Forever | ✓

22. Smile

Liam

We have been at Miguel's exhibition for some time now, since Bea was having fun and didn't want to leave. Although, it was starting to get a bit late and way past her usual bedtime.

To be honest, I didn't want to leave myself. I was having a nice time surrounded by friends once again and I had kind of forgotten what that was like.

Over the years, I had put myself in this place of seclusion. Although I had Bea, who is my everything, there was this slight loneliness I felt, not being able to share that laugh with friends, joke about, share things.

It was fair to say that I had put this on myself, but right now, I was beginning to feel like the old Liam.

This anger and bitterness that I had kept within, was fading.

"Hey, man. You good?" I turned around to see Serena's fiancé, Will, standing behind me with a curious smile on his face.

I gave him a polite nod. "Yeah, I'm good. I'm just looking for Bea," I said, moving my head around to look for my daughter who had been with Rena the whole night, refusing to even leave her side.

Will let out a chuckle. "She's clung onto Serena right now. Not sure which one of them is the one not willing to let go," he said.

"Probably Bea," I replied, knowing my daughter all too well and the stubbornness she had, along with the way to make anyone bend to her will, with just a look.

Will looked at me with a hesitant look for a moment. "There was actually something I wanted to say to you," he said.

I nodded slowly a him, "Okay...?"

Will and I hadn't really spoken much and if Serena wasn't around, not more than two words would be spoken between us. Therefore, I was a little confused on what he wanted to say. More so, why did he look so apprehensive in saying it.

"Serena will probably kill me for saying any of this, so I would appreciate it, if this stays in between us?" He asked, which had left me even more confused and a little worried.

I mean, he was Serena's fiancé, I assumed she told him everything and part of that everything probably was my dickish behaviour towards her at the beginning.

"Sure," I said.

"I'm just-...I'm glad that you and Serena are friends again, so thank you for giving her that," Will told me and I was taken aback by his words.

Definitely didn't expect that.

"Oh, I-" I began to speak, but was truly lost for words in this moment.

"No, it's okay," Will shook his head, raising his hand slightly. "This is actually none of my business. It's between the two of you and Serena is more than capable of handling herself, which is one of the things I like about her."

I let out a laugh at his words. "Yeah, she's always been the, 'I can do it myself' type. Forever independent."

That was the thing about Serena, she was so determined to do things on her own, getting through things, without relying on being dependent on others. It was both admirable and frustrating.

When we were younger, she always wanted to get things done on her own. Even if I were to offer help, she'd brush me off, usually saying I'd just slow her down. Even when she was fixing up her bike and had no clue on how to use the tools, she still wanted to do it alone.

"She still is," Will laughed with me, seeming more at ease with my reaction to his words. "Again, it's not my place to say any of this but I'm still going to put my foot in my mouth, because it's just something I do."