Chapter 5

Mia sat on L.J's bed watching him pacing back and forth, she lifted a hand examining her fingernails before looking up to him again, her eyes focused, but dazed. "I don't know why you're turning into Mr Stress out…" Mia's voice was soft as she stretched out on his king size bed lying down; L.J's eyes snapped to her, she was closing her eyes lightly brushing her hands over her stomach.

"I'm not stressing, just how could you keep this kinda information from me!" he's voice snapped in her direction, but Mia wasn't fazed by this, and kept her eyes closed. She didn't like the fact he was turning into a bag of nerves. "I mean God, you're meant to be my friend!" he added while Mia just kept still.

Mia didn't like his tone, or being spoken to like she was keeping some kinda dark secret as she leaned up on he elbows finally opening her eyes, "Ok listen, cos I am only saying it once…." She brought her legs up crossing them, her eyes kept focus on L.J. "I didn't say it, cos I didn't see the point…" her head titled to one side and L.J sat down next to her, his face in his hand as she brushed a hand down his back. "If it makes you feel any better, I can let you touch my boob." Her voice strangely comforting for what she was suggesting.

"Mia!" L.J's eyes snapped to his, his face was watching hers, "No, not really gonna help…." He added while she shrugged getting to her feet, her hand out for his.

"Well if you don't mind, want to come with me to get something to eat…?" her fingers flexed as she watched him closely.

L.J got up before taking her hand, his hand wrapped around her as he walked them out of his bedroom, the noise had gone down from the other room where Lincoln, Sara, Fernando and Alex had been talking, and it was easier for them to sneak down stairs to the kitchen area. "So pretty much from now on, my Dad is going to be on alert, I mean I'm not sure if it's not just some sick thing from The Company!" he spoke quickly, but all Mia could do was stand there looking confused.

"Back up, The what?" Mia said now playing a hand over the counter, her eyes focused on the shiny surface, and L.J froze for a moment before looking around. L.J didn't really think much before he spoke.

"Well, it's nothing really, just ancient history…" he now walked over to the fridge starting to look around, Mia moved slowly walking to his side, her hand played on the door of the fridge.

"Really…" she whispered softly while her fingertips drummed on the metal, L.J starting to take stuff out to make a meatloaf sandwich, "You know, I can tell there is more to this, but if your not gonna tell me…" she spoke smooth, moving away from the fridge before sitting on the counter watching me making the sandwiches.

L.J glanced sideways to Mia as she was now focusing on the clock on the wall, her face kept still. "You know Mia, sometimes I really don't get you." He spoke quickly while cutting the sandwiches in half before giving Mia one; she slipped off the counter before kissing the side of his face swiftly, and then took the sandwich.

"I am an enigma wrapped in a mystery, its better that way…" she walked sensually to the living room area leaving L.J staring behind her, even if she was his best friend, sometimes he felt there was more to Mia she wasn't willing to share, like the things in his past he couldn't bare to think about.

L.J sat next to her as she had found the remote and had turned the TV on, he watched as she put it onto a music channel, "Maybe it's why I like you so much, I think sharing is over rated…" he spoke carefully as she tapped her feet to the music before picking up the sandwich, "I mean it's weird, maybe it's how I was made to be like…" he added while she ate quickly.

It was a long silence, the only thing to fill the voice was the latest single chart, and Mia finished her sandwich placing her plate down. "So…" Mia placed her hand on her bare knees, her fingernails lightly scratch at her skin softly before taking her hands away, her eyes scanning L.J before glancing to the time, "I mean no one seems to be home…" she added while glancing to the time, it was getting on, almost nine, her face going back to the TV watching a music video by Jordan Sparks.

"Yeah… So you what you wanna do?" he asked as she took his plate from him walking it to the kitchen, L.J watched as she placed the plates in the sink before turning around, "I mean, we could watch a movie," he watched her move around the kitchen area, "you know you don't have to do that." His voice calm as she buzzed around cleaning, but stopped turning to face him.

"I'm just gonna take a walk, I'll pick my Macbook up some other time…." She spoke softly heading towards the door just taking her bag, Mia glanced back giving L.J a small smile, "I just need to get some air that's all, I'll call you ok, I'll see you later." She added as she quickly walked out the door.

Lincoln watched the sun set, it was now getting to night, but the sky was changing slowly making the sea look endless, his hands rested on his thighs as he stared out into the ever changing sky, it was confusing for him, it took him four years to come around to the lose of his little brother, but could it been a lie, what was Michael's reason to lie, to protect them, to keep them from something he didn't want to admit. Lincoln's eyes kept forward, but he felt her presences, it was warm, the smell of her surround him making him close his eyes slowly taking it in.

Mia walked along the beach holding her converses in her hand, she loved the evening sky, she saw him sitting alone looking up, her stomach tighten up seeing Lincoln, but she slowly walked to the sun lounger, she sat down carefully while her eyes kept forward.

"Hey, don't mind me joining you?" Mia spoke sweetly after the moment of silence, her shoes by her other side, her hand filled the gap between herself and Lincoln, her eyes focused on his face before he looked back to her, his green eyes focused onto her blue.

Lincoln studied her face in the light blue moon light, she wasn't wearing make up, her soft waving hair fell down her back, but her face look soft, everything about her reminded him of his vision of what an angel was. "No, it's ok." He spoke carefully, his hand moved lightly brushing against hers, but she kept her hand still, "It's been a strange week for me, but you can guess that much." He added while Mia kept her eyes focused on his.

"Look, you don't have to talk about, if you don't want to…" her hand now brushed over his lightly, his skin was warm, rough. Lincoln's eyes focused on hers feeling the tenderness of her fingertips playing over the back of his hand slowly, "We can talk about weather, or hobbies, anything, we can even just not talk at all…" she add, her eyes kept focused on him, even if his eyes were watching her hand playing with his, and she stopped. moving her hand away, but he reached holding it in his carefully.

Mia's attention snapped to his hand holding hers, it wasn't the same as when L.J would hold her hand, it was carefully, but tender how his fingers held around her hand keeping it warm, "It's nice to have you around…" his voice smouldering, his eyes focused on hers for a heart beat, her face was mixing into different expressions before looking back into his eyes.

"I like being around, it's been a long time since I've felt welcome somewhere…" her voice melancholy, "In fact, I've never felt welcome in many things in my life." Mia felt his hand squeezing hers gently. Lincoln didn't really know what to say, he was looking to an eighteen year old girl, but she spoke like a woman of more years that she'd really lived.

"I know the feeling, It's hard to explain, I've rarely felt welcome around people…" he spoke while his hand played over Mia's, she wasn't uncomfortable around him, being around he was natural. "I spent most of my life moving about, trying to get out of things I didn't want to do…" his voice hard, but Mia used her free hand to touch his face, her hand guided his eyes to hers again.

Mia's eyes softened up, her fingers lingered on his face, "I can understand, it's just, I dropped everything, I left high school, I left everything, but no one…" her voice cool in the night air, but her face kept a hollow expression. "I mean, it wasn't like my mother didn't know what was happening, funny before I left, I found out she was putting birth control pills in my morning juice." Her voice strained, and Lincoln now laced his fingers with hers, his other arm moving around her shoulder to hold her close to his chest. Mia relaxed. "I'm sorry; I honestly don't want to look like I'm fishing for sympathy." She moved her face to look at how close she was to him, his breath was warm over her face, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Lincoln let her hand go brushing a stray piece of her hair behind her ear, her eyes focused dead on his, Mia's hand could still feel the warmth of his skin, even if he's let her hand go, his face never left her face, the few inches separating their faces was making her heart pound hard inside her chest. "Hey, you want to talk to me, about anything, I am ready to listen to you." He brushed a hand over her cheek, it all seemed natural to him, her small smile, like every movement of her lips inviting him, he wanted to kiss her, he wanted a lot of things, but he couldn't act on his impulse.

"It's nice to hear that, I mean, you're a great guy…" she spoke smooth, her hand traced the outline of his face, his eyes melting into her as she leaned up, her chin tilted to the right angle making her lips brush over his softly, Mia was nervous, this could go two ways, he kisses her back, or pulls away. Lincoln felt her lips on his, they were tender, his hand moved to caress her cheek, keeping his eye closed he could feel her tongue lightly lick as his bottom lip, the light metal ball of her tongue bar sending shivers through him. Mia's hand moved up his arm, the kiss wasn't like the first, this time it was more intense as he pulled her closer to him as his tongue rolled roughly over hers. Lincoln didn't know how to strop what she had started, should he be stopping this, this wasn't right, but the kiss felt good, he hand moved down his stomach towards his groin, Lincoln in took a deep breath, but the jingle of his cell broke them apart.

Lincoln got to his feet answering the phone, "Lincoln where are you?" Sofia asked as Lincoln glanced back to Mia still sitting down, her hand was touching her lips.

"I'm just taking a walk down the beach." His voice was deep; he tried to cover the breathlessness without making himself sound unusual.

Sofia stood in the living area of the house looking out the window; it was getting easier to feel him pulling away from her as she hugged onto herself. "Lincoln, I just wanted to let you know, I love you…" she whispered softly into the phone.

Lincoln listened, his eyes fell onto Mia who was standing in front of him, her eyes sparkled in the moonlight as her hand feathered down his chest. "I have to go, my cells about to die…" Lincoln hung up before looking down to Mia, "I have to go." He added as she took his cell from his hands, her fingertips dialling in a number, saving it.

"Well if you want me, to listen to you, call me…" she smiled before getting onto her tip toes to brush her lips against his, "My doors always open…" her voice smooth turning around walking down the beach, and left Lincoln watching her bowing his head holding his face in confusion.