The Lies We Breathe

Chapter 17 - Mon & Tue, Aug 7th & 8th: Someone is definitely lying to me

It was Monday and I was heading back to the School of Hell. And this time I knew things would be different then I woke up Liam's girlfriend.

Or something like that. I wasn't exactly sure what we were now.

It was too soon to call it anything truly. We just kissed. It didn't make me his girlfriend, did it? It sounded really weird. Almost unbelievable. Too good to be true. My head was still spinning, trying to process everything that had happened to me over the last week. And somehow kissing Liam fit into all this craziness. It all happened so fast. I went all the way into the depths of hell, despairing over the situation with my new nemesis. And then I was lifted into heaven by what happened between Liam and me yesterday. I could not stop smiling every time I thought of him. The hero of my childhood dream was now back in flesh and blood before me. And he turned out to be so much better than I ever expected.

Yes, he came with baggage. Huge baggage. I not only needed to make peace with his past with Jessica but also the fact that he was friends with Blake, Josh, and Frank, and their crowd, who all hated me.

Nobody really ever hated me before. I wasn't super popular or anything at my former school. I was mostly minding my own business, and I had Jackie and a few others I called friends. I had a rather quiet time at school. Until now.

I braced myself for whatever may come as I entered through the school gates.

As I approached my usual parking spot, I found Liam waiting for me there. He gave me one of his dare-devil smiles that melted my heart.

He opened the door for me and helped me out of the car. He didn't have to do that, but it felt really good that he did. I gave him my best smile.

"You look gorgeous," he told me and leaned in for a kiss. He just shrugged when I raised my eyebrow. I guess he wanted everyone at school to know we were a thing now. So I returned his kiss. "How is your foot?" He asked with concern.

"It's ok. It barely hurts anymore." Whatever Blake had put on it, did its magic. I put new badges on the wound today, there was still a small cut on the sole of my foot, but other than that, I could step on it, without much discomfort.

Liam gave me his hand and together we walked toward the school. It pleased me, that I was not his dirty little secret. I guess he truly wanted to move on. He and Jessica were a thing for years. I hoped I wasn't just a rebound. But when he looked at me the way he did, I felt like the world stood still. And there were just the two of us.

And maybe Jessica dated him for years, but I met him first.

During one of the breaks, Frank tracked me down at my locker. I went to change my books and when I closed the locker door, he was there.

"Hey..." he began.

"Leave me alone..." I said turning around and beginning to walk away. He hurried after me.

"I'm trying to apologize here..."

"I don't care for your apologies," I replied beginning to walk even faster. He grabbed me by the wrist and turned me around.

He looked like he had't slept for days.

"I was drunk. It was just a joke," he began. He let go of my wrist and brushed his hair back, looking uncomfortable. Like he's never apologised in his life before.

"I almost died because of you."

"About that... I don't know what's gotten into me. I was angry. Blake had told us to leave you alone. All the plans we had for you..." He looked like he wasn't sure anymore what he was about to say.