"Great. Thanks Nick." I grinned at the black haired guy in front of me, and he smiled back.

"No problem Sal. Have fun." I nodded at him, and went further down the shop, my smile disappearing as soon as I was sure he couldn't see me anymore. It was official; Dominick really was the most oblivious guy I'd ever met. Did he really think I went to the stupid music store he worked at just so I could ask him for new CDs? Five times per week? I was clearly doing something wrong, but I was determined to fix it. He was the first guy I'd liked since I was 16; I'd forgotten how nice it felt to have a crush on someone you actually know in person, instead of people on posters that you had all over the walls of your room.

I sighed again, and sat on a stool where the guitars were, and picked up the black acoustic one. It was my favourite one, but seeing as I was saving money for an apartment, a car, and to pay uni, I really couldn't afford the beauty that was in my arms. Luckily, I'd asked Dominick not to let anyone buy it. Thank God he was smart when it came to that.

I played a few chords, and smiled at how sweetly tuned it was. No one had re-tuned it since the last time I was there. It was quite lame, but I loved just sitting there, playing the guitar and maybe sing when no one was around.

Which reminded me... I looked around, making sure that no one was there, before clearing my throat and starting a low beat song.

It took me a few seconds to get lost in it, but as soon as I did, I started singing as well.

All I am, is a man
I want the world in my hands
I hate the beach, but I stand
In California, with my toes in the sand

For some reason, that song made me think about Los Angeles, and how lovely it would be to live there. No bad weather, no winter, barely any rain; lovely. Even though I'm a big fan of the rain, and even a bigger one of thunderstorms, I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to be woken up by the sunshine that managed to light up your room early in the morning. That had never happened to me here, in Wolverhampton. Ugh, even the name of my hometown was annoying, to me. Pretty much everything annoyed me; my school, teachers, parents, even some friends, and some particular people that breathe the same air as me.

And if I may just take your breath away
I don't mind if there's not much to say
Sometimes the silence guides our minds
And move to a place so far away

I let out a small sigh as I sang. I never imagined myself alone in LA; Dominick was always there. Sometimes he was holding my hand as we walked down the beach, and sometimes he was lending me his hoodie because it was too cold, not caring that he would probably freeze... And then we'd go back to the flat that we shared, and I'd warm him up my own special way... Wow, that was some dream.

"Woah, I didn't know you could sing, Nora."

My breath hitched in my throat, and I immediately lost rhythm; there was only one person that called me Nora, and so help me God, he was going to die as soon as I laid my eyes on him.

"I am going to choke you," I said, and looked up at Liam; he was smiling at me, though it turned into a smirk after my statement.

"Oh, should I be afraid? Of the girl who sings 'one love, two mouths, one love, one home' or something like that?" He retorted, and I could feel actual steam coming out of my ears. How dare he insult my favourite song.

"You're a real prick, you know that?" I carefully placed the guitar back in its place before I did something stupid with it, and stood up to face Liam. We both had our arms crossed, though it was pretty obvious who would win if we got in a fight; my body practically resembled a stick, while his biceps were threatening to tear up the leather jacket that he was wearing.

"Aw, let me make fix that. Hm, how about... I put my finger on your tongue 'cause you love the taste, yeah?" He laughed and I just rolled my eyes at his lame pun, making sure to bump my shoulder into his on my way past him.

"No wonder you don't have a girlfriend," I commented, loud enough for him to hear me, and started checking out some records. Liam stopped laughing, which made me smile to myself; I was almost too good when it came to sinking people.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He came into my sight and crossed his arms once again. I glanced at him, well, his converse actually, before continuing to look at the records in front of me.

"That you're a prick, that's all." I shrugged as I picked up Torches by Foster the People, and felt Liam walk closer to me.

"You have no idea what kind of a boyfriend I can be," He said quietly, and for the first time, I felt a little uncomfortable. Did he really take me seriously?

"I don't need to know," I said as I looked up at him, a stern look on my face, that only made that goddamn smirk of his appear again.

"I reckon you do, since I know you're going to fall into my arms sooner or later." He leaned his head to the side, as if he felt sorry for me, and the fact that I didn't believe he was right. Wow, when did he turn into a cocky son of a bitch. I mean, I knew he was a son of a bitch from the beginning, but...

"Oh, Liam," I started with a small, sad smile as my hand flew up to his cheek to cup it. For a second, I could see that he was expecting me to tell him that he was right or even show him he was right.

"You don't even know my name." Boy, was he wrong to expect that.

I watched him as my words slowly sunk into his brain, and he let out a breath that he'd obviously been holding, as frustration washed over his face. He really thought I would give in, that easy? Seriously?

"You're really cold, you know?" Liam said as I continued to go through the displayed records, and I just shrugged.

"Maybe you should... Let me hold both your hands in the holes of my sweater." He was obviously trying not to burst into laughter, but couldn't hold it back anymore as I started hitting him with a copy of Whisper War by The Cab. I already planned on buying it, anyways.

"If you don't shut the fuck up, I will-"

"What?" Liam cut me off, his face suddenly dangerously close to mine. "Make me?"

It was then that I realized; I hated him. I hated everything about him. His voice, his face, his persistence... The mere fact that he existed. It was making me sick.

"Yes. Exactly," I said, playing along.

"Really?" He stretched the word out. "How would you-"

My hand made contact with his cheek before he got to finish his sentence. Only this time, it wasn't a soft touch like the one before, no, this one made his head turn to the side and his hand fly up to hold the left side of his face.

"How's that for a hint?" I narrowed my eyes at him, sarcasm clear in my voice as I spoke. I turned around before he could say something, and started walking away again. I was officially done with this guy.

"Hey, what was that for?" I heard his obnoxious voice barely two seconds later. "Is it because you touched my neck, and I didn't touch yours?"

I stopped walking and closed my eyes, putting serious effort into not doing anything that could kill him. And I also made a mental note not to sing Sweater Weather in a public place ever again.

"C'mon, Nora, you know I'd stop being a prick if you stopped being a bitch." Liam shrugged. The fact that he'd just called me a bitch? Zero percent affective.

"You know, I actually thought about not being a bitch anymore, but that was before you called me a bitch. So I guess I'll continue being a bitch," I said, almost too quickly for myself to understand, and shrugged as I walked away with a couple of records in my hands.

"Bye Nick," I said in a rushed tone, heading toward the door without even waiting for Dominick's reply.

"Bye love!" I heard him say as I closed the door, thanking God that he didn't say Sally, or Sal, like he usually did. It was as if he knew I had a creep on my back.

Speaking of the devil, I didn't think Liam would go after me. I didn't think he'd come to the music shop only so he could try and talk to me again. But as I heard the name Nora being repeated several times behind me, I realized there was a possibility that I could be mistaking.

"You seriously need to get a life," I said, shaking my head, as I noticed Liam start walking next to me from the corner of my eye. How could he still be so stubborn, even after I fucking slapped him? What is wrong with this guy?! Did he not know the meaning of the word 'no'?

"I did, and it is you," He said in a serious tone that was clearly forced, and I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief. He was going to drive himself crazy with this shit.

"You picked a really lame lifestyle." I shook my head as we made it to the bus station, where my bus was already waiting for me. Luckily, Liam didn't get on it as well. Fucking finally, success!

"I hope you know that you really hurt my feelings," He said loudly, just before I walked in, and I slowly turned to him with a skeptical look on my face.

"Not like you would want to do anything about it," I sneered and disappeared out of Liam's sight. I sat down next to a window as soon as the bus started going forward, and looked out the window. To my surprise, well, shock actually, Liam was still standing there. What surprised me even more, is that he had a smirk on his face. Not a smug one or anything, but a mischievous one, that made you think he was going to do something. Something bad.

I noticed him wave at me just before he left my sight, and I bit my lip as I sat straight. I definitely didn't want him near me; he annoyed me, there was no doubting that, and kind of genuinely creeped me out on some level. Though after what had happened a minute before, I couldn't help but think...

Did I just challenge him?

I really hope not.

*******

~A/N~

I didn't have a lot of time to work on this, but I hope you liked it! Please, please, please vote and comment, I love hearing what you think of the story :) Love you! xx