.

**********

Author's Note:

Hey Everyone, 
So, here's the next chapter. You get to meet some new characters. 
This was most of a filler chapter and the next one is going to be a big one but I tried to make it as interesting as possible.

I hope you like it.
Do let me know what you all think and DO VOTE if you like it.

Happy Reading❤❤