Secret Diaries (Heartlake Cliche #1)

Chapter Eleven

      “I just wanted to thank you for what you said a while ago in the lobby. I am Rachelle Harlow by the way,” she said, averting her eyes. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to tell you yesterday. I hope you don’t get in trouble for what you did for me.”

      “Actually, I knew who you were.”

      She blinked. He did? Then he really was defending me? She felt overwhelmed and touched. “You do?”

     He smiled again. “You’re a model, right? I saw some pictures in a magazine I got from the airport.” He shrugged. “Don’t worry about me. They’d probably think I did that because I don’t know you—or something along that line. You should worry about yourself.”

      “I will,” she said. “And thanks again.”

      “No problem.” He then proceeded to knock on the door. Liam smiled at her again before entering the office.

 *****

      Later that day, Grace, Lia and Haley went to the H&G Mall with Rachelle to help their friend cheer up and forget about the letter.

      “So many things happened yesterday and I vote that we focus on Liam Milton’s arrival,” Haley declared while they were checking the new arrivals in Forever 21.

      “Agreed,” both Lia and Grace replied. Rachelle just rolled her eyes.

      “Honestly, Liam is just so hot I drool whenever I see him,” Lia said in a dreamy voice. “I can’t wait to see him during PE.”  She furrowed her forehead as if a problem suddenly arose. She looked up and declared, “I’d probably faint.” She then enacted an exaggerated version of her fainting scene. The girls laughed and playfully slapped their friend’s arms.

      “And I thought Nick was hot,” Haley whispered while checking if a rose-printed blouse would look good on her.

      The three girls heard her however and she and Lia were surprised when both Rachelle and Grace announced: “He is hot!”

    Color rose on both of the girls’ cheeks when they received several stares from the other shoppers. Lia and Haley burst out laughing.

      When their laughter died down, Lia looked straight at Haley. “Clearly, we are not allowed to say anything wrong about Nick Cleveland—.”

     “I never said he’s not drool-worthy. Everyone knows all the members of Quarter To Five are,” Haley interrupted with a pout.

     Lia raised an eyebrow at Haley then continued. “After all, we have the best friend and the, uh—well, the admirer—as friends.”

      Haley then faced Rachelle. “You do know that Grace here has a huge crush on Nick, don’t you?”

      “Yeah,” Rachelle responded with a nod. “It’s written all over her face.” The three girls then began to tease Grace.

      They were still prodding Grace’s shoulders and the sides of her waist when she straightened and asked: “Am I really that easy to read? Nick said the same thing.”

     “Oh my gosh! You’ve been having conversations with Nick? How come I didn’t know anything about it?” Lia exclaimed.

      “It’s for the Chronicles,” Grace answered, feeling shy all of a sudden. “He gave me an interview.” Everyone was now smiling knowingly at her. “That’s all. No more, no less.”

      “Yeah, right. You even watched a movie together, remember?” Rachelle teased.

      “That was because you left us!” Grace exclaimed.