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Liam's Point of View

Josh was right. I needed to tell Reina about everything that holds me back.

She stares at me with those beautiful big brown eyes once I finally put my truck into park. I’m going to give her everything, right here, right now.

“Have I ever told you that I like you? I start out as I catch her smiling. “Like, really like you.”

“Not exactly like that, no.” She stated as she turns herself to look at me. “But, I know.”

“Good.” I say while a smirk creeps across my face as I hold her gaze.

We sit there in silence. The late night all around us as she looks over at me in the darkness. She is reading me like a book.

“You know you can tell me anything. Whatever is on your mind, Liam,” She said.

“I know.”

“Then please tell me.”

“Do you remember the day when I told you I have never had a family like yours?”

“Yeah, but what are you get-”

“My brother has always been sick, ever since he was little, and he and I can thank our parents for that. My mom grew up just like my brother, but not as bad. And my dad, my dad; he truly is something.” I say stopping her words from coming. “You always had your parents, and your aunt and uncle all throughout your life. For me, my dad was never around, don’t get me wrong I loved him to no end, but he was always on his way somewhere for the Navy SEALs. I never got to enjoy his company until he became sick, and every day I wish I had one good day that I could remember were he wasn’t ill in some way.”

“Liam.” I hear her whisper as she reaches for my hand. I was about to drop a bomb on this conversation and she has no idea it is coming.
“My parents gave my brother and I a wonderful gene pool, not only could we have leukemia, which Henry already has, but we could have the same brain tumor that killed my father.” I say as she stares at me blankly. “Do you want to know my chances of that likely possibility?” Why do I have to tell her stuff like this?

This is why I don’t do relationships, because I am already too attached.

“How likely, Liam?” she asks, her voice shaking.

“Ninety percent,” I answer, “and because of those odds I made the decision to not find out when my dad died. Why should I with those odds?”

“Why not?”

Sighing as I take both of her hands into mine, “Because I have lost all hope, Reina.” I finally look up to her big brown eyes once again as she stares at me through the darkness, tears in her eyes.

“Liam-,”

“You are breaking my heart with those tears.” I say wiping her face free of them as I pull her closer to me.

“Sorry.” She says with a small laugh while wiping her tears. “But what you are telling me, breaks 'my' heart.”

“Tomorrow I am going to find out though.” I said as her eyes dart towards mine. “If it means possibly helping Henry, then I will do anything.”

“Is that why you were gone so long tonight with your mom?” She asked, still holding my gaze.

“Yeah, I had a long talk with Henry’s doctors about a bone marrow transplant, with me being the best candidate.” I sighed, “But that still doesn’t alter my odds.”

“You should have a little more hope, Liam.” She smiled lightly.

“Why?”

“Why?” She said, repeating my question. “I will tell you why. My parent’s died, and I thought my life was over. I thought I was going to move here where I would just wallow in self pity and cry myself to sleep every night because I believed nothing good would ever happened here or to me ever again.” She paused pulling her hands from my grasp. “But then there was you.”

“Reina.” I began.

“You and your beautiful blue eyes and your kind heart. You noticed when I was broken and you picked me right back up again and placed my on my feet once more… and I’m sure you would do it again and again.” Personally I liked when she cut my sentences short. “You gave me hope for something better. I find you to be my hope, Liam.”

My body shivers with goose bumps as she says those words to me. I was always the glue for my family but never hope for anyone.

“Now what was it that you wanted to say?” She says catching me looking at her.

“Oh, uhm, nothing.” That was stupid, “I mean, uh-.” I stutter as she begins to laugh at me. “What?” I ask.

“I just poured my heart out to you and you are just over there spacing out.” She laughs.

“You are so beautiful, come here.” I laugh, pulling her towards me, “Reina, I will be your hope any day.” I whisper into her ear as she pulls herself closer. She sighs with relief as she nestles herself under my chin.

“Promise me one thing.” She whispers into the open space of my truck, I mumble for her to continue. “No matter what the outcome is tomorrow, promise me that nothing will change between the two of us.”

“I shouldn’t promise you something like that.” Honestly, promising her such a thing would break my heart; this conversation breaks my heart.

“Please.” She pleaded.

“Reina.” I sighed once again as her pleading eyes stared into mine, pausing for a moment, “Of course.”

A smile creeps onto her face as she pecks my cheek, “Good.” She says just as the porch light comes on.

“I believe that would be my cue.” She laughs. “I will see you tomorrow then?”

“Tomorrow.” I smile. “But first, I believe I still owe you a goodnight.”

“That you do.” She says as my fingers brush her cheeks. My eyes met hers one last time as the porch light filled them, making her dark eyes glisten.

“Goodnight.” I whispered against her lips, as she kissed mine, over and over again.

“Tomorrow.” She says repeating me, as her eyes flutter open, fingers pressed against my lips stopping her from kissing me.

I take her hands into mine and kiss them lightly. “Tomorrow,” I nod.

“Sleep tight.” She says as I open my door and help her out of the truck.

“I’ll try.” I say as I kiss her forehead.

++++++++++++++++++

I lie in bed thinking about what is going to happen in the morning. My world could be coming to an end.

“Reina.” I whisper into the darkness of my room. Why would I even promise her such a thing?

Hope. Hope was why apparently.

I just needed to have a little hope, I think to myself as I finally drift off into sleep.

Hope.