love in the mix - a tayvis au <3

10 - trouble

The week after their date had been a whirlwind of late-night texts, stolen glances, and close encounters in hidden corners of Westbrook High. Emma and Liam were always together, but still dancing around what was actually going on between them. Their relationship was undefined—somewhere between friendship and something more, but neither seemed ready to put a label on it. The tension was electric, and they were living on the edge of the line between "just friends" and something more intense.

It was a Thursday afternoon, and the school hallways were buzzing with the usual chaos between classes. Emma and Liam had found a quiet moment behind a row of lockers in the east wing, which was their usual spot for moments like this—where no teachers or other students usually wandered. It was tucked away enough for them to steal a few minutes of privacy.

"God, Mrs. Thompson's history class is the worst," Liam muttered as he leaned against the lockers, his hand grazing Emma's.

Emma chuckled, inching closer to him. "Yeah, but you make it tolerable," she replied with a sly smile, her heart pounding just from being near him.

Liam smirked, his voice dropping to a low whisper. "We're supposed to be in class right now, you know."

Emma shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Guess we're both bad influences."

Without another word, Liam pulled her closer, his lips brushing against hers in a soft, tentative kiss that quickly deepened. Emma's hand found the back of his neck, pulling him closer still. The hallway felt like it had vanished around them—until they heard a loud, sharp cough.

Emma and Liam broke apart instantly, their faces flushed and hearts pounding. Standing before them was Mr. Jenkins, the vice principal, his stern expression etched with disapproval.

"Well, isn't this interesting?" he said, folding his arms. "Emma Kelce and Liam Swift, skipping class for... extracurricular activities, I presume?"

Liam tried to play it cool, straightening up and giving Mr. Jenkins a sheepish grin. "Uh, Mr. Jenkins, we were just—"

"Save it," Mr. Jenkins cut him off, his voice firm. "Both of you, to the principal's office. Now."

The walk to the principal's office felt like a death march. Emma and Liam exchanged nervous glances, but neither said a word. The reality of what just happened started to sink in. Getting caught making out at school was one thing; facing the wrath of their parents was a whole different ball game.

They were ushered into the principal's office, where Principal Anders sat behind his large mahogany desk, his expression unreadable. He motioned for them to sit down.

"Mr. Swift, Miss Kelce," Principal Anders began slowly, leaning back in his chair. "You two have certainly found yourselves in an interesting situation. Care to explain?"

Emma's cheeks burned, and she glanced at Liam, who seemed just as flustered. "It was just a mistake," Emma blurted out. "We didn't mean—"

"To skip class and engage in behavior that's against school policy?" Principal Anders finished for her. "You two are both good students. I expect better from you."

There was a knock at the door, and Emma's heart sank as her dad, Travis, and Liam's mom, Taylor, walked in. Their expressions ranged from worried to angry, and Emma could feel her stomach twist with anxiety.

"Mr. Kelce, Miss Swift," Principal Anders greeted them. "Thank you for coming. I'm afraid we have a situation to discuss."

Travis's eyes darted between Emma and Liam, his brows furrowing. "What happened?" he demanded, his voice tight.