Listen Lucky

31. Pay Attention

Somethin' Bad - Miranda Lambert feat Carrie Underwood

***

I reached home not long after my revelation and needless to say I was startled. I couldn't tell how long exactly I had liked him, but there were definitely some strong feelings floating around.

Willow got back only minutes after I did and I was glad to have narrowly avoided seeing Will. She practically slammed the front door and barged into the kitchen.

"You really need to start driving yourself to school if you're going to keep storming out," she rolled her eyes at me.

"It wasn't planned. I was distressed," I told her, feeling extremely sorry for myself.

"You were distressed because Sutton told yet another lie?" She raised her eyebrow at me, letting me know how stupid I sounded.

"What if she's not lying?" I questioned.

"Will's not an idiot, I'm pretty sure even he wouldn't stoop that low. If he didn't care about you do you really think he would do half the stuff he does? For example he doesn't have to drive your little sister to and from school everyday, but he does. He didn't have to meet all of your family, but he did. That sort of stuff tells me he really does care. Plus you should have seen how worried he was, he practically begged me to talk to you," she chuckled.

"Oh god, I'm an idiot," I let my head fall on the table. "I have to apologise."

"Sooner rather than later," Willow added.

"What? Right now?" I brought my head up from the table.

"Yeah, why not?" She shrugged her shoulders.

How was I supposed to act around Will now that I like him?! I was always a blithering idiot around Riley!

"I guess so," I agree half heartedly, standing up.

"See you later, I'll tell mom and dad you're at Will's, I'm sure they won't mind," she grinned at me.

"Maybe I should stay, I mean, I've already missed one family dinner this week-"

"Just go!" She all but shouted at me.

***
I stood at the front door of the Patterson's. For some reason, on that particular day, the door seemed so much bigger than me, intimidatingly big.

I fought the urge to turn around and go home and literally had to force myself to ring the doorbell.

Within moments the door opened and Will stood on the other side, staring down at me. My heart began to race like it never had before and I wanted to slap myself for reacting so viscerally. It was just Will. But somehow he was ten times more attractive?

"Ah, come to grovel have we?" He smirked down at me.

"I don't grovel, Memory. But I have come to apologise for over reacting," I told him as confidently as I could manage.

"And?" he urged me on.

"And for thinking you would stoop so low to sleep with Sutton," I sighed.

"Thank you, apology accepted."

"Will, who is that? Oh Malia! Come in, come in!" Mrs. Patterson emerged from a door to the left, grinning at me almost wildly.

I stepped past Will into the hallway, trying to maintain the distance between us.

"Will you stay for dinner honey? I'd love to get to know you a bit better since you and Will are... Close friends," her eyes flickered between Will and I, a devious smile on her lips.