Displaced

Liam rubbed his hands together, blowing hot air over them in an attempt to keep warm. It had been the first bad snow storm of the winter and all of the shelters in London were full. Liam had no choice but to sit on the ice covered pavement and pray a brave soul with pocket change would be out in the terrible storm. However, Liam was soon losing hope. It was nearly Christmas and the blizzard was only getting worse.

There wasn't a time when Liam didn't miss his old life, but that day he longed for nothing more. He had a steady income, a home, and a loving family. Liam hadn't known it then, but he was living on the exceptional end of life. Then suddenly, it all changed. Everything he had owned, the people he loved, and anything he put value in was ripped from his unsupecting grasp. He found it quite funny how he had to lose everything in order to appreciate the things he had lost. He quickly grew grateful for a hot meal and a bed.

Naomi pulled tightly on her Briella coat, attempting to keep the cold out, as she stepped out of her car. She was speaking on the phone with her older brother about the last minute supplies she needed to pick up. A girl like her wouldn't be one to willingly go out in a blizzard for a few party favors and forgotten snacks, but her Christmas party was a tradition her mother started, and she wasn't willing to give up on it over a few frozen raindrops. She trugged through the snow in a pair of riding boots as her brother read off the list to her.

"Yes Jason, I will." Naomi spoke in a mocking tone, and she rolled her eyes. "I won't forget I promise!" She began to plead with her brother to let her off the phone and to simply text her the list. The conversation then quickly died as Jason agreed to do things her way. Naomi hung up the phone with a gracious smile and began to walk faster to reach the market.

That was when Liam caught her eye. Naomi had seen the young lad before on the same street, but she had thought he would have found a place for the holidays or at least for the storm. She knew it had to be below freezing that night. He was sure to get frostbite. She felt bad for the poor soul, so she decided to put off her errands and to give the boy a reason to smile this Christmas.

Naomi rushed down the street and into the nearest cafe. There she bought a few things and took out a bit of money. Once she had recieved the treats, she thanked the kind woman that helped her and quickly made her way over to where Liam sat.

Liam's eyes were shut and he could feel his body beginning to shiver. He sighed loudly and cursed himself for being in his current position. He simply chalked it up to bad karma for his past transgressions.

"Excuse me, sir?" Her unsuspeted voice caused Liam to stir with fright. His eyes shot open to see the girl that stood before him. He had seen her before going into the market that was a little ways down.

"May I help you?" Liam's voice was more harsh than he had anticipated, his bitterness taking over. Naomi looked at him for a while before carrying on, shocked by his tone of voice.

"Here," she held out her hands. She handed him a hot chocolate and a 100 pound note. "I wasn't sure if you were a coffee drinker or not so I thought hot chocolate was the safer of the two." She offered him a light smile.

Liam looked down at the things that she had placed in his hands and scrunched up his face. He nodded and then looked up into her eyes. "Thank you. Thank you so much, but I can't take your money." Liam folded the bill and held it towards her, wanting her to take it.

Naomi shook her head at the boy. "And I simply refuse to take it back." She placed both of her hands on top on his and pushed it back.

"Do you have any idea how much money you're giving me?" It was true that Liam had been waiting all day for a kind stranger to give him a few bucks, but he only expected a couple of pounds. He couldn't fathom anyone giving a bum on the street 100 pounds like it was nothing.

"Trust me," she placed her hands on top of his hands again, "you'd probably find a better use for it than I could. However," she paused for a second, "if it would make you feel better to earn it, I could use a bit of help." Naomi bit her lip, waiting for his response.

"What exactly do you need help with miss?" He looked her up and down. He couldn't think of a thing he could possibly help her with. What could a boy like him do for a girl like her?

"Here," she handed him her mobile phone. "I need to go down to the market and pick up a few things. It would be lovely if you could help me to make things go quicker and the company would be nice."

"A few things?" Liam raised an eyebrow at her as he look at the long list, laughing. "Looks like a lot more than that, but its the least I could do." Liam handed the rinestone cover phone back to the girl that stood in front of him. He then stood and dusted himself off.

"Thank you." Naomi sighed with relief. "We better get going then." Naomi turned on her heels and began walking briskly towards the super market that was only a few steps away. Liam watched her for a few moments in awe as she walked on before he trailed behind her.

♠ ♠ ♠

Liam followed closely behind Naomi with a trolley that was filled to capacity. They had been walking through the isles for nearly thirty minutes and Liam found it amazing they still weren't finished, but he didn't complain. He liked the companionship Naomi had provied him. It wasn't often that he had someone to speak with and if he ever did, they never treated him like Naomi did. They would always give him an idle stare or look at him as if he were a completely different species because he was homeless. Though Liam hadn't known Naomi very long, let along her name, not once had she treated him as less than.

Liam had to admit that he hadn't been as gracious as he should have been though. He had allowed himself to become judgemental towards her. Liam simply thought he was her personal charity case, but he didn't mind. Though he enjoyed it, he knew he would possibly never speak to her again after tonight. While he would leave this store and be forced to sit on the iced pavement, she would go on living her life as normal, knowing she had done her good deed for the year. He pictured her going on lavish shopping sprees and taking extended vactions to an island he couldn't pronounce with her big shot boyfriend. "That's life," he thought.

"Excuse me uh-- miss?" He discared his pervious thoughts and grew curious as to what would posses the girl to go out in such a horrid storm to acquire an extensive amount of products. "What is all of this for anyways?"

Naomi turned to look at him and laughed, covering her mouth. "I'm so sorry," she hung her head, "My name's Naomi Bennett. This is quite a bit huh?" Naomi gestured towards the over flowing basket. She then turned away from him and began walking once again."It's for my annual Christmas party that my mother started. I normally don't wait so long to gather my supplies, but I suppose I've been too busy to be bothered before now."

"Naomi," Laim said out loud, "that's a lovely name. I think it's quite nice that you have a Christmas party every year as well. It must be nice to gather with all of your friends and family."

"Thanks, and what should I call you mate?"

"Liam, I go by Liam." Naomi stopped in her tracks, causing Liam to bump into her a little.

"Yeah Liam," she nodded. She then began to speak again, remembering what Liam said before she asked for his name. "I suppose it is a bit of a hoot, but it's nothing like what my mother used to put together. Now that was simply amazing." She started to walk again after a long pause.

"Why doesn't your mother do it anymore if she was so marvelous?" Liam grew more and more interested.

"You're an intrusive one aren't you?" Naomi shook her head and laughed a little. "It's alright though. There isn't anything wrong with being inquisitive. Anyways, she is no longer able to engage in the party planning any longer because she and my father passed away in a horried car accident a few years back."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." Liam felt embarassed for asking such a question. He hadn't realized that it was personal. "I'm really sorry."

"Don't be, love. It's all apart of life right? We live and we die. It's as simple as that." Naomi looked over her shoulder and gave Liam an unsettling smile. Liam didn't want to say anything, but he could tell she didn't believe that. He knew that she was still bothered by it.

"Anyways," Naomi drug the word out a lot longer that it should had been. She look through the trolley for a few moments and checked her list a few time before she spoke. "I think that's everything, yeah? I suppose we're ready to check out."

"Of course, of course," Liam nodded his head and strated to push the cart towards the registers. He then assisted Naomi by putting the contents of the cart onto short conveyer belt. The cashier was very friendly, despite working on Christmas eve, and was quite helpful which shocked Naomi. Liam on the other hand knew exactly why that cashier was so happy to be there. He knew she was grateful to be alive and for being as fortuante as she was. Liam had just wished he was like that cashier before his life turned to shit.

Once they were out of the shop, Naomi had thanked Liam for his help, wishing him a merry Christmas, and attempted to be on her way. However, she struggled with carrying all of her bags, so Liam took a few of the heavy ones from her hands. He offered to help her to her car without any protest. Naomi was gracious because she knew that there was no way she would have been able to do so without him.

The two walked side-by-side along the pavement, neither of them speaking. The snow had let up a little, falling from the sky in a light and airy motion. Snowfall was so natural to Naomi that she never questioned it once, but in that moment it seemed to hold more meaning. Naomi admired the beauty of how simple it all was to her, but she knew there was a lot more to it. It was similar to how she knew there was a lot more to Liam. She had passed him on the streets so many times before, but, just like the snow, he seemed different that night. He became something more than a boy she passed frequently. He now had a name, a voice, and a personality.

They quickly neared Naomi's sleek, black car, Naomi unlocking the doors out of habit. Liam smiled at her and helped her put the bags into the backseat. Once all of the sacks were placed nearly on the leather seats, they shared an awkward silence. The two stood looking at each other, unsure of how to end their encounter.

"Well, you better get going then, yeah? It looks like you have a lot to do before your guests arrive." Liam nodded, patting Naomi's shoulder as a friendly guesture, and then placed his hands farther into his pockets. "Thanks again for all of your help and all that." He then began to walk off, heading towards his usual spot.

Naomi bit the inside of her cheek and rolled her eyes. "Wait," she shouted after him. She knew she must have seemed crazy, but she didn't have the heart to let him stay out there on Christmas Eve. Also, she had taken an unexpeted liking to Liam. "Come to my Christmas party." The words sounded strange even to her, but they felt right.

"Pardon?" Liam's eyebrows rose and he turned to face her.

"Please? It's not like you have any place better to be right?" Liam's face turned into a sour frown at her words. He couldn't help but to be a little offended, though she was right. "I mean-- it can't hurt. If you have a terrible time, I'll drop everything and bring you back, yeah?" Naomi corrected herself.

"I don't want to be more of a burden than I already have been." Liam shook his head, closing his eyes.

Naomi rolled her eyes again. "Shut up Liam, you'll be one of the few people I actually want to be there." Naomi walked towards him to close the gap between them. "You're coming and that's final." She pressed a perfly polished finger into his chest with every word.

"Yes ma'am," Liam said with a laugh. He thought it hilarious that such a small girl had been filled with so much authority. He went along with her as she began to pull him towards her car.

"Don't be cheeky." Naomi joined with with Liam's laughter.

♠ ♠ ♠

Liam watched as Naomi struggled with her keys at her front door. Liam was not too shocked that Naomi lived in a pricey penthouse flat, but he was surpised this was where the party was going to be held. He had assumed it would be housed at a large home owned by an old family member.

"Are you sure you live here," Liam teased as he noticed she was still having trouble.

Naomi's head whipped around so quickly Liam barley had time to blink. She gave him a hard glare and parted her lips, but before she could give a harsh rebuttle the door swung open.

A tall lad with dark brown hair, similar to Naomi's, and crystaly blue eyes stood in the doorway with a surprised look on his face. Liam quickly grew nervous. He hadn't expected to encounter one of Naomi's guests so soon. He was embarrassed by his appearance.

"I now see what kept you," the boy said, eyeing Liam in a suspicious manner. "If you would have focused less on bringing boys home, you would have been back earlier."

Naomi pushed past her brother and guided Liam inside. "Shut up, Jason. Liam actually made things go faster. You should be thanking him instead of scolding me." Liam followed Naomi through the whole flat, surprised at how large it was, until they reached the kitchen, where they placed the paper bags they held.

Liam looked around and was amazed at how nicely most of the flat had been decorated. It was a lot nicer than was expected. This only made him feel more out of place. "Are you sure you want me here," Liam asked. "You know, you think you'll friends will like me?"

Naomi sighed loudly and closed her eyes as she leaned against the kitchen counter. She opened her eyes again and look at Liam. "Of course I want you here, silly. Who cares what my guests think? To be fair, I don't like most of the people I invite to this thing. I only have a small group of really good friends, the others are pretentious, stuck up bigots."

"Well that sounds very reassuring. Maybe this wasn't a good idea, Naomi. I appreciate your hospitality, but I think I should just head on back home." Liam blinked harshly as he realized what he had just said. "You know what I mean."

"Nonsense," Naomi shooed her hand, "you have to stay. Listen, if you're really worried about it, I could get you cleaned up you know? You could get a good shower and borrow some of my brother Jason's clothes. They're so focused on appearances they won't ever know."

"Are you sure?" Liam was now standing beside her. She nodded from next him, looking up into his eyes. "Thank you."

"It's no problem, Liam. Everyone deserves a good Christmas." Naomi smiled widly. "Come on then, we don't have much time." Naomi grabbed Liam's hand and drug him towards her brother's room. "The bathroom is through there, and you can find anything you need in there, even fresh toothbrushes. Then, over here is my brother's closet. He seems really you know, but he's actually very caring so don't worry about him. Pick anything you like really. Call me if you need anything yeah?" Naomi floated throughout the room in a hyper manner, pointing things out. Once she was finished she gave Liam a quick nod and walked out of the door, closing it behind him.

♠ ♠ ♠

Liam wasn't sure how formal the party was going to be so he decided on a more dressy casual look. As he walked through the closet, he noticed that everything was made with a high quality. He even noticed that some of the clothing items still had price tags. Liam was surprised to find that one shirt in Jason's closet cost more than Liam's rent when he still had a home. He realized that this was a completely different world than what he was used to. Even before he was homeless, Liam couldn't afford anything like Jason had. He had never been this well off.

After he was finished examining the closet, he decided on something simple. He chose an oatmeal colored half-zip sweater, a white under shirt, dark wash jeans, and a pair of brown oxfords. The outfit resembled him, but he felt weird because they weren't his. But, he knew they would have to do.

Once he was done examining himself, he went back out into the main area of the appartment. The entire atmosphere had changed. Christmas decorations were hung neatly and the smell of sweets filled the air. The sight made Liam feel nostalgic, remembering how his mother would bake all day on Christmas Eve.

"You look handsome." Naomi had interrupted Liam's thoughts. She came from the kitchen and she was wearing a flour and dough covered apron over a short and simple red dress. Her lips matched her dress, inspired by old Hollywood, and her hair was pinned perfectly into a stylish updo.

"As do you," Liam stumbled over his words, captivated. "or-- sorry. You look beautiful." The two stood looking at each other for a while in a distracted manor. A wonderous feeling filled the room and it was so powerful that it seemed to be drowing them. The air turned uncomfortable.

"Oh, stop it." Naomi playfully hit Liam, breaking the silence. "You do clean up nice though." She quickly shut her eyes, embarrassed by the cliche. With her eyes still closed, she took off her apron and placed it on the counter with a sigh.

"Thanks, but you do look lovely. The apron was cute." Liam could feel himself becoming more and more flirtatious. It wasn't his intention, but it seemed natural.

"You are a character you aren't you?" Naomi looked up at him, shaking her head. "I'm surprised more people haven't brought you home. You are a riot." She laughed at him, making him smile. They shared another quiet moment, but it was quickly ruined by the doorbell. "Show time," Naomi said sarcastically. She let her hand trail on Liam's a little longer than she should have before leaving to answer the door.

Soon the whole flat was full of people. Full of people Liam didn't know. He stood off in a side corner, watching the busyness of the room from a far. Namoi had disappeared into the sea of people and Liam felt extremly out of place. He felt more out of place when she had attempted to get him to speak with some of her friends. She had introduced him as "a close friend that was staying with her for a while." As the night went on, Liam wondered if she really was planning on having him stay with her for a while. He wouldn't, but he wondered if she wanted him to.

Liam also wondered why Naomi was friends with all of these people. It made since that she was friednly to her family members, but he couldn't figure out the rest of the guests. He had spent most of the night making forced small talk with most of them, trying to determine who were her true friends, but he only seemed to meet the ones she didn't really like. He could tell because her entire being would change. She would grow tense and she wouldn't be herself. He didn't understand why she would bother with people she was nothing like, trying to impress them, when she really didn't need to. The entire party was a foregin planet to him.

Naomi had spent most of the night tending to her guests and trying to be the best hostess she could be. However, the only thing people seemed to focus on were her flaws, especially her family. They critized her and said she could never do her mother justice. They would speak in hushed tones about her and her new friend, Liam, or say nasty comments for everyone to hear. She tried not to let it get to her, but she was the laughing stock of her own party.

Naomi wanted to be liked and accepted so much that she put on a front in attempts to fit in, but hadn't seemed to work fully. She was fake with her realitives and her "friends" and it drove her mad. She knew that Liam could tell and that he didn't really seem to approve. She tried to include him, but she knew he saw right through the bullshit. She wasn't surprised when he seemed to have disappeared.

Naomi decided to disappear as well, at least for a little while. She handed the host title to her brother and took a breather. She went into her bedroom for a little, but decided to catch some fresh air. She put on her coat and went out onto the large, connected balcony.

The snow had stopped by then, but the temperature was still frigid. The scenery was beautiful though. Christmas lights filled the city and the white blanket of snow sparkled in the moonlight. Naomi found the sight to be breathe taking.

"It's a jungle in there, huh?" Liam's voice frightened Naomi. She jumped and turned around to see her new found friend, still a little shook up.

"Where have you been," Naomi asked, ignoring what Liam said. "I was afraid you had left."

"I could say the same about you." Liam leaned against the railing of the balcony, facing Naomi. "I should have left though. I knew I wouldn't fit in."

"I don't feel like I fit in most days. It got to be a bit too much. I wasn't enjoying myself at all."

"Then why do you do this every year? Why put up with people you obviously don't like?" Liam crossed his arms over his chest and began to tap his foot. "What's the point?"

"I do it for my mother, you know? She would want me to keep the tradition going." Naomi shivered under her coat, pulling it closer to her.

"I don't understand it though." Liam paused. "I'm sure your mother would like to see the parties go on, but I honestly believe she would want you to be happy most of all."

Naomi turned her head to look at him, rolling her eyes. "I am happy, this party just takes takes so much out of me. I want to make them proud." She nodded her head towards the party when she said "them". "I want to honor my mother."

"Naomi, I've only known you for, I don't know, maybe six or seven hours, but you're one of the greatest young women I've ever met. You don't care where people come from and you are kind. Though I did have my own wrongful thoughts about you at the beginning, I don't regret meeting you. For goodness sakes, you brought a homeless man to your home soley because you didn't want him to be alone during the holidays. You might be a little crazy for that, but you're heart was in the right place. That may not matter to them, but I am sure your parents are proud of you whether you throw this dang party or not." Liam spoke genuinly and he put his arm around Naomi.

"Thanks, mate." Naomi leaned into him. "But was it really that obvious? That I don't like over half of them?"

"Yeah, painfully." Liam laughed.

"You know, sometimes I wish I could be someone like you. I'm not saying I'm not greatful for my life, but you don't have to impress anyone. You're simple. Titles and social status don't matter you and that must be so great."

"Trust me, all of that matters not matter who you are. It's just when you don't have a cent to your name, you stop caring so much." Naomi nodded, taking in what he had said. She then let time linger so they could drop the subject.

"I'm sorry, Liam." Liam looked down at her and raised an eyebrow at her. "I shouldn't have put you in this situation. I was trying to do something nice for you. I know that inviting you to a silly Christmas party won't solve your problems. I wanted you to know that there is hope for you. That and that it's okay to enjoy yourself and accept gifts. Don't allow yourself to be too proud becuase that might get you killed. Feeling bad for yourself won't help you, mate." Naomi took a moment to take in what she had said. She then began to laugh. "That speech was supposed to come earlier tonight. Sorry if that didn't make a whole lot of sense."

"That's alright. I think I understood." Liam was now laughing as well. They stayed like this for a while without saying anything to each other, but it was nice. They both filled with a warm feeling that scared them, but also calmed them. Neither of them had expected to meet each other that Christmas Eve, but they wouldn't dare take it back.

"I think it's safe to call ourselves friends, right?"

"The greatest of friends."

The two learned important life lessons from that night, but most importantly they learned that your social standing doesn't define you because we're all human in the end. They learned the spirit of the Christmas season and the importance of true friendship.