Monstrous ➳ Dunbar

[ in which they receive detention ]

The next morning, Sydney woke up stiff and cold. Her eyes fluttered open, expecting to be entangled in the covers of her bed with the familiar light blue walls surrounding her, but instead, she was welcomed by the view of the Lookout Point. And what she was laying on wasn't her bed, either- it was a chest. Liam stirred underneath her, his eyes fluttering open and a confused look stretching across his face.
"We fell asleep," Sydney giggled lightly as he continued to rub the sleep from his eyes, running a hand through his ruffled hair. His eyes were squinted as he stared around him, obviously blinded by the sudden sunlight that shone down on the two teenagers.
"What time is it?" The question came out as more of a groan, his voice still scratchy from sleep. Sydney couldn't help but find his morning voice attractive, along with his usually spiky hair that was ruffled and flatted by sleep. She found herself staring, and barely heard the question fall from his lips. As she was lost in a daze, Liam had already pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the time, his heart skipping a beat once he realized what time it was. Without saying another word, the freshman hopped up, lacing his fingers with the girl's and pulling her up beside him.
"Liam, where are we going?" Sydney questioned, though she didn't protest as he began to lead her towards the shadows of the dim forest.
"My house." Liam glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, though his pace remained steady and quick. "It's closer to the school than your house is."

>>

Thankfully, when the pair arrived at the Dunbar residence, the driveway was empty. Liam knew that he was in for a long talk about sneaking out whenever he next saw his parents, and he was thankful it wasn't then- at eight-thirty in the morning, with his girlfriend right beside him.
Sydney stayed silent as she followed the boy up the stairs and into his room, where he closed the door behind her. As if she weren't even there, Liam pulled his white t-shirt over his head and threw it on the ground before walking over to his dresser. Somewhat awkwardly, Sydney took a seat on the edge of his bed, forcing herself to look at her entwined fingers instead of at Liam's bare torso. A moment later, the bed bounced beside her as Liam sat down, dressed in a BHHS t-shirt, and ran a hand through his hair.
"What am I supposed to wear?" Sydney questioned, though she meant it as more of a thought that an actual question directed towards the boy sitting beside her. Realization flooded over her as Liam smiled cheekily, and she cocked an eyebrow. "Is that why you wanted to stop here? So I was forced to wear your clothes?"
Liam stood up with a shrug, a smirk spreading across his lips as he crossed his room to his dresser once more, "What can I say? You look good in my clothes." He returned a moment later, holding the familiar maroon and white fabric of his lacrosse jersey, the number 9 in large white print across the front. Sydney raised an eyebrow before taking the shirt from his hands, standing up and twirling her fingers in a circular motion- as she did just the night before. His eyes rolling in their sockets, Liam turned around, his head rolling in dramatic effect.
Keeping her gaze focused on the shirt, Sydney pulled the hoodie over her head and tossed it on the bed beside her. She struggled to fix the shirt in her hands, as it was currently inside out and crumpled up messily. Little did she know, while her eyes were focused on her hands, Liam had turned back around and was grinning cheekily as his eyes wandered around the girl's body. His gaze stopped on a patch of raised, darker skin- a scar that was just above the waist of her pants. Without even realizing he had spoken until after the words had fallen from his mouth, he asked: "Where did you get that scar?"
Sydney's eyes widened as her head popped through the neck of the jersey, her cheeks tinted a dark shade of pink. "Liam Dunbar, you perv!" she screamed, her hands finding their way to her face in attempt to hide the blush.
Liam's hands raised in defense, though he couldn't help the chuckle that fell from his lips. "What? I was only curious. Can't a guy ask a simple question anymore?"
"Why were you looking?" Sydney shot back, recovering from her embarrassment, and crossed her arms over her chest. Her heart was still beating quickly, and she was sure Liam was aware of that, as his mouth pulled into a small grin. Though, after realizing that he had no valid excuse, his gaze traveled to the floor, where his feet shuffled somewhat nervously.
"Appendicitis," Sydney said simply, her cheeks still tinted with the faint signs of a blush. "I got it when I was seven." Grabbing his hand in hers, she began to lead Liam out of his room and down the dim lighted hallway. She glanced back at him, her eyebrow cocked threateningly and a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "By the way, I'm never changing in the same room as you again. You lost that privilege, Dunbar."