To Be His Underboss

FOUR | "AM I THAT UGLY?"

Amara is more mature now that they are in college. She's learned to move on and accept that Liam will never be hers and that he probably sees her as his younger sister.

~•~•~•~•~~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Amara's parents are now on business trips on a regular basis. She spends a lot of time alone in their house, and she's gotten used to it.

Dimitri and she are still best friends and blockmates. They are enrolled in the Psychology course. Britanny, on the other hand, went about her own life with Liam, never bothering to talk to her bestfriends. They never fought; Britanny simply preferred to spend more time with her boyfriend, rendering Dimitri and Amara invisible to her.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

She awoke before she could turn off her alarm and sat on her bed for a few minutes, questioning her own existence.

"Another day in the school year ahead..!!...". Amara blurted out.

She threw her pillows and blanket on the ground with melancholy spread across her face. She picked up everything she threw and dusted it back to her bed after another few minutes of questioning her existence. She arranged them and grabbed her phone to go to the bathroom.

She used to sing along with her music in the bathroom while showering, but now she's too quiet; she only listens to the song but no longer sings along with it.

She walked towards her closet, dressed simply in a tee, black pants, sneakers, and her gold glasses. Her hair was simply styled in its natural waves. She sprayed on some cologne and she was finished.

It had been a year and a half since Liam had last dropped her off at school; his parents were always on business trips with her parents, so no one was there to check them but themselves.

Amara took her car keys from the counter and a cup of iced coffee from the fridge. Before she drove away, she double-checked that all of the doors and windows were locked.

"I'm on my way now; where are you?" She stated. "I'm on my way as well; let's stop by a drive-through because I'm starving." "Okay, Dimitri, I'm going to McDonald's right now, I'll hang up, byeee."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

" So, did my deception work on you?" Amara enquired. "Girl, we have the same class and course, I already heard that from the professor, but yeah, it did work on me, so stop pouting."

They laughed their asses off and carried on as if nothing had happened.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

The girls learned of Britanny and Liam's breakup shortly after their college graduation. Britanny and Liam's bond was so strong that it lasted years, but Britanny shattered it by cheating on Liam. She slept with and was played by her university's bad boy.

"I'm breaking up with you.", "Please, Liam, it was just a mistake.", "A mistake that will never be forgiven. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW!"

With those few words said, Britanny scurried out of Liam's home. "I had no idea you could do this to me. I never would have known if it hadn't been for my friend." He quietly whispered to himself.

"Please, pick up the phone, pick up the phone..." He hoped that one of his friends would respond. None of them did. He desperately needed someone to talk to at this point, but even his parents were too busy. He couldn't think of anyone else until he remembered the one who was always there for him. It was Amara.

"Hi... Can I come in?".Liam exhaled a sigh of relief. "Yes, please come in... How are you doing? Are you okay? What's the matter, and why do you look like that?" Amara spoke calmly.

Amara pretended like she didn't know anything. She no longer liked him; she only cared about him as a true friend. She fed him and talked to him for a few hours after that. He was also sincerely sorry for abandoning her as if she were unimportant. He has also realised that Amara is the only true one he has. He knew Amara deep down.

They awoke next to each other on the living room sofa. They slept while catching up with one another.

"So, what do you wanna eat for breakfast? I'll cook.". "Anything's fine, thank you, Amara."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

They're both still looking for work. Amara has a degree in psychology, while Liam has a degree in business. They did, however, decide to spend some more time together before moving on to the next stage of their lives. They wanted to spend a few more months together before starting a job.

Liam has been staying at Amara's place for several days now.

"Soooo.....What do you wanna eat tonight, Liam?". "I don't know..you decide.". "Fine, it's always me."

They took the Lasagna ingredients. "Olive oil, ground beef, onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomato sauce, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, fresh oregano, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, white wine vinegar, sugar, and salt." Amara stated.

"And....all done." She said as they finished cooking. They set the table and sat down to eat the food they had prepared. They also discussed various topics. Liam has also inquired about Dimitri, as he hasn't seen her in a long time. Unfortunately, Amara's best friend is currently abroad. She was accepted for a job in another country.

"Looks like we're the only ones left here. Our parents are also staying out of the country for another year." Liam said dolefully. "Yeah.." Amara said in response.

Amara showed Liam her favourite face mask to put on her face after a few more conversations. She easily persuaded Liam to give it a shot as well. He gladly agreed and took the plates to the sink. They went upstairs to her room and put on the face masks. He also tried gently and carefully putting it on Amara's face.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

They decided to bake a cake for fun the next day. They misbehaved in the kitchen as if they were still children. They threw flour at each other and smeared syrup on each other's faces. They were like five-year-olds, laughing and playing. They finally brought the cake they had baked to the table after a few more minutes. They hurried to the bathroom to shower so they could play video games while eating the cake they had baked.

"Ha! I finished first, I'll choose the game." Amara said laughing.

When the night came, they decided to go to the newly opened ice cream shop. Liam drove to the location. He was the one who went out and bought them ice cream. They both ate chocolate and smeared it on each other's noses. "Liam, stoppp...HAHAHAHA". "Amara do you wanna go bowling tomorrow?"

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

A few days later, Liam surprised Amara with a picnic. He provided a nice piece of cloth to sit on as well as a variety of sandwiches, pizzas, and other snacks. He also gave Amara flowers, which were daisies. She used to adore daisies, but that changed after her heart was broken. She now likes roses, but he had no idea.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

[ AMARA'S POV ]

"Thank you Liam, I appreciate all this." That was everything I could say. I'm still trying to convince myself that I no longer like him, but he's been nice to me and I feel like his apology was genuine. I'm at a loss for what to do. Do I still like him? No, thank you. How could I ever tell him if I fell in love with him again? What if he turns me down?

"Are you okay?" No I am not okay Liam. How can I be okay if I'm falling in love with you again? Do you realise how much it hurts? I despise you. I really want to punch you, but I can't. "Yeah.." That was everything that came out of my mouth.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

The next day, Liam took Amara to the beach to take pictures and to enjoy the scenery. They chased each other around the sand, then talked and laughed at each other's corny jokes. "Look, a b***h, Liam!!", "Britanny is here?!", "What?! No!! Liam, I said a FEMALE DOG.", "Ohhh....".

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

[ Amara's POV ]

Before we left, we stopped at a drive-through for dinner and then returned to the beach to watch the sunset while we ate. We stayed in his car because it was getting too cold outside.

The sunset was breathtaking. I realised I was in love again just as the moon was about to rise. Maybe this time will be different. I should wait a few days before telling him. I need to plan for the ideal timing. I need to get this done before he meets another girl.

"Amara, do you want to build a pillowfort and watch a movie?" , "Sure, I'd love that!"

My mind was racing with ideas as we drove home. Is this the best time to tell him, or should I wait? No, no, no. The timing was incorrect. I'll go back to my original plan and tell him in a few days.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

They awoke in their pillow fort, cuddling each other. They didn't appear to be awkward in any way. They awoke as if sleeping next to each other was their daily routine. Amara was overjoyed with everything Liam was showing her. He appeared to be in love.

As he was about to stand up, he noticed a water gun from a distance and quickly grabbed two and brought one to Amara. He invited her to play with him before they shower and eat breakfast. She didn't say no, and they had a good time for an hour.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

[ Amara's POV ]

After we finished playing with the water gun, I went straight to my room to shower, and he went straight to the guest room where he was staying.

He invited me to go shopping today, so I'm going to pick out a cute outfit. I went with a brown sweater, ripped jeans, and a basic rubber shoe. I wore my hair in a high ponytail and put on my favourite glasses. Because I dislike wearing makeup, I usually go out barefaced.

As I walked down the stairs, he was already sitting at the table, preparing our breakfast. I had no idea I had already taken that long.

We went straight to the mall after eating. We walked around and went to a few stores to get some clothes. "How does this look, Amara?" He enquired. You look absolutely stunning. Liam, nothing looks bad on you. You are perfect the way you are. "That's really nice!". I said.

"Wow, Liam, this is the first time I'll be eating in such a luxurious restaurant.", " Anything for you." He winked at me.

I believe that now is the ideal time to tell him that I am madly in love with him. Perhaps after dinner. I should invite him to go stargazing from his house's rooftop. That's the perfect opportunity for me to express my true feelings to him.

"Liam, can we go stargazing on your rooftop later?", "Yeah sure.". I felt nervous.

I've been deafeningly quiet the entire way home. I was so nervous that I didn't know what to say to him. But I should tell him now, before it's too late. This is it. I'll give it my best shot.

"I know I've been your best friend since we were babies, Liam, but I love you.". I said it. I did it. Please Liam don't make my heart broken once again.

"I'm sorry Amara. Look, I love you but I only love you as my bestfriend..." As I heard everything he said, my heart shattered into tiny pieces. I guess I really got no chance. He wasn't the one for me.

"Am I that ugly, Liam?", "No, Amara, you're not ugly. You're just......not my type..."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Amara was turned down by Liam. Her heart had been shattered yet again. She made the decision to go on with her life and look for work. This is the point at which her life takes a turn.

"Be careful where you're going, Mister!!" Amara yelled. "You were the one who hit me."

▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎