Fake Smile, Real Smile

Chapter 6

The next day Liza's mind was in another world entirely, she could barely pay attention to anything. She was giddy, laughing and smiling at everything, spinning in circles as her two friends watched her and laughed. "Why are you so happy?" Selia asked demandingly. " Because, life is beautiful baby!" replied Liza and Kayla ran up and hugged her. "I love you, Liza!" Kayla exclaimed. "Love you too, hun." Liza said and started tearing up again. " Why am I so emotional!?!?!" Liza wondered. All of her emotions were highs, she was either extremely joyous, or horribly upset, or everything at once so she didn't even know what she was feeling anymore. "My moods change like every five seconds!" Liza exclaimed to Brianna and Cindy. " Hahah your'e in LOVE, hun!"  said Cindy joining in spinning in circles with Liza. All Brianna could do is let out a short laugh, she had a hard time believing it was love this quickly, and besides, it was her brother William, there was no way her best friend could be in love with him, she thought. 

"Hey guys, I'm going out with Liam today, is that okay? Great thanks!" William said as he headed for the door, but before he could go Selia slipped and fell on the hard wood floor. Selia started to sob and William rushed over, craddling her and saying " Hey, it's okay, you're okay." William continued soothing his little sister. "God, that's the cutest thing I'ver ever seen." Liza said quietly to her friends. Brianna just laughed, as was her response to most things. " Oh my gosh.. that's so cute!" Liza continued and tried to refrain from looking as if she was drooling over William. Cindy poked her side and she jumped back. " Hey!" Liza giggled as Selia stopped crying and William headed out saying. " You'll have fun with the girls today, Selia." He smiled at his sisters. Liza thought she saw him look at her in the corner of her eye, but she wasn't sure. 

That evening Liza's brother Robby showed and went to play video games with William. About an hour later Selia and Kayla were playing with wooden, building blocks in the living room while William, Robby, Liza, Brianna and Cindy were talking in the kitchen. Liza was sitting on her favorite spot, on the corner of the counter, kicking her legs back and forth and looking down at her feet. "So who's going to babysit while we go to Drama club tonight?" asked William. " Cindy, Brianna and I are all in the Drama Club, Robby should babysit!" replied Liza, looking up directly into Williams eyes for only a second. " No, don't leave me here... I don't like babysitting." Robby replied nervously. "Come on, Robby.. if you don't stay we'll miss the workshop." pleaded William. Robby was really shy, and not confident that he could do much. " No.." replied Robby timidly. "Come on, Rob, you're being a baby! You bearly even go to Drama!" Liza pointed out. "I want to go this time, okay!" replied Robby. "Okay, I'll drive you guys and drop you off, then come back and watch them." William replied dissapointed. "but there isn't room in the car for the little girls?" Brianna pointed out. "I'll stay with the girls while you drop them off..." offered Liza. "No, Liza. you love Drama! Robby should stay." replied William. "No, really it's fine!" Liza assured him. "Okay, Thanks" William finally agreed. About ten minutes later, everyone was heading out but Liza, Selia and Kayla. As Liza was looking in the fridge, William suddenly appeared on the other side of fridge door. "Hey, Liza would you mind if I stayed for Drama since you'll be here anyways? It's fine if you don't want to be a lone. I'll come back and be with you." William asked Liza, only inches away from her, she wished she could shove her head in fridge and hide.." Oh it's fine, I don't care!" Liza blurted without thinking. "You're the BEST, Liza" William exclaimed, giving her a quit half hug, rubbing her arm. She glanced over and noticed the awkward look on Brianna's face.. she knew Liza cared, a lot but if she offered now, it would look weird. "Damn it..  I could have spent the whole night with him.. but he wanted to go, he was so happy. I had to let him." Liza thought to herself.

"Okay, who wants to make chocolate chip cookies!" Liza asked smiling. "Yes!" Kayla responded before Liza even completed her sentence. "I'm gunna stir." stated Selia. "Okay, help me find the flour first okay?" Liza said leaning down to Selia's eye level. " Okay!" Selia perked up and ran to nearest shelf. Liza lifted Kayla onto the counter so she could reach the sugar and hand it to her. "Thank you!" exclaimed Liza taking the sugar from Kayla and helping her down. They got all the ingridients together, Liza put them in separate bowls, one for dry and one for wet. She lifted Kayla, and then Selia (who quickly complained at being chosen second) onto the counter, gave them each a wooden spoon and one of the bowls to stir, which she helped them with ofcourse. "You're the best babysitter." said Kayla, leaning her head on Liza's shoulder for a moment. "Yeah..." added Selia reluctantly. "And. You two are the BEST kids!" Replied Liza sincerely. Liza set up a Barbie movie for the little girls while she scooped the cookie dough onto pans, and put them in the oven. 

After a long night of cookie baking, coloring, story reading, block building, and several other activities, Liza decided it was time for the girls to get ready for bed. "Come on girls, time to brush your teeth and pick out pajamas." Liza comanded, urging the sleepy girls up the double staircase. "No.." Selia protested drowsily. "Ew, hunny that shirt is stained! Take this one." Liza handed Selia a white shirt with a pumpkin on it to replace to pink stripped one she had picked out. " Turn around!" Selia demanded as she tried to put the shirt on herself but got her head stuck in the arm hole. " Hunny, do you want some help?" Liza asked, trying not to laugh. " Yeah.." Selia reluctantly agreed and Liza helped her. "Alright girlies, get in bed." Liza hugged them both goodnight and went back downstairs to call William and see when they would be back. It was 11:30, and Will had promised to call if they would be late, but they were late, really late. Liza called Williams cell. " Hey William?" "Yeah is this Liza?" "Yeah, I was just wondering when you were getting back.." Liza asked. " Sorry, we're late, it will be awhile, we went out to McDonald's with some friends, we'll head back now if you want.?" William said considerately. "No, I'm fine, the girls are in bed, just call when you are on your way back please?" Liza asked. "Yeah I will, thanks,you're the best!" William said and hung up. Liza layed down on the soft blue couch in the Cassidy's parlor, with a clear view to the front door. She couldn't keep her eyes open any longer.. she fell asleep, holding the white,cord phone close to her heart, waiting for Williams call.

Liza could hear the door open while she was half asleep. She thought William walked up and kissed her forehead, but it was just a dream. She started to drift off to sleep again, this time with a smile on her face. " Hey, Liz, we're back." Brianna shook her. " Oh.. hey." Liza sleepily responded rubbing her eyes. She looked over toward the door and saw  Liam and William walk in. Cindy and her brother had gone home. "I'm exhausted.. I need to go to bed.." Liza said to Brianna. " Okay." They started to walk up the staircase when William stopped them. "Liam, brought the Prince of Persia, do you wanna stay up and watch if you're not too tired?" Will asked and Brianna and Liza exchanged knowing looks. "Yeah, sure." Brianna replied for them both. Brianna and Liza cuddled up,sharing a blanket on the couch in the middle of the living room. Liam sat in the chair next to Brianna. William set the movie up and turned of the light, then he sat on the chair closest to Liza. Liza leaned on her best friends shoulder and tried not to fall asleep. She had never seen the Prince of Persia, but she wasn't interested in anything but William. William was intently watching to movie. "Obviously obsorbed." Liza thought, as she watched him. She couldn't be more happy, sitting there between Brianna and William. "I could stare at him forever and be happy." Liza thought to herself. About half way through the movie, Liza fell asleep on Brianna.

"I don't remember the movie very well, I don't even remember walking upstairs last night.." Liza confessed to Brianna, laughing at herself. Brianna laughed in response. "Yeah you were pretty out of it. It's not like you were watching the movie anyway." Brianna teased. Liza sighed.. "Yeah.." was  all she could say. The rest of the day was uneventful, Brianna and Liza played with the girls and cleaned the house, William was out. That night Brianna and Liza decided to make a chocolate cake. "So, my sisters and parents pulled together to get a hotel room for my sweet sixteen, I didn't even ask for anything this year!" Liza informed Brianna as she stirred the delicious smelling chocolate cake mix. " That's awesome. Who are you inviting?" asked Brianna. " Well, YOU, obviously. Lily, Jesse, Cindy and Cat. It has to be small because it's in one room. My older sisters will be there too but they are getting a separate room so they won't be chaperoning the WHOLE time." Liza told Brianna. "Hey, how old are you, Elizabeth?" William asked. "I'm almost 16." Liza replied with fake confidence, it was a well known teenage law that once 16, you were available to older guys, not that Liza thought he would care. "Hmm, cool." William replied.  As soon as William left the room Liza asked " Was that weird? How he asked me that?" Brianna shrugged. " I dunno... I've told you he's a weird dude!"