Finding Lena | ✔️

Chapter Sixteen

The first few times, it lands on a few of the others, who either jump into the cupboard willingly, or begrudgingly mope into it.

However, on about the fourth or fifth turn, the bottle lands on Phoebe. She spins it again and it lands on Caleb.

Caleb deflates slightly beside me, and sends me a knowing look while Phoebe happily jumps out of her seat.

Caleb squeezes my thigh reassuringly, and then slowly follows Phoebe into the cupboard.

Those seven minutes last for an eternity. I tap my foot nervously against the floor, feeling an insistent need to bite my nails, something I have never done before.

I get an odd feeling while watching that closed door. I can't quite pinpoint it, until it becomes blatantly obvious.

I'm jealous.

Until the door swings open and Phoebe comes storming out, her high heels clicking against the floor. She doesn't look happy at all.

Caleb takes a seat beside me, and I mumble into his ear, "What happened in there?"

He smirks thinking about it. "She tried to kiss me, but I pulled away. From then, she started ranting at me, asking me questions like 'why did you choose Lena over me?'," he replies, doing the last part with a bad impression of Phoebe, but as he chuckles, all I can do is blush. "Seven Minutes in Heaven with Phoebe? More like Seven Minutes in Hell."

I burst out laughing, and Phoebe sends a scorching glare my way. Caleb is smiling, all his teeth showing, but he's laughing more at my reaction. I don't think I've laughed as hard as this in front of him, apart from when I sprayed milkshake over the table in the diner.

"Next," Phoebe grunts.

She spins it, and the end lands on Liam. He releases a dazzling smile. The bottle is spun again, and my heart nearly beats out of my chest.

It lands on me.

I feel Caleb tense beside me. But I'd be breaking the rules to back out now. So, I slowly stand up, and shadow Liam into the dark of the cupboard.

The door closes, and we are surrounded by blackness.

I can only hear his soft breathing, and the distant thumping of music, but other than that, we are silent.

"What did you mean when you said I'm brave? For forgiving a snake?" I whisper.

I can't see his reaction, but I feel his hand lift and the sound of his palm running through his shiny, golden hair.

"Phoebe. She's the snake."

"You hang out with her, though."

"That's more about practicality than actual desire," he replies, keeping his voice gentle.

I don't say anything.

"I need to ask you something."

"We have seven minutes. Fire away," I say.

"Being on the team, it's kind of expected that I hang with other guys on the team, and Phoebe. But after seeing what she did to you that one lunch break. Something changed."

"What are you saying?" I mumble.

I can practically see him awkwardly fumble for the words. "Seeing you and Caleb, you two are really good friends. But you're also good people. I just...I want to be a good person too."

"I'm lost," I murmur, frowning.

"I want to hang with you two from now on. I know I can't just snap my fingers and expect to be your friend, but I envy you both."

"The Liam Fitzgerald envies somebody?"

He chuckles. "Things are different this year, Lena."

"You don't say," I reply.

"Is that a 'yes', then?"

I can hear the door opening, and so I pat his arm, replying quickly, "You do whatever you want, Liam."

The light converges us, and I grin up at him, and he smiles gratefully back down at me.