Chapter 62: Ian

Just gonna say there is brief mention of the Christian Religion so if you aren't comfortable with that, skip this chapter (although we get some cute moments of them!)

Me and Jesse stayed in my room for another forty-five minutes giggling like little school girls. I'm just so comfortable around him.

"Okay Lidia, since your big secret is out in the open, no more secrets, okay?" Jesse held out his pinky finger, wiggling it around in the air.

"Okay. That goes for you too, y'know!" I replied hesitantly holding out my pinky finger. He nodded and our fingers interlocked.

We promised no more secrets and to be frank, it was gonna be hard. I am the Queen of lying and manipulation. Habits are so hard to break sometimes, I might do it without even knowing that I'm doing it.

What if I lie straight to his face for no reason at al-"Lidia? Lidia it-it's me! Ian? Well hey um, you might be sleeping but I just wanted to drop by and talk to you if that's alright?" Ian's voice shook me from my thoughts. I froze. Ian is here. He knows my secret. Oh. My. Gosh. I have to talk to him, don't I? Oh shit I do.

I stood from my chair, and tightened the blanket around my shoulders. I slowly walked towards the door. I stood in front of it, my hand hovering over the doorknob. "Okay then, I-I'm gonna go and let you be. Good night." His footsteps told me he turned away from the door. I hurriedly opened it and grabbed it arm and pulled him into the room.

He was frozen in shock. I stood there, blinking at him while fidgeting with my fingers. "H-," I cleared my squeaky voice, "hi. Um what are you doing here?" I nervously asked.

It was like it fully registered in his brain that I was taking to him since he also cleared his voice and said "I um, wanted to talk to you. If that's okay of course."

I softly smiled. "Of course it's okay with me. I wouldn't have let you in here if it wasn't."

"Oh right yeah." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand. He looked around and I noticed how close we were. I hadn't stepped back from when I grabbed his arm so we were standing less than a foot apart.

"Oh sorry about that." I chuckled nervously and stepped back.

"Oh yeah, no problemo."

I raised my eyebrow. "Problemo?"

Defensibly he crossed his arms and said, "yes, problemo. Got a problem with that L.C."

I chortled. "L.C? What in the world?"

"What? Do you not like your new nickname? I can come up with something else if you want-"

"No, no. I like it. It's different. I'm curious, what does the C stand for?" I crossed my arms, genuinely curious.

"Candice. Your middle name. Remember?" He tilted his head in a funny-mocking manner. Not like when Lexi did it. He would never do that.

"Of course I remember. It's my middle name." I almost added 'duh' but decided against it, thinking it might be a little too bratty.

He walked over to my messy bed. He sat down and fell back. "Oh my God! I just love your bed. Why do rich people get comfy beds?" He groaned.

I giggled and sat down beside him. "I don't know. You'd have to ask Luke that."

"Har har, you know I can't ask him something. Not after that little stunt you pulled at that diner. Do you know how hard it was for me to just come in this house? Let alone talk to you?"

I flopped down, now fully laying on my bed, and covered my face with my hands. "Oh my gosh that's so embarrassing. They are-I-oh my gosh. There really is no words to describe them, is there?"

He chuckled. "No my sweet Lidia, no there is not." My heart swelled at his pet name for me. I didn't tease him about it like I did the others. I just sighed in contentment.

How could anyone deserve someone like this? It's not possible. Not for someone like me. Not for someone who's lied and manipulated everyone in their life. Never.

But here I am, laying down next to him. Basking in the light and joy that radiates off of him wherever he goes. All the humans in this world take people like Ian for granted. In reality, we all need to protect them. Swaddle them up with blankets and stick them in the safest-safe room.

Even then, we would have a tiny bit better chance of preserving them.

God creates a special someone for each of us. Perhaps he is my special someone. Maybe not. Maybe he is here to teach me a lesson. I have wronged so many people, now I get a chance of happiness but just as I get comfortable, he leaves and I'm all alone.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ian breaks the comfortable silence.

Ugh. I knew it would come. They always bring it up. "Talk about what?" I dismissed the question.

But, being the boy he is, he still didn't take the hint. "Your mom and stepdad. Wha-what they did to you?"

I sighed. Of course. "Well what do you wanna know?" It's not easy for a man to be questioned, especially not by a girl, but today I'm feeling a bit sassy.

"I-I dunno. I just thought you might want to talk about it," he paused for a quick second, "sweet Lidia, if you haven't figured it out by now, I haven't had much experience with women. The only woman I've actually gotten to know was Sasha and we all know she's a different type of human all together." He chuckled.

Chortling, I sigh once more. "Well I guess there's nothing much to say. My mom was nice to me when we first lived together by ourselves, I guess the stress of taking care of a child was too much so she started to drink, eventually she found a drinking buddy, and the rest is history. He beat me, she beat me, he killed her, was about to kill me too but the police found him. That's really it."

He sat up and smoothed out his sweatpants. "Lidia, we both know that's not it. That may have been what physically happened, but that is nowhere near close to what mentally happened."

I rolled over to face him, still laying down. His legs were now crossed over each other, fully on my bed. "That's not what mentally happened." I repeated. We sat staring at each other for what felt like years, in reality it was probably only another minute or so.

"I-is it okay if I see the-the scars?" He hesitantly asked. It was as if he was scared I was gonna go take a dive off my balcony at any given moment. I won't lie, I was considering it.

But because I'm a people pleaser I said yes. Kill me.

"Alright, just let me chance my shirt. That way you can see them better." He nodded and I stood up from my bed and walked over to my closet-without any enthusiasm or as Zack would say 'pep to my step'-and picked out the pajamas I brought from my life before my brothers. It seemed so long ago I was admiring how big and how grateful I am to have such wonderful brothers.

It was just a plain nightgown. I put on a strapless bra so I would have something to cover my nipples with, but also wouldn't affect him from seeing my scars. I also put on long shorts so he couldn't see my cuts that I had made.

I opened my closet door and saw that he had closed my doors that led to my balcony. "Thanks, it was getting quite cold, wasn't it?" I nervously giggled to try to lighten the mood. It was like a mix between nervous and humorous. That is, if the humorous was not humorous at all.

I slowly walked to where he sat at the edge of my bed. I faced him, my hands nervously wringing each other. He boldly took ahold of my hands and held them in his own. "You don't have to show me, you know." He assured me.

I gave him a small smile. "You're the only person I would willingly show my scars to right now. This needs to be done."

He nodded and I turned around. My bed was a bit high off the ground so I didn't need to bend down since I was short and he was a giant. His hands were cold as he hesitantly moved my beautiful hair to the side.

He gasped as he saw the long scar going from below my jugular to armpit. "Lidia I-I,"

I cut him off, "You don't need to explain yourself for gasping. Everyone else who's seen it gasped too." I nonchalantly shrugged my shoulders.

He took ahold of my shoulder and gently spun me around to face him. "It doesn't matter. The way you reacted matters. My sweet Lidia, you may not understand this yet, but you mean a whole awful lot to me. And it-it hurts me, to see you like this I mean."

Tears were gathering in my eyes as I launched myself onto him. He almost fell back onto the bed from the force of me jumping on him. "What did I ever do to get you? God needs to punish me for my sins, not gift me with you." I said and squeezed tighter.

"You only did what you had to do." He returned my hug.

"Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know what to think right now." I muffled into his neck.

"Don't think, just hug me." And so I did. I hugged him tight, tighter than I thought I was capable of hugging.

We pulled away finally when he said, "My sweet Lidia, would you care to join me for a dance." He said in a formal voice, and bowed.

I giggled and accepted his outstretched hand. "But of course, my Lord." He led me to the open area of my room and we danced. It was just a basic middle school dance, but we danced nonetheless.

"Have you been watching more YouTube videos? You've gotten really good." He complimented my basic ass dancing skills.

I chortled and said, "Videos of middle school dances? Yes, yes I have. Thank you so much for noticing."

He boyishly grinned. "But of course! Nothing but compliments for the prettiest Lady in all the lands!"

Now we were both grinning from ear to ear. "Oh stop, you're making me blush!"

By now we were trying to catch our breathes from laughing so hard but as soon as we do, one look at the other sends us into another laughing spree.

I was in the middle of being twirled when someone knocked at my door. Both us of shared a knowing look. I huffed as he smirked and plopped himself on my bed. I opened the door with very little enthusiasm as I met James's eyes.

"Just wanted to check in, make sure nothing was going on." He looked all around the room and narrowed his eyes when he saw Ian sitting on my bed.

"Well you have nothing to worry about. Goodbye now!" I quickly said and tried to shut the door but with one swift motion the door was wide open.

"Actually, anytime he's in this room, the door needs to be open. Period."

The no buts tone was heard, but not followed when I countered with, "But what about my privacy? I'm still mad at you, and at the rate you're talking to me, I might stay in here another day or two, don't you think?" I mischievously tilted my head. I know I said I was done with manipulating but old habits die hard.

He broke for a split second but regained his composure quickly, "Fine. It doesn't have to be all the way open. But this," he closed the door halfway, "is as far as it goes. No more negotiations. Understood?"

I huffed but complied nonetheless. "Fine Luke. Have it your way."

I quickly turned my back and made a funny face at Ian. He smothered his laugh with a cough. "I saw that!" James said.

"No you didn't!" I retorted and grabbed Ian's hand as I rushed to my balcony.

I finally felt how cold it was as the dark winter air hit my shoulders. I shivered and rubbed my arms. "Oh let me." Ian grabbed my favorite blanket from my bed and draped it over my bare shoulders.

"Thanks." I smiled at his as I sat down in one of the chairs.

"No problemo."

Awwwwww so cute! I've been putting off this chapter but no more! I just love writing them, but I have to admit, I'm a bit jealous of their relationship lmao. I hope you liked it and dont forget to vote, comment and obviously like:)