“Okay, bye Alice.” I hung up and lay back down on my bed and groaned as I stared at the ceiling. Images of Xander popped into my mind as I lay there. Where was he right now? What was he thinking? Was he thinking about me? I rolled over and buried my head in my pillow. I needed to stop thinking about him or I was going to drive myself crazy. I sat up in bed and decided to leave my bedroom. I wasn’t tired as yet and being in my bedroom was making me think of things I could do in my bed; naughty things that I shouldn’t be thinking about. I decided to go down to grab a coke from the kitchen and then go into the backyard and rock in the rocking chair that my grandmother had given us when I was a kid. I loved the rocking chair, it made me think of my childhood and how happy I’d been rocking on my dad’s leg, or even one of my big brothers, when they had time for me. I’d had a happy childhood, asides from the fact that my sister had driven me up the wall for most of my teenage years. I wasn’t sure if we’d ever have the kind of relationship that Alice and I had and that made me sad.

***

“Turn around and I’ll be the one you want to boom boom boom.” I made up words to the catchy song that was playing on the radio as I swung on the rocking chair on the back porch of my parents’ house. The night air was cool and I was grateful that it wasn’t another humid balmy Florida night. “Take me away and we’ll boom boom boom on the moon moon moon.” I giggled as I sang along to some girl crying out about not having a candy pop or boyfriend. I felt that my lyrics were far superior to hers. “You’ll boom boom boom before you com com com.” I sang out and then screamed as I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Argh.”

“Liv, it’s just me.” Xander’s voice was smooth behind me as he spoke and my body tensed up immediately.

“Oh, hello.” I turned around and offered him a weak smile, ignoring his eyes and his chest. I stared at a spot on his ear and focused on that.

“I didn’t know you were a singer.”

“Huh? What?” I said stupidly.

“Have you hit any charts?”

“Charts?”

“Billboard? International? iTunes?”

“What?” I was so confused that my eyes left his ear and found his eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about your singing career.” He asked with a small smirk. “Have you hit any bestselling charts or won any Grammys or anything?”

“You’re an asshole.” My eyes shot daggers into his as he tried not to laugh.

“It was an honest question. You did seem to be into that song you were making up.” He grinned and I shook my head.

“Whatever.” I couldn’t stop myself from responding to his smile. “I know I can’t carry a tune, but that doesn’t mean I can’t sing.”

“I didn’t say you should stop.” He nodded in agreement. “It was quite pleasant to listen to.”

“Sure it was.” I laughed. “My brothers pay me to stop singing.” I smiled at the memories. “In fact my brother Scott once gave me twenty dollars.”

“Twenty dollars? Wow.” Xander tilted his face. “He must really hate your singing.”

“I think it was the song and the occasion.” I giggled. “He was eighteen and had brought home his first proper girlfriend for Thanksgiving.” I thought back to the holiday. “They were sitting out here talking about some class they were taking and I came out and started singing, “Love is a truly splendid thing.” I started laughing harder. “You should have seen the look on his face when I burst into the chorus and started throwing ripped up pieces of paper on them.”

“Ripped up pieces of paper?” Xander asked with a look of surprise.

“I didn’t have rose petals.” I giggled and started rocking back and forth. “If looks could have killed, Scott would have committed murder that night. Instead he gave me $20, so I made out pretty well.”

“See your singing career has been profitable.”

“Yeah, I guess you could say that.” I sighed as I rocked back and forth. I could no longer see Xander, but I could still feel his presence behind me.

“Sounds like you were a troublesome child.” He said lightly and I stopped rocking and looked back at him again. This time I didn’t bother hiding my smile or laughter.

“It doesn’t seem to have ended though, does it?” I raised an eyebrow at him and he looked back at me in surprise. I knew that he was shocked at my laughter and that I was able to laugh at the situation we were in, given how dramatic I’d been earlier, but really how could I not laugh.

“Are you okay?” He frowned at me and I could see him searching my face as I laughed harder. He most probably thought that I was crazy or having a melt-down. He wouldn’t be far off of the mark.

“I’m fine. Why?” I said, finally calming down.

“I don’t know, you just seemed like you were losing it.”

“I’m fine. I just thought your comment was ironic; considering the mess we’re in.”

“I see.” His lip twitched. “It is slightly unusual isn’t it?”

“You can say that again.” I laughed and his eyes fell to my lips and then back up to my eyes. His gaze was intense and searching and my breath caught as we stared at each other, the only sounds in the air were our breathing and a distant bird calling out to its lost mate.