Serena

I caved.

I wasn't sure if it was my curiosity that got the better of me, the way Liam was so sure, or just that I wanted to get away for the weekend.

Well, it was probably all of the above that made me agree to go on the trip.

The last of my things were brought over to Sara and Danny's place and I was officially moved out. It brought about this empty feeling and one of regression - like I was moving backwards in life, rather than forward.

I didn't know exactly what Liam had planned for this weekend but I assumed a part of this trip was to cheer me up and I wanted that. I wanted to be happy. If this trip would help with that - I'd be glad.

My bag was already packed, with only the essentials. I tried not to overpack, especially for a weekend trip, but I was never good at that. I always thought I would need things and didn't want to be without them, especially in an emergencies.

It was still only a small suitcase - even if for a weekend trip - but I was convinced I had everything I could possibly need in that.

I had no clue where I was going - which also didn't help the packing situation.

"You all packed?" Arya asked.

I was in the store, waiting to be picked up by Liam. Since we had to leave this evening, so we could get the most out of the weekend, it just made sense.

"I think so," I smiled at Arya. "You can go if you want. I'll lock up."

"You sure?" She asked.

I smiled. "Of course. Go home to Louis," I told her.

She grinned before nodding, moving to the back room to grab her things.

"Alright. Have a fun weekend and thank you for the time off," she said.

"Thank you," I told her, watching her leave the store.

Since I was going to be away, I didn't think it was fair to leave the shop to Arya, so it was going to be closed for this weekend. We didn't have any fitting appointments, so I didn't think it'd cause much of an issue.

I also told Elias he could have the weekend off. For him, it was mainly to cope with the new trainee we had hired - who I also gave the two days off. I think he deserved a break from training.

A few minutes after Arya left, I began to close up, making sure all things were secure and in place before I left. Elias had already locked up next door, so I didn't have to worry about that.

Just as I straightened the dresses on the rack, I felt my phone vibrate.

"Hi," I greeted Liam.

"Hey, we're outside," he said.

"I'm coming," I told him.

I grabbed my bag and headed out - not before doing a final check and putting the security code in for the alarm.

When I got to his car, Bea's face was the first I saw. She was grinning, practically hanging out the open window.

"Serena!" She exclaimed.

Liam, who's back was turned towards me as he stood next to the car, turned around at Bea's voice. He then smiled at me too.

"My little Bumblebee," I smiled walking towards her.

It was impossible to not smile seeing her.

Liam came forward to take my bags, as I moved towards Bea, kissing her cheek.

"I'm so happy you're coming with us," she said, giggling and holding my face to kiss my nose.

"Me too, sweetie." I told her.

I was actually really glad that Bea was coming too. If Liam had just told me that it was only the two of us that would be going on this little road trip, I would have refused.

I really didn't understand what it was, but sometimes he would just look at me with this expression that seemed like he wanted to say something, but wouldn't. Or it was constipation.

Either way, I really don't think it would be the best move to be alone in the car with him. I just didn't want to wreck whatever kind of relationship we had right now. Things were fine, I didn't want to rock the boat.

"You won't regret this," Liam smiled, as he put my bag in the back.

"I hope not," I told him and buckled Bea back into her carseat, before making my way to my own seat.

I guess I'm ready for my adventure.

"So, where are we going?" I asked Liam, as we had set off.

Now that I was actually going with him, and in the car, he'd have to tell me.

"Nope," he smiled, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Seriously? You're still not going to tell me?" I asked him, turning to him with an annoyed expression.

He mimed the action of zipping his mouth, locking it and then throwing out the key.

Before I could have a go at him, Bea spoke up from the back.

"It's a surprise!" She gleamed, clapping her hands together.

"You too, Bea?" I asked and she nodded.

I playfully narrowed my eyes at her, but that only caused her to giggle.

"Ugh, like father like daughter," I huffed, pouting to myself in my seat.

From my peripheral vision I could see Liam smile into the rear-view mirror.

After being on the road for some time, and after playing quite a few car games and sing-a-longs, Bea was asleep.

"Aw, look at her," I cooed, turning watching Bea sleep so peacefully, her mouth slightly ajar.

"I would but I'm driving," Liam said and I rolled my eyes at his attempt at humour.

I sat back in my seat properly. "She's in such deep sleep," I told him.

Liam chuckled. "She won't even wake up for a hurricane. Once she's out, she's out," he told me.

I laughed at his words. "Definitely takes after you then," I said between my laughter.

Liam glanced at me for a moment, before looking back towards the road again.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He frowned.

I snorted. "It means you're a lazy as...-person," I said, correcting myself before I let out a curse word.

"As-person?" Liam chuckled.

"Well, I can't swear in front of Bea," I said. "Or at least I'm trying not to."

In general, I was trying to curse less. I realised it when I was in a store, stubbed my toe and nearly let out a string bad words with kids present.

It wasn't exactly a pleasant moment to be around me and I really didn't want Bea to pick up that language either.

It doesn't reflect great on me.

"I am not lazy," Liam refused. "I woke up for school," he then added, as if trying to make a point.

I snorted at his clear denial. "We lived next to each other, and I could hear Emma scream your name in the morning to try and wake you up."

There were rare occasions where Liam would be up, ready, and out the door before me. Usually when that happened, I knew it was because Emma would scare Liam into thinking he was late, when he really wasn't.

"I was awake," Liam argued.

"Like five minutes before," I corrected him.

He scoffed. "So? I like my sleep, okay? Not like you, early for everything."

I crossed my arms across my chest. "I don't like being late."

Being late was something that just gave me anxiety. I wasn't sure why, but it wasn't something that I liked or that settled well with me.

"Hated. You hated being late," he corrected me. "I remember I once gave you a ride to school and you wanted me to run a red light."

"We had like four minutes to reach," I replied.

He laughed. "I wasn't about to break the law so that you could reach school on time."

I smacked his shoulder, lightly. "Firstly, don't say it like that. Plus, you wouldn't have to, had you woken up when you said you did."

"I woke up at that time..." he began to say, and I gave him a look. "I just didn't get out bed."

"Besides, I regretted that one time, since you made my Mum set my alarms way earlier," he looked annoyed.

Yeah, okay it was because of me that Emma would fake the time or set his alarms. I kind of gave her that idea and she went for it.

As long as it got me to school on time, that was all I cared about.

"I was doing you a favour," I told Liam.

Technically, I was.

He shook his head. "No, you were the devil," he said and started laughing.

"Those were some good times," I said, smiling to myself as I stared out the window.

"They really were," Liam agreed with me, as the drive continued.

I wish he'd just tell me where we were going.

We were still on this drive, but slowly it was like the roads were beginning to look familiar to me, as if I've been here before.

Only when I saw the sign, did realisation actually occur.

"Liam, are we...?" I turned to him in disbelief.

He glanced at me quickly, with a wide smile on his face, before turning his eyes back to the road.

"Yes," he said and I quickly looked back to the window.

"Oh my, God," I whispered in awe, watching as we drove through the very familiar roads.

Coincidentally, Niall Horan's This Town begins to play and I felt like I was going to tear up from just the sight of all of this.

Liam brought me back to where I used to live with my parents, where I used to go school, where I used to be his neighbour.

This was amazing.

After a bit more driving, Liam stopped right outside of the house where I used to live and then got out the car, as I did the same.

He helped Bea get out of the carseat, whilst I was left awestruck staring at my old home.

"Welcome home, Serena." Liam said, moving to stand beside me.

"Liam, this is..." I couldn't even finish what I was saying, I was just that speechless.

Instead, Liam finished for me.

"Your old house," he stated.

Bea came next to me and slipped her hand into mine. "This is where you used to live?" She asked, tilting her head slightly.

I still felt too stunned to answer.

"Yes, sweetheart," Liam answered for me. "Serena and I were neighbours and this is where she lived," he said. "It's now where we'll live during this trip," he then added and my head snapped in his direction.

"Are you serious?" I ask him.

He nodded at me. "The owners rented it out as an Airbnb. When I came across it, it was a no brainer."

A wide smile came over on my face as I processed his words and without thinking, I let go of Bea's hand and leaped towards him, engulfing him in a hug.

It was unexpected and Liam stumbled back a little, but caught me anyway.

"Thank you. Thank you so much," I breathed out as Liam tightened his arms around me.

I feel a tug on my jumper and look down to see Bea smiling up at us.

"Can we go in?" She asked.

I let go of Liam and he bent down a little to pick up Bea.

"Of course," he kissed her cheek and then looked at me. "Serena? You want to do the honours?"

"The key?" I asked him.

He smiled at me. "I asked them to leave it in your hiding place."

I frowned at him. "My hiding-" I began to say, but then it occurred to me what he meant. "-right," I smiled.

Walking up to the front porch, I reached up to the hanging plant pot by the front door and dug around the soil for the key.

When I was younger, I kept a key here for when I went out, in case I forgot to take a pair of keys with me.

I wasn't ready for my Mum to scold me on forgetting my keys, so this was a safe bet. Well, probably not as safe as I used to think.

"You know this was never a good or safe hiding place for anything, right? Especially a key," Liam chuckled from behind me.

"Hey, it was good enough," I replied.

It really wasn't.

"Let's go in, Serena!" Bea then cheered and I smiled at her, before turning back to open the front door.

A few steps in and all the memories and nostalgia came back to me.

I spent a significant time of my life here, making memories and even falling in love for the very first time.

This house was witness to it all and now I was back.

"This is so...everything is-..." I wasn't even sure what to say to this.

"I know," Liam said.

"It's home. This was home. My home," I mumbled as I walk around, running my hands across the walls that were once mine.

I felt my eyes well up with tears.

"Are you alright?" Liam asked.

He held my shoulders and turned me to face him, a look of concern had came over him.

"No, no, no, this wasn't supposed to make you cry, you're meant to be happy," he said.

I laughed in response. "I am happy. Overwhelmingly happy," I replied, after which he then looked a little relieved.

"Come on, Bea. Let me show you around," I held out my hand towards her, which she happily took.

I showed Bea around, telling her how everything used to be when I lived here. She probably didn't care much about this, but listened with a smile anyway, at my rambling.

"This used to be my room," I told her.

"This one?" She asked, looking around.

The interior of the room had changed quite a bit from what it used to be. Although it had a new owner now, I still like to think of this as my room.

"Yes. I had it all painted and everything. My Mum used to measure my height here. My bed was here and I had many teddies lined up across here," I told Bea, whose face seemed to light up at my words.

"Like my room?" She asked.

I nodded. "Just like yours."

There were so many days where I would bare my heart out in this very room. Crying, angry or just happy, this room was where it all happened.

I continued to describe how my room looked like to Bea, who listened patiently and we then walked back down to the living room where Liam was now standing with the luggage.

"Reminisced at every corner then?" Liam asked with a smile.

I nodded at him, with a gleeful expression.

Again, without thinking, I walked towards Liam.

I wrapped my arms around him, giving him a hug and he didn't even question it, instead he just held me.

"Thank you for bringing me home, Liam," I whispered.

This house held a lot of sentimental value. I was just so happy to be back, even if it is for a short while.

It was the one thing I felt like I had lost, but now I had found it.

Liam tightened the hug, letting out what seems like a sigh.

"Home," I heard Liam whisper back.

I'm not sure if there were any words before or after he said that, maybe I just didn't hear it but it didn't matter.

I felt happy again. I was back home.