Chapter 126 Missing You
Mia’s POV
I honestly did not expect Liam to stay for dinner.
When he said he was starving, I thought he meant we would just order something simple. But Liam being an Alcaraz, he surprised me again by ordering what felt like half the menu. There were so many food containers on the table that I could not even count them all.
I could not help laughing when I saw everything he had ordered.
"This is enough food for ten people," I told him.
He only shrugged as if it was completely normal.
Since there was no way the two of us could finish everything, I shared some of the food with Josh and even with the security guards in our building. They were more than happy to accept it, and seeing their grateful smiles made me feel even happier.
After Liam finally left, the apartment felt quiet again.
But my heart was anything but quiet.
I walked slowly toward my room, still thinking about everything that happened today. It felt like such a perfect day that I almost could not believe it was real.
My eyes immediately went to the vanity table. There, resting carefully on top of it, was the crown. For a moment, I simply stood there staring at it. I could not stop smiling.
Then suddenly I covered my mouth and let out a small scream of excitement. I giggled like a child and even did a small spin in the middle of my room, unable to contain the happiness bubbling inside my chest.
I was his prom queen. Just thinking about it made my heart flutter. For years, that had only been a dream in my heart. Something I thought would never happen to someone like me.
And yet tonight it became real. But that was not even the best part. Liam was my boyfriend again. The thought alone made my cheeks warm.
Yes, it was risky. We both knew that. Keeping our relationship secret was not easy, and if people found out, it could cause problems for both of us.
But even knowing all that, I could not regret it. Because being with Liam, even like this, felt worth every risk.
And tonight, as I looked at the crown on my table, I allowed myself to believe that maybe some dreams really could come true.
Josh was taking longer than usual to get home that night.
At first I tried to keep myself busy while waiting for him. I sat on the sofa in our living room, scrolling through my phone and replaying the events of the day in my mind. Everything that had happened with Liam still felt like a beautiful dream.
But the apartment was quiet, and the soft hum of the night made my eyes grow heavy.
Before I realized it, I must have dozed off on the sofa while waiting for Josh.
"Hey, Mia girl, wake up."
I slowly opened my eyes when I heard Josh's gentle voice. He was standing beside the sofa, looking down at me with an amused smile.
For a moment I blinked, trying to remember where I was. Then I sat up slightly and rubbed my eyes.
"You are so late," I complained sleepily.
Josh chuckled softly and shook his head.
"Thank you for your concern, Mia," he said warmly. "But you really did not have to wait up for me."
He placed his bag down and sat on the chair across from me.
"By the way," he added casually, "we are finally moving into the new place next week."
His words immediately woke me up.
I sat up straighter on the sofa.
"That is nice," I said honestly, though I hesitated for a moment. "But I think it is better if I stay here, Josh. I do not think I can afford your new place."
The moment the words left my mouth, his expression changed. The smile on his face slowly faded.
"Come on, Mia," he said gently but firmly. "We already talked about this."
He leaned forward slightly.
"You are not paying anything," he continued. "Besides, I am not moving in if you are not coming with me."
I looked at him in surprise. Josh had always been stubborn, but hearing him say that still caught me off guard.
Then his expression softened again, and he smiled at me.
"Oh, and congratulations on winning the crown last night," he added proudly. "I am really proud of you."
Hearing that made my heart warm. I could not help smiling.
"Thank you, Josh," I said softly.
Even though the day had been long and full of surprises, moments like this reminded me how lucky I was to have someone like him looking out for me.
And somehow, that made the night feel even more special.
I really wanted to tell him about Liam and me, but I didn't want him to worry about me again. I had been confiding to Josh and I knew he will never get tired of listening to me, but I think it was better to just keep ut a secret just like how Liam wanted.
“Daniel and Dina were already waiting for me near the school entrance when I arrived on Monday morning.” The moment I saw them, I smiled and waved. My mood had been unusually light since the moment I woke up that morning. I could not help it. Liam had been texting me ever since our date yesterday, and every message he sent made my heart flutter all over again. I still felt like I was floating somewhere high above the clouds.
Even when Liam arrived at school with Stacey beside him, it did not bother me the way it used to. For the first time in a long while, I felt calm and secure. As if I was carrying a beautiful secret that belonged only to the two of us.
Classes passed quickly that morning. When our last class before lunch ended, Daniel and Dina decided to head straight to the cafeteria.
“You’re not coming with us?” Daniel asked as he slung his bag over his shoulder.
“I’ll catch up later,” I replied casually.
In truth, I simply wanted a few quiet minutes alone. And if I was being completely honest, I was also relieved that I did not have to answer their curious questions about what had happened after the Prom.
So instead of following them, I took my usual shortcut through the quieter side of the campus. It was a narrow pathway behind the older building that most students avoided because it was longer and more secluded.
But I liked it. It gave me time to think.
I was just about to turn the corner when suddenly a hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me gently against the wall.
Before I could even gasp in surprise, a familiar pair of lips captured mine.
My heart nearly stopped.
Liam.
His scent surrounded me instantly, warm and intoxicating, making my thoughts spin. The kiss was quick but intense, and by the time he pulled away, my knees felt weak and my entire body had turned to jelly.
“My God, Mia,” he whispered softly, his forehead resting against mine. “I can’t make it through the day without kissing you.”
His voice was low and teasing, and it sent shivers down my spine.
“Liam,” I said breathlessly, quickly glancing around the empty hallway. “We can’t kiss like this. What if someone sees us?”
Thankfully the corridor was completely deserted.
“I know,” he replied with a small smile, his eyes soft as they looked at me. “But I missed you too much.”
My heart melted instantly.
“I missed you too,” I admitted quietly.
Before I could stop myself, I leaned forward and kissed him again.
This time he made a low sound in his throat, almost like a growl, as his hands moved to my waist and gently pressed me against the wall. The kiss deepened, hungry and full of everything we had been holding back since yesterday.
For a few seconds, the world disappeared. There was only us. When we finally pulled apart, both of us were slightly breathless.
“I’ll see you later,” he murmured, brushing his thumb lightly against my cheek.
Then, just like that, he stepped back and walked toward the cafeteria as if nothing had happened.
I stayed there for a moment longer, my heart racing wildly in my chest. And when I finally started walking again, I could not stop the smile spreading across my face.