Forever | ✓

5. Him

Serena

It was him.

I knew his way too well, to know it was him without needing to turn around.

I've never been sucker-punched in my life, but I imagine the feeling would be the same as the one that I was experiencing right now.

The air in my lungs had seemed to have left me and I felt like I just lost the ability to breathe properly. Suddenly I was feeling a little nauseous, with my stomach churning and my hands were shaking and sweating.

This really wasn't how I expected this evening to go. I thought being alone here and not knowing practically anyone apart from Tiff wasn't great, but know everyone seemed to be popping up.

I took and slow, shaky breath and then finally turned around.

My mind was racing a mile a minute right now as I turned and also tried to provide how this would go, seeing Liam again, however everything suddenly went blank when I saw him and that he wasn't alone.

I could only blink slowly as my locked onto his.

It really was him. Liam.

He looked as shocked as I felt, with confusion and surprise on his face.

I was probably one of the last people he expected to see here, which was pretty much a mutual feeling.

He didn't look too different from the last time I had seen him, although he had a beard now, not completely full, but a bit more than just stubble, but it was still neat. His hair was shorter than it was before, with the sides kept short and a little long at the top.

However, his eyes were still the same.

My vision then drifted towards the little girl stood next to him, holding his hand.

It was her. The same little girl from earlier. Bea.

She tugged on his hand and he looked down towards her, before she then pointed towards me.

"Daddy, this is the lady who helped me. She said you would be worried about me," she told him.

As soon as she said the first word, my heart began to race uncontrollably and I let out a sharp breath, realising that she was in fact his little girl, his daughter.

"This is...oh my God," I said, my eyes wide with realisation.

Bea was grinning at me, whilst holding Liam's hand, a smile so pure and innocent.

Everything about her reminded me of Liam. Her brown hair, even her messy curls and the smile that she had on. She was like a mini version of him.

Her eyes, however, they were Julie's. That beautiful shade of emerald green.

"Do you know my whole family, Serena?" Tiff laughed and I turned my attention back to Liam.

Like me, it seemed he couldn't believe that I was actually here, standing in front of him.

"Rena? Dear, are you okay?" I felt a hand on my shoulder and glanced towards Emma, who looked concerned.

"I...I'm okay. I'm fine," I nodded. "I just need to...um, excuse me," I quickly walked away from everyone, because I really needed breath, without feeling like everyone was looking at me.

Whilst the party was held outside, there was a reception, or lounge area, to walk through first, to check in. Luckily for me, there was a couch there were I could just sit down for a moment.

My thoughts were racing, much like my pulse right now and I needed to calm myself down.

"Hey."

I turned my head slightly and saw Liam standing by one end of the couch, hands in his pocket and an awkward look on his face. I didn't see Bea with him, so I assumed that she must be with his parents.