If Only

Chapter 5

It was nice, being free for a while and not having the weight of the world on my shoulders, even if it was only for an hour. The real world became all too real again though when Liv decided to walk up to our lunch table.

I love Liv, don't get me wrong, but Noah was very adamant that we shouldn't talk to each other in school because it might seem 'suspicious' to other people. I think he's crazy paranoid but up until now I've still always followed his wishes. After what happened next though, I'm not so sure that I'll keep it up.

"Hey Kayleigh!" Liv chirps happily as she pulls up a seat at our table.

"Err, hi?" I venture back, completely confused on how I'm supposed to act right now.

She just smiles at me then introduces herself to Connor, who tells her his name and then looks back at me awkwardly.

"I kinda knew that already, literally everyone is talking about you...so I came to get all the inside gossip." Liv says with a mischievous smile as she leans an arm on the table and rests her chin in her palm, ready to grill Connor.

"I don't really think there is any gossip. I'm pretty boring." He replies and I can instantly tell the difference in how he was around me before and how he is now with Liv. He was definitely more open with me.

Liv opens her mouth to say something but the bell for the end of lunch rings, cutting her off. She huffs in frustration before offering to help me walk Connor to his next class. It's not exactly a task I need help with but she drags us off behind her before I can even attempt to protest. Connor sneaks a look at me that tells me he's not exactly pleased about the situation either.

When we reach Connor's physics class, we say an awkward goodbye before he heads inside and leaves me alone with Liv in the empty corridor, casting one last look at me over his shoulder as he goes.

Damn, I should have asked for his phone number or something.

"Kale, omg! Please tell me you're into him, I beg you!" Liv pleads with me, jumping up and down as she holds my hand in hers.

I completely ignore her question and instead focus on the other issue at hand.

"How come you're talking to me? Noah is going to kill us. And anyway, you told me not long ago that you 'shipped' Noah and I, so why are you wanting me to like another guy?"

She frowns and wrinkles her nose in what appears to be disgust.

"Well, firstly, fuck my brother. And secondly, my brother is being a dick lately...so again, fuck my brother." She sasses, sticking up her middle fingers and all.

"I'm sensing you're pissed off at your brother..." I add in that annoyingly sarcastic way I'm known for. She scowls at me and slaps her hand across my mouth to hide my resulting smirk. I see the smile teasing at her lips though.

"ANYWAY..." She starts, giving me a pointed look as I knock her hand away. "Connor is so into you, it was glaringly obvious with the way he was looking at you. Girl, I'm so jelly. But seriously, he only had eyes for you."

"Liv, I've known him for two hours. Chillax."

"No." She replies instantly and launches into another speech before I have the chance to interject. "You guys looked so good together, and I haven't seen you smile that much since...I can't even remember. As soon as we're home, we're starting project 'Get Kayleigh and Connor to date'. Phase one is stalking his social media and finding out his entire life story. Phase two, we're gonna-"