Life is Liz (LiL, #1)

Chapter 26: Grow A Pair

"Oh, er, to nobody," I said and dug through my bag to find my lunch.

All of them raised their eyebrows, not believing any word coming out of my mouth. "Okay, it was a friend."

"A friend?" Jere asked expectantly.

"Yeah."

"And do we know that friend?" Tony asked.

"Nope." I shook my head.

"Well, what's her name?" Liam asked.

"Sam." Yes, I didn't correct him, but can you blame me? They would want to meet him.

"Liz," Logan warned. "What was that about keeping things from us?" Shit, I forgot that he knew. I had told him about Sam.

I sighed. "Okay, Sam is not a girl."

Tony punched the table with new found enthusiasm. "I knew it. I knew you were interested in someone."

"Guys, before you say anymore, we are just friends, okay? There is nothing going on between the two of us."

"Yet," Jack not so subtly whispered to Tony. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm happy for you." Jere started. "It was about damn time you got a boyfriend."

"Again, he is not my boyfriend, okay? We only met a few times, I barely know him."

"Yet," Jack repeated in that annoying shout-whisper of his to Tony. I rolled my eyes once more.

"So when's your next date?" Liam asked.

"He wants to meet today after the game, but by the time I get back home I will be half asleep." I explained. "And it's not a date," I added before they had a chance to speak.

Liam rolled his eyes. "Come on, Lizzy, it won't be that late when we get back."

I shrugged. "Maybe not, but I will be exhausted either way." My friends didn't know how much power the last weeks had drained me of. And if I told them they would certainly don't understand and take it as a joke. "And what if he has something planned that I don't like or that would exhaust me even more."

Suddenly Liam narrowed his eyes, determination changing his features. "No means no. If he forces you to do something you don't want to, give us a call."

I looked at him bewildered before a blush crept up my neck and I buried my face in my hands. "I know you mean well, but Sam is not that type of guy. He is sweet and understanding and nice," I fumbled the air for words to make them understand. "And I'm not that kind of girl," I said with a frown after I realized that he practically thought I was sleeping with him. I felt deeply offended.

"So how long have you known him?" Jere asked.

I shrugged. "Not long, a few weeks."

"And how did you meet?" Tony asked.

"What is this an interrogation?"

"We just want to be prepared when we meet him."

"What?!" I shrieked. "No. You won't meet him anywhere in the near future."

"But you do know that you can't hide him from us forever, right?" Jack asked.

"Not forever just for now," I explained. Just a little longer.

"Come on." Tony bumped his foot with mine. "Tell us how you met."

I sighed briefly before diving into the story. "It was at one of your games-"

"Our games," Tony corrected. "Don't forget that you are a part of us now."

I gave him a swift smile before continuing. "I was watching you from the bleachers like I always had when he walked up to me. He kept me company throughout the game and lent me his jacket when he noticed I was cold. So we got into talking rather easily." They nodded. "Oh and before I forget," I turned to Logan. "He's a big fan of you."