Vital

Remorse overcame as I got out of the limo, with my bags in hand and walked inside my house; without looking back. It was already time to leave David and come home.

"Hi, sweetie! Did you have fun?" My mom inquired, pleasantly sitting on the couch with a smile as she glanced up at me.

"Loads," I answer. I closed the door behind me as I entered my room and sighed. My mom was busy while I was gone, the walls were painted a deep yellow, my bed sheets zebra print along with deep yellow pillows. I smiled at the zebra print trash can, lamp, curtains, and other furnishings. I glanced out the window and saw a bean bag chair on my little porch that's connected to my room, with a roof over it and all. I opened the door, went outside and sat in it.

"Hey Mo," my dad greeted. I was shocked by the voice, having jumped a little, then smiled at him.

"Hey dad," I replied in the same tone.

"Do you like the room?" He asked, walking over.

"I love it," I assure. "Thank you."

"Thank your mom, I've been working all the time. She did everything, but I put all the shelves and we hired some neighbor boys to help out." My dad was so nonchalant, however I was interested in the term he used 'neighbor boys'.

"Oh?" I quirk a brow, glancing around.

"Yep," he nodded, then saw something.
"Hey Kevin, hello Liam."

"Kevin? Liam?" I question, standing. I locked eyes with Kevin and glared, then saw his friend? I didn't notice this Liam at school.

"You're wel-" Kevin paused when he saw me and grinned.
"Monique."

"You know these boys?" My dad assumed, turning his attention to me.

"Not exactly," I whisper.

"Interesting to see you over here," Kevin walked up as if he owned the place.

"Same to you," I reply, ignoring Liam.

"Liam happens to live next door, and I happen to be visiting," Kevin explained. I rolled my eyes into Liam's direction, looked him over then returned my attention to Kevin.

"He's cute, you two make a good match." I wink then kissed my dad's cheek.
"I'm going inside, it's a little chilly."

"Ugh, alright?" My dad was confused then turned his attention back to the boys and started talking to them. I closed my French door behind me, and glared through the glass at Kevin. I'm just glad it's Liam that lives next door and not that asshole. I thought David was bad, ugh.

...

"Dinner!" My dad interrupted me surfing the Internet on this phone, after asking David first. Apparently when you own a Smart Phone it's mandatory to pay that extra $30 something dollars for Internet. He just asked that I'm not always on line.

"Okay!" I holler back, putting my phone away and came out of my room. I stopped in my tracks when I heard other voices and turned the corner to see Liam, and two older adults that I assumed to be his parents.

"This is Monique," my mom introduced with a smile. Liam stood there, staring at me, along with a little girl standing next to him.

"Hi?" I ask, confusion written all over my face. I stared at my mom with my brows raised, then smiled at the older couple.

"Monique, it's a pleasure to meet you. We're your neighbors," the lady introduced. Which she didn't help at all, she didn't mention their names or anything.

"And I'm Lilly, Liam's little sister," the I'm guessing twelve year old proudly stated. I assume she looks up to her older brother, whom just sheepishly looked at me.

"And I'm Liam, as Kevin introduced." He stuck his hand out and I just stared at it.

"Nice," I mutter then walked over to our parents. They weren't paying attention once Lilly started talking. "What's for dinner?"

"Don't be rude, Monique," my mom scolded. I winced, and slithered back over to Lilly and Liam.

"Your mom is like mine," Lilly muttered with a sigh. I noticed a little kid about the age of six ran over, smiled and rushed off. "That's Lewie, he doesn't speak much."

"All your names start with a L, cute," I commented.

"Yeah," Liam shrugged. "Parents liked the idea obviously."

"Obviously," I repeated and he smiled.

"So I take it you don't care for Kevin much?" Liam asked, looking me over.

"Not exactly," I mutter.

"Same here," he sighed.

"Don't talk about my future husband that way!" Lilly scolded, swatting at Liam.
"He's absolutely adorable, Monique. I don't see how you don't care for him."

"You don't go to school with him," I pointed out and she laughed.

"Next year I will be!" She corrected, at which Liam snorted.

"Next year, he'll be graduated and you'll be illegal for him to look at." Liam was proud of himself at his wit and just chuckled.

"I guess he's all Lulu's then," Lilly frowned.

"Lulu?" I quirk a brow.

"My other sister," he frowned.

"There's more of you?" I slouch forward. Liam, Lulu, Lilly, and Lewie, what the hell was wrong with these parents?

"Yes," Liam chuckled.

"She's sixteen," Lilly continued. "She's very pretty too."

"Is she?" I grunt.

"She's with her friends right now," Liam growled.

"And you aren't why?" I reply.

"Because she's the favorite," he whispered while Lilly was watching Lewie run around all crazy like. "When Lilly says she's pretty, she wasn't lying."

"I see," I say with a shrug. I glanced at Liam with a smile, he's gorgeous. His chestnut brown hair, and those pure gray eyes. I felt myself almost drooling, but then backed down. I smiled at his neatly created long nose, and those semi-full lips. His cheeks aren't completely thin, nor chubby, but just right. His eyebrows, not thin, nor bushy but maintained. His height was tall as well and it made me smile.

"Monique?" Liam chuckled, while waving a hand in my face.
"Dinner is ready."

"Sorry," I apologized with a shake of my head and went inside the dining room that mom had set up. I was in awe at how lovely she did everything in our house.

"So, Monique. What are your goals for after high school?" Liam's father questioned with a smile.

"I was thinking about becoming a nurse," I dryly answer with a shrug. I never really gave my future much thought, to be honest.

"Hmm, not bad." I returned the smile he was giving as he glanced at Liam.
"Liam wants to join the Firefighters."

"Nice," my dad commented. "Are you going to take any EMT classes right now?"

"Already in one, sir." He nodded.

"How old are you?" I ask, looking Liam over.

"I'm a year older than you, my sweet," he winked with a chuckle. I bit my bottom lip and glanced down at my plate, with embarrassment. No wonder I haven't seen Liam around school.

"Liam is enrolled in the Fire Explorers as well, he has been actually, until he turns twenty one." His father proudly continued to boast about Liam, and my father was in awe. I could tell my dad wanted me with Liam, which made me laugh.

"Monique?" I snapped out of my thoughts and turned to my mom.

"Yeah?" I ask.

"David's mom called, I'm having you stay down there for a bit again, alright?" My mom smiled, this meant war between my parents as they stared at each other. My dad obviously felt it was rude that my mom had said that, seeing as he's really liking this Liam character. It was also obvious that my mom still wants me with David. Great.

"David?" Liam's father inquired, cautiously glancing at me but addressing my father.

"My wife's best friend's son, she forces Monique to go over there every weekend," my father answered with a roll of his eyes.

"One of those," Liam's father chuckled.

"Monique likes going over there," my mom immediately went on defense.
"Don't you?"

"Ugh," I felt a lump in my throat as she glared at me. My father looked at me with a look that said 'what you say now effects you later' and Liam's parents were just confused and had a look of slight disappointment. "Yeah, I get to see my old friends since we've moved."

"And?" My mom asked.

"And I am going to put my dishes away and go outside," I answer at which Lilly immediately jumped up.

"Can I come too?" She pried with a smile.

"If your parents don't mind," I smoothly say. Her parents with a smile nodded, obviously liking the fact that I didn't just say go ahead which would cause a fight if they hadn't agreed. Liam stood, grabbing his plate and others then followed me into the kitchen.

"David? As in David Porter?" Liam growled. I placed the dishes in the sink and turned to him with my brows raised, taking my sweater off.

"Possibly, why?" I ask, turning the water on so it'll warm up. I rinsed the dishes off and bent over to put them in the dishwasher that I embarrassingly forgot was there.

"He's such a tool, and you associate with him?" He kept his brows raised and shook his head. I looked up at him as I was bent over, my hair going over one side of my head and dangled.

"Excuse yourself, Liam. For we have not appropriately met, nor talked to each other for you to be saying stuff like that to me," I hiss. He was taken back my formal insult, and demand.

"Well," he chuckled. "My apologies, madam. But I held you at higher standards."

"Higher standards?" I laughed. "What? Within the not even an hour that we've actually met?"

"Possibly," he shrugged.

"Then you're pathetic," I calmly spat before standing up right. I grabbed my sweater, but he beat me to it.

"You look better without covering up," he stated then draped it over a chair.
"Now let's go outside, you promised my sister."

"Fine," I hiss. He walked by and I grabbed my sweater again, slipping it.
"Don't ever tell me what to wear, okay?"

"Okay." A grin was on his face as we went outside and his little brother Lewie went running around. I folded my arms across my chest and watched as Lewie and Lilly played together.

"What do you have against him?" I ask, still watching the kids.

"Who?" He replied, that's when I gave him that look of 'you know who'. "Ah, David. He's just an ass like Kevin, that's probably why they're friends. I swear those two play women back and forth."

"That's not true," I correct.

"You can't tell me that David doesn't play women," Liam laughed. "He may not sleep with him fully, however he does toy with their hearts and use them for his own benefits."

"And Kevin does the same?" I ask and he nods.

"Exactly," he sighed.

"And you don't?" I question, at which he smiled.

"That is something you'd have to find out for yourself," he winked and then rushed over lifting his little sister up and twirled her. I simply stood there and watched with my brows raised.