Realize Your Potential (H.S)

Chapter Nine

Liam and I go out that Saturday night to a local pizza place that even I haven't been to. It's a little busy and we have to wait nearly forty minutes until we finally get seated at a table.

"Sorry about the wait," Liam says as we sit down. "I probably should have called ahead.

I give him a reassuring smile as I get situated in my own seat.

"It's not like you knew it was going to be this busy," I tell him.

"Well, at least we can assume the pizza is pretty good if this many people are flooding their restaurant, yeah?" he says, flipping over the small menu that the waiter gave us.

"But then again," I begin. "You can't really go wrong with pizza."

Liam laughs at my statement and we spend the next five minutes deciding what pizza we want.

We've agreed to split a margherita pizza and opt for a pitcher of water instead of separate sodas.

"So," Liam says as soon as the waiter has left our table. "How is the show going?"

"It's going really well! We're only a few weeks in, but we seem to be making really great progress already."

"That's good to hear. I can't wait to come see it. However, that may be mainly because I'm interested to see Nat playing your mum."

I let out a small laugh and nod at his statement, knowing that while Nat is taller than me, it's obvious that we're nearly the same age.

"She sells the whole 'middle aged woman' persona very well actually," I tell him. "Plus, I think our director is already getting his hands on some good makeup so we can put age lines on her."

"Now that I have to see," Liam jokes.

"And what about you?" I ask. "How are the rehearsals going?"

Liam nods, pursing his lips slightly. "They're going. Better than expected, but we've also hit a bump recently."

"Why is that?"

"Rehearsing the songs that we've already written has been all well and good, but now it's a matter of writing more songs. Which is a process that I've found I can't always force. So while we have a few really good songs, we still need to write more...and not all of our efforts have been the greatest."

I flash him a sympathetic look before I shrug my shoulders slightly.

"Well, if it's any consolation, I've only really heard three songs from you guys and each of those were pretty amazing," I say.

Liam cracks a small smile. "Thanks. I actually wrote one of the songs that you heard the other day. But the first one was written by Styles."

The mention of his name causes me to press my lips together as I consider the idea that Styles could have been the face behind one of those songs.

"Styles doesn't seem like the writing type," I finally let slip out.

"He used to be. Lately he hasn't really been in the writing mood, which is kind of aggravating," Liam says.

I want to continue the conversation, but we're suddenly interrupted when our waiter returns with our water as well as two plates and sets of utensils.

"Your pizza will be out in a few. Sorry about the wait," he tells us, but before we can manage a reply, he's gone.

"So why theatre?" Liam continues on.

And just like that, Styles is gone from the conversation.

"My mom," I state. "She did theatre while she was growing up, introduced me to the world of performing at a young age, and I could never imagine myself doing anything else."

Liam smiles. "Are you and your mom close?"

My brows pull together for a moment before I shake my head.

"No, actually, I would say I'm closer to my dad."

"Really? You don't have that mother-daughter bond that trumps everything in its path?"

"I wouldn't say so. My mom is still partially in my life, but my parents divorced when I was a kid and I've always lived with my dad."

"And why is that?" Liam asks.

"Um," I begin, but I'm suddenly aware of the sound of my own heart beating in my ears. I'm wracking my brain for an excuse or for some simpler answer to offer him, but I can't. It's like everything is going into lockdown and I'm not able to access my own files.

But I don't have to.

The pizza arrives just in time, and Liam's attention is completely shifted as he serves both himself and me a slice.

Once again we've let another conversation slip by and stop discussing my parents and instead talk about his life back in England.

Throughout the rest of our meal the conversation is much lighter. We never go back to the topic of my parents, and we instead get on topics such as what kind of pets we grew up with and how many siblings we have.

I tell him I have an older brother named Derek, and he tells me he has two older sisters named Louisa and Poppy.

Before I know it, he's paying for the meal and I'm slipping on my sweater to leave. We walk out laughing as we discuss the differences in pronunciation between our accents.

"People from Colorado don't really have much of an accent, do they?" Liam says, walking slowly beside me.

"Not really. Although, I did hear once that we apparently say everything as it's written. Except some of our t's like in 'water' or 'later,' but I think most people do that," I say.

Liam says both of the words aloud to himself and I laugh at the obvious t's he pronounces with his accent.

"I guess my dream of fitting in and living a peaceful live in Colorado will never come true," he jokes and I give his side a small shove.

Due to the long wait at the pizza place, we've managed to miss our movie, and Liam says that we'll have to do a rain check. I think it's his way of asking my out again.

Instead, we end the night early and Liam drives me home. In the car we continue to make easy conversation, but I can't ignore the lingering thought in the back of my mind.

Is he going to try and kiss me?

We've just had pizza, would he want to risk the chance that we both have terrible breath and potentially greasy lips?

I look over at him as he carries on the conversation, touching my lips as I study his.

Neither appear to be greasy.

I try to think of more horrible outcomes if we were to share a kiss when we're suddenly pulling up to the front of my house. Liam puts the car in park and I can feel my heart begin to pound against the front of my chest.

"Thank you for a wonderful night," I manage to say, my last word almost sounding breathless.

"Trust me. The pleasure was all mine. I'm just relieved that you agreed to go out with me. I'm sure Nat hounded you a little," he says.

I laugh. " Maybe a little."

"Would you care to do this again sometime?"

The hope in his eyes causes a small smile to fall on my lips and I feel myself nodding instantly.

"Yes, I think I would," I tell him.

"Great," he says, letting out a small breath of his own. "Well, then I'll see you on Monday, right?"

Apparently that's a no for a goodnight kiss. I'm not sure whether to be relieved or a little worried.

I go with relieved.

"Yes, definitely. Get home safe," I say, now allowing myself out of the car.

"Sweet dreams," he tells me, flashing me one last smile.

Then he's pulling away from the curb and I'm walking up to my front door. I'm wearing my own small grin and I can feel a little tingle running through my stomach.

I may just fancy Liam right back.