See Me

See Me Chapter Two

"Okay, so your Mom called my Mom yesterday," Liam says, and I cringe.

"Shit, what did she say? Does she think I'm on pot again? I wish she'd stop with that crap! I'm perfectly normal!" Once I've stopped yelling I notice that Liam is laughing to himself, his face covered by his hands.

"What?" I ask with a frown.

"You're a nutcase is what," Laya chuckles and I pout.

Liam takes a few deep breaths and then grins at me.

"Your Mom's going on a business trip over the next week, and Kiren can't come and stay with you because he's loaded with work."

Why does he look so thrilled about this? And what's happening to me if my older brother can't come down to stay with me? Mom would never leave me alone. She has this ridiculous notion that I would throw a rager or something. Ha. Funny. Who would I invite?

"Liam, why do you look so... overjoyed?" I ask suspiciously.

"Because you, dear CC, are staying at casa de Jesop!"

"You're kidding me right? No way would Mom agree to that! She probably thinks I'll end up pregnant! When I went to outdoor ed. in sixth grade she packed condoms into my suitcase!"

Once again everyone is laughing at my expense, even Laya, who is practically snorting milk out her nose. Okay, so in retrospect it is pretty funny, but still...

"I'm being totally serious CC. She told me this morning."

"How the hell did you get her to agree to that?!" I cry, flinging my arms around his neck. "Did you bribe her?!"

"She actually came up with the idea," he laughs and I mimic my head combusting.

Next week is going to be amazing.

When I get home that afternoon Mom isn't home, so I figure I'll make a snack and then study for my AP calculus test tomorrow. As I'm grilling my sandwich on the stove, the phone rings, shrill and demanding.

"Hey sweetheart!" It's Dad. My parents are divorced and he lives in New Hampshire. Sorry to tell you so unceremoniously, but that's how it happened. I wasn't even old enough to know my own name.

"Hey Dad, what's up?" I flip the sandwich absently, watching out my window as a squirrel runs across the fence.

"Nothing, Sweet Pea, just wanted to check up on you. Your Mom said you were getting great grades, huh?" I snort as if this is news. My parents have been eternally confused as to how they created such a smart child.

"Yeah of course, Dad." I slide the grilled cheese onto a plate and switch off the stove.

"Good, good. How's Liam doing?"

"He's... the same." My Dad loves Liam like his own. Sometimes when Dad drives down to visit me I drag Liam along with me. Dad doesn't know that I'm in love with Liam, but I think he has his suspicions.

"Still playing soccer I hope?" he says, chuckling. Liam and my Dad bond over the one thing I will never be able to - sports.

"Here," I say as I hear the front door open and then hear Liam's footsteps echoing down the hall, "why don't you ask him yourself?"

I pass him the phone and take a well deserved bite of my grilled cheese. I block out their conversation and chew slowly as I sit on the couch. You're probably wondering how Liam got into the house, and the simple answer is this - he knows where the spare key is.

Once he had hung up, he set the phone back in the cradle and plunked himself down beside me.

"'Sup?" he asks, which is his way of asking if I am okay. I nod, then glance up at him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just thought I'd come and visit my bestest bud..."

I grunt, finishing the sandwich. "What do you want now?"

"Well I really need help in chemistry..."

"You're ridiculous."

"Yeah, but you know you love me."

It feels like all the air has been sucked out of the room. Okay, obviously Liam and I had told each other we loved one another, but only in a totally platonic way.

But now?

Now, Liam is staring down at me, leaning into me a little, as if he is actually expecting... an answer.

Do you love me, CC? His voice echoes in my head.

Then, he is leaning towards me, ever so slightly, his gaze focused on my lips.

Holy shit! Liam's going to kiss me! Whatever you do, don't spazz out.

"CC," he mutters under his breath and I suck in a gulp of air.

No he's not, come on. This is Liam. He doesn't like you that way. The good way.

But just as I think this, his fingers come up, smoothing through a lock of my hair while all I can think is that this is the hottest thing that has ever happened to me.

"CC," he says again, so soft, so sweet, a gentle counterpoint to the startling, loud, "Hey kids!" coming from the doorway.

Remind me to kill my mother.

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