Chapter 14: Just Us

                                    

                                          
Isla was sitting on a thick branch of the very same tree he was leaned up against. She was throwing the stones into the water, staring at it as if heavily concentrating on her thoughts. 
Something was bothering her. Liam could tell. Not just in the way she was forcefully throwing the stones. Her eyes didn’t have the same light to them they normally did which seemed to become normal, he must’ve not noticed until recently. She was biting her lip hard enough to leave a mark. The tips of her ears were now an entire foot from the start of her horns, and she blinked frequently.
He was gonna find out what was bothering her, and he was going to make her smile again, to bring the light back to her eyes again. No matter what it took. “Isla! Hey, what’re you doing out here?”
Isla quietly looked down, “Nothin’ in particular. Hidin’ out mostly, Why? What’re you doin’ out here?”
Liam furrowed his brows, “Uh… Looking for you, actually. Leo said you’d be out here.” He said Leo's name in almost frustration. “Why are you hiding? And from whom?” He’d suddenly forgotten what Brooklynn wanted to ask her. 
Isla looked back to the water, and threw another rock in there, “Why are you lookin’ for me? You should be hidin’.”
“I- well, Brooklynn had a question that she insisted I asked you. Also, I wanted to talk to you and let you know that dinner will be served soon. Why should I be hiding again? Who should I be hiding from? You?” Liam replied in question.
Isla threw yet another rock into the stream. “I’m bad luck.” She sighed. “Why? You ask. Uncle Everett. Not to mention the family drama, Uncle Everett is bent on assumin’ is on me.”
The word “assuming” gave Liam some hope. “So why do you listen to him about it?”
“I’m not.. Well, maybe I am a little. But I’m just.. I’m just mad that no matter what, he’s determined. Liam, I’m a magnet for family drama. That he is right about. Maybe you should change your mind? You probably will, Uncle Everett seems pretty sure about it.”
Scoffing, Liam tried to continue looking up. “Will you come down? Please?” He inquired hopefully.
“You goin’ to consider steerin’ clear of this five leaf clover?”
“No.”
“Then, no.”
Liam frowned, “Well, was that the reason you kissed me?” But his lips quirked into a smile.
Isla’s cheeks and ears colored, “What? No- I- I just, I didn’t technically kiss you, because- because you know, it was only on the cheek, like I told you.”
Liam’s frown lifted, “If we’re being technical, you technically didn’t tell me to leave. Technically it was still a kiss. If that was your plan, then technically you’re terrible at repelling people.”
Isla scoffed, “Really? How’s that?”
“Where should I start?” Liam mimicked, causing Isla to roll her eyes, “You don’t kiss people, you want to repel. Besides, what could possibly be repulsive about you?”
“You said this once. My personality.”
“Nope, Didn’t mean it.”
“My voice”
“Uh-uh.”
“My face.”
“We’ve been through this. No.”
“My stubbornness.”
“Sometimes tempting to think so, but not actually true.”
Isla glared down at him, “Seriously?” She asked.