"I was studying in the South, as you already know."

"And you transferred here because the school is better," said Liam.

"That's the lie I still have to tell my parents, but the truth is different."

"How so?"

Liam seemed genuinely interested in knowing what happened, and I didn't expect I'd talk about it with a guy, but I was doing it.

"I had a boyfriend back there. He got a job in Paris, and we did the long-distance thing, but it got too hard. I decided to change schools because of him, and I rented my current apartment for us because he was complaining that his place was small."

Liam's jaw worked as his eyes lowered to the glass in his hand. "And what happened?"

"When I took my things and moved here, I...well, I wanted to surprise him, but it turned out he was living with someone else — with another girl in a big condo. I mean, it was my fault, who does that without asking the guy first, right?"

My voice came out weak the way it always did when I talked about my mistakes.

"You were in a relationship," said Liam. "The normal thing for the guy would be to be thrilled about the fact that his girl would be near. You did nothing wrong."

"It's not that easy," I whispered, avoiding his eyes.

"It seems quite easy to me. If he cheated on you, it's on him. That's the kind of person he is. So, no, Sky, you're not the one to blame."

"I'm not perfect, Liam."

"Nobody is. What's perfect, anyway? Steak tartare?"

I scrunched up my nose. Raw meat was very far from being my favorite.

"See? Look at that couple over there," Liam nodded his head in their direction discreetly. "They are both eating it as if it were the damn éclairs you love so much. They love it. It's perfect for them. And we ordered cheese because it's perfect for us. There's something perfect for everyone, but it doesn't have to be the same thing. That'd be boring as fuck."

"Wow...those are some deep thoughts, roomie."

Liam chuckled, shaking his head.

The waiter came with our appetizers — fried Camembert salad for Liam and me.

"We seem to like the same food." I smiled.

"Well," Liam shifted in his seat, "I must admit, I love meat, raw or not."

I picked up a napkin, ready to throw it at him.

Liam laughed, raising his hands in surrender. "I had an ulterior motive, Sky. When we were going through the menu, you grimaced at the dish. I decided not to order it so that you wouldn't feel uncomfortable with me eating it."

I blushed, despite myself. "That's nice of you."

When Paul and I went out to eat something together, he never cared about what I liked. He used to order whatever he wanted for both of us, and I put up with it. Today it happened as well, and I went along with the cup of espresso despite being hungry.

I knew I couldn't compare Liam and him. Paul and I dated, Liam and I only lived together. There wouldn't be anything else between us. Maybe that was what gave me the courage to voice my question.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Ask away," Liam said.

"Have you ever been in a relationship?"

Liam nodded. "Yeah, I have."

"For how long?"

"Two years in high school. A long time ago, as you can see."

"What happened?"

Liam took a sip of his wine before answering, "I was seventeen, we broke up at our prom. There was another guy involved."

"It sucks," I whispered.

Liam sighed. "It does, but it's not entirely her fault. My mom died when I was fifteen, and my dad started to drink. He was a functioning alcoholic. He drank, but worked hard, at first."

"And then?"

Sadness clouded Liam's eyes as he went on talking. "When I was in my last year of high school, it got really bad. Tim was little, so he doesn't remember much, but I do. My dad got drunk every single day after work. The worst thing was that he spent his wages on booze, and there wasn't enough for food and the rent. I started to work odd jobs — whatever I could find being underage.

"If someone realized what was going on at home, Social Services could interfere, and I didn't want to lose my brother. I did what I could to keep us afloat. I made sure our clothes were clean and the place tidy, I fed and babysat Tim, normal stuff. All that meant less time for my girlfriend. Sometimes we met just to have sex because it was one of the few things that made me forget about what was going on, and she deserved better. She wanted to go on dates, to have a boyfriend who acted like one. I cared about her, but Tim became my priority."

"He's your brother; it's normal."

"Not when you're seventeen. Her girlfriends went to the movies and dancing with their guys, and she was always alone because of the way my life was. Breaking up was only a matter of time."

"If she loved you for real, she would've understood."

"You're a good girl, Sky Sullivan." Liam smiled a sad smile, shaking his head.

"And after? You haven't been with anyone after that?"

"I'm a guy, Sky. If you're talking about sex, I've been with girls. One-night stands, that's all it was. You know what I mean."

"I don't, actually," I muttered. "I've only been with one guy, the ex I told you about. That's all the experience I have. Kind of pathetic, right?"

"What? Why?" Liam looked at me with a puzzled expression on his face.

I chewed my food to avoid answering, but Liam was patiently waiting, with his eyes focused on me.

"How are you supposed to learn if you don't do it enough?" I asked.

An emotion I couldn't decipher flickered in Liam's eyes. This conversation was heading straight into Weirdland, and I already regretted starting the topic.

"What is it that you think you're supposed to learn?" Liam looked at me, his head tilted to the side, piercing eyes glued to my face.

"I wasn't speaking about me. Just in general. Some girls know how to do stuff, or you're gonna tell me you don't like it?"

Smooth, Sky. I wondered if that was the wine talking since my tongue seemed to have a mind of its own.

"Sure, there are things I like. Don't you have things you like when it comes to it?"

I pretended to be fascinated by the process of cutting the remaining lettuce on my plate because there was no way I was telling Liam I enjoyed nothing about the whole thing, and not by choice. If it were up to me...

Liam groaned. "Look, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. You asked, and...fuck, Sky, I should've kept my mouth shut."

"No big deal." I shrugged. What I didn't expect was Liam reaching across the table and circling my wrist with his fingers. It was just a small touch, but enough to make my skin tingle. I blushed, wanting to disappear somewhere and averted my eyes, focusing on the flickering flame of the candle.

"Look at me," said Liam.

I did.

"It is a big deal. I'm sorry. Forget the question, okay? I overstepped the boundaries. You don't have to answer, and if you could forget I asked, I'd be grateful."

Our main dish arrived. As if he'd just realized he was still holding my hand— my wrist, to be exact, Liam removed his hand hastily, muttering a 'sorry.'

We'd ordered some meat in a sauce, nothing overly fancy but delicious anyway. The atmosphere seemed lighter, maybe because of the wine we'd drunk, or because the conversation shifted to safe ground. Nothing could ever go wrong with music.

"So, what bands do you listen to?" I asked Liam.

I'd seen him with earbuds at the gym a couple of times, but had no idea what kind of music he was into. It was tough to tell what he liked – I hardly saw him in any clothes other than his work ones or gym outfits, no band tees, or anything that'd give away his preferences.

"Depends on the mood, I guess. I have playlists for different occasions."

"When you work out?"

Liam chuckled. "Observant, aren't you? Those are about the only times you've seen me with earbuds. Okay, it's rock, mainly. Some rap and R&B as well. I'm not that picky. There are lots of great bands and artists. Sometimes I hear a song, and it fits my mood. Then, there are my favorite ones."

"I'd like to see your playlists." I fetched my glass and took another sip. The wine was so damn good it was a shame I hadn't tried it until today.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours," said Liam.

"They're not as fascinating as yours, for sure. Mainly girl power stuff and the romantic songs guys hate."

"Correction." Liam raised his index finger, making me giggle in a not-so-subtle way. "We do like romantic songs, but I'd say we use them for some special moments. If you don't believe me, ask Ellie."

"Ask Ellie why?"

Liam shrugged. "Aiden's into that stuff. I borrowed his iPod a couple of times. The guy's got playlists for dates with Ellie, for making love, for just Ellie. I'm not disclosing anything; he doesn't hide it, you know."

"You don't? Make playlists for those things, I mean."

"For Ellie? Hell no."

I rolled my eyes. Liam laughed, and then his expression turned serious again.

"I don't date, Sky, so what's the point? I guess if I made a playlist for a girl, it would be because she's special to me."

"You're saying it as if you didn't date in general," I said.

"I don't."

"But, you hook up with someone." It was a statement, not a question.

"When I want to, yeah."

I hated how disappointed I was in Liam's answer. I shouldn't have been because we were simply and only roommates. Yet, somehow, the fact that he didn't want a relationship stung. A question fell off my lips before I thought better.

"Why don't you date?"

Avoiding my eyes, Liam smiled a half-smile. "So, what's your favorite song of all times, Sky Sullivan?"

I was a fucking coward because we'd talked about everything and nothing, and I didn't have the guts to mention what I'd overheard.

I paid the bill rejecting Sky's money. Her insistence on giving it to me made me wonder whether her asshole of an ex had ever invited her to dinner. The sight of the damn espresso he'd ordered for her instead of a real meal was in front of my eyes as I left a tip for the waiter and went to where Sky was waiting for me.

I was grateful for the cool air that hit my face once I was outside. It'd been a while since I drank, and I recognized the fuzzy feeling that came with being slightly buzzed. Maybe if I'd drunk more, I would've found the guts to tell Sky the truth about her ex.

I was terrified of hurting her.

I didn't need to be a genius to see she was upset. The sadness was in her eyes, in the way she walked, even in the way she stood next to me, hugging herself. My gaze lingered on her slim figure and that long soft hair she chose to wear down. How could a girl so beautiful fall for the meanest of assholes?

It was getting late, and the usual Liam would say his brother was waiting at home, finishing the strange non-date before it veered into dangerous territory.

What came out of my mouth was different. "Do you want to take a walk?"

Sky's eyes darted to mine. "I do. I'm a bit tipsy; it'd be good to clear my head."

We hadn't walked far when I noticed Sky was shivering slightly. On autopilot, I took off my hoodie and handed it to her. I would've put it on her myself, but that was a boyfriendly gesture, and we didn't have that kind of a relationship. I wouldn't have that with anyone.

Sky thanked me, accepting it with a look of awe on her face. Hadn't she ever worn her boyfriend's clothes?

The silence between us was oddly comfortable. Sky walked next to me, her steps light and gracious, reminding me of too many things I wasn't in the mood to dwell on. Especially not today.

Somehow, we left the busy street and ended up in a quiet residential area instead. I saw a small playground and nodded toward it, waiting for Sky's approval.

"Swings!" She beamed, rushing toward one. I sat on the swing opposite hers. It was too small for my height, but I got why Tim loved them so much. The back-and-forth movement was soothing. Sky pushed herself off the ground and pulled up her feet so that she could swing.

There it was — the silence, the quiet evening, not a single soul around, the perfect moment to say what I had to, but she'd cry, and she'd remember the dinner as the dinner before she was humiliated. What fucking day, month, or season was appropriate to break a girl's heart?

I swallowed the words that were about to fall off my lips. For some strange reason, the thought of Sky crying felt like a punch to my gut. I needed to get to know her better, earn her trust, become her friend before talking about something like that. Might as well start.

"So, why South?" I asked.

Sky smiled. "Why Paris?"

"Touché. But still, why not Paris from the start?"

"Money," Sky simply said. "My parents are doing okay, but they're not loaded. Studying back home would've been too expensive. Besides, my dad has always had this dream of traveling to Europe like my aunt Sam does. I guess I get to do that for him. I spoke French thanks to years of classes. My mom asked around, and someone told her college education in France was good. I wanted a change as well."

"Did you tell them you moved to Paris?"

Sky shook her head. "Not yet. They'd want to know why, and I'd have to tell them the whole story or lie, which is more likely. You're from the north, right? I heard you speak French, and you have no accent in English. How's that?"

"Mom was American; dad was French. We spoke both at home, still do with Tim. And I moved to Paris because of the job and the salary. It's much better. Besides, nothing was holding me back. Our place was rented."

And my dad spent our meager savings on alcohol, leaving our accounts in red. I didn't say that to Sky, because even two years after it was embarrassing. It was funny how people underestimated the addictions and what they did to the entire families. Sometimes it wasn't even about the addict, but about those who put up with the aftermath of their choices.

"It must've been hard," Sky said. "Losing your parents and taking care of Tim."

Usually, I'd downplay it. I'd shrug my shoulders and say it was okay. I was getting by. It wasn't a big deal. Some people had it worse. I said none of those things. "Yes, it has been tough. Still is sometimes, but Tim and I are family. You don't abandon your little brother, who isn't guilty of how shitty everything turned out.

"I want Tim to have a good childhood— the one he'd remember with a smile. I want him to know there's somebody who'll have his back and make choices with him in mind. He needs to know there's a responsible adult in his life who can guide him and put him first."

"And that adult is you," Sky said.

"Yeah. I'm the only one; that's the thing."

"You're doing great. Tim is lucky to have you."

Smiling, I hopped off the swing and made a few steps toward Sky. The unspoken question she had in her eyes was answered when I pushed her swing, making it fly higher.

"Liam!" Sky squealed, clenching her eyes shut. The wind ruffled her long hair, and a whiff of her perfume reached my nostrils. I loved the smell.

I shouldn't have drunk so much.

"I guess we need to go back now," I said. "It's close to midnight, and Tim's at Aiden's."

"Sure." Sky waited until the swing stopped, and accepted my hand to slide off it.

"Tell me you want it as much as I do," he whispered in my ear, caressing my skin with his fingertips.

How did we get to this point?

I remembered the air in our apartment, suddenly bristling with tension. The way he whipped off his signature white tee, revealing the chest rippling with muscles and uncovering his trim waist.

Him, shucking off his pants. His legs, muscled and taut.

Liam's gaze, sweeping over me. His hands holding my face and his lips on mine.

I would never have thought a kiss could do this to me. I didn't know I was the kind of girl who would trace the ink on his skin with her tongue.

I didn't know I could be that desperate.

I didn't think he could make me feel so wanted.

My eyes flared open. The remnants of the dream lingered in my addled brain as I lay in bed, surrounded by stillness.

The images were too vivid. I blamed the wine and the day I'd had, but deep down, I knew it wasn't the reason why I felt what I did — excitement, ratcheting up, making me quiver in yearning for something I hadn't experienced before, and wanted to feel with the guy sleeping somewhere in my apartment.

I deflated, crushed by the impossibility of that dream, and padded to the kitchen in search of some water.

"Bumping into each other is becoming a habit, roomie."

I jumped in surprise at the sight of Liam sitting on a chair with a glass of water in his hand.

"Sorry," I muttered, feeling my pulse race. If the lights were on, Liam would see how flushed my cheeks were.

It wasn't enough for him to appear in my first naughty dream— he also needed to be the one sitting in the kitchen at one a.m.

"What did you want?" asked Liam.

"Some water; I'll get it."

Shaking his head, Liam got up from the chair and poured some water into a glass, handing it to me.

"You okay? You kinda look flushed."

I nodded, gulping down the liquid, and set the glass on the counter, desperate to get out of there.

Liam made me feel things in my dream, and I didn't know how to handle it.

"I had fun tonight," he said, taking a step toward me. "I think I needed that, especially today, so thank you."

"I had a good time, too." I smiled.

Liam's lips descended upon my cheek. "Good night, sweetheart."