The Numbers We Defy

Chapter 9

The way I saw it, I had two options, and they were pretty simple: lie or tell the truth. 

I could lie, but the fact that he's asking the question probably indicated that he either knows or suspects something. Lying would be useless. 

If I tell the truth, what's the worst that could happen. He's dating Megan, right? So what's he going to do, break up with me?

He's going to hate me. 

Oh, God, what have I gotten myself into?

Obviously, I only had one thing to do. 

"Sixteen," I whispered, looking down.

He heard me. 

The next few minutes were silent. 

"I asked around about you," he finally said. "I asked Megan about you, and she told me you were sixteen."

"When?" I asked, my voice barely working. 

"A bit over a week ago," he said. 

So around the time he started dating Megan and we stopped talking. That would explain it. 

I could apologize, but what for?

Apologizing would suggest that we had some sort of relationship, but we didn't. I never technically lied, either. Also, I have this horrible habit of never apologizing when I actually mean it. 

More silence. 

Neither of us knew what to say. 

"What are we?" I blurted out. 

"Humans," he joked. Nice of him to break up a bit of the tension like that.

"You know what I mean."

"We are friends," he said. 

Friends. 

I can live with that. 

I nodded and finally mustered up the courage to look at him again. 

Suddenly, the sofa seemed a lot smaller than it was seconds ago. 

Whatever happened next was a blur.

His lips were on mine.

My insides were doing cartwheels. 

Sparks were flying everywhere.

One of his hands grabbed the side of my face. The other was in my hair.

My hands were on his shoulders. 

What was happening?

Lips.

Soft lips.

His lips.

My phone buzzed. It was Megan with the address I asked her for earlier. 

Megan. 

I pulled away and ran out the door. It was still raining, but I remember Liam telling me that his apartment was near Megan's.

Liam. Megan. Liam and Megan. 

I fucked up.