Without A Doubt

Chapter 22.

As I walked into the library Thursday morning I couldn't help but feel somewhat excited. I haven't actually seen Liv since I left her house on Tuesday, but we've been texting nonstop. The conversation was more intense now. We were mostly playing this game. I call it truth or truth. It's exactly how it sounds. You just keep asking each other questions back and forth. It's sort of a test to me. It shows me who a person is and what they care about and even more so I get to learn more about them. Every time I've played it before the questions are boring and the answers are even stupider. I've always done this with the girls I talk to. I can usually tell right away whether or not the girl is worth my time. Most of the time they aren't but with Liv the game was so much more interesting. The questions she was asking made me think. They made me have to really come up with a good answer. She asked better questions than I could even think of. As for her answer to my questions, they always were so insightful. She answered honestly and with no hesitation. It made me feel exposed even though they were her words. I learned a lot about her. And I told her more than I'd ever even told Emma. It was weird but I just kept talking. Sharing all my secrets with her. She told me about her mom, I told her the extent of my anxiety. I found out her likes her dislikes, her favorite colors, foods, clothes, stores. And the crazy part was, she knew all of mine now too. It almost felt like a relief for someone to know about my anxiety and about the things in my head. It felt like I had been holding my breath for so long and now I could finally let it out. I can't explain it but something about her made me different. Made me want to act different. To maybe even be better. I don't know.

"Welcome back Mayson." Ms. Scott said to me as I walked in. I just smiled and took my seat. Liv was the only person not here yet. I sat at my end of the table and made small talk with Peter and David. Ever since Jane and Carter became a thing they are usually off having their own conversation. I don't mind at all but I know the boys miss Carter. I don't hang out with them very often, or at all really, but they were talking about how Carter was supposed to go to a movie with them the other night but bailed last minute. The funny thing is though, they won't ever tell him anything or ever become a problem between Carter and Jane. It's a nice thing. If this situation arose between people from Emma and mines friend group all hell would have broken loose already.

"Alright so last Tuesday you all decided to do a sports related theme. Who wants to go first?" Obviously since I wasn't here Tuesday I didn't write anything. As David got up to read his story I felt anxious. Where's Liv? I put my head down on the desk like I always do, but underneath the table I could feel my leg shaking up and down. David was already half way through his story about him playing football when the library doors swung open and in ran Liv. I sat up and watched as she walked in, her hair was a wild mess, but it looked kind of cute. She just had on leggings and a long sleeve shirt but she looked good in it. As she walked by me I felt myself smiling. She looked down at me for a second and gave me a small smile that made my heart skip a beat. After she was sitting she looked around the table and said

"Sorry I'm late. Your story is great David." We all sort of laughed because we knew she hadn't heard a word of it. David continued his story but I didn't hear the rest of it. I put my head back on the table and kept stealing glances at Liv. When David was finished I sat up and started clapping. Up next was Jane. I looked over at Liv again but this time we made eye contact. I saw her cheeks turn just a shade darker and then she looked away causing me to look away. After a minute or two I felt my phone buzz. I looked at Ms. Scott to make sure she wasn't paying attention to me and pulled out my phone. It was from Liv. It said

Stop staring at me weirdo. When I looked at her though she was smiling at me. I texted back

Can't. When I looked up again she rolled her eyes at me and continued listening to Jane, or at least she was pretending to listen to Jane. I could tell she wasn't really listening; her mind was somewhere else.