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I was determined not to be a problem for Liam. Friday night Aunt Karen had forced him to take me to that party, and I used it as an opportunity to show him I wouldn't be a bother. Mostly, I sat in the dark by myself, away from everyone. Every thirty minutes or so I'd check if Liam was still there or looking for me, and then I'd go back to my hiding spot.
I really hoped this wasn't an every weekend event. I didn't want to have to go through that every time Liam went to the field party. I preferred to stay in my room and read. Hanging out alone in a dark field wasn't exactly my favorite way to pass the time. Although, something happened that had certainly made it less... boring.
Thinking of the place I'd claimed beside that tree made my cheeks flush. I'd gotten my first real kiss, and from a guy, I didn't even know. He'd been so tall and his hair was dark and curled at the ends. His face... It was like God had taken all the perfect features for man and put them together just for him.
It hadn't been those things that made me stand there, though, after he warned me to go. It had been his eyes. Even in the darkness, I'd seen a heaviness there. A heaviness I'd never seen in anyone but myself.
He'd told his mother he loved her on the phone. Then he'd hung up and cursed while hitting his truck. Anyone who talked to his mother that way couldn't be bad. He didn't scare me.
But I was worried about him, so I stayed even when he told me to go. And then he kissed me. It had been rough at first, almost like he was trying to hurt me, but then he softened, and before I knew it, I was grabbing onto fistfuls of his T-shirt. My knees went weak, and I wasn't sure if I actually made a whimper or if it had just been in my head.
I hoped it was in my head. Considering how abruptly he left me, I didn't want to have made a sound. And I wished I hadn't grabbed onto him.
It ended as suddenly as it had begun. He didn't say a word when he backed away from me. He didn't look at me. Instead, he turned and stalked over to his truck and left. I had no idea who he was. All I knew was that he was beautiful and haunted and he'd given me a first kiss to remember.
Two hours later, when Liam had finally decided to leave, he found me dozing on the ground under my tree. He'd been annoyed and hadn't said anything to me on the drive home. The kiss faded into the background as I focused on how to make my cousin not hate me.
Sunday, when Liam had plans to go to a friend's house to swim, Aunt Karen had tried to ship me off with him. But I'd written her a note telling her my period had started and I didn't feel like it, and she let me stay home.
Liam ended up being gone all day. I was sure he was worried that if he came home, she would try to foist me on him all over again.
Today I started school, and she gave Liam a to-do list all about me. I felt bad for him. You could see the frustration on his face. So I handed him a note as soon as we got there.
