Loving Liberty

by Belinda Boring

  Your mother will kill you when she finds out; and believe me, she will.

  Who cares? This is your life. Live it. Take the chance that this may lead to something incredible.

  Or lead you straight into hell. Remember Andrew? You have no time to be Liberty Montgomery. You’re being prepped to become Liberty Hampton.

  Pfft. I don’t want to be a Stepford wife!

  You were born and raised to be one. The sooner you realize that and submit, the easier it’ll be. Forget Oliver.

  I don’t want to. I want my own life.

  Impossible.

  I let out a loud groan, causing nearby heads to turn and stare in concern. Embarrassed, I wiped my hand across my face and smiled apologetically. This had to stop. I was getting careless and showing something other than the perfect façade I’d been taught to maintain in public. Ripping the page from my notebook, I scrunched it up and placed it with the other two I’d already removed, to toss in the trash. There could be no more scribbling Oliver’s name—ever.

  “Liberty?” Professor Stephen’s voice interrupted my thoughts. Dragging my focus from crumpled paper, I slowly looked up. Everyone, including him, was staring at me, obviously waiting for me to answer the question I hadn’t heard.

  “Yes?” I cringed, hating being the center of attention. I could feel my face flush.

  “Can anyone help Miss Montgomery, please?” His annoyance at my lack of concentration was mingled with a small dose of sarcasm. He glared at me one more time before pointing at someone behind me. I didn’t even bother remaining straight in my chair this time, letting my body slouch low. Today was definitely not going my way.

  My phone began vibrating loudly against the desk’s top, adding to my humiliation. Mumbling yet another apology, I grabbed it quickly, fumbling as I tried to turn it off. Oliver’s name lit up the screen like a ray of sunshine on a stormy day.

  “Are we keeping you from a busy social life, Miss Montgomery?”

  I’d never been publicly chastised in class before and I silently prayed the ground would open up wide and swallow me whole. “No, Professor. I’m sorry.” Ignoring my phone, I tried focusing on the board in the front of the class. The writing still looked like scribbled nonsense and I willed time to speed up, so I could escape.

  Twenty minutes later, with no further embarrassment, my torture was over and everyone filed out of the room and on to their next class.

  “Liberty?” The stern voice came from the front.

  “Yes?” I’d almost been free. Turning around, I moved to the side and gave Professor Stephens my full attention as other students pushed past.

  “I trust that today’s performance won’t happen again.”

  “I’m sorry, really. I’ve been a little distracted. It won’t happen again. I promise.” My words seemed to just rattle out, standard answers to please the receiver. It worked because he smiled, accepting my apology.

  “Good. You’re one of the top students in here and I’d hate to see this become repeat behavior. My advice is to leave whatever it is, outside. Focus on the lesson.”

  “I will. Thank you.” I nodded and finally escaped. I had fifteen minutes to get to my next class across campus, but all I could think of was Oliver’s text. It had been burning a hole in my brain ever since I read those three words.

  Meet me outside.

  Outside where? The university was huge, making the possibilities endless. Something told me I’d find him where we’d met the other day, but time was ticking away. There was no way I could go to him and make it to my next class. Even if I sprinted, I’d be late and Liberty Montgomery was never late. She’d been raised better than that.

  Juggling my book bag, I quickly texted while trying to watch where I was walking.

  I can’t. I gotta get to class. What’s up? I clicked send and was surprised by how quickly he responded.

  I missed you.

  My heart did flip-flopsover his message.I missed you, too.

  Can I kidnap you?

  His question made me pause mid-step.

  Kidnap me? To do what?

  Something completely spontaneous.

  I snorted out loud, startling a passerby. Spontaneous and me were total strangers. That type of free spirit was crushed by my parents, who believed that any kind of whimsy or unplanned activity was the same as being defiant and wild.

  I think you have the wrong girl.

  Oh, I have the right one. Be brave.

  There were those two words again. Be brave. In the short time that I had known him, Oliver had somehow found a way to reach over my good girl barriers and challenge the one, tiny slice of defiance my parents hadn’t managed to strangle. Be brave. The words tumbled around inside my head, just waiting for me to grab hold of them.

  I have school. I can’t.

  The good girl won. A part of me hoped he would keep pushing for me to meet him and when he texted back, I knew the battle was over.

  Please. Classes can wait.

  I looked around. I was already halfway to my class with only five minutes left before I was tardy. My mind scrambled to justify the decision I had really already made. I wanted to go to him. I wanted to see what plans he had and whether they would make me fall even harder for him. The last thing I wanted was to sit in boring lectures for the rest of the day—especially knowing I could’ve been out having fun. Fun was a still a new concept, but just the small taste I’d had of it the other day at lunch had made me an addict. I needed more of it, much more.

  I stopped overthinking and followed my heart.

  Where are you?

  The moment I sent the message, a weight lifted and a wide smile broke across my face.

  You know where. See you soon.

  I did know. Doing an about face, I rushed back the way I’d come, each step fueling the building excitement inside me. I had no clue what the day held, but the closer I got to seeing Oliver, the more I didn’t care. The feeling was liberating. Maybe being brave was easier than I thought.

  He was exactly where I guessed. Standing there alone, bike helmet in hand, the sight of him made my breath hitch. I’d have known him in the middle of a large crowd—his tall, lean frame instantly catching my eye. Today he wore blue jeans with rips at the knee and a tight white t-shirt that he looked so good in that it should’ve been a sin. The closer I got, the more I could make out his muscles, faintly concealed underneath the thin fabric.

  One day I’m going to see him without that shirt and touch those muscles. The thought startled me. Not because it was a lie, but because I wasn’t used to having such sexual thoughts. That was another reason why Oliver was so dangerous. Being around him, thinking about him, made my hormones go crazy.

  Oliver was studying something on the ground in front of him when he suddenly looked up, spotting me. His eyes widened as the biggest grin I’d seen him wear crossed his face. There was no denying he was happy to see me and it added to my confidence. There was no fake excitement in his appearance. As he walked forward to meet me halfway, his smile grew bigger.

  “Good girl!” he exclaimed, reaching for my bag and sliding his arm through the strap to carry it. “I knew you could do it.” He leaned over, kissing my cheek briefly; and it felt like he’d branded my skin with heat. It was everything I could do not to raise my hand and feel where his lips had touched.

  “You piqued my curiosity. What’s so important that you wanted me to ditch class and kidnap me?” My voice sounded different, lighter with a flirtatious undertone. It matched the way my heart raced and the daredevil adrenaline coursing through my body.

  “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist.” Oliver grinned and led me toward his motorcycle. “Trust me, you’ll be glad you came with me.” He helped fasten the strap of the helmet, making sure it was secure before swinging his leg over his bike. “Ready?” He held his hand out, waiting for me to take it.

  “As I’ll ever be. Let’s go be spontaneous!” I climbed up behind him and wrapped my arms firmly around his
torso.

  I don’t know what held my attention more—the roar of the engine starting, or the way Oliver’s abdomen shook as a chuckle rumbled through him. “Seize the day. Hold on tight!”

  Pushing away from the curb, I let out a small squeal of surprise, my hands instinctively gripping onto him for purchase. This only made Oliver laugh harder, his stomach muscles flexing under my touch.

  Today was definitely shaping up to be another that I wouldn’t forget.

  Chapter Seven

  “You were right,” I grinned, plopping down on a bench beside Oliver, licking the dripping ice cream before it ran over my hand. Oliver’s plan had been the perfect way to spend the afternoon and I wasn’t ashamed to admit it. “I can’t believe I’ve come to Pier 57 a hundred times and never noticed this little shop.” Mouthing thank you, I accepted the napkin he offered before studying the mint chocolate chip cone I’d just bought. The thing was huge, already melting, leaving no time for me to truly savor it.

  “Stick with me, kid, and I’ll show you the world,” Oliver answered. It was hilarious and caused another round of laughter from me, one of many for the afternoon. “Hey, don’t mock the accent. I worked hard on it so I could impress you at the right moment.”

  “Well, work harder!” I tried to stifle another giggle, but failed. The wounded look on Oliver’s face didn’t help, either. “Stop! My sides hurt from all this laughing! If you keep this up, I’ll never finish my ice cream.” I bumped shoulders with him, enjoying the carefree feel between us. That was one thing I’d discovered today—being with Oliver was as easy as breathing. I didn’t have to analyze or overthink everything. All I needed to do was just be me. It was incredible.

  Placing his hand over his heart, Oliver lowered his voice to a dramatic whisper. “But I love the sound of it, Liberty. In fact, I vow to make you smile and laugh every time I’m with you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard anything as beautiful as you, in all my life.”

  And there it was again. Just when I thought I had a handle on my nerves, he threw in a comment like that and it stirred everything up, again. Feeling my face flush, I took a large bite and was instantly hit with brain freeze.

  “Ahhhhh!” I screamed, squeezing my forehead with my free hand. “Make it stop!” I toppled to the side, leaning into him, cringing from the flashing pain. There wasn’t any time to enjoy being close, my brain was ready to explode at any moment.

  Oliver offered a consoling chuckle. “Breathe through your mouth. No, not like you’re hyperventilating. Slow and steady. Get some warm air in.”

  “Will it help?” I asked and glared at my ice cream like it was a traitor.

  “It does for me. A good friend told me a long time ago and I’ve used it ever since. Don’t worry, it’ll go away.” He patted my knee, trying to soothe me, and it was a welcome distraction.

  Finally it ebbed away, leaving me feeling foolish. “That was insane. I don’t think I’ve ever felt something so intense. I guess my mother was right about not eating cold things too fast.”

  “You’ve never had brain freeze before?” He looked at me incredulously.

  “Not that I can remember, and that? That I doubt I’d ever forget!” I straightened up, no longer resting against him.

  “Well, you haven’t truly lived until you’ve survived a wicked case. Congratulations, Liberty. May you be wiser in your bite size choice in the future.” Oliver chuckled louder and I slapped his leg for being a jerk.

  “Not funny,” I retorted, handing him the rest of the cone. “Here, I don’t want anymore. I don’t think I’ll ever eat another mouthful, ever again.” I added a heavy dose of theatrics to my words. “I am scarred for life!”

  Oliver accepted my offering and, to my amazement, took one of the biggest bites I’d ever seen. “Wuss. You just need to show no fear!”

  Rolling my eyes, I turned my focus back out to the Sound. The weather was surprisingly decent, all blue skies and sun shining. Somehow we’d lucked out with a rare day where it wasn’t drizzling or raining by the bucketful or gray.

  When Oliver said he wanted to do something spontaneous, I didn’t expect him to bring me to the Pier. When I had come here with my family, we just ate and left. I didn’t know that there was so much to do. The moment I saw the arcade, I dragged him inside. The sight and sounds, bells and whistles, had lured me in. I knew my eyes must’ve been round with wonder because I felt like a kid in a candy store—unsure of what to do first. All I knew was I wanted to try them all.

  Time flew by, much to my dismay. I tried to keep from checking my watch every few minutes, but I was afraid of being late to meet Erica. It wasn’t until Oliver caught me looking for the tenth time, that he promised he’d get me back on time. He bent down a little when he’d said it, making sure he was staring into my eyes. The second I was locked on to his blue ones, I knew I could relax.

  I sat back, enjoying the remaining moments before we returned to the university. Tilting my face back and closing my eyes, I let out a loud, contented sigh. I was really happy and the constant pressure that lived within my chest lessened. If this was what it felt like to be in Oliver’s world of freedom, he could kidnap me, anytime.

  “Penny for your thoughts?”

  “Nothing,” I murmured, not glancing at him.

  “Liar, liar pants on fire. Why, Miss Montgomery, I believe your nose just grew a little. Try again.”

  His taunt made me laugh. His wink, when I faced him, heated my insides. “How do you know I was thinking? I could’ve just been sitting here enjoying the sun.” I wasn’t quite ready to reveal my inner thoughts, just yet.

  “Because of this.” He reached out with his finger and stroked the furrow on my forehead. “I know it wasn’t something light because your brow crinkled. Regretting you came out with me, today?” He took the last bite of my ice cream and rubbed his hands against his jeans. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him clothes weren’t napkins, but realized that was my mother’s issue, and not mine.

  “Are you kidding me? I haven’t had this much fun since . . .” I struggled to remember the last time.

  “Since I took you to lunch and taught you how to play pool?” Oliver cocked his eyebrow questioningly.

  “Since forever!” I finally finished.

  “So, what was so heavy on your mind?” He pursued, not wanting to let it go.

  “Well,” I began. “I was just thinking you could kidnap me anytime, if it meant we did things like this. I like your world, Oliver. A lot.”

  “Enough to make it yours?” He fired back. I flushed at how it sounded, like he wanted to share it with me, intimately. He must’ve realized how it sounded because he quickly added. “Where you make your own decisions and live for you and not anyone else?”

  “It sounds like a nice dream. Just not sure whether it’ll ever be my reality.” I let out another sigh and watched as a ferry approached the end of the dock. I could already see commuters standing by the railings, waiting to debark and go about their business. Each of them had their own life and I wondered how many of them had to deal with controlling parents. Something told me not very many of them.

  “What do you mean by that? I promise you, you can have whatever kind of life you want. You just need to want it badly enough to claim it.”

  “You make it sound so easy. You, of all people, should know it isn’t. I can’t just wake up one day and declare my independence. It takes time. It takes courage. It takes strength that I don’t think I have.” I hated the slight whine in my voice. I wasn’t impressed with how defeated I sounded, either.

  “Look at me, Liberty.” His demand was firm and I turned to him.

  Gone was the playful twinkle in his eyes. Gone was the sexy grin I was falling in love with. He’d completely transformed into serious Oliver; and judging from how he gently took hold of my chin, I knew he was about to say something important.

  “You’re right. It’s not easy to break free from controlling influences. It does take time and cour
age. But you are so very wrong when you say you’re not strong enough. If you were weak, you wouldn’t be here with me right now; taking risks and enjoying yourself. You wouldn’t have called me and invited me into your life that night. You are much braver than you give yourself credit for. And believe me, you are more than ready to take the next step. Yes, it’s hard to break free; but ask yourself, isn’t it worth fighting for?” He paused to let his question sink in. “Or is your fear greater than your desire for independence?”

  And just like that, Oliver summed up my years of frustration. Over and over I’d debated within myself the pros and cons of setting out to live by my own rules. Each time I’d caved and fallen back into old beliefs—mainly that my parents knew what was best for me and I shouldn’t rock the boat.

  “Is my fear greater than my desire?” I repeated softly as an epiphany threatened to reveal itself.

  “I’ve been where you are, Liberty. I know how scary it is. I also know how it feels to take that first deep breath and not feel the burdens my father placed on me. I’m not saying you have to walk away completely, but it’s your life. Live by your terms.”

  “I can’t.” My voice shook as tears filled my eyes. As if mimicking our conversation, the sun disappeared behind a set of clouds, casting darkness over us. “I just can’t.”

  “Please don’t cry.” He released my chin and wiped away the falling tears. “The last thing I ever want to do is force you into something you don’t want to do. I’m your friend and all I want is to help. If this is all you can do, then I’ll just keep kidnapping you. Don’t think I didn’t catch that first part of your sentence.” Smiling now, all seriousness gone, Oliver caressed the side of my face one more time before lowering his hand.

  “I want to, Oliver. I do. Just . . .” I was at a loss for words.

  “Just not so fast. I get it. Do it at your own pace.” He reached for my hand and held onto it. “I’m not going anywhere. I like you and I’m here for you in any way you want me. Deal?”

  I nodded, brushing the last of the tears away. “Thank you. You have no idea how much your friendship means to me. And I’ll get braver. I promise.”