Coached ➳ l.p [au]

chapter 26

Liam ignores the last part- of course, because in his world, we're probably a married couple prancing into the sunset with white horses and a carriage- but responds to the name calling part.

"I call her Jo, and not Jolissa, because it's something that people who are closer than friends do! But obviously you wouldn't know the first thing, since you basically ignored her existence before she lost weight!"

Burn.

Wait, I like Dylan. Why am I acting like i'm on Liam's side?

"Boyfriend? Is there something you aren't telling me, Jolissa?" my mother's voice sounds from behind me, not minding the fact that there are two boys arguing over me in the living room. Crap, I had forgotten she was even there.

"He's not my boyfriend!" I clarify, almost angry at the two people who seem to think that Liam and I are a thing.

But are we? No. Never in a bajillion years, right?

"Let's go, yeah?" Liam says, and doesn't forget to shoot an 'Ha, I won' look at the blond boy near the door.

Dylan looks back between me, Liam and my mother before turning around and walking towards the front door quickly without saying another word, obviously angry at the situation.

In a way, it makes me kind of upset that he didn't at least fight more for taking me with him. But then again, who the heck am I kidding! This is Dylan Hernandez and even if he looks at me, I should feel lucky...right?

Strange. I don't feel anything at all.

"I strongly apologize for the misbehavior, Mrs. Philips. I just get a bit cranky when someone messes with people I care about," Liam turns to my mother, giving her an apologetic smile. Man, why does he look so cute making that face? And wait, he cares about me? Is it the way I care about double stuffed oreos- because when I say I love that stuff, I mean it.

"It's quite alright, and you two are going to be with Laura and her family this weekend, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am, we will. All weekend long."

Ugh, do not remind me.

"Alright, I trust you Liam. You two have fun."

"We will, ma'am."

And like that, we walked out the doorway with me dragging my three thousand pound suitcase behind me.

Liam shuts the front door and takes my luggage.

"How long was Dippy there, anyway?" he asks without looking at me as we walk to his car.

I almost burst out laughing. "His name is Dylan, Liam."

"I was close," he hides a laugh, tossing the suitcase into the trunk of his truck. It was the same car we put our bikes in when we rode down that hill while he was coaching me. That was actually a fun day for me, even though I was nearly passing out from pedaling so hard.

"No you weren't," I laugh and sit in the passenger's seat. How in the floating petunia does Dippy sound like Dylan? It doesn't, that's how.

"On a more serious level, how long was he there?"

I roll my eyes at his jealous behavior. "Only maybe fifteen minutes before you came. Why?"

Liam ignores the fact that I just asked him why it mattered.

"Okay good," he sighs and starts the engine. "Sorry I was late by the way. Louis and Niall broke my tent and they didn't tell me until the last minute so I had to borrow one of my old friend's, which is three times bigger. But that's a good thing because then we'd have more room to-"