Off Limits

chapter six

The next morning, I woke up totally fine. I was completely ready for the massive hangover but, it never came. Sitting up I realized I wasn't in my room, panic was beginning to settle within the pit of my stomach. I wondered where was I and how, in the hell, did I get here. Looking out the window I realized that I was peering into my room. My heart began to race. "What the fuck" I mumbled to myself. Standing up I realized I was now wearing clothes that were not mine, they were his.

As I began searching for my clothes I heard the door open. Turning to look at Liam, I guessed right. He smirked, an occupational hazard with him, "I enjoyed last night" he noted. My face sunk. "What? Why?" I questioned him.

"Well, you were quite the entertainer" he smirked walking to his closet. I assume to grab new clothing, when he came back out he was wearing jean shorts and a white t-shirt.

'What the hell' I thought to myself. Giving up on finding my stuff I stood up, facing him. "What do you mean by that," I asked curiously. Slowly taking a few steps towards me before stopping about an inch away. "Well for starters" he began placing his hands on my waist pulling me closer to him so he could whisper "the way you undressed in front of me" into my ear.

I was in shock. "There is no way I would do that" I exclaimed "no, absolutely not! You're lying" I began to freak out. "And how do you think you ended up wearing my shirt? Which by the way looks great on you" he remarked, not even hiding the fact that he was checking me out.

My face undoubtedly betrayed me forming my once pale cheeks to a rose blush. I had the urge to cover up and forget about the whole exchange. What exactly had I done last night I began to think. There was Brynn who pushed me into the pool, drinking, a chicken fight in the pool, more drinking, and then nothing. But the fact that his hands were still at my waist brought me back.

Grabbing his hands off of me I looked up at him. "Look I know we don't exactly get along but please tell me what exactly happened last night," I asked softly. He smiled at me slightly chuckling, this caused me to look up at him. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he said slowly walking to his closet, once again.

"Yes Liam, that's kind of why I asked the question; you idiot!"

"No, no. I think I'm going to lord this over you for a bit. Who knows I may need your help with something"

"Seriously, you're going to be that guy right now!" I glared at him. He yelled "yup" from his closet and I headed for the door. Slamming it shut. Coming face to face with Blake.

His eyes widened, he looked back to the door I slammed shut and back to me. "That's Liam's room," he said before pushing past me into Liam's room. "Blake" I called out to him but it was no use the look in his eyes gave him away. He was pissed.

"Liam, What the fuck. My sister?" he shouted before I heard the sound of someone being hit. I recoiled before going back into the room Liam looked so calm, Blake on the other hand was furious. Liam's face was red and I knew Blake just punched him.

"I told you to stay away from her man. I told all of you to!" He went on but I was just looking at the scene in front of me. Wait he said all of them to stay away. I was slightly confused, what did he mean by that. "She is my younger sister, she's off limits to you. She deserves better" he continued.

"Dude, nothing happened" his eye looked like it was beginning to bruise. "Then why is she wearing your shirt and why did she come out of your room" he questioned Liam.

It was then I looked under Liam's shirt, I still had my swimsuit on. I breathed a sigh of relief. I took off Liam's shirt and folded it up. "Blake, calm down, please. He was being nice." The two boys looked at me. I handed Liam his shirt back before walking away. Why did I defend him?

I was nervous going down the stairs, I really hoped no one was in the house but us three. I could still hear the muffled voices of Blake and Liam as I reached the kitchen. 'Think, think, think' I repeated over and over to myself. 'What the hell happened?'

Despite the years of knowing Liam I had never actually been inside his room, I've only ever peered in through my window. It was bigger than I thought, so was his shirt. 'Ugh no Maya, NO! Do not think about that right now.' It was 7 am hopefully no one would be awake yet and I could leave unnoticed.

There was no way I would do anything with Liam, right? I questioned my memory of last night but came up empty after the whole underwear debacle with Brynn and Liam. And despite how much Liam gets around I don't think he would be such a pig to try anything on a drunk girl. At least I hoped not.

When I got to my room I sighed, changing into a new bathing suit, shorts, and a really baggy shirt. Laying on my bed thinking about the events of last night, for what seemed to be hours. I opened my window to let some fresh air in. Coming face to face with Liam.

"I'm starting to enjoy our window meetings" he exclaimed, the black eye becoming more apparent than before. I glared at him.

"Please tell me nothing happened between us last night" I pleaded.

He held my gaze for a brief moment, slinging his gaze to the ground. "Other than you almost vomiting on me and becoming cold. No, nothing happened" he assured me that was all that happened.

"Besides" he began "I slept in the basement last night, you had the whole top floor to yourself" he stated. Relief overcame me. I was so glad that I knew he didn't do anything.  Yet, it made me feel even worse that he got a black eye just for helping me.

"I'm sorry" I blurted "for your eye" I continued.

"Don't worry about it, makes me look tougher" he exclaimed. I slowly shook my head and rolled my eyes in response.

We stood there for a moment, looking at each other. I didn't know what else to say, we weren't really all that close. "Anyways, thanks for helping me out last night. I think people are coming over in the afternoon so I have to go" abruptly exiting my room, I could feel his gaze on me.

"BLAKE" I yelled. Something bothered me from this morning, Blake said I was off limits but I thought that was just to Liam. What was going on? I was determined to figure out what he was up to.

"What's up, Maya!" He brushed me off walking into the living room and lying down on the sofa.

"What does 'she's off limits' mean" I mocked and questioned the words he used this morning. I could see the panic in his eyes but only for a moment. He sat up and proceeded to tell me that I needed protecting from frivolous boys, which to him meant every boy.

I was furious. 

"I've never told you who you could, or couldn't, date or mess around with, what makes you think you could do that for me?" If he thought I would be grateful for what he had done, boy was he ever wrong! "Look I appreciate the sentiment of you wanting to protect me but you have to let me live and experience things on my own! And with people who I decide get to be there. You can't hide me away Blake, you can't" I tried to reason with him.

We talked until we started seeing people arrive in the backyard. I decided this was the year that I did not hide behind books and studying. I would make an effort to be social and make friends. Friends with people, alongside Blake and Aimes. I'm determined to make more friends besides how hard could it be.