"Are you deaf? I said let go of her!" Liam thunders.

"Easy there, bro." Jeremy releases me from his grip. "We're just talking," he says and my eyes are on my wrist, faint finger marks accented on my skin.

"Don't call me bro, kid!" Liam snaps, his fists clenched as he glares at Jeremy with blazing eyes while pacing closer. "Are you okay, Kira?" He glances at me . . . at my wrist, too, and I nod like a little girl would.

Jaw ticked, he pulls me to his side and his cold gaze returns to Jeremy. "She told you to leave her alone, didn't she? Why were you forcing your hands on her?"

Now he strides forward, standing between Jeremy and I. Restless, I lag behind him.

"I said we were just talking, bro! So calm down," Jeremy says defensively.

"And I told you not to call me bro!" Liam lashes, and I can feel him getting more explosive, the muscles in his arms tightly rippling as though he's battling with his self-control.

They glare at one another like beasts, their chests almost touching. Maybe I should rejoice somehow, but causing a scene here is the last thing I want, so I decide to intervene.

"Liam . . ." I hold his hand cautiously, but he doesn't look at me.

"Get out of here!" he tells Jeremy, whose gaze has turned into a disturbing glare at the sight of me in close contact with Liam-almost intimate.

His eyes crinkle and anger resurfaces in his eyes.

"Jeremy, leave," I also tell him curtly.

As though he can read the signs, Liam's hand slips behind my waist, protectively, pulling me back to his side. Again he doesn't look my way, but I can still feel the rage in him.

"Look, young man," Liam says, moving quite closer to Jeremy while scratching his chin arrogantly. What a sight! "I'm really trying to be civil here. Get the fuck out of here! Right now! Unless you really want me to lose it."

My skin shudders at the sound of his hard voice.

"And who the fuck do you think you are?" Jeremy clenches his fists, angrily, ready to pounce on Mr. Intense.

"I dare you." Liam smirks as he says this. He lets go of me and confronts Jeremy. "Go ahead and try it, kid. Do it."

No, this shouldn't happen. Instinctively move over and firm my grip around Liam's tight waist. He stares down at me, his face hard and puffed with anger.

"You asked if the guy outside is the one I'm . . . fucking? No, he's not." Which means this man here is the one-technically speaking. "Now can I have your absence as I prefer?' I blurt out whatever comes in my mind, caring so little about its repercussions.

I feel Liam's muscles flexing, and his gaze directed to me as If I've grown horns.

Jeremy takes a hint and backs off while scoffing like a mad dog. He laughs like a jerk he is, and I stay calm. Glaring icily at me, he opens his mouth to speak but an interruption stops him.

"What's going on here?" Sam asks suddenly, startling the three of us.

That's all I needed.

I look at her over my shoulder and I can see her eyes resting on Liam's possessive hand around my waist, and I his. She gulps tightly, her eyes frost. I inhale sharply and free Liam.

My skepticism doesn't help at all as Sam's face tells exactly how disturbed she feels about the little gesture. And I feel like she knows something, or feels something about us.

Does it even matter now? I'm already too tired to even worry.

"Nothing," Liam articulates. His voice betrays his words, for he cannot hide his anger even at this moment. "You're fine, right?" he asks me coolly.

"Yeah." I nod my head. "Jeremy was just leaving, right?" I glare coldly at him, and for once we seem to speak the same language.

"I was just on my way out." He sounds pissed.

He disappears through the front door, and Sam stalks her gaze at him until he's out. She's with Veronica, apparently, and they both look at me afterwards.

"Can someone explain what the hell has just happened here?" Veronica snaps impatiently, but when she meets Liam's eyes her whole composure burns in the air.

"Excuse me," Liam says and slowly walks back to his room.

Silence prevails. Sam's eyes are stern on me, and Veronica isn't any different.

"I had an unpleasant argument with Jeremy and Liam intervened. That's what happened," I tell them dryly.

They both frown.

"Argued about what?" Veronica asks.

I sigh heavily and move closer to her. "What do you think? Are you going to pretend like you don't know what I would possibly argue about with him? He's your boyfriend so you can either keep him with you like a pocket or let him slip away as he loves doing. And don't worry, I'm the last person who'd want his company," I tell her flatly, because she knows everything. "I'll be in my room." I leave them.

I slam the door and drop heavily on my bed. What will happen next? It feels like I've got nothing else to do here other than packing my bags and leaving. Is there any reason for me to stay? I get too engrossed with my thoughts to even realize that Sam is here now.

"I told them to leave," she tells me.

"Hmm," I answer curtly, facing the ceiling above.

Sighing, Sam walks towards the window. She says nothing, but stares at the ocean streaming into view from a distance, and I wonder what's up with her now. Anything can happen.

"Do you remember the first time you arrived at the orphanage?" she suddenly asks.

She turns around and our eyes meet.

"Yeah, why?" I utter, my mind in refusal to think of anything behind this so unexpected speech.

"You didn't want to talk to anyone. You zipped your mouth for an entire week," she says with a small laugh. "It's crazy I still remember even though I was just eight." She shifts to the wall and leans against it, facing me.

"What are you trying to say?" I rise up to take a seat.

"Even though you refused to speak to anyone, I still forced my way, over and over again, until you talked. But when you did talk, I wished you didn't, because what you said broke my heart." She now moves towards me, sniffling as if she's crying inside.

My eyes well up with tears at the memory of those days. It was just a month after my parents' death, and I felt like a part of me had died with them. I couldn't remember much, but the pain was unforgettable.

And suddenly I was in a place where kids had no homes, no parents, I was one of them. I felt lost, I wanted to die, and I believed it was the only ticket to see mom and dad again. I always stayed at the corner, my mind blank.

They tried talking to me-the girls, the boys-but none succeeded to open my mouth. The world had lost its colors in my eyes, but some brunette kid named Samantha didn't give up. She tried until she heard my voice.

"It hurts," I utter, tears streaming down. "That's what I said. Why are you reminding me that?"

"Nothing," Sam says softly. "I just want to say that you're the person I love and trust the most in my life. I know you'd never hurt or betray me, because you're my best friend. I want to be that person to you too, Kira. I know I can be bitchy . . . but I never intend to hurt you. If I did, by any chance, please forgive me." She sits next to me, and my heart shatters.

No, this is not happening.

"Please, don't do this, Sam." I sigh and glance away.

"Did Jay do anything to offend you earlier? I know how crazy he gets when he's drunk but he didn't drink at all today," Sam asks, her voice laced with concerns.

"Why did you bring him here? He's your ex, Sam, so why the fuck did you invite him here?" The mention of Jeremy stirs me all over again. "Did you do it to make Liam jealous or something?" I know her well to understand her games.

"It's none of your concerns, Kira!" she snaps. "We're talking about Jeremy. Did he offend you in any way?"

"He always offends me, in case you haven't noticed! Your friends, Sam, always offend me! Can't you see that?" I stare wide-eyed at her.

"Kira, if you don't like them just tell me so. They are my friends; no matter how weird they are, and it hurts me seeing you so hostile towards them."

"Oh, I'm very sorry that I'm not as hospitable with your friends as you want me to," I say sternly, annoyed. "Do I have to force myself into liking them?"

"You're being harsh," Sam mutters.

Harsh? I scoff.

"Seriously, Sam? Do I have to say everything with words for you to understand? Okay, you're no psychic so let me tell you clearly. Yes, keep them away from me. I don't like them."

Maybe I'm stupid by thinking she would understand my feelings even when I don't say it out loud. We're different, right? What a terrible combination we make! I can't speak, and she can't hear.

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yes. And just to be clear, they're your friends, not mine, so stop associating me with them. I'd rather die alone than hanging out with people who do nothing but belittling and disrespecting me!"

"Okay," Sam answers sadly.

"Okay. Good. Now can I have my privacy, please?" I beg.

"Sure, I'll be outside," Sam mutters and leaves right away.

Perhaps we've been wrong from the very beginning. Maybe something was never right even before stepping out of California. Where have we gone wrong, though? Is there a way to fix my personality? Or hers?

Are we really friends?

I exhale audibly at everything that's going on. I don't even know what I'm doing with my life anymore. I lay down for a while and my head goes jumbled at the recollection of all the events since the moment I boarded a plane at LAX.

Just a week or so and I'm this beat?

I remain restless, unable to even take a nap. Hence I decide to arrange my suitcase, change my outfit and something outgoing, and make a quick call to Malik. Luckily he picks up right away.

"Professor, everything alright?" He sounds a bit worried, and some laughter comes from the background of his end.

"Yeah, everything is fine," I assure him, which is a total lie. "Um, can I please use your car?"

I can clearly imagine his startled look.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asks.

"Yes, please," I urge. "I need a little escape, and maybe sightseeing while at it."

"Well, sure," he replies.

With that I just grab my handbag, camera, and sunglasses. Malik hands me the Aston Martin's keys and I can't thank him enough. With Sam and Natasha busy talking near the pool, I manage to leave quietly without questions.

Liam and Jamal are in the middle of a serious discussion over some beers, and I barely look at the former. I don't bother to say a thing more, other than leaving. I walk over the parking area to finally slip into the fancy dark-gray car.

I'm not really sure where I'm heading, sometime later, so I just follow my instincts and slide the straight asphalt. My head is on thick clouds that I fail to pay attention towards anything I pass by. I'm usually careful on the road but today I seem so out of it.

At least I get to see the red light on time before I make any trouble with the cops, if not causing an accident. Vexation makes me pang the center of the steering and the honking sound startles me like crazy. I exhale deeply and for once I try to look around.

I take a left turn and go on with my ride. At least the fresh air restores my momentum little by little. When I stop the car, I find myself along the greenish garden square with palm trees. Glancing further, I see a beach volleyball ground and a few people playing happily.

"Well, Kira. Now you can breathe," I mutter.