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I couldn't believe what i was seeing, i felt the wind knocked out of me. Is this how someone would look if they'd seen a ghost?

"Liam?"

There he stood, much taller than the last time i remember him. His hair seems shorter, the brown locs that used to fall over his forehead was long gone. He looked bigger too, his chest struggling to be seen through the fabric of his shirt. Or maybe he just looks bigger because of his leather jacket, that could be it. I don't think i can mentally handle the presence of a jacked up Liam.

I scrunched my eyebrows at the person before me. He looked vastly different to the man i knew just a year ago, he seemed mature.

"Happy birthday Antheia" He smiled, rushing over to sweep me up into a hug. His arms snaked through my waist, gently lifting me off the ground as he rested his face on my neck. "Oh my god it's you, you're back!" I exclaimed, still completely shocked at the presence of my best friend whom i believed i wouldn't see for a really long time.

I tightened my arms around his neck, doubting my own senses as if this was all in my head and i was severely hallucinating.

Liam gently placed me back on my feet, releasing me but still holding onto both my palms. "I tried to make it in time for your birthday but my flight got delayed, i'm just a day late" his familiar ocean blue eyes were searching for mine. His warm smile i missed so dearly was finally right in front of me. This couldn't have been a more perfect time for him to arrive, i'm starting to think he has some sixth sense about me.

"Forget that, i can't believe you're fucking here we all missed you" I beamed, feeling his warm hands squeeze mine.

"I missed you too"

The all too known pitter patter of paws surrounded the room, furious and demanding meows echoed through the book shelves trying to get their dearly missed owner's attention. They say cats don't ever forget, now they seem to not give a shit about me at all. Guess i was just a damn replacement to these cats until he got back.

"I got you something" he presented a box in between us, his eyes bouncing back from the box to me. "Liam no, please you really didn't have to"

"Just open it"

I feel like i'm having deja vu, this entire interaction feels far too familiar to me it's sending my heart in waves.

Gently opening the box i furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. A rusty antique like key, the size of my pinky finger was placed neatly in the middle of the red cushioned box.

"You're now the owner of Goodman's"

I felt my knees weak as i took a step back in disbelief. "What the fuck? I- i can't own this place? it's yours... what- the fuck Liam"

His warm smile hasn't faltered to leave his lips, if anything he seemed proud of himself as he stood there confidently, watching me stutter like a god damn mess.

He gently reached out to hold my hand, attempting to comfort me once more. "Everything is taken care of here there's nothing for you to do don't worry... think of it as being a nominal owner"

He took the key out from the box before softly placing it in between my palms, his blue eyes searching mine for an answer. Tilting his head to meet my gaze.

"I don't- i don't know what to say"

"I know you've been coming here everyday since i left, It just felt right that this place is yours just as much as it's mine" He looked around the bookstore, taking in the ambiance of the vintage store remembering all of his time here. I could tell he missed this place immensely from the way he's eyes skipped through the book shelves and the way the cats fell at his feet like swooning debutantes.

Everything seemed to be just as it were, like a missing piece of a puzzle has found it's way back.

"It's our place, officially" A smile formed his lips, the grip over my hand tightening.

We found ourselves seated on the couch at the back of the store talking for felt like hours. I couldn't help but feel a wonderful sense of deja vu. As if i was back in time a year ago, seated on this very couch talking with Liam about the Great Gatsby. He proposes that Gatsby isn't as great as he seemed to be, and me having never read the book and only seen the movie, just nodded along. Which resulted in us softly debating as i was fighting for my dear life defending Leo as Gatsby while Liam was strictly talking about the book and never having seen the movie. Just two blind mice leading each other.

As nature intended, here we are. At the back of the bookstore, with me listening to his English accent as if i was being enticed by a siren. If only i was Ursula i would trick him out of his voice in a heartbeat.

He had me allured as he spoke about his cottage on a cliff, the beautiful view he had of the sea. The little tabby cat he had who is now being looked after by distant neighbors down the cliff. An old couple who used to be his grandma's best friends.

The town was nothing short of exactly what he hoped for, homely and welcoming. And his two bookstores booming everyday, he's made a beautiful life for himself.

"So, did you have any girlfriends" I playfully nudged him, clapping my hands together to hear the juiciest tea of the decade.

He let out a soft chuckle, his ocean blue eyes were on mine staring intensely.

"I did for a while, then it ended" he shrugged.

I audibly groaned at the underwhelming deliverance of the long awaited details of his life in the cottage. I dramatically rolled my eyes. Now if it were Rhiannon and Erika they'd have made it seem like it was breaking news from TMZ.

"Give me the details Sawyer, what was her name" I cajoled, impatient to hear about the story.

Liam sighed, tilting his head to meet my gaze. He seemed hesitant at first, his eyes darting to the front of the bookstore and then back to me. Finding comfort within himself and the mere space between us before he began.

"Her name was Hollis, we met when i was at the local flea market for the first time. She helped me to get around"

I gasped, pouting my lips at the start of the story. That's some adorable shit. I listened eagerly, tuning out the noise from inside the store, from the pitter patter of the paws to their desperate meows for Liam's attention. Until Vincent having had enough, pounced onto his lap. Taking his space where he rightfully belonged, kneading his little paws on his thighs, he let out a huge yawn. Curling up into a fluffy ball and calling it a day.

"We started seeing each other after that, it was nice. She would stay at my place for days, i'd lose sense of time" He reminisced, softly petting Vincent who was soundly asleep on his lap. Vincent was a fully grown cat and yet somehow he seemed just as tiny on his lap as he was when he was a kitten, so either Vincent shrunk or Liam expanded. Either way this is not what i should be paying attention to.

"Well.. what happened?"

He exhaled deeply, trying to find the right words to say.

"I don't know really, i just couldn't do it"

I was taken back, i watched him form a hesitant expression on his face. His signature warm smile not faltering to leave his lips. "What do you mean?"

There was a long pause between us. I began to anxiously chew the inside my cheek, eagerly waiting for his response as i was too invested in this story.

"She's just not who i wanted"

I felt my heart drop at the words that left his lips. Then it all came rushing back to me, the distressing event that took place the night of the ball. The night where he held me in his arms as i felt my heart break, while he fought his best to hold back his tears. The day he left us all.

I'm in love with you Antheia, I always have been

His words rang inside my head like an alarm, how did i even forget the very reason he left. I was in denial all this time, feeling entirely too guilty for his departure regardless of what the others have said to me time and time again. I desperately tried to cling onto our friendship or what was left of it, completely erasing that entire night.

He doesn't seem to bring that day up, and i definitely don't want to. Seems like neither one of us want to revisit that moment again. And surely things must have changed with him being gone for so long, away from... me.

It's best to forget it altogether, just like he has.

His ocean blue eyes searched for mine, before swiftly turning his attention to the sleeping cat, who was now stretching like a rubber band refusing to leave his lap.

"Umm well- that sucks"

Was that really the best i could say? awkward silence loomed between us, nothing but the soft snores from Vincent to fill in the gap.

"How long are you staying for?" I followed up, bringing back the same excited energy i had upon seeing him before. "I'm not sure, for a while i suppose. I've got some things to do"

He reassured, his gaze was once again on me. Seemingly more intense than i was used to in his presence.

We spent what felt like another hour catching up on each other's lives, keeping him up to date with what the rest of the King's have been up to. Rhiannon and Edwards blossoming relationship which to this date, neither one of us ever saw coming. Erika's never ending plans for her wedding. This time she changed the location to her Castle.

Yes that castle.

Liam couldn't help but chuckle at the stories of his friends, realizing how much he's missed and how much he missed them.

"How's Adam doing? I heard he's taken over" He inquired, his expression changing to that of a serious one.

My heart jumped at just the sound of his name, i was too distracted this entire time i forgot the very reason i came here in the first place. All this time i was easily engrossed with everything else but him, i couldn't place what was eating away in my head. The pit in my stomach that just didn't seem to go away no matter how hard i pried Liam for details and the cats i called out for to keep myself distracted.

I hate how much power he has over my feelings, just the mere mention of his name is sending me on a spiral.

Liam's eyebrows furrowed, a concerned expression wash over his face. "Antheia? are you okay? you can tell me anything"

I wanted nothing more than to confide in him, like i always do. He brings a sense of comfort to me that genuinely helps me forget what was causing me so much pain, and even make me feel just a slight bit better.

But it would be awfully selfish of me to drown him with my problems when he just got back after a year of being away, not even allowing him to settle first. Besides, the last thing i need is to revisit what happened all over again, which i know would have me in an uncontrollable fit of tears.

I shook my head, a dismissive smile on my face to reassure him. "Why don't you settle down first, you must be jet lagged. We can meet up later to surprise the guys!" I clapped my hands, excited at the idea of surprising everyone with Liam. I know Edward's going to lose his shit, i bet he might actually pass out.

Nodding in response, he gently picked up Vincent who was extremely irritated to having being moved. Angrily meowing at removing him from his favorite place in the world to sleep on.

I stood up from the couch to leave.

"Theia, you know you can tell me anything right? I'm always here for you" He professed, catching me off guard as i turned to face him.

"I know"

Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β  Β Β  .β€’Β° ✿ Β°β€’.

Excited over our little plan, I pranced back and forth the apartment until Liam would arrive so we can head to the new Kings room.

Having to come up with a vague reason as to why i was living in Erika's apartment was difficult, but he believed anything i said.

"I was waiting for an interview from this job and Erika's place was closer to get there"

That was a stupid reason and i could've done better, but he just believed that.

Liam was looking forward to check out the new room, to go back to his familiar book shelves and his bean bags. The very same bags he knew Edward takes the sand out of just to prank him, but he sits on them anyway to give him that satisfaction of successfully pranking him.

If that isn't the cutest love story you have ever heard, then i don't know what else.

I walked around Erika's colossal apartment. The apartment with the massive walk in closet where I first hung out with the girls, getting to know about them and the rest of the Kings. I felt a bittersweet tinge of emotion overcome me as i explored the closet.

It felt as if it were just yesterday that i joined the Kings. Completely clueless as to what i got myself into, who these people were and what they did.

Most of all, remembering how intimidated i was by Adam. If only I knew.

BUZZZZZZ

The door bell echoed through the apartment.

Huh

He's earlier than we planned.

I hurriedly rushed over to open the door, "You know you're a litt-"

I felt my knees weaken, the wind knocked out of me.

This is why we look through the peephole.

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