𝙱𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝙸 𝙴𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚎 || ✔

18 (S)

__________

Is it cool that I said all that?

Is it chill that you're in my head?

'Cause I know that it's delicate.

Is it cool that I said all that?

Is it too soon to do this yet?

'Cause I know that it's delicate.

__________

"I can drop you at your home, Si," he offers again, his hands reaching out and stopping me by my arm. I look down at his grip and he releases me, blushing.

Cute.

"It's fine, Liam. I've already called an Uber," I say. He nods reluctantly, stepping away. "Um-" I say, and rush to hug him awkwardly. "I had a great time, thank you," I say. Liam chuckles in my ear, wrapping his arms around my waist, making me relax.

"I never thought an interview with Harper could be good. I was proved wrong, Si. I hope we stay in touch, hmm?" he says, making me nod in his embrace, "Yeah."

I've been hugging him for far too long.

I detach myself from his arms and he steps away and clears his throat.

"So, see you later, I guess?" he says.

"Um-yeah. See you later, Liam. My Uber's here, anyway," I say, pointing to my Uber.

"Cool. Bye, Si," he says, standing there with his hands in his pockets. I raise my eyebrows. "Go on, sit in the cab," he orders, making me chuckle.

"Okay," I say and walk to the cab, asking the driver and sitting. I wave my hand through the window, and he waves back, his lips pursed. Soon, the car is driven away, leaving Liam behind. An unfamiliar sadness invades me, and I lower my head.

*****

"Are you fucking serious, Sia? The CEO guy went on dinner with you?" Caroline yells and Mira finally picks up my call.

"Is your sister fucking serious?" Mira shouts through the phone resting by my ear, making me put it on speaker and setting it on the table. 

I sigh.

"Yes, Liam did go to Masa with me, but it was because his sister reserved a table for two people!" I say.

"Liam?! What happened to 'Mr. Merrell'?" Caroline asks me, exasperated

"Yeah, there's that, too, but, Sierra, I remember when Danielle came to you. 'Optional' plus one. It was an optional plus one, that's why I didn't press when you told me that you were going solo!" Mira reminds me.

If it was not me, the dumbest person on the planet.

I stagger back, flopping onto the bed. "He tricked me, didn't he?" I say lowly, making my friend and my sister laugh.

"Oh no, he didn't trick you, Sia, he took you out," Caroline replies, copying my motion and sitting down beside me.

"I feel so excluded right now. We need to talk when you get to work tomorrow," Mira says, hanging up.

"Do you like him?" my sister asks kindly but seriously, holding my hand in her lap. 

"I-uh," I pause, not sure what to say.

"You know it, Sia. You haven't even had sex since K-uh-that day. For three years, hon. You have been too hesitant to put yourself out ther-"

"'Cause the last time I put myself out there, Caroline, I got myself kidnapped and raped by a psychopath!" I yell, shooting up. "And the worst part is -- you remember it, don't you? Do you remember the worst part?! I liked it, I missed him, Care, don't you recall that?!" I continue, jabbing my finger into my temple. "He seemed good at first sight, too. He seemed to care for me, too. He seemed to have the interest to love me, not enslave me! I don't even know if I can trust Liam," I conclude, my voice going quiet. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled," I apologize, after a few moments of silence.

"It's fine. I didn't expect for you to take this quietly anyway," she says, chuckling, "...but you are a gorgeous woman in her 20s! Someone like you does not not have sex for three years," she emphasizes.

"I will take that into consideration, Care," I acquiesce, a smile plastered on my face, "As to your question: yes, I think I do rather like him."

*****

"He's so drool-worthy," Mira remarks as she scrolls through Liam's Instagram. I scoff, "Mi, you need to tone down your stalker tendencies," I say, stuffing my face with the Chinese takeout dinner I ordered. 

"You are at my home, Sierra. My rules. I shall not tone down my stalker tendencies," she says, continuing to scroll.

I laugh, pausing the chick-flick playing on her laptop. "I think I might call him," I announce, making my friend drop her phone on the couch.

 "Call him, babe. He will be so lucky to have you. Plus, he's sexy. Double plus, he's a millionaire. Triple plus, I think he has the hots for you," she says, flashing her eyebrows.

"Oh, please. As you said, he's got all the goods. He probably has models dying over him," I say, my lips twitching in a smile.

"I see your smile, babe. You know that is not true. You know he likes you, don't you?"

"I think he did play me with a sexual innuendo once," I reply, so conspicuously.

"Call him!" she commands, emphasizing her point.

"Okay, okay!" I say, clicking on his contact.

Oh, shit.

I go to click the end call button, but;

"Hey, Si," a sultry voice replies from the other end, and blood rushes to my cheeks.

"Um-he-hi, Liam," I stutter, and Mira facepalms.

'Confidence,' she mouths. I nod.

"I was beginning to think that you were not going to call me ever," he says making me smile.

"Well, you could have called me instead, Mr. Merrell," I say, and he chuckles deeply.

"True. In the bare, bitter truth though, Ms. Havens, I like you," he says, pausing. My heart jumps into my throat.

"R-Romantically...?" I ask, dragging the last syllable.

"Yes, Sierra, romantically," he replies, mocking me. "And, I didn't want to put you in a fix. If I had called you first, I would have confessed in the first second, honestly," he adds, laughing.

"I like you, too, Liam," I blurt out. 

"R-Romantically?" he asks, after a moment of silence.

"Yes, Mr. Merrell, romantically."

Author's Note:

Guys, the song matches so well with the chapter, you can actually listen to it while reading the story at a medium pace. It's awesome. 

I like the story that's going right now. It's chill, it's simple.

But you guys don't like chill and simple, do you?

*muahahahahaha*

Okay, but. The drama will be up soon, give your girl a break.

And a vote, s'il vous plaît.

Comments ,if you feel like it.