𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 [𝐣𝐣 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤]

𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐮𝐥𝐲

It was weird not being home for the 4th like usual. I bet that John B and JJ were planning to light off all the fireworks they could get their hands on while Pope tried to talk them out of it. I hope my dad and Dylan were there with Kie. Maybe I'd get a text or two from someone showing the night festivities.

As for me. I was currently laying in my bed staring up at the ceiling wondering what I was going to do. Zach had said something about getting together at his house but then Miles changed his plans and now I have no idea where I'm going or if I'm going anywhere at all.

"Laney!" I heard my mother yell from the living room. I looked at my bedroom door and rolled my eyes. What could she possibly want at 10 on a Saturday morning?

I waited a few minutes before getting out of my bed and walking down to her. She was laid across the couch with some movie playing while she played a game on her phone. "Yes?"

"Do you have any plans for tonight?" Why did she care? She had to work.

"I'm supposed to go over Miles'. Why?"

"Just wondering. I heard the McDermott's were in town, didn't know if you'd be seeing Liam or not." She didn't look up from her phone to see the stink face I was giving her, but she was getting one.

"Yeah, no thanks."

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

What I didn't know was that Liam was going to be at Miles' when I got there. The minute he stepped into view from the doorway I wanted to turn around and get back in my car. I'd rather spend my night at home than with him.

But it was too late. Miles had made plans for all of us to watch the fireworks from his backyard while we were in the pool, so I had to stay.

"Laney!" Miles had the biggest smile on his face as I walked in the house. "This is-"

"Liam." I faked a smile in his direction before turning back to Miles, "I know him."

He looked between us, "I should've known that." I looked around the house that really took on the whole 'farmhouse' aesthetic that my mom tried to achieve so bad. Instead she just ended up buying a bunch of stuff she thought fit the idea and put it all over the house with no cohesion. She tried it back in the OBX too, and it looked so out of place.

But that's completely irrelevant. I had to spend the whole day with Liam and to make matters worse, Zach wasn't here yet. Miles said he invited a few other people but they weren't here either. I was really left alone with them.

"So, did you guys go to school together?" Miles asked as we lounged by the pool. I had my eyes closed and waited for Liam to answer, but he didn't.

My eyes stayed closed as I said, "Kinda." I pushed my sunglasses up on top of my head and looked at Miles, "But we weren't friends." Miles made an 'ooo' face as he nudged Liam. Liam and I had hung out a lot after freshman year during the summer. At one point we tried the whole 'hooking up' thing, which went no further than making out. It stopped before sophomore year started. The whole thing kind of made me feel like I was sneaking around with him. Things ended when I started lying about where I was going and who I was hanging out with.

"So why weren't you guys friends?" I pray Liam doesn't go into detail about anything we did last summer.

"Laney had other friends. Then I moved to KCD so we never had the chance to be friends."

It wasn't soon enough that Zach was walking into the backyard with a brunette girl. She had a pretty smile and as she walked closer, I could see her freckles across the bridge of her nose. I hadn't met any of their other friends, but she looked nice and I was happy to not be the only female in the situation.

"Thank goodness you're here." I said as I met them by the gate. Zach laughed as we shared hellos and I introduced myself to his friend. "I'm Laney."

"Deb." she smiled sweetly and walked over to get a chair with me.

"Deb suggested on the way over we go to Kayce's for the fireworks. His family's lighting some off of his dock." Zach sat on the end of Deb's chair as he spoke. I was down for anything now that it wasn't just me, Miles, and Liam.

"I'm down."

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

As it got dark, we all piled into Miles' truck and made our way over to their friend Kayce's house. It was a bit awkward considering everyone was boo'd up with someone besides me and Liam. Miles had managed to sweep up Kayce's sister Maggie and have her to watch the fireworks with so I stood off to the side of them. I didn't mind though. My dad had been sending me pictures of everyone back home and I loved every one. They all had the biggest smiles on their faces, it was nice to see.

"Is this spot taken?" Liam asked from behind me. I turned to him and shrugged. He walked up next to me and threw an arm over my shoulder. "I guess it doesn't suck too bad that I'm here."

"Kind of reminds me of last summer." I admitted in a whisper as I leaned into him. He chuckled but couldn't answer as the fireworks started shooting off the dock. I reached my hand up and held his. Maybe for one night it wouldn't kill me to enjoy the presence of Liam McDermott publicly.

But only for one night.