Magic

I woke up around 1 in the afternoon the next day. Again, still getting use to this time change. I got out of bed and walked out of the maze of boxes I called my new room.Tripping on the last one as I reached my bathroom door, typical. I took a shower and changed into my clothes for the day, it was August 1st. School starts this month, I think my mother said the 25th. I threw on some jeans and nice lace shirt before venturing downstairs for breakfast, even though it was lunch time. I saw Cristi already at the table my mother had set up the night before eating some cereal. I got the same and sat down next to her. "Did you sleep alright?" I asked her. "Yeah, I've just been thinking about starting a new school. I'm really nervous." she admitted. My mother had enrolled us in Concord High School. We have always gone to school with the same people up until this, our junior, year. We didn't know any one in Concord. "At least we have each other," I smiled. I couldn't imagine going through something like this without my sister. She smiled into her cereal and we continued eating. My mother came down from her room upstairs and smiled at us as she started some coffee. She never goes a day without drinking coffee. I never really liked it, but my mother, and Cristi even, seems to love it. In mid-thought I heard a knock at the door. I shot a confused look at Cristi and put my bowl into the sink. I walked towards our front door and opened it to see a boy. He had a shaved head of brown hair and brown eyes that looked deep into me. He was tall, taller than me. I only stand 5 feet 4 inches tall. He looked down on me with caring eyes as he spoke, "Hello," he smiled warmly. "I saw you guys moving in last night and my mom wanted me to welcome you guys to the neighborhood! My name is Liam," I smile nervously as I could feel my face tuning redder and redder by the second. Luckily, my mother came up behind me asking "Well, who is this?" "Hello ma'am, my name is Liam. I live 3 houses down. We saw you moving in last night, and wanted to welcome you." he repeated. "Oh, well how nice! My name is Patty... Patty Williams," my mother said enthusiastically. By this time Cristi had already walked over behind us. "These are my daughters, Ashley and Cristi." my mother said introducing us. I smile nervously as Cristi moved towards Liam putting her hand out to shake. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name," she told him. "Liam Payne," he smiled warmly at her, then his eyes wandered over to me. I just looked at the ground with a slight smile as I could feel my face turning red again and my heart pounding with nerves. "Well," he turned back to my mother. "If you ever need anything we're just right over there! Oh and here's my mums cellphone number also" he informed us pointing in the direction of his home and handing my mother a piece of paper. "Goodbye! Thank you!" my mother called as he turned and walked away. I went over to the door and closed it as I put my back up against the back of the door biting my lip and smiling like a maniac. "DID YOU SEE HIS EYES?!" I yelled, quickly shutting up being paranoid he could hear me on his journey home. Cristi and my mother just laughed as they walked back to what we were doing prior to his visit. I thought about Liam all day, he was gorgeous. I wonder how old he is, maybe he goes to my school...

******* 

It was the 5th of August. I haven't seen or heard from Liam since. But my mother called his the day after his visit, informing her that Liam goes to the school we will be attending at that he will also be a junior. Once I heard that news I secretly screamed inside myself. I was walking downstairs, it was around 12ish. I decided to go on a walk by myself to get to know the neighborhood and walk around town. I walked by Liam's house and someone was coming out of his front door. I quickly turned my head trying to hide my face. Then I heard "Hey, Ashley! Wait up!" I picked my head up slowly and looked to find Liam walking up to me. I smiled really big, he remembered my name! "Hey," I said to him breaking the silence as we walked down the road. It was a foggy day, perfect for walking.. we I seemed to think so. "Where are you from? Like, where'd you move from?" He asked me. "Oh, um.. Texas." I said nervously. I really had to stop being so nervous around him, he'll think I'm a freak. Okay, calm. "Oh, Texas! What part?" "Houston, what about you? Have you been here your whole life?" I asked interested, and with a little less nerves in my voice. "Yeah, I've lived in Concord since I was born, so where was your dad a few days ago?" I could tell he immediately regretted his question right after he asked it when he saw me stop and bury my face in my hands. I didn't want to look so vulnerable, but I really couldn't help it when it came to my father. I miss him so much. "Oh, I-I'm sorry. Are you okay? I better just leave.." He told me but I stopped him from going any further by pulling him close and hugging me. I could tell he was taken by surprise by my actions, but I didn't care, nor did I regret it. He soon got over his shock and pulled me closer into him and held my head as I buried it into his neck shedding a few more tears. He kissed the top of my head and I pulled away and smiled at him. "How come you're being so nice to me? I'm a perfect stranger to you." I said. "I want to get to know you," he told me. "Can we go back to my house?" I asked him hopefully. He smiled and nodded. We started walking and he took my hand, I could feel my face turning red and just kept walking like nothing had happened as we walk hand-in-hand. We got to my front door and I opened it yelling, "I'm home!" My mother was in the kitchen and without look up said "Well that was quick," she said smiling as she looked up and saw Liam close behind me. "Hello Mrs. Williams!" he greeted my mother. "Well HELLO Liam, nice to see you again," she said putting stress on 'hello'. "Why don't we just go up to my room?" I told him questioningly. "Sure," he replied. I walked upstairs and led him to my room. Cristi was sleeping, typical. "So this is my room, kind of a mess with the boxes and getting unpacked and what not.." I said. But he just walked straight towards one of my paintings I had hung up on my wall beside my bed. It's a painting of a bridge I took a picture of in Texas about a year ago. "This... this is magnificent." He said almost stunned by the beauty of the painting. "Who painted this?" he asked me not taking his eyes off it. "I did, a few months ago," I told him humbly. "You painted this? .. You painted all of these?" he asked pointing to all the painting hung around my room. "Yeah, I really like art, I have a few sketchbook I doodle in sometimes when I get bored, or when I find inspiration."  I said smiling. He walked over and opened one of my book and a few pages back he saw something that looked familiar. It was the hill with the sunset I saw when I first got here. My room was at the back of the house and a day or two ago I just looked out my window and drew. He looked at the drawing of the hill, then out of my window in my room, then back at the drawing. "This is amazing, Ashley. You're really talented." He told me smiling at me then his eyes met my sketchbooks again flipping through the pages in awe. I smiled. He set my sketchbook down. He looked at me with a what-now look. He just sat on my bed and noticed an unopened box. "What's in that box?" he asked me interested. "I'm not really sure.." I told him walking over to the box and opening it. Once I got the tape off I found my old softball stuff. My glove, my ball my team won at the championship game when I was 13, my jersey, a trophy, etc. I smiled at set the box of stuff on my bed. "You play softball?" he asked me. "I did.." "Why don't you play anymore? You must've been a pretty good player. What position did you play?" he asked me. "I played shortstop and 3rd base." I said answering his question. "I haven't played in years.. ever since my father had his first heart attack when I was 14. He's the one who taught me how to play and got me into it. I can't play without thinking of him.. it's hard." I continued. "Oh, I'm so sorry about your dad. But that shouldn't stop you from doing something you're good at." he told me reassuringly. I smiled and nodded. Putting my softball stuff back in the box and setting it on the floor. As I stood up Liam was right infront of me and planted a kiss on my lips. He quicky pulled away "I-I'm sorry. I-I have to go. _ can't.. I just.. I have to go," he said walking out of my room leaving me there confused. What just happened?