Liam looks down at me and I watch the confusion dance in his eyes. Uncomfortable, I push my shoulder into his. “You are my boyfriend now, remember?”
He shakes his head and smiles. “How could I forget? You’ve totally altered my reputation. I actually had a teacher give me a half smile today.”
“Things are really looking up. I’m sure that never happens.” I smile.
Chapter Five
“What is up with you?” Jennifer asks, waving her hand in front of my face.
I jolt out of my daze, shaking my head. “What are you talking about?”
Jennifer throws down her half eaten chicken nuggets, narrowing her eyes. “Something isn’t right with the two of you. Something is weird. I can feel it.”
I take a sip of my drink to distract myself from her glare. “What do you mean, Jennifer? What are you like a Private Investigator or something?”
“Call it my incredible Asian instincts.” She cocks an eyebrow.
I roll my eyes. “Okay, well give it to me. What’s wrong with us?”
“You two don’t touch,” she says so matter of fact.
“Hey!” I lift my hand. “We hold hands all the time--,”
“No,” she cuts me off, waving her finger in my face, “you don’t kiss. You just hug or hold hands. And correct me if I’m wrong but Liam is always lip locked with some girl. He isn’t ashamed of P.D.A. And neither are you, you and Hayden missed class all the time to go get it on in the back hallway. So, it’s rather fishy to me.”
I blushed, and bite on my straw. “We’ve only been together a few days, Nancy Drew. Is it okay for to move slowly into this?” Slowly into our imaginary relationship? “Give us a break, damn.”
“Give who a break?” Liam says, placing his tray beside mine.
“Nothing,” I blurt out.
“I think something is up with the two of you,” Jennifer says, crossing her arms over her heinous sweater.
Liam cocks an eyebrow, and takes a bite of his pizza. “Good investigating there, Ms. Chang. I would say you figured out we’re dating after everyone else in the school.”
She narrows her eyes. “No. I mean you two don’t touch or kiss. You barely hug each other; it’s just a lot of talking and flirting.” She thinks we flirt? I smile to myself. “Which by your reputation I wouldn’t think you would mind giving your girlfriend a big smooch. Not to mention, but neither one of you have said anything about the Homecoming Dance this weekend. It’s all every couple have been talking about. Why haven’t you two?” She leans forward, watching our every move. “I’m waiting for an answer.”
Liam is quiet for a minute. He glances over at me, grey eyes serious. “We’ll give you a show Miss. Chang. Let me eat my food first, and then freshen my breath. I wouldn’t want my girlfriend to have to taste my nasty pizza breath.” He smiles. “And if Katy wants to go to the dance, we can go. I don’t mind. It’s up to her all the way.”
Jennifer smiles and lifts her eyebrow. She loves this.
“Um…sure,” I say, digging my fork around in my corn. I hate dances. She knows that. I’m going to kill Jennifer. I grab my fork; I want to stab her in her Asian eyes.
I eat my food in silence. I’m not sure what to say. I feel totally uncomfortable. Not that I haven’t kissed him before, but it was once and out of spite. We’re pretending, this wasn’t in the deal. Damn you, Jennifer. When the bell rings, Jennifer gets up to throw away her food.
Liam grabs my elbow and looks down at me. “We don’t have to kiss if you don’t want to. You can fake sick or something. Maybe pretend to throw up some pizza? I know we’re pretending and everything.”
I sigh. I feel the heat rushing to my face. “I mean…” I scratch my neck, “what will it hurt, I guess it would be okay…if you wanted to…”
Liam is smiling when I glance up at him. I had been staring down at his combat boots and how scruffy they looked but he was too quiet so I glanced back up at him. “What are you smiling at, Liam?”
He leans toward me, overwhelming me with his scent and smiles. “You’re nervous, it’s awfully adorable.” He pinches my cheek and I snatch away from him.
“Stop it,” I hiss lowly.
Jennifer returns, crosses her arms over her chest. “Come on, give ‘em a smooch.”
Oh, shit. “I--,”
“Not here, Jennifer. If we’re going to prove to you that we want each other, we have to do it in the hallway. Let’s make this interesting.” He is joking with me now, right?