"Your family?" I ask stepping back. His family, he wants me to meet his family, his people. This is what I wanted, right? Yes.
"Yes, my family. It's what you wanted right?" he asks and I nod. It is, It is.
"It is"
"Good 'cause you get to meet them on Saturday" he says holding me.
"Great" I say smiling and he hugs me. This is great, I get to know him more, what I wanted. I know you all are wondering why I am feeling this way? It's because I don't know what I would learn. I don't know anything about them at all.
"Tell me about your family, your mum, dad and friends. What do I need to know?" I ask him.
"Saturday" he simply says.
"What?"
"You'd know on Saturday" he answers.
"Why then , just tell me something, their names" I ask.
"I'd tell you Saturday, bunny" he says and goes out the balcony. That is not ominous at all.
I am worried that Ian's family wouldn't like me. I am a bit weird in my way and my only friends are family. I lay in bed and drift off to sleep.
***
Good morning guys.
I slept so well, it's weird. Today is going to be good, great even. I have a boyfriend... Do I though? I don't know for sure if Ian is my boyfriend, I don't know what we are. Anyhow, I have a maybe boyfriend that I like and like me back, a family I love, wonderful friends and the right amount of enemies, what more could a girl ask for? I get off my bed and play music on my Bluetooth and start dancing. I am happy. I dance to my balcony and look over at Ian's house with my binoculars, his blinds are down, maybe he is getting ready. I look over at the warehouse building at the back, curiosity is still killing me. I have to fine out what is in there.
"Liliana Nora Grant" Ash walks into my room.
"Hey Ash" I greet still dancing and laying my bed.
"What is happening right now?" Ash asks.
"I am happy" I tell him with a smile. "It's been so long but right now, I am happy" I add and Ash face brightens into a smile. He comes up to me and hugs me spinning then starts dancing with me.
"I am happy you are happy" he says and I laugh. "So you and Ian, huh?" he asks putting me down.
"I don't know but I like him" I answer with a shrug.
"I like him for you" Ash says.
"Thank you" I say smiling. Ash hugs me and leaves the room.
"Hey Ash" I call and he pops his head in my room, "We going for the carnival?" I ask and he nods.
"We never miss the carnival" he says and I smile. "The cousins are coming too" Ashe adds and his head disappears.
I dance my way to the bathroom and have my bathe. What to wear...what to wear? I proceed to the closet and pick my outfit for the day, I put on a black, white and green stripe shorts with a white loose button up shirt. I pair it with my black boots and black backpack. Makeup, done and hair packed in a bun, I switch off my blue tooth and leave the room.
"Hi love" Mum greets when I get down.
"Morning bud" Dad greets kissing my forehead.
"Morning, how was your night?" I ask them.
"Great" they answer at the same time, look at each other and laugh. Okay... Moving on.
"Sweetie, you and Ash are coming over for a meeting at the company tomorrow" Mum says hanging me my breakfast with a peck on the cheek.
"What meeting?" I ask
"Just company things, Bud" Dad says.
"What things?" Ash asks walking into the room.
"We have a meeting tomorrow" I tell him.
"Oh" Ash says taking my bacon, I swat his hand away.
We all sit and enjoy our breakfast, it's been a while since we've all sat down and eaten like this alone in a while. Eli or Ian are either always around or our parents are not around. It's wonderful to have this time with them. After breakfast, I drive Asher and myself to school.
I am currently at the school library, I have work to catch up on and you all know I am not going t get any work done with Ian next door. I find a place to seat at the back of the library, privacy is better for me to concentrate. I drop my bag on the seat beside mine and walk into the book isles searching for a book on software programming. I find the book up on the shelf. Yes. I stretch my hands to get it and it is just put of my reach. I stand on my toes and stretch, my hands touch the book but I just can't seem to reach.
"Let me" I hear someone say and I smile because I know who it is.
"My giant hero" i say and collect the book.
"Anytime for my small princess" he says and I laugh..
"First of all, cheesy much?" I say and he shrugs, "Second, I am not small, 5"8 is not small".
"You are smaller than me, aren't you" he says. He's got a point.
"What are you doing here?" I ask.
"I saw my girl walk in and I followed" he explains and follows me to my seat.
"Ian, be truthful" I stop walking and turn to him, "Were you stalking me?" I ask with a smile.
"My secret as been blown, I am" he says and sighs causing me to laugh.
"Shh" a girl says, her hand on her lips.
"Oh would you shush it, Miss. I hate laughter" I face her and roll my eyes. She pouts and faces her book.
"Miss. I hate laughter?" Ian asks smirking.
"I don't know what that was" I say truthfully. We arrive in my seat and Ian sits in front of me. We get our books and start studying. I look up to face Ian, he is busy with his work, concentrating and all. I find myself smiling at him, I shake my head and face my note. I don't know when I look at him again but here I am staring at Ian like a creep. I take my pen and draw a heart on his note book, he looks at me and I quickly face my book writing nonsense. I can feel him smiling and then he draws a heart on my book and now I am smiling like a elementary school girl that just found out a boy likes her. Yay.
We both concentrate on our work again for a while and then I do something; I take my leg and brush them slightly against Ian's. He looks up at me but I do not react, I pretend nothing happened. I get off the chair and walk into the isles, I need another book, I am walking through, my hands on the books as I search for what I want, I know I can search for the book on the computer given, I just have to type the title or just a general idea of the title and the computer would tell me where it is but, there is something about going from isles to isles searching for a book. I love it.
Back to it, I am searching for a book when someone turns me around, my back to the shelf. My eyes meet Ian's, he doesn't say anything just say just looks at me.
"What's wrong?" I ask but he doesn't say anything, "You are staring at me like you want to kiss me" I add, "Do you want to kiss me, Ian" I tease, closing my eyes and pouting my lips. I feel his lips on mine and I open my eyes. I wasn't expecting that, did not hate it but wasn't expecting it.
"What was that about?" I ask.
"What, I felt like kissing my girl and I did" he says shrugging, he smirks and leaves me there. I find myself touching my lips, I have kissed Ian before but it feels different every time. The butterflies in me seem to be increasing every time.
"I love libraries" I tell Ian as we walk into the elevator to take us downstairs.
"I am thinking of putting a library in my house" Ian says.
"That would be awesome". The elevator door opens and people enter pushing Ian and I against the end. I hold Ian's hand, he looks down at our hands and a smile breaks out on his face. He clasps our hands tighter. I smile and we ride the elevator in peace.
"Come over to my place tomorrow" Ian tells me when the elevator is empty.
"Company meeting tomorrow" I inform him.
"The day after?" he asks.
"I'm there, what is happening?" I ask.
"Just be there, the door would be open" he says and I sad pout. I was looking forward to breaking in. "Don't pick my lock, bunny" he says and I sigh.
"Fine" I say in resignation. He put his arm on my shoulder and we walk to class.
"Ian!" Heather calls when we walk into class, "Come sit with me" she says waving. She is with Hailey, Brad and company, I can't for my life remember their names.
"Hi Hailey, Brad..." I stare at the third H girl, "I want to say Helena but.." I say walking to them, Ian's arm still on my shoulder.
"It's H-" the other girl says.
"I am going to stop you right there, I will not remember so don't bother. Just the fact that you walk with and are friends with Heather and Hailey makes me not like you just like you don't like me" I tell her.
"Heather, darling I have two things to say" I face her.
"Number one, this class is too small to be waving, where do you think we are a concert? Drop your hands" I tell her and she looks angry, "Number two, Ian is with me. You have to accept that and move on. You had your chance and you blew it" I add and everyone in class snickers. "Ian likes me now, can't you just be happy for us" I look at Ian, my hand on his jaw, he looks at me and I stand on tiptoe and kiss him.
"Do not kid yourself Lily, you don't know Ian like I do. All this, whatever it is" she says gesturing to the two of us, "It would soon end and Ian would be mine again" she concludes. Ian and I walk closer to her bending so we are face to face with her,
"Oh sweetie" Ian starts putting his hand on her shoulder, "I like Lily way more than I ever liked you and ever will" he concludes.
"Be happy for me. My happiness should bring you happiness, isn't that how enemies work? " I ask her.
"I think that's how enemies work" Ian says nodding his head.
"I hate you so much, Lily" Heather screams into our faces.
"Where did that come from Heather? I was just handing an olive branch wanting us to be friends" I tell her.
"Miss Heather, see me after class" Mr Fletcher, our Business Writing lecturer calls from the front of the class. I look at Heather's shocked face and smile.
"You heard him come in, didn't you" she says and I nod. Ian holds my hand and we walk to our seats.
I really like messing with Heather, it's fun to do. I do not like her at all, at all. After class, I walk to my car with Asher, Eli and Ian and see my car's been spray painted, black, yellow, purple. I guess this is supposed to be payback for Hailey's uniform. I look around and see Hailey and Heather laughing and waving the spray cans at me. I lunge at them but Asher and Eli hold me back. I am calm, this is nothing.
"Lily" Asher says gently.
"I am fine, for reals" I answer him.
"Are you sure?" Eli asks and I nod, my fist balled.
"I don't think she's fine" Ian says.
"I'd be back" I tell them and walk towards the Hs.
"Lily, don't" Asher says.
"It. Is. Fine" I say with my jaw tightened, "See I am smiling" I tilt my head and give them a big smile.
"That was scary" I hear Eli say as I walk away and look back at him glaring. He whistles and looks away.
"Hi, friends" I say still smiling when I reach Hailey and Heather.
"How did you like our present?" Hailey asks her hands on her hips.
"I loved it"
"I wrote my name so big on it, I am sure you'd remember now" the third H says, she seems proud of herself.
"I didn't read it and I still don't care for your name" I tell her with a shrug. I smile has her shoulder deflates. Mission accomplished.
"I am happy you like our gift, it's just the beginning" Heather says.
"I love it so much, I want to repay it back" I tell them.
"How?" Third H says.
"Wait and see" I say and walk to my painted car, I pop the boot open and bring out my gloves and a baseball bat. I drag it on the floor as I walk back to Heather and Hailey, both of whom look sacred and are walking backwards.
"Happy friendiversary!" I shout and hit Hailey's car window with the bat.
"Are you crazy" Heather shouts and I hit her own car. The sound of shattered glass fill our ears. I hit their windscreens too, not breaking it but I shattered it. The third H comes back with the Dean of my department and security. Asher, Eli and Ian are standing beside me now. I put my hand behind my back, remove my gloves and hand it over to Asher who pockets it.
"What happened here?" Mr. Duncan, the chief of security asks.
"We came out of class and see our cars had been vandalized" I explain.
"No, she did this" Heather shouts.
"What are you talking about?" Ian says. "We all came out and met the cars like this" he adds.
"Yeah, the bat used was even left behind" I say pointing at the bat on the floor.
"She destroyed our cars" Hailey says pointing at me.
"Now I know you are lying, how can sweet, gentle Lily do this?" Mrs, Esther, the dean says.
"You don't know her, she is crazy" third H says and I glare at her.
"A-re you say-ing I van-dal-ized your c-ar?" I stutter and start crying. Ian puts his arm around me.
"She's not saying that, Lily" Eli say spatting my back.
"She is such a phony" Heather says.
"Did I vandalize my own car too?" I ask pointing to my spray painted car.
"What?" the dean and security say at the same time looking at my car.
"There is a vandal in our school" Mrs. Esther tell Mr Fletcher.
"I would tighten security" Mr. Fletcher says.
"Lily is the vandal" Hailey shouts and everyone glares at her.
"You can check the security footage" I offer pointing at the camera. Ian, Asher and Eli look at me.
"That is a good idea, go get the footage" Mrs. Esther says, "And meet us in my office" she adds.
"I would get on that right away" Mr fletcher says and walks away.
"Let's go" Mrs. Esther says to us and we follow her into the school. I am happy not many people where outside when the whole thing happened, in fact it was only the guys and my enemies, everyone one else is in school, Eli left class early to join us, he is still supposed to be in class. We follow the dean to the Serf building and wait outside her office. Mr fletcher comes with a laptop and goes into her office.
"Lily, what were you thinking?" Asher asks.
"The footage would show you breaking the glass" Eli says. Ian looks worried too. I just smile.
"Asher, your sister has lost it" Eli says and Asher nods.
"Ian, you are dating a crazy lady" Asher tells Ian who smiles. I look over at Heather and Hailey and they are looking confident, happy even. I cannot wait to break that bubble.
"Come in" Mr. Fletcher says opening the door. Hailey, Heather, third H and I pile in and stand in front of Mrs. Esther who has the laptop in front of her. We have the footage.
"And you see Lily do everything" Heather says her arms folded looking at me.
"No" Mrs. Esther says and they all look at her surprised.
"What we saw is you, Hailey and Helen vandalize Lily's car" Mrs. Esther says. I don't think she called the third H, Helen, I zoned off. I just refuse to learn that girl's name. "You can clearly be seen painting her car" she added turning the laptop screen to us.
"What about our car?" Hailey asks.
"It's in a blind spot" Mr Fletcher says.
"What do you mean in a blind spot, why are there no cameras there?" Heather asks stomping her feet.
"You requested it when you transferred her, you said you didn't want to be watched all the time and request the camera's be deactivated, you even brought lawyers and all" Mrs. Esther says.
"Lily, you can go" she tell me and I leave the room meeting the guys outside.
"What happened?" Ian asks.
"Do we have to look for a new school like in high school?" Asher asks.
"I don't want to transfer schools again" Eli says pouting.
"Chill guys, we are not going anywhere" I tell them and they all sigh relieved.
"So what's your punishment?" Ian asks.
"Suspension?" Asher asks.
"Clean the whole school?" Eli asks.
"Nothing" I answer smiling victorious.
"What do you mean 'nothing'" Ash asks.
"Nothing, I wasn't seen on the camera footage" I explain.
"What was on it?" Eli asks.
As I am about to enter, Heather and Hailey walk out the office and glare at me. I just shrug at them and wave as they walk away.
"Let me guess, Hailey and Heather vandalizing your car was on the footage" Ian says and I nod.
"That is why you asked for it" Asher says and I nod.
"I knew the camera by their cars were not working but the one by mine is" I tell them as we walk out the building.
"I could kiss you right now" Ian says pulling me to him.
"What's stopping you?" I ask and he smiles.
"We are" Asher and Eli say pulling us apart. We walk back to the parking lot and see Heather and Hailey by Ian's car waiting.
"What do you want?" Ian asks.
"A ride" Hailey says like it's her right.
"I am not a Uber" Ian tells her. He opens the door for me and guides me in before getting in himself. Inside the car, Ian puts on my seatbelt for me
"Thank you" I tell him and he kisses me before driving me home. Asher went with Eli.
He drops me off at home and I wash myself up, eat dinner and lay in bed. I am watching the second season of Gilmore Girls and my mind wanders to to Ian. I get off bed and wander to the balcony with my binoculars, Ian isn't outside so I just seat out there and stare of into space. My phone pings and I open the message.
Hey- Unknown
Who is this? - L
Look ahead - Unknown
I look towards Ian house through the binoculars and see him sitting and waving at me. I miss him, I know.. I know.. I just saw him but still. I save his contact.
I miss you - L
I know :) - I
You finally text - L
Sorry it took me a while - I
It's fine - L
I look at him again through the binoculars and I want to hold him. I walk inside, change my clothes, tell Mum and Dad I am going to Ian's and walk over to his house. When I get to the front door, he opens the door before I knock and hugs me.
"How did you know I was coming?" I ask.
"Saw you" he says.
"Creep" I say and laugh.
"I missed you" he says and I kiss him.
"I know" I smile.
He carries me inside and his alarm by his gate rings announcing a visitor, he checks who it is through the monitor and allows the person in. We walk outside in time to see the smaller gate open revealing Heather. I didn't know she knew where Ian lives. I wonder if she knows I leave in the next house.
"Lily" Heather greets with a forced smile, "I didn't know you were here" she adds.
"That shouldn't disrupt what you want to say to Ian" I say and shrug.
"Ian, I am sure you know now that you are dating a crazy girl and you are going to leave her" Heather says confidently looking at me. Ian takes a step towards her.
"Why would I leave her?" Ian asks.
"Because you deserve better, me" she says.
"What you did to me, Heather is something I will never forget. I don't care how crazy or eccentric Lily is, she is way better than you will ever be" Ian tells her. Woah. I am flattered. He did say I am crazy and eccentric but everyone thinks so too, so, not new.
"I said I am sorry! What more do you want from me?" Heather shouts.
"You are sorry?" Ian asks and she nods. "For what exactly?!" Ian shouts. "For cheating on me?" he shouts and Heather looks away. "Or.." The next thing he says has me staring at him.
"Or for breaking up with me during my parents funeral?".