A Hopeless Pursuit (Forbidden Love Series Book 10)

 

Lisa sat shocked on her bed not knowing what to do. Should she escape from here? That's what she had been doing all her life. But with Sofia gone, where else could she go? She couldn't do what her parents asked her to do. She couldn't do that to Liam. They liked one another genuinely. She couldn't frame the Parkers for money. Big fat tear drops fell from her eyes. Why couldn't her life be normal like the other teenagers?

All her life she'd been running away from home. She was tired of it all. Laurence was earning well. They already had more money than they needed. They were billionaires for God's sake! Why did her parents need more money then? She sighed and went for a shower. Her decision was made. She would go to her friend Anne Marie's house which was near her music school. They had been studying music together since they were seven years of age. After Sofia, Victoria and Leo, she was the next person Lisa was closest to. Changing into her clothes, she picked up her musical instruments and a small backpack of essential stuff and left her room. She went down to the underground parking area and saw Tim talking to Joe, another chauffeur who worked for them.

"Tim, please could you drop me at my music school?" She asked him.

"Sure Miss Lisa," said Tim and rushed to get the car out. Lisa climbed onto the backseat and Tim drove her to her music school.

"Don't stop, drive on Tim. I'll go to a friend's house first, then walk down later with her. You can go back home," she instructed him. He nodded and did as she asked him to do, dropping her at Anna Marie's apartment complex. Lisa went up to her floor and rang her doorbell.

Anna Marie opened the door and smiled upon seeing her. "Hi, what a pleasant surprise! Come inside please," she said, moving away to let Lisa enter.

"Hey, Anna, do you have any other plans? I might stay the day with you," said Lisa.

"Hey don't be so formal please. You're most welcome to stay. I have no plans," said Anna Marie. "I'm so excited Lisa to have you spend a with me," squealed Anna Marie softly.

Lisa grinned at her. She wasn't at all thrilled. Her whole mind and body longed for Liam. She knew he would be so disappointed when he didn't see her at her house. But what choice did she have?

Liam quickly got ready, adding a dash of cologne here and there. He couldn't wait to see his Lisa. She had promised a kiss and he couldn't wait although he knew that it might be impossible to kiss her at her house. He drove over to her house before time. Parking his car, he went up the elevators to Laurence's floor just as Serenity had instructed him to do. He looked around for Lisa the way upstairs but didn't find her. He saw the ultra modern five star hotel like home of the Lennard's and had an idea of what Lisa was talking about last evening.

The Lennard's housekeeper Sandra opened the door of Laurence and Serenity's apartment on the top floor. She led him towards the living room where his sister was sitting with her laptop. "Liam, I was waiting for you since morning. I'm so happy that you came, " said Serenity softly. Liam grinned and kissed her cheek and sat beside her.

"How are you Sera?" He asked with concern.

"Oh, I'm fine. Tell me about yourself, " said Serenity, trying to draw the attention away from herself. She couldn't announce her pregnancy yet, everyone would know that the baby in her womb wasn't Laurence's but Alexanders.

"Life's as usual. Nothing new apart from a friendship with Lisa, " he told her. "Where is she? I don't see her around?" Asked Liam, looking around.

"Lisa lives downstairs. I'll ask Sandra to go and call her," said Serenity with a smile on her face.

"Thanks Sera," said Liam with too much enthusiasm, eagerly waiting for Sandra to go and fetch Lisa. Serenity asked Sandra to go downstairs.

After she had left, Serenity turned towards Liam. "Only friendship or more?" She asked him suspiciously.

"More," mumbled Liam, colouring slightly.

Serenity looked at him with surprise as she hadn't expected that answer from him. However, she controlled herself and smiled. "Lisa's a sweet girl. I like her too," she said with a wink. Liam coloured more. Sandra came back alone and both of them looked at her solemn face.

"Sera, Lisa has gone to her friend's house for the day," Sandra informed them. Liam's mouth hung open at the news. He couldn't understand why she would go somewhere else knowing that he would be coming over. Was her friend more important to her than he was? Liam was disappointed with Lisa's behaviour. He felt like a piece of shit in her life, someone who had no importance to her. He interacted dejectedly with his sister and then went home with a heavy heart. Would she meet him after the music school for dinner?

He would wait for her and wouldn't give her a chance to escape. Determined he worked on his own college assignments and whiled the time. In the late afternoon, he went to Lisa's music school and waited patiently for her to emerge.

When it was 6 o'clock in the evening, he saw many students coming out. He watched like a hawk till he saw a sad and tired Lisa walking out of the school with a backpack and a violin strapped to her slim body. She looked like she had a mountain of stress on her shoulders. While all the other students came out with their friends, Lisa was all alone and with her eyes fixed on the pavement before her, she stood deep in thought. Liam jumped down from his car and jogged over to her.

"Lisa," he called her softly when he reached her side. She looked up at him with her eyes glistening with emotion. She rushed towards him coming closer and hugging his torso. She embedded her face into his chest as a sob broke out.

"I'm sorry Liam. I had to go away to a friend's house. Don't ask me why please. I can't tell you," she mumbled into his chest.

"It's okay Lisa. We're going on a date, aren't we?" He asked her hopefully.

"Yes," said Lisa. She wanted to be with him but without her parents' knowledge. She didn't want them to interfere with her relationship with Liam. It was something too personal and precious to her.

"Come on then. I'll take you to a special place," said Liam, leading her towards his Ferrari.

"I don't want to go to any upscale, five-star restaurant. Some cozy, small place would be fine with me, " she said much to Liam's surprise. Lisa didn't want to bump into any of her parents' friends or acquaintances there. She just wanted some privacy with Liam without that constant fear of being spied on.

"Sure, I know just the place," he said, driving away. After a few minutes, he parked at a small restaurant in a corner. "This place specializes in simple and delicious home cooked meals. Sometimes mom orders food from here. It's heavenly," said Liam.

"I can't wait to taste it then," said Lisa, clapping her hands. Liam smiled at her enthusiasm. It was strange that she liked this small restaurant tucked away in a corner serving home cooked food than those flashy and luxurious ones that billionaire's visited. He led her to a table.

"You won't get pizzas here. What's the next thing you like to eat after pizzas?" He asked her, glancing at the menu card.

"Steak and pasta. What about you?" She asked him.

"I love all Spanish and Italian food, " said Liam. The waiter came to take their orders. Lisa ordered veal chops and seafood pasta while Liam ordered Italian sausages and lasagna. They shared the food.

"So what did you do all day?" Asked Liam curious to know where she was all day and why she was looking so dejected.

"Nothing much. I was at Anna Marie's house getting bored," said Lisa, with a sad look on her face. Liam couldn't understand why she went if she was bored there. Although he promised not to ask her he couldn't help himself.

"Why did you go then? I went to your house only to see you. I had a talk with Sera before and would meet her next weekend when she promised to come home," said Liam looking disappointed.

"I had a fight with my parents. We don't get along. They force me to do weird things which I don't want to. So I leave and spend time with my friends," she told him.

Liam looked at her with disbelief. "How can they force you to do anything you don't want to do?" He asked not understanding her words. Her parents looked like decent people.

"They lock me up and compel me to listen to them. So I run away. You won't understand Liam. Let's leave the topic, please," she said.

Liam was worried about her. She was so young. Running away from her house all the time would have a bad effect upon her. She was a growing girl. It wasn't safe at all. What was actually happening? It looked more serious than the picture Lisa was projecting. Maybe he had to find out. But how?