The Exchange

Chapter 46

The weeks turn into months and each day flies by in the blink of an eye. The snow slowly begins to melt and turn into that yucky, icy, muddy snow that everyone puts up with until the seemingly warm days of spring. I fall into a simple and easy routine that makes my life seem almost perfect again.

Every time I attempted to reach out to Marley and Britt they completely ignored me so eventually I just stopped trying. They have made it clear they don't want to talk to me. Some of my other friends still message me like Rine and Karley but Britt and Marley were my closest friends. They made their message clear and seem to have no interest in ever looking at me again, but I guess I can thank them because it's only brought me closer to Wendy and Brianna and everyone else. It's even brought me closer to the boys now that I don't feel like I have enything tying me down to back home.

I snuggle closer to Liam infront of the glowing T.V screen. It lights up with pictures of a lake, a cottage, and a couple enjoying every moment of it together. They look into each other's eyes and proclaim their love to each other over and over again. It makes part of me feel forever alone. Why did I choose this movie?

"Are you crying?" Liam points out, looking at the state I'm in.

"Don't judge me." I giggle, lifting a tissue to my wet eyes. The tissue slowly soaks and tears as I ball it up in my fist.

"You know it's just a movie right?"

"Yeah, I know." I whisper ashamed. The closing credits roll on the screen to mark the ending of the old movie.

"I give it a four." Liam states looking at me. The house is empty except for us. Another trip to one of Nialls pubs and another movie date for Liam and I.

"A four? that was defiantly an eight!" I say, proceeding with our usual ritual of rating the movie. I tuck my legs underneath me as Liam gets up to extract the movie.

"It was boring." he says dryly, sticking the disk into its cover.

"It was cute!" I remark.

"It was predictable." he replies, placing the movie with the others. I crane my neck to the side and try to see the title of the movie but all my eyes view is Liam's tall, attractive body looking down at the movies we haven't seen yet. He rubs the back of his neck with his hand in deep concentration but it doesn't look like he's concentrating on the movies.

"Mira, do you know what month it is?" Liam asks randomly. I think for about the date before replying.

"Tomorrow is April 1st!" I cry. Wasn't" it just December?

"Yeah it is." Liam slowly makes his way back over to the couch and lowers himself next to my body casually. "When do you have to go back?"

"July first." I say, my voice very low and blue. That's in three months.

"That seems so soon."

"Yeah it does." I realize. My mind can't grasp the picture of leaving everyone for good.

A thought about home crosses through my head and I instinctively grab my iPod and turn Away from Liam.

"Welcome to my usual Friday night scene. Meet me, my DVDs and say hello to the idea of a relaxing movie marathon. It's comforting, relaxing, and probably similar to what some of your Friday nights even look like. Without further a-do, let the movie night begin!" I stop recording and the video saves in my library.

"You've gotten pretty good at those." Liam compliments.

"Thank-you." I reply politely, locking my screen, "they're not hard though. You know that."

"We were usually together though. All the good ones are the five of us."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yeah, I'm not a very good speaker on my own."

"Oh Liam you're a great speaker. You always know what you're saying." Liam gives me a weak smile before hitting his hand on my knee.

"It's after midnight," Liam announces, "we should probably clean up."

"Yeah that's a good idea." I say taking our tea cups off the table and carrying them to the kitchen. I return for the empty chip bowl we shared and Liam gathers all the movies. I put our few, but crucial, dishes in the dishwasher, pour in the soap, and turn it on. The dishwasher responds to my command with a rattle and shake. It spits out mumbles and I hear the water turn on, on the inside to bathe our dishes.

Liam is leaning on the doorframe when I turn around. I abandon the dishwasher and join him. He physically looks down on me and I look up at him. Straight into his brown eyes.

"Shall we?" he asks offering me his hand. I giggle like a little school girl and take it by placing my hand in his as lightly as possible. His fingers close around my small, delicate hand and we leave the threshold together.

Liam and I change and get ready for bed. Tonight is supposed to be Louis 'night' but Liam climbs in with me for now.

"Do you like the thought of going home?" I can't see his expression because of the way we are positioned but his voice sounds negative. Liam is lying behind me and his arm is around my waist, holding me close to him.

"Not really." I reply with wide eyes. I'm about to ask why when Liam interjects with more to say.

"Even after everything that you went through?"

"Yes." I reply surely but cautiously.

"So you liked being here then?"

"Yeah." I reply more surely this time.

"What do you like about being here?" Liam asks and I immediately know my answer. I don't want to tell him straight though. My brain is asking why he is so curious.

"Now, why would you want to know that?" I ask rubbing my arm across his softly. The hairs on his skin stick up and prickle the palm of my hand, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Just because you've had to put up with a lot. I thought you might be jumping to get away from it all."

"Well it wasn't all lollipops and rainbows, but life isn't like that no matter where you live." I quote.

"So you don't want to go home?" Liam asks looking for clarification.

"I definitely don't want to leave." I reply, closing my eyes and enjoying the sensation.

"You still didn't answer me." Liam says through the darkness. He jolts my eyes open. Of course I know what he's talking about.

"What I like most about being here," I turn around so I'm facing him and clasp my arms around his neck, "Is knowing you guys." Liam breaks into a smile at my cheesy line but I know he likes it.

"Aww Mira." he takes my arms off his neck and holds me close in a cuddle, "meeting you has been the best part about our year too."

"Are you sure about that?" I tease, closing my eyes again.

"Positive, you were a life saver for us."

A life saver?

"What do you mean?" I ask confused.

"Just trust me, you changed us all for the better."

Those are the last word I fell asleep to.