Chapter 10

Liam

I leave Emi's after we exchange numbers and my promises of helping her with her bucket list. Walking out, I can't help but keep running my hands nervously through my hair. I drive home without turning the radio on, I can't believe I just friend-zoned the girl I couldn't stop thinking about all summer. I could tell her the truth, that I have a massive crush on her, but the way her face subtly lit up when I told her I would help her with her list, I feel like she is quickly becoming more comfortable with me and letting her personality shine. I can't let her down. I just need to figure out how to stop having a crush. It shouldn't be that hard. Right?

When I get home, I drop my bag at the front door and head straight to the kitchen to grab a beer. I don't usually drink when I have classes the next day but today I am making an exception. After I crack open the beer, I flop down on the couch and pull out my phone. Emilia insisted that I text her when I got home. Her saying that tugged at my heart strings, even if she asks that of everyone it was nice to know she cares.

Me

Made it home safe.

Emi

Yay, thank goodness.

Emi

I know it sounds silly but I wouldn't have been able to sleep until I knew you were safe.

I'm full on smiling at my phone like an idiot now. I'm about to text her back when Ryan plops down on the couch next to me.

"When did you get here?" I lock my phone and put it face down on the coffee table in front of us.

"I've been here, had no idea where you were though. You said you were headed home hours ago."

"Oh, sorry. I got uh, held up."

"Anyways, who's got you smiling like that?"

"What? No one."

"You found Emilia." He states matter of factly and my jaw drops for the second time tonight.

"How'd you know?"

"I didn't but I guess I'm right. Easy guess though, she's the only girl you've been thinking about for the past, I don't know three months."

"Yeah I found her." I try to force my smile down which is a failed effort. "I'm not talking about this anymore." I get up, finishing my beer. Thankful that Ryan doesn't pry since I'm not ready to admit I already messed it up.

"I'm headed to bed." Throwing my beer in the trash, I head upstairs.

"Night!" Ryan shouts, laughing from his place on the couch. I haven't received a text back from Emi yet, maybe her finding out I got home okay was all she needed and doesn't want to talk to me. Shrugging that thought off I jump into the shower and place my phone on the counter of the sink, volume up, just in case. I let the hot water run down my body helping to relax my muscles. My mind replays the events of the night. Her crashing into me, her ocean blue eyes, sharing a milkshake, her smile, the one dimple on the right side of her face. As my fingers start to prune up, I realize I have spent way longer than necessary in the shower.

I towel off and change into a pair of sleep shorts, getting into bed I put on New Girl, Eliza got me into this show over the summer and I've been addicted since. I check my phone again and there's no new messages from Emilia, just one from my mom, asking how the first day was. I answer her that it was fine and contemplate sending Emilia another text just because I want to talk to her. Opening our message thread trying to think of something to say, I realized I never clicked send on my last message in my haste to lock my phone before Ryan could see who it was. Not that it mattered, he guessed it right away. Before I have time to overthink it, I send the text that I had typed out earlier.

Me

That's not silly, that's sweet.

Me

P.s I meant to send that like an hour ago but Ryan distracted me.

I stare at my phone for five whole minutes until I realize I must actually be insane. It's not like she's sitting in her apartment with nothing to do besides text me and it's getting late for all I know she's asleep. I plug my phone into the charger and place it on the nightstand, turning off the lamp and letting the soft glow of the tv illuminate my bedroom. I"m just starting to nod off when I hear the quiet buzz of my phone on the nightstand followed by the screen lighting up. I reach for my phone like a mad man.

Emilia

No worries:) Thank you again for today. Good night, Liam.

Me

Good night, Emi.

I can't help but smile to myself. The girl I like texting me. Until what I did today, friend-zoning her to be exact, comes back to my mind and my heart feels like it drops into my stomach.

My alarm blares, jostling me from my sleep. Minimal light streams through the curtains, it's just before sunrise, not a time I'm particularly fond of waking up at but the team is meeting for an informal session at the gym today. As captain I sent out a mass email before returning to campus to see when players would be able to meet before we officially start practice with the coaching staff. Figuring it would be a good way to meet the freshmen and reconnect with my other teammates. An early session before classes worked best for most people, so here I am dragging myself down the stairs at six in the morning.

I'm not surprised to find Ryan already in the kitchen, whipping up a plate of eggs, turkey bacon and oatmeal. His hockey season starts in just over a month and he likes to get a workout in before his classes. Ryan is insanely committed to his sport, sometimes training twice a day. His goal is to make it to the NHL, which he basically already has. He's signed with the Panthers in Florida pending his graduation in the spring.

"Morning." I grumble, grabbing a glass and filling it with water.

"Morning. How's the first sleep back?" He transfers his eggs and bacon to the plate, bringing them over to the barstools that sit under the peninsula.

"Not long enough." I swipe a piece of bacon off his plate, earning me a death glare before popping two pieces of toast in the toaster.

"Never were a morning person." He laughs to himself and he's right. I've never been much of a morning person, I mean I'm not trying to sleep until noon but a solid eight o'clock is just right for me.

"Nope. Couldn't really fall asleep for a bit either."

"Did you stay up late texting Emilia?" His tone is teasing but I wish that were the case. Instead it was me replaying my dumb mistake.

"Ah, about that..." My toast pops before I can divulge my fuck up.

"What'd you do?"

"Nothing really. Well that's partially the problem I guess. I told her we were friends." I smear peanut butter on the bread, a little harshly if I'm honest.

"Yikes. I mean you could just come clean, tell her you like her."

"Yeah. I thought about that but I told her I'd help her with something, a bucket list of sorts and she seemed so happy. I don't want to ruin that. What if she doesn't like me? I'd rather have her as my friend than not at all."

"Hmm." Ryan ponders as he scoops a spoonful of oatmeal into his mouth. "You've got yourself in a tricky situation then. Risk it or live with it."