"I can't believe you kissed and you didn't tell me!"
Was just the beginning of Brianna's scolding. She spent the entire ride to the school on my case about how much I'd been keeping to myself and not telling her. Andy was driving, but I knew, even without seeing his face, that he was probably smiling and happy he wasn't on the other end of his girlfriend's anger. As soon as he parked the car, Brianna made sure I knew I was going to have to give her a in depth summary of everything that had happened the last few weeks. I just nodded and watched her jog toward the bleachers to where I could see Shay waving her over.
Andy hesitated, catching my eye in the rearview. "You good, Reese? If
"Yeah, I'm fine, Andy." I pointed at him accusingly. "Focus on the game. I will kill both you and Liam if you drop the ball on this one, literally."
That was enough to reassure him and he and I parted ways as soon as I stepped foot on the field. Shay was hugging me as soon as I approached, pinching the cuff of Liam's Letterman in between her index finger and thumb with a suggestive look. "Soo?"
I raised an eyebrow. "So what?"
"You're wearing his Letterman to his last playoff game. Are you guys a thing or what?"
I laughed at the childlike excitement that glistened in her eyes. "No, I don't think so. He just knows I get really cold and forget my jacket all the damn time."
Shay shook her head, making clicking noises with her tongue aa she fell back on to the bleachers beside Brianna. "The denial is strong with this one."
Brianna smirked at the comment but rather than join in the taunting she pulled me on to the bleacher on the other side of her. It wasn't even ten minutes later than Bryan squeezed himself into the spot between Shay and me, poking my nose like I was a dog. I didn't have to see it to know it was probably bright red.
Relieved, I scooted closer and rested my head against him. Shay had laid her own head against his other arm, her fingers closing in around it. He leaned into me and whispered, "Don't worry, Reese, I'll always be your portable space heater."
**
Twenty-eight. The game went into overtime. Our boys were in control of the ball, but as my eyes followed Liam, I could feel my palms begin to sweat despite the cold. Finally his eyes fell on the only open person. Jason. He threw it, sacked seconds after. Luckily Jason jumped up and caught it between his hands before juking an opponent and rushing toward the goal post. As soon as he reached it, he threw the ball in the air and pumped his fist in the air, shouting, "Yes."
I threw myself over Bryan and jumped off the bleachers as soon as the crowd joined Jason. I could tell by Shay's face that they were deafening her. My best friend wrapped his arms around her and led her away before she could get trampled over, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Brianna wasn't far behind. As I approached the field, my eyes fell on Nic. She was staring at Liam; he had froze in the middle of the field while the rest of his team went to praise Jason. He pulled his helmet from his head, dark hair matted to his forehead as he pried the mouth guard from his mouth. He wasn't looking at her though, but me, hugging his jacket tightly around me. Something shifted in his expression then and he stalked across the field. All eyes immediately followed everyone's star player as he headed for me. Just as I opened my mouth to ask him what was wrong, he took my face in his hand and leaned down to kiss me. It wasn't quite as passionate as the kiss we shared in my bedroom a few weeks ago, but far better than a sweet, simple peck. There was a chorus of awws behind us as Liam pulled away and dropped his hand to his side. Finally, he whispered,
"That. That was my biggest fear."
**
I was honestly a little shocked to find a text from Liam after midnight. A part of me had believed that he'd regret what he'd done and steer clear of me again. As I slipped out of the Waters and met Liam in front of his truck, I just stared. I didn't know what the kiss really signified, or if we were going to continue doing it, so I wasn't going to be the one to initiate and make things all awkward.
"Hey." I buried my hands in the pocket of his jacket. "Congratulations."
"Thanks." He reached up and scratched at the back of his head. "I miss this. Us driving out to the Spot and just talking while you stuff your face with candy. I figured we could both use a break."
I made a gesture toward his truck. "Lead the way then, Tin Man."
He rolled his eyes but stepped aside and helped me in. The entire ride there he remained pretty quiet, but not so silent that there was tension or awkwardness. Once we finally reached our favorite place to hide out from the world and set the blankets up in the back, he handed over a giant slice of chocolate cake. I immediately snatched it from him and once I'd taken a bite, I said, "I could kiss you right now, Liam. This is so good."
"Tempting offer." He reached out and brushed frosting off my bottom lip. "But is it better than your Thai place?"
I eyed him down. "Don't do that to me."
"It was the cake Coach bought to celebrate. I figured I better bring you a slice as a peace offering."
"Peace offering?"
He leaned back into the toolbox. "For earlier. Kissing you in front of everyone. It wasn't the best time to throw all logic out the window, but I wanted to be selfish for once, you know what I mean? I didn't consider how you would feel about it though, I'm sorry."
"It's fine." I smiled. "I liked it. I didn't really care what everyone else was saying or thinking."
"Really? I thought you were pissed or something. You haven't said a word to me."
I dragged a finger threw the frosting and reached out to dab it against his nose. "I didn't say anything because you didn't, Liam."
He smiled, "I remembered the Play, then I saw you standing out there on the sidelines and I thought, screw it. After the last three months of being Mr. Nice Guy, I deserved to be selfish for once."
"You have a free pass on this one, Scott." I joked.
"I've been wanting to kiss you sine Homecoming, Reese." Bryan had mentioned that. "You looked so irritated, like a little kitten who'd been splashed with water. But your entire face just shifted, you looked so happy, when you saw it was me behind you. And when I stared down at you I realized just how much I missed your waves or those big ass glasses making you look like some sort of sexy professor."
I laughed at that. "Thanks, I think."
"But I realized I was in love with you the night of the game that got us into the playoffs, the anniversary of my parents death. Despite Jay being a dickwad and being your boyfriend still at the time, you completely ignored his presence and walked your happy ass to me, not him, me. All it took was your hand against my chest, that beautiful smile as you praised me, for me to come to the apparently very obvious conclusion that I was one hundred percent whipped and in love with you."
I scooted closer to Liam and rested my head against his chest, taking his hand in mine. "Why was kissing me your biggest fear, Liam?"
He wrapped both his arms around me from behind, a slight tremble in his voice as he responded quietly into the darkness.
"Because I was afraid that once I did you'd leave, just disappear, just like everyone else I loved."