Emotions In Hiding (Ian Nelson)

Chapter 4

•Liana•

I glanced nervously up to the house I was in front of, then back down at the crumpled pice of notebook paper in my hands. Scrawled across it in my rushed handwriting, was an address.

14 Baker Lane.

I closed my eyes for a split second before opening them again, shaking my nervousness away. I walked up the stone pathway to the large front door, and used the large brass knocker that dwarfed my hand by comparison. A few seconds later, a chorus of dogs barking caused me to jump back slightly, as the door swung open and I came face to face with Ian, a happy grin on his face.

I smiled, and he stepped backwards in the doorway, gesturing for me to come inside.

"Sorry about the barking, they get excited easily." He explains, gesticulating towards the 3 dogs laying obediently on the floor in front of the staircase. "This is Sam, Clarke and Jessie." He said, pointing to the dogs from left to right.

When each dog heard their name, their ears perked, and they looked at Ian expectantly. In return, he pet them each.

"So Liana, I have a question for you."

"And that question is?"

"Do you like to swim?"

"Absolutely. When I went to high school in New York, I was a co-captain of the varsity swim team."

"Were you?"

"Yeah, I think my record for for a relay was like 1:02.34. Somewhere along those lines." I said awkwardly, feeling like a show off.

"Is that good?"

"You could say that.." I shrugged.

Ok, well there are some others in the backyard. It's right through here." He said, turning on his heel and guiding me to the backyard.

It lead out to a covered patio, with several stairs leading down to the pool area, and off to the right were more stairs leading up to a porch overlooking the whole backyard, and the vast mountain ranges that spanned for miles in either direction, seemingly infinite.

My jaw must've physically dropped, because I heard Ian giggling softly next to me before saying. "Yeah, I'm still not used to it, and I've lived here for a year."

I turn to him and blush, embarrassed. "It's gorgeous."

"Thanks. Everyone is up here." He says, guiding me to the stairs leading up to the porch.

I see Holland, Arden, Dylan, Tyler, the other Dylan, the other Tyler and the other Ian all lounging around, laughing at a joke that I missed all of except for the punchline. Holland notices me first, and rushes over, pulling me by the hand to the couch she was sitting at with Arden and Dylan O. Both of the Ian's were sitting on individual chairs.

"Guess who's here!" She says, announcing my presence for me.

The laughing subsides as everyone glances towards me, smiles across their faces.

Everyone says their hellos, and I start over towards a couch, when someone's arms wrap around me, throwing me slightly off balance. I turn to see Tyler P, a huge grin on his face.

He releases me, and smiles wide.

"Hey. We've never met officially. Tyler."

"Liana."

"Awesome." He said, clapping his hands excitedly.

He started heading back to his seat, and I find one between Arden and the arm of the couch.