Paper Flowers (Pretty Plastic People) ★

007. Paper Thin

Suddenly, I remember. "Did you see Spencer at that party?"

"No. He definitely wasn't there because Celia had to throw herself at some other random guy instead."

Mechanically, I grab another chip from the bag. Brynn's story lines up with Spencer's but not with Liam's, who insisted that Spencer was there and Celia was clinging to him all night. I wonder as I swallow why he felt the need to lie to me, and what was in it for him.

"So are you going Friday?" asks Cassidy.

Friday may be the only opportunity to find out what's really going on at these parties—and it's not like I'd miss out on homework, since I'll have all weekend. "Fine," I say, rolling my eyes lightly. "But don't expect me to get into the habit of this. I don't know how you guys party three or four times a week."

"Everything in moderation," simpers Brynn, mocking my school-in-balance-with-fun attitude. In response, I stick my tongue out at her, but not before I notice Liam catching my eye across the cafeteria.

"I'll be right back," I say.

Before my friends can respond, I scrape back my chair and weave through tables until I reach the senior guys. As always, Liam is seated next to Taylor and Spencer, laughing heartily. Today he's holding a math test with a large red D scribbled on top.

Since he's in the middle of a long-winded narrative about how he wrote total nonsense on his test and was surprised he didn't get an F, I stand behind his chair and wait patiently. He's at the part of his story when he's handing in his test when Taylor clears his throat and says, "I think Erika's trying to talk to you, Liam."

Liam stops abruptly and turns around—his grin is half-formed when I say shortly, "I need to talk to you."

The table falls dead silent, so that I can hear the guy two down from Liam chewing. After a few tense seconds, Liam stands, his chair mimicking the sound mine made only minutes before.

"Let's head outside," he says.

We make it just outside the door before I turn to him and demand, "Why did you lie to me about your party? You said Spencer was there but he wasn't."

"Chill, babe." The easy grin is back, fully formed this time. "Why are you making such a big deal out it?"

It's true—usually I'd just dismiss it as him being stupid or trying to play a joke on me. Today, though, on top of everything that's already happened, I have no tolerance for nonsense.

"Don't 'babe' me," I snap. "Why'd you lie?"

"To be completely honest, I was trying to make you want Spencer more." He extends his arms above his head, stretching as if this is the most carefree conversation he's had all day. "I figured if you knew Celia was after him you'd try harder to get him, so you'd need me more."

"So you were being a selfish coward?"

He clears his throat. "Basically."

I let him bask in the uncomfortable silence for a few seconds before I say, "I think I'm going to break up with you."

"Break up with me? You can't dump your fake boyfriend!"

Our gazes meet, two pairs of intense eyes boring into each other. At first my glare is deadly, but slowly it softens until I realize I'm trying too hard not to laugh. One side of my mouth twitches, and before I know if a smirk is plastered where a frown was only seconds before.

"You do know how stupid that sounded, right?" he asks, matching my grin. "You can't break up with someone you're not even dating."

"Watch me."