Linked

Chapter 5

Liam and I got back to the school just as the game was ending.  We parted ways soon after that.

I caught up with Ellie, and she told me how great of a night she had with James.  They might be an official couple soon.  Good for them.

On the car ride back, we talked about the game (Ellie did most of the talking there), and she asked me what kind of snacks I had gotten.  I could barely even remember, and realized that the bag of popcorn was probably still lying on the ground from the fall.

We got to Ellie's house around that time, and rushed upstairs to continue the conversation.  Ellie and I usually had a sleepover at one of our houses on Friday nights, and since we were no longer in the car with Ellie's parents, I decided to tell her about Liam.

"WHAT?" Ellie shouted after hearing the events of tonight, "You met him?  You actually met L?  And he's LIAM?  As in Liam Walker?"

"Yep," I nodded.

"Really?" Her voice bounced off the walls with shock.

"Yep," I smiled at the odds of this occurrence and the way Ellie reacted.  Her face was quite amusing.

"But- how is that even possible?  Did you know he went to the same school as you?  What if you hadn't bumped into each other?  Wait, HE CAUGHT YOU WHEN YOU FELL?"  Her train-of-thought was a whirlwind and now in full "boy-gossip" mode.

"The second time, but yeah," I continued to sit there calmly as Ellie paced the room with excitement and perplexity.

"Ah...!  He's into you!"

"Whoa, slow down.  He does not like me," I was taken aback at her conclusion.

"Yes he does!  He caught you, he gave you his jacket, and you held hands!" She listed off the reasons.

"Yeah, but we just met; he's a chivalrous guy," I hurriedly brushed off the evidence.

"Except you didn't just meet, you've been talking for years.  And chivalrous does not cover hand-holding," She frowned at me with a brainy smile, "You must admit that's a little out of the friend-zone category."

"Alright... Maybe the hand-holding was a little out of the ordinary, but don't go thinking he likes me until there's more solid proof.  Besides, the obvious one is that James likes you," I grinned slyly, and her cheeks flushed red.

"He does not.  James and I just like spending time with each other..." She looked down, clearly beaten, yet slightly enjoying the fact that I'd said it.

"Okay.  Since both boys are too heavy of topics and full of assumptions, let's simply leave the subjects alone until better facts come into play.  Deal?"  I held out my hand for a compromise.

"Deal," Ellie grabbed it, and shook.

After that, we talked some more, went downstairs to eat dinner, and climbed into our sleeping bags on the soft carpet.

My eyes were heavy, and the sky created a soft glow with the moon behind some clouds.  Boy that sunset was beautiful, I thought to myself, reminiscing.

Everything is different now.  Huh, Liam?

I guess so, C.

~~~

On Monday, I walked into school with Ellie and James, and spotted Liam waving at us.  He was wearing a white t-shirt, jeans, and a cool leather jacket.

"Let's go say hi," Ellie nudged me with her elbow and we walked over.

"Hey, Casey.  Hi, Ellie and James," Liam confused James in having a stranger recognize them.