Chapter 4

The next day at school, I was heading to my locker to change my books for second period, when I saw Nate leaning against my locker. 

I went up to him. "Move out of my way." I demand. I was getting tired of his behaviour now. 

"Why don't you make me, bitch." He returns smirking. "I know you want to get your hands all over my body."

"I would rather stick my fingers in a blender that is turned on!" I hiss angrily.

"Come on babe, that wasn't the reaction I was getting at the party when you could not keep your hands off me." He said aloud for everyone to hear. By this time, people stop doing what they were doing and stare at the both of us.

"You were the one that had your hands all over me at the party, remember? Sorry to get your ego deflated, but unlike all the other girls that is dying for your attention, I would rather not see you or talk to you." I said. I watch as his eyes turns cold and he looks at me angrily. He made a step towards me, but I back up.

"Get away from her, you jerk." I hear my best friend said from behind me. 

"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Nate demands.

"I could be your worse nightmare, if you think about coming near my best friend again." Beth said through gritted teeth. Nate looks at Beth, then back at me before walking away.

I sigh in relief as I grab my books for History class. Everyone that was in the hallway went back to their business.

"What a jerk." Beth said beside me. 

"Yeah, I thought he was going to attack me when you showed up." I said.

"Scums like him don't belong in our school. Not even on this earth!" Beth fumes. She was really angry. That is what I like about her, she would say whatever comes to her mouth and she don't take liking to people like Nate.

That is how she and I became friends back in freshman year. I was being picked on because of the braces I used to wear and she was the one to save me from this girl who used to bully me. We became best friends ever since.

I smile at her. "Not even in the universe. I can't imagine him on another planet. Although, I would love to see him get eaten by a bunch of aliens." I said tapping my chin in thought.

She laughs and loops her hand through mine. "You have a weird sense of humor. I guess that's why we are best friends." 

I smile at her as we both went to our History class.

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I haven't seen Liam all day. I was starting to think that he was not at school. 

School was now over and I decided to go over to his house to see if he was okay. It was not easy getting his address from administration. So I had to tell a lie or two to get it.

I was now on my way to Liam's house. When I got there, I went up to the front porch and rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, the door was opened by a beautiful woman with long black hair. She had deep blue eyes, so much like Liam's. I think she was his mother.

"Hello, I'm Julia. Is Liam here? I didn't see him at school today, so I decided to check up on him. We have an assignment together." I explain.

She smiles at me. "Are you a friend of Liam's? He doesn't have much friends. In fact, I haven't seen any friends here before. I'm glad to see he has one that cares so much about him." She said, then adds. "Come on in dear, Liam is inside. I was feeling ill this morning and he decided to stay with me, even though I told him I was okay and he should go to school. But that is just Liam, ever since...." She trails off with a faraway look in her eyes.

As if clearing her thoughts, she shakes her head and smile once again. She turns her head in the direction of the stairs. "Liam, there is someone here to see you!" She calls. She turns to me. "Are you staying for dinner, dear? I'm making steak and it's enough."

"Um...I wasn't planning on staying that long, Mrs. Black."

"I would love it if you stayed." She insists.

"Okay." I said. Just then Liam appears on the top of the stairs. His eyes widen when he saw me. He came down the stairs slowly. 

"Liam dear, Julia is staying for dinner." His mom said and left us and went into what seems to be the kitchen.

I shift from foot to foot nervously and look down on the floor. All of a sudden, my reason for being here seemed foolish. It's not like we are friends. Well, we did have our work to finish, although that was not why I was here because we were way ahead on our work.

I finally look up. "Hey Liam...um...I did not see you at school so...I was wondering if were are okay." I said.

He looks at me surprised, then an annoyed expression came over his face. "Look, we are not friends. You don't need to be checking up on me." He said in a hard tone.

I was taken aback by the coldness of his tone and the intensity of his eyes. "Um...I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I better go."

"My mom is looking forward to you staying for dinner. You don't want to disappoint her." He said before I could take a step to the front door. 

"Okay." I stand awkwardly in front of him, not knowing what to do. Why did I come here? I can be impulsive sometimes. I should have listened to Beth. Why did he have to be so mean anyway? It's like he purposely don't want to talk to anyone.

Mr. Black pops her head from the kitchen. "Why don't you guys go and have a swim until dinner is ready." She suggests.

Wow! They have a pool. 

Liam looks in the direction his mother is. "Mom, that's not necessary." Liam said with a sigh.

"Oh come on. It has been a while since you have been in the pool." She said, then before Liam could say anything else, she was gone.

"Do you mind?" I ask, breaking the silence.

He hesitated a moment. "I don't care. Do what you want." But it was obvious he was irritated.

"I don't have anything to swim in with me." I said. "Do you have anything I can borrow?"

Liam looks at me for a long time, before he turns and walks upstairs. I'm guessing he was going for some clothes for me, so I follow him to his room. His room was neat with blue walls and white curtains. There was a bed in the middle of the room and the only other furniture was a bed side table, a chair was pulled up beside it.

Liam searches his closet and came back out with a light blue shorts and a white T-shirt. He handed them to me and indicated a bathroom down the hall. I went in and changed.

When I came out and went to the back yard, Liam was already there standing beside the pool in a brown shorts and no shirt. I could not take my eyes from his muscled chest. I blink my eyes away, when he looks up at me.

A smile spread across my lips when an idea came into my head. I knew he didn't like me much, but I'm going to have so much fun. I went up behind him and shove him in the water. It would not have been easy, if I hadn't caught him off guard. I wide smile spread across my lips as his head came up back.

"Why did you do that?" He asks and I shrug my shoulders. I saw that he was not angry though, he just shakes his head at my behaviour. He remained in the water, so I went into the water to join him. I began to swim, but Liam just lounge around in the water not doing a thing. Man, this boy was weird.

We were only in the water for five minutes, when Liam got out of the pool. He takes up a towel from the floor and walks in the direction of the house without saying anything to me. I came out as well and take up a next towel that was there and went in as well.

"Oh there you both are. Dinner is almost ready, so go and wash up, okay?" Mrs. Black said as we came into the house. I went upstairs to the bathroom and changed back into my clothes.

I went back downstairs to see Liam already sitting at the table. I went and took the seat beside him. His mother came and sat across from us and we begin eating.

"That was delicious, Mrs. Black. Thank you." I told her when we were finished eating.

"Thanks Julia. No problem." She said beaming.

"Well I have to go now, my mom would be worried." I said although I had text my mother earlier and told her I was having dinner at Liam's. I said my goodbyes to both Liam and his mother.

While I was walking home, I couldn't help but smile to myself. I don't know why, but I like to spend time with Liam, even thought the feeling wasn't mutual. Despite all that, for some unknown reason, my heart give a little flutter at the prospect of finding a way under his shell and locate the real guy hiding underneath.