Three Kisses ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Birthday girl!" Leo cheered as Liam and I walked into the house.

I rolled my eyes at his clearly drunken state as he held a beer bottle up in celebration.

"Can I cash in that dance now?" Liam asked as a slow song started.

I gave him a shy smile and nodded, letting him take my hand and lead me into the living room.

"You look beautiful tonight, by the way." He complimented as he placed his hands on my waist and I put mine on his shoulders.

"Thanks." I whispered, my voice caught in my throat from the sudden compliment, or maybe it was because of how close we were.

I could feel the heat radiating off of him in the small space between our bodies. I wanted to close the gap, and feel the sparks as our bodies touched, but I wasn't confident enough.

"No need to thank me, I was just stating a fact." He replied as we swayed to the music.

My cheeks heated at his obvious flirtation, and I couldn't come up with a good response. My brain felt clouded.

"You're blushing." He stated the obvious, and I watched as his eyes moved from my eyes, to my cheeks, and finally settled on my lips. My stomach fluttered with a million butterflies from the look he was giving me.

I heard his breath hitch as I absentmindedly but down on my lip, and I felt his hands tighten on my waist before he pulled me closer until the space between us was completely gone.

"What are you doing to me?" He whispered, and I didn't get a chance to think or respond before his lips were pressed against mine.

Heat that started in my lips warmed my whole body as he slowly kissed me, and I suppressed a sigh of bliss as my lips moved in perfect sync with his.

Liam gently bit down on my lower lip, silently asking for entrance, and so many thoughts raced through my mind.

I could get kiss number three out of the way right now, and be done with the game forever.

But that's not what I did.

Instead I pulled away and ended the kiss. I wasn't going to use him for the game anymore. He doesn't deserve to be a pawn in a challenge my friends and I came up with before we even started high school.

"I-I really like you." I blurted, partially because I didn't want to keep it from him anymore, and partially because I wanted to distract him from the fact that I didn't let him deepen the kiss.

His eyes widened in shock, and I rushed away from him to spare myself from the embarrassment of rejection.

Maybe he just wants a friends with benefits thing. He doesn't have to have feelings for me to kiss me.

Besides, I didn't want to put him in an awkward situation where he felt pressured to tell me he likes me back because he doesn't want to reject me and ruin my birthday.

As I pushed through the crowd of half drunk high schoolers I got more and more embarrassed. Did I really just confess my feelings to Liam? What if that ruins our friendship? What if he never talks to me again because he feels weird around me now that he knows how I feel?

"Emma!" Someone yelled my name, catching my attention and ripping me out of my panicked thoughts.

"Happy Halloween." A screechy high pitched voice rang through above the music.

Oh no.

"I saw you kissing Liam. Didn't you hear him today when he said he doesn't want anything to do with you?" Danielle continued.

How does she even know about this party? I'm pretty sure she wasn't invited.

"You're not good enough for him. You should really just leave him alone." She spat. "You're not smart enough, or pretty enough, or funny enou-"

"Shut up!" I yelled, cutting her off.

"Just shut up. Why do you feel the need to go after me? Why do you see me as such a big threat? Get over yourself, Liam doesn't want you. He never did. Torturing me isn't going to change that. Maybe if you were nicer he would've liked you." I ranted, walking right up to her, completely forgetting that there was a crowd of people around us.

She opened and closed her mouth, looking like a fish out of water, and I took her shocked silence as an opportunity to keep going.

"Picking on me doesn't make you cooler, or prettier, or more likeable. It makes you ugly. You're not perfect, so fix everything wrong with yourself before you criticize me." I concluded my rant, and before she could say anything I stormed out of the house and let the cool October air calm me down.

I can't believe how bold I've been today. I told Liam how I felt, and I stood up to Danielle. Who am I?

I fiddled with my mom's necklace as I sat on the front steps of the house, and wondered if I said all of those things because mom was with me to help. Maybe her necklace brought her along with me.

Or maybe I was just sick of keeping my feelings to myself, and that's why I came clean to Liam.

And as for Danielle, I wasn't going to let her ruin my birthday. Everything was almost perfect until she showed up. I just got so mad and I snapped at her.

Maybe she'll leave me alone now.

The front door opening behind me brought me out of my thoughts, and I didn't bother looking back at who it was until they sat down beside me.

"Are you okay?" Garrett asked, his eyebrows pulled together in concern.

I gave him a small smile and nodded, "Yeah I'm okay."

There was a moment of silence before he spoke again, "I saw you stick up to Danielle. No one ever does that, she's either going to leave you alone now, or make your life even more hellish."

I rolled my eyes, "Hopefully she just forgets I exist."

"I hope so, what you did was really bad ass. Maybe others will stick up to her now that you did." Garrett replied.

I gave him a small smile, it would be pretty great if everyone stood up to Danielle. I'm not the only one she terrorizes.

Maybe this new confidence will stay with me and I'll stand up for the other people she bullies.

"Anyway, I just wanted to make sure you were okay, and to say happy birthday." Garrett broke the silence, standing up as he spoke.

"Thanks." I muttered, looking up at him as he made his way towards the door.

"You should come back in, it's cold out here." He suggested before opening the door and stepping into the house.

I sighed, weighing my options. I could either stay out in the cold and slowly freeze, or go back in and face the probable wrath of Danielle, and the possibility of running into Liam.

I would like to avoid both of for the rest of the night, I don't think I can take any more drama.

So instead of picking from the obvious two options, I came up with a new plan.

I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Steph and Lisa, asking if they could take me home.

It's late anyway and I've had enough excitement for one night. Besides, no one will miss me, everyone's too drunk to even realize it's my birthday anyway.