Trouble

“Are things okay between you and Esperanza?” Liam asked in a hushed voice, being as careful as he could to avoid waking the girls in the other room. It was relatively late, probably around eleven thirty, and Liam and I were the only people awake in the house.

“Yeah, we’re fine,” I assured him. “Just some misunderstandings, that’s all.” I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear and sighed, leaning my head against the back of the couch. “She was supposed to apologize to you, but I think she’s asleep now.”

“It’s okay. She doesn’t have to apologize.” He shrugged passively. “It’s not a written rule that everyone has to like me.”

“Of course not. But she didn’t have to be so rude about it.”

Liam reached forward, grasping my cheek only for a second before I ripped my face away. But either way, he kept his voice high-pitched and cooing, just like how one would communicate with a baby, as he said, “Aw, is Soledad looking out for me? Making sure I don’t get my feelings hurt?”

“No,” I grumbled before laughing lightly. “I just want to make sure that if anyone’s hurting your feelings, it’s me.”

“You wouldn’t hurt my feelings,” he stated plainly. As if it were fact instead of a very unrealistic opinion.

“You underestimate me,” I snickered, scooting back a little so my back was against the armrest of the couch.

“Oh, right. I forgot. You’re supposed to be the big, bad gang member that shoots first and asks questions later.”

“Shh,” I whispered, a not-so-subtle clue for him to keep his voice lowered to make sure my sisters didn’t hear. “And I’ve never shot anyone, for your information.”

“So when you threatened to shoot me, you were bluffing?” Liam took in a sharp breath of shock. “Ugh, your nerve!”

“Shut up.” I made a move to get to my feet, ready to go to the fridge and ask him if he wanted a beer. And just like that, Alejo’s scenario popped into my head. The one that ended with me on my back, on the floor, trying desperately not to scream as Liam and I…

I’d never sat back so quickly in my life, crossing my arms over my chest, biting on my lip for a second. I struggled to find a way to change the subject when Liam yawned widely, not bothering to reach up and cover his mouth.

“Tired?” I joked. “Should you get back to your hotel?”

“Trying to get rid of me?” he laughed. “But you’re right. I probably should.”

We got to our feet and made our way over to the door, but it was awkward. Neither of us knew what to say, what to do, what to make this encounter more normal.

“Thanks for coming,” I finally said as I opened the door to let Liam out. “I think Claudia and Marisol really love seeing you. They don’t really have an older brother figure, other than Alejo, but Alejo doesn’t come around much to play with them. If he shows up, it’s because he has to talk business.”

Liam nodded understandingly. “Just give me a call anytime they want me. And I’ll come right over if I’m not recording or in an interview or whatever. Because I love spending time with them, too.”

I gave him a small smile and took a step back. “Goodnight, Liam.”

“Goodnight, Sol.”

I was just about to close the door when I heard a single word rip through the quiet of the house. “Wait!”

“What?” I questioned, opening the door back up to look at him.

But instead of saying any words, Liam almost seemed to leap forward, cupped my cheek with his hand, and planted a kiss on my lips.

Just a simple kiss. A peck, really. There was nothing that one could see in the movies, with the lips moving together in sync, the bits of tongue poking through, making the experience deeper. It was just a plain old, unremarkable kiss.

Yet, somehow, that was enough to make my stomach explode with butterflies, my knees go weak, my breathing get ragged. I’d never experienced anything like that before, and it was almost like I wanted him to kiss me again. For real, with passion, where he put his arms around me completely, holding me so tightly that it would be almost like he was trying to make me a part of himself.

But instead, he breathed, “Goodnight,” on my face, his breath warm and fresh, though not minty, considering he hadn’t had access to a toothbrush and toothpaste all day.

And with that, he retracted his hand, took a few steps backward, and then turned around and walked away.

Leaving me standing there with all these emotions I didn’t know how to deal with.



“No entiendo,” I breathed as I paced across Alejo’s living room in complete panic. “Why would he do that? We were just friends. And then he goes and does that? ¡No entiendo!”

“Soledad, toma alientos hondos. You look like you’re going to pass out.”

I stopped pacing and turned toward my best friend, taking deep breaths, just as he directed. My head started to hurt a little less, but my heart was still pounding in my chest, desperate to break free. “Then tell me what he was thinking!”

“He’s thinking that he wants to get inside those pants,” Alejo stated plainly, taking in the pair of cut-off shorts I was wearing. “Your legs look nice, by the way.”

I glared at him shortly before sitting down next to him on the couch. “But I don’t want him to get into my pants. I don’t want anyone in my pants.”

He gave me a confused look before shaking his head, as if dismissing whatever thought was trying to come to the surface. “Maybe he just wanted to kiss you!” He laughed a short laugh and shook his head. “God, you act like you’ve never been kissed before.”

I swallowed noisily. I had hoped that I was the only one to have heard it, but Alejo looked at me with wide, shocked eyes. “Wait, are you telling…have you not been kissed?!”

“Cállate,” I mumbled, leaning back from him and crossing my arms defensively. “That’s not relevant right now.”

“It’s totally relevant!” Alejo argued. “How is it possible that you’ve never been kissed?”

“Because I just haven’t,” I snapped. “Can we stop talking about it? What am I supposed to do with Liam?”

“Why are you asking me about this? Shouldn’t you talk to Esperanza or something?”

“Oh, please,” I scoffed. “If I ever asked her relationship advice, she’d laugh from here to la Ciudad de México. Not a good idea.”

Alejo rolled his eyes, but he straightened up, looking like he was ready to lead me through my crisis. “Think about what his kiss made you feel. Were you disgusted, or did you want to get it on?”

“Alejo!” I scolded.

“Do you want my help or not?!”

I let out a long breath, tracing patterns on the couch in front of me as I debated. “Okay. I definitely wasn’t disgusted.”

“Then just give him a chance,” Alejo encouraged. “Because what’s the worst that could happen?”

About a thousand horrific, dangerous things passed through my head, none of which I decided to share with him. But either way, the situation was Liam was starting to freak me out.