Christmas Break

"Please please please tell us again about your first date with Liam?" Lisa begged, pulling at her seatbelt in anticipation.

I looked around for a way out of retelling the story I've already told a billion times, but I was stuck in a moving vehicle between Lisa and Stephanie. I'm trapped.

"Fine, but after this I'm never telling it again." I gave in, shooting Liam a glare for not helping me, even thought he couldn't see it because his eyes were trained on the road.

"After school he brought me to a painting class where I excelled and he embarrassed himself, which was hilarious, and then he brought me hiking. The first half of the date was something I loved, and the second half was something he loved. That was his way of opening up to me." I recalled fondly, saying the last part teasingly. I'm sure Liam didn't enjoy the fact that I made him sound all vulnerable.

"And what happened during the hike?" Lisa questioned, even though she knew the answer.

I laughed, "We walked and talked until we came across a waterfall. It was beautiful, and then my dad called in a panic because I forgot to tell him that I wouldn't be home after school. It kind of ruined the magic so I asked Liam to bring me home because I felt bad for worrying my dad."

Everyone laughed.

"I could hear her dad's voice all high pitched and panicked through the phone and I was standing five feet away from her." Liam added, causing us all to laugh even more.

"Super romantic." Leo teased from the front passenger seat, earning a playful shove from Liam.

I shrugged, "Every date after that went smoothly, I made sure to tell my dad where I was to avoid another disaster."

"Too bad Garrett didn't get to hear the first date story again." Lisa commented, turning to look out the back window at Garrett's rental car trailing behind us.

I scoffed, "He probably would've thrown himself out of the moving car if he had to listen to it one more time."

"Yeah, you're probably right." She sighed, and dramatically turned back around to looked out the side window.

It kills me to see her so obviously head over heels from him, and not do anything about it. I think she should just tell him, it worked when I told Liam how I felt about him. I've told her time after time to just get her feelings out in the open but she's too scared.

Garrett would be lucky to date her, why can't she see that? She's never been shy with guys before, why is this time so different?

Maybe this trip is exactly what they need to realize they're perfect for each other. Maybe I'll make it my mission to get Garrett to see how special Lisa is.

"Earth to Emma, we're here." Someone said, waving a hand in front of my face to break me out of my thoughts.

I tuned back into my surroundings to see everyone out of the car, and Liam waiting with the back door open for me.

"This place is awesome!" I exclaimed as I slid out of the car and took in everything around me.

Palm trees everywhere, the ocean close by, and the beautiful white beach house that was mostly windows. The six hour plane ride and four hour drive to get here was totally worth it.

"Hey Leo, remind me when we get back to thank your parents again for paying for this trip." I called after Leo, who was quickly making his way to the beach.

"Sure!" He called back over his shoulder before breaking out into a sprint toward the clear blue water.

I still can't believe dad let me go on this trip. Sure he was going to be working all of Christmas break, but to let me come here with no adult supervision was still a shock. I'm glad he trusts me though.

"What do you want to do first?" Liam asked.

I shrugged, "There's so much to do, I just can't decide."

He gave me an amused smile, "I remember you being very excited about the coffee shop down the road, do you want to go there and get some tea?"

"That's a great idea." I told him, leaning up to give him a peck on the cheek. He knows me so well.

We walked hand in hand down the road, absorbing the warm sunshine, until we came across the cutest little wooden building with a big sign that said Coffee.

Liam let go of my hand and opened the door, ushering me in with a mock "My lady."

I laughed as I walked into the building until I saw the menus above the counter where you order. There was at least twenty kinds of tea to choose from! How am I ever going to decide what to get? I guess I could always make it my mission to try every kind.

"Well it looks like you have a very important choice to make." Liam teased when he noticed what I was looking at.

I waved his comment away with my hand, "Shush I'm trying to think."

I could go with a flavour I know I'll like, maybe orange pekoe or peppermint, or I could go for something completely new. 

I think today I'm in the mood for adventure.

I walked up to the counter when I made my decision, and waited for the lady behind the counter to take my order.

"Hi what can I get for you?" She asked in an exotic accent.

I smiled, "Could I please get a black forest cake pu-erh tea please."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise, probably because it's obvious that I'm not from around here, I bet she assumed I'd get a boring tea.

"Coming right up, and what can I get you?" She said, turning to Liam at the end to get his order.

"Could I get a chocolate chip muffin and a medium coffee with one milk and one sugar please." Liam ordered, the same thing he always gets when we go to any coffee shop.

"Where is your sense of adventure?" I teased him when the lady went back to the kitchen to make our drinks.

He looked down at me, a little smirk on his face, "I'm saving it for later."

I rolled my eyes at his obvious flirtation, but couldn't help the smile that spread across my lips. I love when he's playful and flirty, that's my favourite Liam.

"Black forest cake pu-erh tea, medium coffee one milk one sugar, and and a chocolate chip muffin." The lady behind the counter announced as she emerged from the kitchen, handing us our things once she got to us.

We both thanked her as we took our orders, and then walked over to a table by the front window. I couldn't get enough of the view around here, everything's so beautiful and exotic.

"I can't believe we're in Hawaii." I uttered, gently blowing on my tea to cool it down.

Liam nodded in agreement, "Leo's parents are the best for paying for all of this."

This time I was the one to nod as I watched in amusement at Liam taking the first bite of his muffin. His face practically brightened, I could immediately tell that the muffin was delicious.

"You need to try this." He insisted, holding the muffin out for me.

I laughed at his enthusiasm but grabbed the muffin and took a small bite.

Wow, this muffin really is amazing!

"Can we take this place back home with us when we leave? I want to go here every day until I die." I muttered longingly, already feeling sad at the fact that in a week I'll have to leave this paradise.

"If I was rich I'd buy this place for you." Liam said before taking another huge bite out of the muffin.

"That's the most romantic thing anyone's ever said to me." I teased, although it was a super cute thing for him to say.

"Now are you gonna try your tea or what? Is little miss adventure scared?" He teased back.

I almost forgot about my tea, Liam's just so distracting sometimes, I seem to forget everything around me when I'm with him.

Without another word, I lifted the cup to my lips and took a small sip, careful not to burn my mouth.

"Oh my goodness, this really tastes like black forest cake!" I exclaimed, ignoring the fact that we were in a quiet coffee shop and I was being disruptive, even though we were the only two customers around.

"I'm glad you like it." Liam said, giving me a soft smile that melted my heart.

When he looks at me like that, his eyes so open and filled with emotion, I feel like I'm floating. Liam has really let me in, and I'm so honoured.

I just wish I could cancel the three kisses game
because I constantly feeling like I'm lying to him. Keeping the game a secret from Liam kills me, but I'm trying to postpone running down the school hallway in my bra and underwear for as long as possible.

Sometimes I wish I was never a part of the game, but then I realize that if I wasn't in the game I never would have ended up with Liam. So in a way I'm grateful for the game even though it could break Liam's trust.

I keep coming back to the idea to complete the third kiss so I can just win the game and be done with it, but then I feel like I'm using Liam, and if he ever finds out about it he may never forgive me. I could lose him whether I win the game or not. I just don't know what to do.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Liam asked, breaking me out of my troubling inner battle.

I gave him a small, fake smile, "I was just trying to figure out what we should do after we're done here."

I hate lying to him.

"We can do whatever you want." He replied.

He's too good to me. I really don't deserve him.

•  •  •  •  •  •  •

After the coffee shop we went back to the beach house to meet up with everyone, and then we just spent the rest of the day either in the ocean or laying in the sand.

"My whole body hurts. The sun hates me." Lisa groaned, sitting stiffly on one of the logs around the bonfire.

"It's too bad you don't have a great boyfriend to remind you to put sun screen on." I teased her, cuddling closer into Liam's side.

"I didn't want your ghostly white skin to burn." He teased, and then kissed me on the top of my head.

"You two disgust me." Lisa complained, and we laughed. If she just told Garrett how she feels, she could be the one disgusting us.

"Are you guys ready for some music?" Steph called as she returned from the beach house where she went to get her speaker.

Everyone cheered to let her know we were ready for the music, and a second later a song was playing.

I swayed to the beat, causing Liam to sway with me, and when I looked up at him he didn't look impressed, but he didn't complain either. I know he hates this song which is why I was swaying to it in the first place.

"You're an evil little redhead." He mumbled, but I caught the ghost of a smile on his lips.

For a while everyone was silent as we watched the flames dance to the music, until Leo started blabbering about whatever came to his mind. That boy is always talking. I almost admire him for it. Almost.

"I wish one of us played guitar, that way we could play cheesy campfire songs and sing along to them instead of listening to Steph's music." Leo said, earning a playful slap on the chest from Steph.

"What's wrong with my music?"

He shrugged, "It's all just so mainstream."

"Like your music is any better." She spat, pushing his arm off her shoulder and scooting to the other side of the log they shared.

Lately they've been arguing a lot, over little things, and it makes things very awkward for the rest of us.

"I'm going to head in for the night, I'm tired." Lisa spoke up, fake yawning to show us that she really was tired, even though we could see right through it.

I don't blame her for wanting to leave though, things are just so tense when Steph and Leo fight.

"I'm heading in too." Leo said, following Lisa back to the beach house.

It was quiet between the rest of us once those two disappeared, Garrett isn't one for talking, Steph was angry, and that just left Liam and I to talk, but I think we were both too uncomfortable to speak up.

The only thing saving this situation from being truly horrible was the fact that the music was still playing so at least it wasn't completely silent.

But after a while I couldn't stand the tension anymore, so I decided to give Steph a chance to vent.

"Do you want to go find some good sticks to roast marshmallows with?" I asked her, this will give her the chance to get away from the boys so she can complain about their friend.

"Sure." She agreed, probably realizing why I asked.

"See you in a bit." I told Liam, leaning up to peck him on the lips before I got up and left with Steph.

Once we were a good distance away from the boys, Steph sighed. "I don't know what to do Em. I want to be with Leo but he's impossible. And everything he does makes me mad, he's never serious and he just doesn't do nice things for me."

I nodded in understanding and Steph continued, "I really like him, but I don't have any reason to. He never compliments me, he barely acts like he's my boyfriend, the only time he seems to want my attention is when he wants sex. What am I suppose to do?"

My heart ached for her, she deserves better than what Leo's giving her. I really thought he was going to be good to her, I couldn't have been more wrong.

"Maybe you should talk to him, really tell him how you feel. If you want to work things out, and if he wasn't to, it'll work out. Relationships aren't suppose to be easy." I told her.

Liam and I haven't really fought yet, but we're still in the honeymoon phase. I know things will eventually get harder for us, but I'm prepared to fight for our relationship if he is. Steph needs to find out if Leo wants to fight for their relationship, because it seems like she wants to.

"Thanks Em, you're the best." Steph said, bending down by a tree to pick up a couple sticks.

"Those look like perfect marshmallow roasting sticks." I told her, and she nodded in agreement.

"Let's head back, I'll get the marshmallows from the beach house so you don't risk running into Leo." I offered, and she nodded in agreement.

A minute later we were going our separate ways and I was walking through the back door of the beach house.

I went straight for the kitchen, and looked through a bunch of drawers before remembering that Lisa stashed all the marshmallows in her room so the boys wouldn't eat them all.

I quickly made my way upstairs and opened the door when I reached Lisa's room.

"Hey Lisa can I grab the-" My sentence was cut short when my brain processed the scene in front of me.

Lisa was in bed, with a very naked Leo on top of her to match her equally naked state.

I quickly stepped back out of the room, slamming the door shut behind me, and stood in the hallway, dumbfounded.

I just caught best friend's boyfriend cheating on her with my other best friend.