Between Us

☆ part thirty three ☆

As we pulled into the school parking lot, I felt a nervous flutter in my chest. The weight of everything that had happened between me and Lark last night was still fresh, and I wasn't sure how today was going to go. I glanced over at Lark as she parked the car. She looked as composed as ever, her jaw relaxed, her lips slightly quirked in that familiar way that somehow made me feel both comforted and giddy. But I couldn't shake the worry that everyone else would somehow know just by looking at us. As we got out of the car, I spotted Liam and Indi standing by Liam's truck. They were mid-conversation, but as soon as their eyes landed on us, their expressions shifted. "Morning," Liam called out, his tone unusually light. He had a mischievous glint in his eyes, and Indi... well, she was outright grinning.

"Morning," Lark replied smoothly, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Good morning," I added softly, though I avoided looking directly at them. My cheeks were already warming under their knowing gazes.

"Well," Indi said, stepping forward with her arms crossed, "looks like someone had an eventful night."

I froze in place, my face flushing bright red. Liam smirked, leaning casually against the side of his truck. "So, what was it? A late-night confession after I so graciously stepped aside?" He wiggled his eyebrows at me, clearly enjoying my embarrassment.

I felt my heart pounding in my chest, and I glanced at Lark, hoping she'd say something to deflect the attention. She didn't even blink. "Yep, something like that," she said, her voice calm and completely unbothered.

My eyes widened, and I turned to her, startled by how easily she admitted it. Meanwhile, Indi let out a laugh and clapped her hands together. "Finally!" Indi exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. "You two have been dancing around each other for ages. I was starting to think it was never going to happen."

Liam nodded in agreement, his smirk softening into a smile. "Honestly, I'm just glad you both figured it out. It was about time." I felt my face heat up even more, and I looked down at the ground, too flustered to respond.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lark glance at me. For just a moment, her calm demeanor shifted, and her expression softened into something warm and gentle. She didn't say anything, but the look she gave me was enough to steady my nerves. "Well, we should get going," Lark said after a moment, adjusting her bag and gesturing toward the school building.

"Yeah, yeah," Indi said, waving us off with a smirk. "Go enjoy your secret love story or whatever." I shook my head, still blushing furiously, as Lark led the way toward the entrance.

When we walked inside, the familiar chaos of the school morning greeted us—students chatting in the hallways, the sound of lockers slamming, teachers calling out reminders for first-period assignments. It was almost enough to distract me from the lingering embarrassment of Indi and Liam's teasing. Almost. We were halfway to our lockers when Oakley appeared out of nowhere, stepping directly into our path. "Hey," he said, looking between the two of us with a curious expression. "What's going on with you guys?" My heart skipped a beat, and I glanced nervously at Lark.

"Nothing," Lark said smoothly, not missing a beat.

"Uh-huh." Oakley didn't look convinced. "Because Liam and Indi were looking all smug earlier, and now you two are acting weird."

"Seriously, it's nothing," Lark said again, her tone calm but firm. I nodded quickly, not trusting myself to say anything without giving us away.

Oakley squinted at us for a moment, like he was trying to figure out if we were lying, but then he shrugged and stepped aside. "Fine. Be mysterious, I guess. Weirdos." I let out a quiet breath of relief as we walked past him, and Lark shot me a small, knowing smirk.