Between Us

☆ part fifteen ☆

Monday at school always felt like a marathon to get through, but this one felt particularly heavy. I walked alongside Liam, weaving through the bustling hallways. He was animated, talking about football practice and the lake house trip, but his tone shifted slightly as he said, "Hey, so we haven't really gone on a proper date in a while."

I blinked up at him, caught off guard. "Oh, yeah. I guess we haven't," I admitted, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. Guilt already began to bubble in my chest.

He glanced at me, offering a small, playful smile. "Obviously, tonight's out—dinner with Mum and all. And tomorrow I've got practice, so... what about Wednesday?"

Wednesday. My heart sank. Lark and I had made plans to volunteer at the animal shelter that day—a promise I wasn't about to break. I hesitated, chewing on the inside of my cheek. God, Sophie, why didn't you think about this sooner? "I, um..." I started, wincing. "I can't. I promised Lark I'd help her out at the shelter after school."

Liam's step faltered, and though he recovered quickly, I saw the brief flicker of disappointment in his face. "Oh," he said, his voice softening slightly. "No, it's fine."

I turned to him, the guilt now a full-blown ache in my chest. "I'm so sorry, Liam. I completely forgot—"

"It's fine, really," he interrupted, shaking his head. But his tone didn't match the words.

"Are you sure?" I asked carefully, studying his face.

He stopped walking and turned to face me fully, grabbing both of my hands. His fingers were warm and firm around mine, grounding me in a way that only made the guilt worse. He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure. It's just... you've been spending a lot of time with my sister lately. Which is totally fine—like, I get it. She's your best friend." I felt my stomach twist. His words were kind, but I could hear the underlying strain in them, the subtle insecurity that I hadn't noticed before. He continued, his grip on my hands tightening just slightly. "I just wish we had some more time for us, you know?" His voice was soft, careful, as if he didn't want to sound too needy or upset.

My heart squeezed painfully. I hated how much I'd been neglecting him. Liam was always so patient, so understanding, and I'd been taking that for granted. I stood on my tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, hoping to reassure him. "Thursday," I promised, giving his hands a squeeze. "After school, come over. We'll watch a movie or something before the lake house trip. Just us."

He tilted his head, studying me for a moment before his smile softened into something more genuine. "Yeah? You promise?"

"I promise," I said firmly, letting go of one of his hands to cross my heart in an exaggerated motion.

He laughed quietly, the tension between us easing. "Okay. Thursday it is."

We started walking again, and I tried to shake the nagging guilt that still lingered in the back of my mind. I couldn't deny that I'd been spending more time with Lark lately, but I told myself it was because we were rebuilding our friendship. Lark had needed me, and I hadn't realized how much until now. But Liam needed me too. I glanced up at him as he talked about the upcoming game, his enthusiasm returning. I resolved to make Thursday count, to make sure he knew how much he meant to me. I just had to find a way to balance everything—Liam, Lark, and my own tangled feelings. If only it were that simple.

Later that evening, the Anderson household was alive with its usual warmth. Liam parked the car in the driveway, and I followed him up the porch steps, the familiar scent of Karen's cooking already wafting through the air. He opened the door, and before I could even step inside, Karen was there, pulling me into a tight hug. "Sophie! It's always so good to see you, sweetheart," she said, her voice full of genuine affection.

I hugged her back, smiling into her shoulder. "You too, Karen. It smells amazing in here, as always."

Karen laughed and patted my back before stepping back to look at me. "You're too kind, darling. Liam, go wash up before dinner. You smell like gym socks."

"Love you too, Mum," Liam quipped, rolling his eyes but grinning as he disappeared into the living room to drop his bag.

I lingered in the entryway for a moment before heading toward the kitchen. The soft clinking of plates caught my attention, and I found Lark at the dining table, arranging silverware and plates with her usual quiet efficiency. "Need a hand?" I asked, stepping into the room.

Lark glanced up, her expression unreadable for a moment before she shrugged. "Sure. You can grab the napkins." I nodded, grabbing the neatly folded napkins from the counter and bringing them over to the table. We worked together in a comfortable silence, and I found myself stealing glances at her, feeling the same quiet awe I'd felt at the beach. Her movements were careful, deliberate, and I couldn't help but admire how at ease she seemed in her own home. The clatter of Liam and Karen's laughter from the living room filtered into the kitchen, and I realized how natural this all felt. Like things were falling back into place.

When the table was finally set, Karen called everyone in to sit down. We gathered around the table, and the conversation flowed easily, full of laughter and teasing. Liam told us about the latest mishaps at football practice, and Karen shared a funny story about one of her clients at work. Even Lark joined in, offering sarcastic commentary that made everyone laugh. It felt...right.

But as the meal continued, I noticed Karen glancing between me and Lark with a soft, knowing smile. It wasn't intrusive, just observant, like she was silently acknowledging something unspoken. At one point, Karen caught my eye and gave me the tiniest of smiles, one that made my heart squeeze in my chest. And that's when it clicked—Karen had to be the reason Lark had started talking to me again. She'd somehow gotten through to her, broken through whatever wall Lark had built up over the summer. The realization warmed me in a way I couldn't quite put into words. I owed her more than I could ever express. She was the reason I had my lark back, I don't know how she did it, but she did. When the dinner plates were nearly empty, and Karen stood to start clearing the table, I caught her attention. I mouthed a silent, heartfelt thank you, letting all my gratitude shine through. Karen's lips twitched into a cheeky little smile, and then, to my surprise, she winked at me. It took everything in me not to burst out laughing right there. Instead, I grinned and turned my attention back to Lark, who was sipping her water with a faint, amused smile on her face, completely unaware of the silent exchange.