Fated

Chapter 1

Liliana's POV

The feeling of heartache is never ending when you lose someone close to you.

You think about all the things you should have said, or done with that person. You relive all the moments that you've had with them so that you can try and find comfort. You think about the future, the future without them in it. All the things that they'll miss, that you wished more than anything they'd be there for.

Comfort, the one thing that you can't find. The one thing that you search and long for, the one thing that seems so simple but ends up being so difficult.

I long for the day that I can find comfort, in anything. I felt lost, broken. I couldn't seem to put myself back together.

I slam my eyes shut and bite my bottom lip between my teeth to hold back the sob that was threatening it's way past my chapped lips.

A small cold hand touches my warm arm making me jump slightly in the backseat of the car.

My eyes flutter open as I look to my right and meet eyes with my baby brother.

"Are you okay sissy?" His soft innocent voice echoes throughout the car. I feel my moms eyes on me when his words find her ears. I ignore it.

"I'm okay, munchkin." I coo to him as I move my arm to rest across the back of his car seat. My fingers find the ends of his hair as they play with it gently.
"You should be sleeping." I mumble out in a weak voice.

I look over towards the window at the darkness that invaded the outside, and inside of the moving car.

"I'm scared." Liam whispers into the darkness.
I instantly wrap my arms around him the best that I can with him being in a car seat.

"Everything's okay, I'm right here and mom is right up front. There's nothing to be scared of anymore." My words seem to calm him down as I feel him snuggling into my arms. He doesn't utter another word.

I smile weakly down at him as I rub the side of his arm in a comforting way. I hear my mom sniffle and I glance up towards the front of the car.

In the drivers seat sits my mom. Amelia Lawrence. One of the strongest women I know.

Throughout my dads death, she's kept a strong face on in front of everyone. She doesn't know that I can hear her crying at night when she thinks everyone's asleep. I want to reach out and wrap my hand around her shoulder and let her know that it's okay to cry, that it's alright to let the emotions she's hiding within out, but instead I lean back into my seat and close my eyes.

Nobody misses you more than us, dad.

* * * * *

My eyes flutter open as the sunlight shines over my face. I let out a loud yawn as I slouch up in the back seat.

"You're awake" My mother's voice reaches my ears.

I look at her through the rear view mirror and meet her eyes. "Are we almost there?"

She nods her head with a slight smile starting to grace her lips.
For the first time in a week, an actual smile graces my face. I start moving my right leg up and down, an anxious tick I picked up when I was little.

"Allie is already at the old house waiting for us." My smile grows larger at the mention of my best friend. I hadn't seen her in years, only texting and the occasional Skype calls.
"I can't wait to see her." I reply as I watch us pass my old school. I won't miss that at all.

A small yawn flows throughout the car. I look down at Liam and smile.
"Hi sleepyhead. We are almost home." I move the hair off his forehead and fix the collar on his shirt.
His eyes widen and he stretches tall in his seat to look out the window.
"Where?!" He yelps out. Laughter fills the car.

We drive down the old secluded dirt road as our old house comes into view. I raise my arm and point my finger towards it.
"Right there, buddy. You get to have a huge room." I say as I lean in closer to him. I watch his eyes light up as his small hands try to work on unbuckling his car seat.
"Hold on!" I chuckle and move his hands away gently.

Mom pulls into our driveway and I see a figure sitting on the porch swing. A gasp escapes my mouth as my mom utters out a "go ahead".
My hands find their way to the door handle as I rip the car door open and rush out of it.

My legs take me up the stairs to the house as I see Allie hurrying down them. Tears instantly start flowing down my cheeks as we finally throw our arms around each other. Our sobs fill the air around us.
"I can't believe you're actually here." She croaks out as we pull apart a little so we can see each other's faces.
"I've missed you so much!" I cry out to her in reply as I tighten my hold on her.

We remain in each other's arms for a long time before my mom finally breaks us up.
"It's so great to see you again, Allie. I hope everything's been okay with your family." I look towards her as she balances Liam on her left hip.
Allie smiles brightly. "Amelia!" She wraps her arms around my mom and looks down at Liam. "This must be the handsome lady killer I'm always hearing about." That has my brother grinning at her and holding his arms out for her.

I roll my eyes. Typical. We all walk into the house and talk for a little before Allie and me both head up the stairs and find our way to my old room on the third floor. The whole floor was made into a room, a walk in closet, and a bathroom for me when I was young by my father. I look around as I start to feel more at peace, I didn't realize how much I missed my real home.

I flop down on my bed and grin at Allie.
"Well? Is there any lucky guy I should know about?" Her smile instantly brightens as she flops down right next to me.
"His names Andrew Blake. You'll love him, Lil! He's so amazing. As soon as we laid eyes on each other it was love at first sight. I can't imagine my life without him. He has these amazing brown eyes that seem to glow almost all the time." She rambles on and I smile constantly while listening to her. She deserved to be happy.

"Lil?" She mumbles out with a nervous smile.
I raise my eyebrow as I notice her mood change.
"Yes?"
"I don't want to overwhelm you but Noah knows you're back, he really wants to see you. Along with my parents." She bites her lip and waits for my reaction.
My cheeks heat up at the mention of her twin. From the pictures she's sent me, Noah has changed a lot. He wasn't the same 15 year old that I fell in love with and left so many years ago. He's an adult now.

I bite my lip and start to play with the ring on my finger. "I'd love to see them all, it's been a long time." I finally reply to her.
"You never told him how I felt, did you?" I meet her eyes. She shakes her head.
"I'd never do that to you, Lil. You were young, you'll probably hate him now." She laughs and I roll my eyes.

I doubted I'd hate Noah Cipriano.