Forbidden

Wake Up

After staring at the phone screen for what seemed to be ten minutes, but really only a few extended seconds, I pressed the button on my phone.

"What do you want?" I asked in an exhausted voice.

Liam sighed. "Your dad is at my house."

"What?" I asked into the phone.

"Yeah, I got a ride home instead of walking and I open the door to find your dad and my mom talking in the living room."

My eyes were probably red with uncontrollable fury.

"Whatever," I said simply, hanging up the phone.

Speed-walking to Liam's house, which was really close since I had already started walking forty-five minutes ago, I went around the side of the house where Liam would sneak out when we were dating in secret. Of course, Liam was there just as I had expected. He was pacing around his bedroom window (which was on the first floor of the house, and where he must've snuck out of just now. When he saw me, he looked surprised but glad.

"Hey." He stopped pacing.

I looked away. "Hey."

There was a long pause and my eyes moved from the cloudy sky, to the trees, and finally to my feet while I stood and thought about what to say and what to do. I mean, it wasn't like we were enemies but we weren't the best of friends, either.

Just keep cool, and don't act desperate to talk to him, I told myself.

But Liam was the first to speak.

"Look, Morgan, I know we left on bad terms but I care a lot about you. You have to know that before we even begin to deal with our parents."

I laughed humorlessly. "I'M not dealing with this. If our parents want to sneak around like a couple of dumb teenagers, that's their problem. They'll figure out soon enough that they're just being stupid."

Liam studied my face but I turned away.

"Morgan, who are we talking about?"

"What do you mean?" I returned sharply.

"Is this about our parents," he replied slowly. "or about us?"

I crossed my arms and shrugged. "Both."

He sighed as if giving up a champion match. The silence was deadly and I wanted to end it so badly. I wasn't here to fight with Liam. I was here to figure out what's going on.

"So, are we gonna catch them in their tracks, or what?" I broke the quietness.

"There's nothing to catch. Your dad is just over to talk. I overheard part of their conversation after using my room as a form of protest."

I frowned. "And?"

He smiled at the ground, which was achingly cute. Then he looked up at me and I forced myself not to smile.

"Are you going to listen to me?" he challenged.

"Well, duh."

He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. "No, I need a real answer."

"Yes, of course. That's what I'm here for," I responded.

"Good, then listen up," he started. "First of all, I never knew that we were..."

"Related?" I spat out that word as if it was poison in my mouth.

"Uh, yeah. That. Anyway, two years ago my mom told me to make friends with you. She never told me why. You have to believe me when I say that all you were to me then was a regular classmate. At first she would ask me about you and I never really felt any suspicion but...after a while she never asked about you at all. So I figured...I don't know. I guess I just forgot."

"Forgot what?" I said angrily. "That your mom knew me? That I was your girlfriend? Or did you just not care?"

He flinched and I knew I was being a little harsh. Looks like the hormones have gotten the best of me.

"No, Morgan, I never took a second you and I had together for granted. I promise."

I felt tears rising but I forced them down, which hurt the back of my throat with the restraint. "Yeah, well, I learned quite a while ago that your promises don't mean crap."

He walked up to me and rested his hand on my arm. I looked at his hand and back up at him. He was so close.

"What do you mean?" he asked softly.

I shook my head. "You promised NOTHING would break us up. Nothing."

My voice was strong but I felt so weak.

"And how do you suppose I was supposed to know about something like this?" he persisted.

Of course I didn't have an answer. He was always right. I didn't need to be the winner of this argument, I just needed him to understand. Wait..., I thought. Was this an argument? It didn't feel like a screaming contest or a fight of any sort.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, kissing my forehead.

"You can't do that," I complained in a whisper.

"What? Just brotherly love," he responded with a sad smile.

I snorted. "That's not funny, Liam."

"But it made you smile," he contradicted.

I hugged him and shook my head. Why did HE have to be the one to make me feel better? Why did I have to be such a baby?

The sound of the front door opening made us split apart and hide instinctively in the trees. Like we always did.

My dad came out, putting on a rain coat and walking across the street without noticing we were there.

I laughed. I couldn't hold it in. Liam smiled to me but I couldn't return the look without falling. So my smile faded to a longing stare.

I know, I know. I'm so lost. But give me a break.

***

Ha. I thought I had it bad THEN. I had no idea, I said to myself on the concrete floor. Thinking about all of my troubles, all which started with an innocent girl hoping for a happy ending, and ending with a woman with a hardened heart, closed eyes, and dried tears...coming out bruised from a bloody war.

***

Liam's mom waved my dad off from the door and Liam patted my hand softly. "I need to go. Meet me at school, Kay?"

I gave him a disbelieving look but he ignored it. I received a begging, desperate look from him.

Surrendering, I nodded. "Alright, fine."