After Dark

Two

They reached their destination finally. Ember pointed to her house and told him to pull into the dribeway. Liam did what he was instructed to and parked behind a silver car.

Ember's house was much smaller than Liam's. That wasn't a bad thing to him though. In fact, he considered it a good thing.

Ember lived with her mom who was her full time parent. Her dad had never been fully present in her life but he called or visited on occasion and was there as a financial aid. Well, after middle school he promised to pay for whatever school she wanted to go to. She chose Lavex Academy because her childhood friend, Paige, got a scholarship there but was scared to attend because she wouldn't know anyone. Liam met them both freshman year and they've been friends ever since.

"C'mon." She smiles at him while climbing out of the passenger seat of the car. He shut it off and followed after her.

His friend led the way up the pathway and to her front door. She stepped in and slipped off her shoes so Liam copied her actions. She waited for him to get his shoes off before continuing through the house.

Her living room and kitchen were connected and the table was set in the kitchen. There was two other doors, one open to show it lead to the bathroom, and then a staircase upwards. Ember started climbing up the stairs so Liam fell into step behind her.

Upstairs there was a hall with four doors. Three were shut and one was open. As they passed it, Liam saw it also lead to a bathroom.

They got to the two door opposite of each other at the end of the hall and Ember opened up the one to the left. It was her bedroom. Liam walked in after her and went over to sit in a circular chair she had in the middle of the room.

She walked over to the closet. "I can not wait to change out of this uniform. Are you good here while I step into the bathroom to change?"

She looks over at him while picking up a shirt. Liam nods once and that's all the reassurance she needs. She grabs a pair of shorts and leaves the room. In her absence Liam takes the time to look around her room.

There's fairy lights cascading down the back wall, the same wall her bed is pushed up against in the far corner. There's a TV in the corner parallel to that, setting up on the wall. Under the TV is a dresser and near that is a closet with two rails of clothing. The other side of her room is kind of bare. She's got a fluffy, purple carpet in the middle near Liam's chair and another chair that looks just like it. There's a window behind him that's covered by closed blinds. Posters hang around the walls everywhere. Two for boybands and three for different shows she likes. There's a painting up as well that looks professional.

"My brother and some of his friends are downstairs." Ember says as she returns. Her uniform is nearly folded over one arm as she walks. "Just so you know for when we go down there later. I think there's only two over so we'll have three other guys here."

"Oh, okay." Liam nods. "How old is your brother?"

"Seventeen." Ember says. "He's only five months older than me."

"Wait- what?" Liam furrows his eyebrows at her. That was impossible. Ember looks up as well and it takes her a moment before she realizes what he's confused about and starts laughing.

"Sorry. I forgot you don't know. We're step siblings. Our parents have been married since we were three though so that little fact is kinda easy to forget."

"Oh." Liam nods awkwardly.

"Wanna go down there and meet them?" She offers. "We don't don't to if you're uncomfortable but I've met them all and they're not bad kids. I'm actually kinda friends with most of his friends so I can say that. But again, I understand if you wanna stay up here too."