Darke Shades of Love

12

As Liam and Kathy walked out of the parking lot hand in hand, their faces were beaming with happiness. Liam's car was parked in the far corner of the lot, away from the others. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the campus.

"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Kathy said, looking at Liam with a big smile on her face.

"Me neither," Liam replied, his eyes filled with excitement. "But it's worth it, isn't it?"

Kathy nodded, squeezing Liam's hand. "Definitely."

The car was a sleek black Audi, and Liam had spared huge expense on the interior. The leather seats were plush and comfortable, and the sound system was state of the art. As they settled into their seats, Liam turned on the engine and the car purred to life.

As they drove through the streets of New York, the city lights flashing past them, Liam couldn't help but feel a sense of triumph. He had finally gotten the girl of his dreams, and he was going to make sure everyone knew it. He turned to Kathy, a grin spreading across his face.

"Can you believe it?" he said. "We're actually together!"

Kathy laughed, shaking her head. "I know, it's crazy. But I'm so happy."

Liam reached over and took Kathy's hand, intertwining their fingers. "Me too. And I'm going to make sure you're always happy."

Kathy leaned over and kissed Liam on the cheek. "I know you will."

As they approached the university, Liam slowed down the car. The campus was alive with activity, students milling around everywhere. Liam pulled up to the front of the main building, parking the car in a spot reserved for staff.

As they got out of the car, Liam wrapped his arm around Kathy's waist, pulling her close. They walked up the steps of the building, Liam leading the way. The doors opened automatically, and they walked into the bright, bustling hallway.

As they made their way down the corridor, Liam couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. He was no longer just another student, he was the man who had won the heart of the most beautiful girl in the university. And everyone would know it.

As they turned the corner, they saw a group of students gathered around a bulletin board. Liam recognized some of them as members of the football team he had just defeated. He smiled inwardly, knowing that he had proven himself to be the better man.

As they passed by, one of the players, a tall, muscular guy, looked at Liam with a sneer. "Hey, congratulations on the win," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Liam didn't even bother responding. He just kept walking, his head held high, Kathy by his side.

As Liam and Kathy walked into their lecture hall, they could feel the eyes of their classmates on them. Liam squeezed Kathy's hand reassuringly, silently telling her not to pay attention to the whispers and stares.

Liam felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him. He had everything he wanted, and he was going to enjoy it to the fullest.

They found their seats and settled in, pulling out their notebooks and pens. As the professor began to lecture, Liam couldn't help but steal glances at Kathy, admiring her beauty and intelligence.

But as the lecture continued, Liam noticed the whispers and stares growing louder and more persistent. He could hear snippets of conversation from the students around them.

"Can you believe they're together now?"

"I heard Liam was actually in love with Violet this whole time!"

"I always knew there was something going on between them."

Liam couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He knew that these rumors were completely false, but he also knew that they would never be able to convince everyone of the truth.

Kathy noticed Liam's amusement and raised an eyebrow at him, silently asking what was so funny. Liam leaned in close to her and whispered, "Don't worry about them. They're just jealous."

Kathy grinned and squeezed Liam's hand, grateful for his reassurance.

After the lecture ended, Liam and Kathy made their way out of the hall, still holding hands. They could feel the eyes of their classmates on them, but they didn't care. They were happy together, and that was all that mattered.

As they walked across campus, Liam could hear the whispers and giggles growing louder. He could feel the jealousy and resentment emanating from his peers. But he didn't let it get to him. He was in love with Kathy, and he knew that nothing could change that.

Kathy noticed Liam's tense posture and asked, "Are you okay?"

Liam took a deep breath and smiled at her, "I'm fine. I just don't like all this attention."

Kathy nodded understandingly and squeezed his hand. "Don't worry," she said. "As long as we're together, we can handle anything."

Liam couldn't help but feel grateful for Kathy's unwavering support. She was his rock, his partner, and his best friend.

As Liam and Kathy walked towards the canteen, they spotted Violet walking towards them. Liam's face lit up with excitement as he called out to her, "Hey Violet, what's up?"

Violet greeted them with a warm smile, "Hey you two lovebirds, how's it going?"

Kathy laughed and nudged Liam playfully, "Lovebirds? That's new."

Violet looked at them both and chuckled, "Oh come on, don't tell me you haven't noticed the way everyone's been looking at you two. It's like you're the talk of the town."

Liam grinned, "Well, we can't help it if we're so cute together."

Kathy rolled her eyes playfully, "Oh please, don't make me vomit."

Violet joined in on the teasing, "Yeah, I don't know how much more of this lovey-dovey stuff I can take."

They all settled in at a table in the canteen, with Liam and Kathy holding hands. As they chatted and laughed, Liam couldn't help but notice the shocked expressions on some of the other students' faces. He knew they must have heard the rumors about him and Violet.

Violet caught his gaze and chuckled, "So Liam, did you hear the rumor that you ditched me for Kathy?"

Liam shook his head, "No, I didn't. But I'm not surprised."

Kathy chimed in, "Same here, people have been talking behind our backs too."

Violet burst out laughing, "Can you believe it? People actually think we were in a relationship."

Liam joined in on the laughter, "Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous."

Kathy smiled and looked at them both, "Well, I'm just glad we can all laugh about it now. It's clear that Liam and Violet's relationship was always just a friendship, and I'm grateful that it brought us together."

They all raised their glasses and toasted to their friendship, with Liam and Kathy still holding hands and Violet grinning at the sight.