Going the Distance ✔️

Chapter thrity seven.

I may have started a bad habit. I didn't start it intentionally, it just happened.

School had started back and I had been avoiding Liam all week. There were a few reasons as to why I started to avoid him. Trust me, I loved hanging out with Liam. He was a great guy with a good sense of humor and he always knew how to have fun. But two things scared me: ditching school and Liam's love for me.

It was a fact that I was still madly in love with Mason and I didn't know how to move on from that. My heart felt bad for looking at another guy or for having feelings for someone else and although Mason told me to move on, I felt like I couldn't.

Not yet anyway.

Sure, the days were boring, but I knew it would be worth it to get good grades and to go home without having been arrested again. I was okay with my decision and I knew it was best for me and my reputation.

"You've been avoiding me." Liam stood in front of me as I was sitting in the library doing Math homework during my study period.

I looked up at him, needing courage to lie again. "Shouldn't you be in class?" I asked, trying to avoid the question.

Liam took a seat opposite me with a frown. "I haven't seen you all week," he said, "you're either always in the library and when you come home, you go straight to your bedroom."

"I'm studying." I said to Liam and it was the half truth so technically I wasn't lying.

Liam's frown was still on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back on his chair. "That's crap, Lou. Why are you avoiding me? Is it because we got arrested or because of the whole ditching thing? I thought we were over that by now."

I closed my textbook, waiting a few seconds until I heard the bell ring. I looked at Liam and I studied his face. How could he possibly be in love with me? It just seemed completely crazy and I wanted to ask him so badly if he meant it. But, I wasn't sure if I was ready to hear the answer.

The bell finally rang, interrupting my ongoing thoughts. I packed away my books and smiled at Liam. "I've got to go. I'll see you later." I raced out of the classroom as I heard Liam scream my name. I quickly made a pit stop to my locker and then I headed to the cafeteria to meet Xanthe.

I spotted her at the very back where she was eating her lunch by herself. "Avoiding people is hard." I sat opposite her and I noticed that she didn't seem herself. "Hey, I've meant to ask about Cameron and how your date went." Maybe that would cheer her up, but I was very wrong.

She looked up at me with sad eyes. "It was fine. We went to the movie festival, ate some ice cream afterwards and then he kissed me."

"He kissed you!" I exclaimed with pure excitement. "Xanthe, that's great!"

She shrugged. "I guess so."

I knew something was wrong and I was determined to figure out what that was. "Why aren't you more excited than I am?"

She sighed heavily, looking over at the jocks and the cheerleaders. "Because a few days later I told him that I liked him and he shut me down and told me that the kiss meant nothing," she sighed again, "and now he's back together with his girlfriend."

My eyes widened in pure shock and disgust. "How could someone do such a thing? Xanthe, that is so wrong." I turned around to see Cameron walk in with his arm around his girlfriend's shoulder. I cringed and turned back to Xanthe who put her head down. "That's unacceptable." I said as I got up from my seat.

"Louisa, wait!" Xanthe tried to stop me, but I was already halfway to their table.

I made my way over there and tapped on Cameron's shoulder as he was seated and facing away from me. I caught his attention and he turned to look at me and the other jocks and cheerleaders followed along. "Yes?" Cameron said with a confused look as he looked me up and down.