Pure

Five - Hands and Kitchens

Five - Hands and Kitchens
Liam and I start making breakfast at around 11. We're going to have a late breakfast coz we slept through the morning to catch up on the sleep we missed caring for each other's emotional needs. Liam's so generous with his time. I love my Li Li. He stands at the stove flipping our bacon while I scramble the eggs and boil our beans.

We cook without many words as there is nothing really to talk about. There never really is. All we ever talk about is stupid stuff, and sometimes there is nothing stupid to say. But either way it's nice to have Liam around.

"Cher?"

"Yes baby?" I answer.

"How's your dad?"

"He's back in the hospital." I mumble out.

"Sorry," Liam says and I let the conversation end there.

It hurts to talk about my father. I just hate being reminded of what he's going through. Or reminded of the fact that he might die. Sure he'll be out of his misery but I'll be without him. I can't lose him now. It's just too soon. I feel tears forming behind my eyes. I try with all my might to stop them from coming. But it doesn't work. I see tears drop onto the sizzling skillet.

Liam comes up behind me and stands over my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Cher."

Sometimes me and Liam's best moments are when we stay with each other in silent. This was one of them. Liam tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear and presses his lips to my temple. He wraps his arms around my waist and hugs me from behind. I feel his heartbeat on my spine; and his love down my neck as he kisses it. Liam is kissing me, and his soft breaths brush on my chilled skin.

I've never felt this way around Liam before. But if this is how it feels; I might cry in front of him more often. I thought about saying something to him. But I didn't want him to stop. There's no telling what a few little words might do to a moment like this. I almost decide to return the kiss but I don't want to push it. It could scare him away. And I don't want anything to end this. He moves his hands to mine. He's holding my hand. In those final seconds he pulls his hands away and places his last kiss on my jaw.

"I'm sorry for never showing you love Cher." He starts. "But we have to pay attention right now."

I nod and he moves back to his side of the kitchen. I really hate breakfast and food now. If it wasn't for breakfast; or the fact that food needs to be watched or it'll burn I'd still have Liam against me. Damn it. Why couldn't this happen at another time when I wasn't in pyjamas with tangled bed hair and cooking. I hate my life.

I wipe the tears drying on my face and finish up our eggs. Liam does the same with our bacon. We put the food on plates and sit down together on my couch. I would trade eating breakfast/lunch for today to finish our moment properly, but by the way Liam is eating I think he feels a different way.

Realising that I pick up my plate and eat its contents. Liam finishes before me, as he started before me. He sits there and watches me finish. But knowing him he isn't waiting to snog. He is waiting for something else. I set my plate down to talk to him.

"What's going on Liam?"

"Nothing Cher," He answers.

"Why are you staring at me?"

"Because you're pretty." I hold back my blush.

"Thanks Li."

"You're welcome; but I need to go now coz I have to retake a test tomorrow. Study time."

"Okay. Promise to see me later though?"

"Of course. I'll come after it's over."

Liam gets up and briefly hugs me for a couple seconds before going out the door. He was waiting until I was done eating to leave to be polite. I am sad about the way this day has started off. But he held my hand for the first time and that couldn't make me happier.

-----

For dinner that night I want to order myself some pizza. So I go digging around the house until I find ten dollars and my phone. I dig through my contacts for the pizza place and call them.

"Hello, this is Pepperoni's Pizza how may I help you?" The operator asks.

"Uh yeah, can I have your pepperoni pizza without the pepperoni?"

"So cheese?"

"Yeah."

"Okay large, medium or regular."

I finish answering the Pizza guy's questions and go wait for my pizza to arrive at the curb of my apartment block. Zain is there. I don't know why coz he doesn't live here. He lives a couple miles away. Weirdo. Anyways though he's smoking and my addiction is bothering me. I am tempted; tempted like hell and finally give in.

"Could I have one please?"

"Mhm. Sure sweet thing." Zain handed me a cigarette and moved on to his business.

I sit there staring at the scenery in front of me. It isn't much but grass and trees; but it inspires me. If those trees caught fire they'd blacken. Just like my lungs. I drop the cigarette on the concrete and stomp its light out.

"Hey I paid money for that." Zain says bothered.

"You shouldn't have."

"Someone's tense. Does a bitch need a smoke?"

I try to ignore him like every other day but then he sticks his hand in the back of my pants.

"Hot tattoo, wish Perrie had one like that." He says slapping my back side.

"Take that dickishness somewhere else."

"Like where in you?"

"What the hell Zain?!" I say hitting his lip as hard as I can. "I am so telling on you!"

"Who cares? What is your little Li Li gonna do? Poke me to death?"

"You know what? I'm tired of hiding the truth. My Liam isn't going to talk to you ever again."

"You think I care? We all know what you want Cher; and you ain't getting it from him. I'm just being kind. If you need anything call Zain and I'd be glad to help you. That's all I'm saying." He says as he shamelessly walks away. I hate him.