Learning to Swim

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

A few days ago, Liam told me that he would come to my work every single day until I went on a date with him. At the time I laughed it off, but as the week comes to an end I realize he was serious. Every day I come into work and everyday there he is. It is strange how fast I have come to look forward to seeing him. I find myself glancing up every single time the door at Oliver’s opens, searching for those stormy blue eyes. I know it isn’t smart for me to get this excited over seeing him. He has become a constant in my life and I am afraid of losing that.

I honestly did try telling him we couldn’t hang out anymore, but that didn’t exactly go as I expected. Before I could even get the words out he gave me this sad look like he knew exactly what I was going to say. Seeing the look of hurt in his eyes stopped the words from leaving my lips. I couldn’t say it, not when I didn’t really mean it. I wanted to see him again and I still do. It is already too late to try and push him away. I want to be his friend and if I‘m being honest with myself, something more.

Eventually Liam will realize he can’t keep wasting time on me. He will find some other girl to be interested in, one that will be just as in to him. He deserves to be happy and I know he won’t with me. That doesn’t mean I am willing to throw away our friendship, though.

“You okay?” Maggie wonders, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“Yea. I’m great actually,” I smile and she gives me a suspicious look.

“You’ve been acting strange lately,” she says slowly, like she is trying to figure something out.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“You’re happy,” she states simply and I give her an amused glance.

“Are you saying I normally act sad?”

“No, there is just something different,” she explains, looking perplexed. “It’s like you weren’t actually happy before, you just wanted everyone to think you were. But now something has changed. When you smile now it is like you actually mean it.”

I’m pretty sure my mouth drops as she says all of this. I never realized Maggie noticed. I have always tried to keep up the façade that everything is okay. I don’t like moping around or crying to people about my problems. It just isn’t how I deal with things, but I guess I haven’t been doing that great of a job of hiding the pain trapped inside me if Maggie was able to see.

“Your new happiness wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain boy, would it?” Maggie asks teasingly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I reply, trying to keep a straight face and not succeeding.

Of course it has to do with Liam. He allows me to focus on things other than all of the responsibilities I have to handle. He can make me laugh no matter what mood I am in and is there for me no matter what. I’ve only known him for a week and already he has changed a lot of things for me.

Maggie and everyone else at my work has noticed how Liam comes to see me every day. They tease me about it all the time and no one believes that we are only friends no matter what I do to try and convince them otherwise.

“Oh look, there he is now!” she chirps and I immediately start looking for him, excitement shining in my eyes.

I find him standing by the door, holding it open for some old lady. Just seeing his gorgeous smile makes me sigh dreamily. I realize if I am trying to convince everybody that there is nothing going on between Liam and me I probably shouldn’t be checking him out from across the room. I give myself a mental shake before turning back to Maggie, who definitely noticed me checking Liam out.