Liquid Feels - Book 3 - DP Series - Complete

9. Bodyguard

This chapter is dedicated to @TheSinglestPringlest for being fantastic. Thank you for showering my stories with your love. Your comments are the fuel to my motivation. Lol :D I'm done being cheesy now... Enjoy!

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Seth drops me off at my dorm just around lunchtime and I wave a hurried goodbye before heading to my room. Having space from the boy who resides in my every thought is a pleasant relief. It's exhausting to have to cover up my true intentions constantly. I don't think I was so worried about him knowing how I felt until I learned how he felt.

Defeated, I fling my door open and find Emma laying on her bed staring at the ceiling. She sits up, greeting me with a dreamy smile on her face. Grateful for the opportunity to forget my life for a few minutes, I indulge in her conversation. Apparently, she's making a little progress with her boy Trevor and they've got plans later tonight. I find myself getting drawn into Emma's world as I sit listening to her, compassion blooming beneath my chest as I realize I've got more in common with this girl than I'd originally thought.

She's not as self-absorbed as I'd first assumed. While her heart still yearns for Trevor, she's not living in some fantasy world. She knows she probably has zero chance with him and she's accepted it. Making things right seems to be her true intention and I respect her for that. Actually, listening to her talk about him has made me think a lot about my own situation. Maybe my goal shouldn't be to prove myself worthy of Seth's affection. Maybe, I need to divert my goals and start focusing on just being his friend.

Can I do it? Can I deny myself what I truly want in order to give Seth what he needs?

I want to shake the idea away. I'm selfish and what I want is so much more appealing than settling into friendship status. But, based on Seth's words from earlier today, it seems I have no choice. Finding someone to date seems like the furthest thing from his mind. He's got a purpose and nothing can divert his attention from succeeding in school and earning a degree in filmography. That's his life—his ultimate goal.

I watch Emma leave our dorm room thirty minutes later and I ponder what my next move should be. Back off or resolve to be the best friend a guy could ever want? I'm not sure if I'm capable of either one.

Sighing at the ceiling, I roll off my bed, head to the bathroom where I splash some cold water on my face, and then leave. Calling up a few friends, I practically force them all to hang out with me. Thankfully, none of them put up much of a fight.

It's just me, Roger, Luke, and Sophia. I wouldn't typically have invited her along, but she happens to be Luke's long-time girlfriend and likes to follow him everywhere he goes. It's obnoxious.

After a quick stop at the dollar store, we decide to meet up at the tennis courts. They're empty today, meaning that for the next few hours they're ours. Barely an hour passes before I grow bored of sitting in the sun. Now that it's starting to sink, I pull my duffle bag off my shoulder and begin pulling out its contents. I couldn't afford much, but I did manage to snag some pretty incredible toys that I know these weirdos—myself included—will enjoy.

"Are those bouncy balls?" Roger asks, grabbing a bag of Teddy Grahams and tossing the contents into his mouth. His cheeks bulge as he continues to glance through all the goodies.

"Indeed they are," I announce proudly. "I also found whoopee cushions, some foam airplanes, and several packages of glow sticks."

"And you have some kind of plan for using all this junk, right?" Sophia asks, biting at her thumbnail.

I watch her tug a hangnail out with her teeth and flick it on the ground before answering with an "of course." Slinging my bag onto my shoulder, I tilt my head in the direction of the guys' dorms and begin leading the way.