I Have Loved You

Chapter 3 - Falsetto

I have loved you and no longer recognize myself. I have loved you when we were just an idea.

"We need to talk." Liam was waiting for Zara when she pulled into the parking lot. Maria drove, per usual; and if the conversation Saturday about Liam flattered her sister at all, she didn't show it. She watched her sister for a tell, any indication that she was interested in him, but nothing. In fact, she walked past him without a second glance.

Liam matched their pace. When they entered the hallowed halls of this educational establishment, he grabbed her arm and led her into a nearby classroom. She observed a student sitting in a chair with a book open in front of him. By the looks of it he was a Freshman. If she had to guess, he was cramming for some test. 

She turned back to Liam. His hand fit around her arm like a vice, without the force. "Excuse me. Do you mind letting go my arm?" 

The annoyance she felt for Liam on Saturday was rising with the bile in the back of her throat. The more she thought about it, the more angry she became at him, so angry in fact she could practically spit venom. "You could have texted back." 

Why did she care? She couldn't answer that. She didn't know. 

Her face felt pinched. She scrunched face together, and her mother's voice rang in her mind. "Don't squint so much Zara. That's the beginning of fine lines and wrinkles. If you are going to earn any, make them laugh lines." 

She tried to relax the muscles in her face. She tried to appear calm again. "You could have texted back."

"What are you talking about?"

Remain calm. Don't let him goad you. "You left me on read all weekend." 

"Oh. That." Liam dropped her arm. He leaned against the desk like he had no where to go. He looked over his shoulder at the Freshman. "Do you need to do that here? You've heard of the library, right?"

"This is my class." This kid was ballsy. 

"Not now it isn't."

The kid had a look of challenge, squaring his shoulders while facing Liam. He stood up, and with the lack of facial hair, all you could see was his long breakable limbs stretching to unbelievable lengths. It was enough to make him question his own ability, as told by the tight bob of his Adam's apple. Liam was a long way from the early days of puberty. 

They both waited for him leave. He took his time closing the book, opening his back pack stuffed with every book he'd need for everyday until the end of the semester. Then the pencil. Then the pen. Now he checked his phone, which he pulled out of a back pocket only to put it in again. 

"Come on man. I'm loosing patience." Liam's back was to the kid, but Zara watched him. He flipped Liam off behind his back. She couldn't help smirking at the kid's defiance. 

Finally the door closed behind the Freshman. They both waited for a moment longer, until Zara began, "You're a Senior this year. You're off to college."

"So."

"Why do you care about my sister now? It doesn't make sense."

Her throat felt tight. She was becoming uncomfortable talking to Liam about her sister. The fact that he arrived early to speak with her about Maria was a tell. It was pathetic that he knew her schedule, and that he made it his mission to wake up early to confront her about it now. 

"Why did you talk to your sister about me? That wasn't our deal." His eyes narrowed. 

"We didn't have a deal, remember? You ghosted me." She bit her bottom lip, using every effort not to scrunch into her suck-the-lemon face.