Chapter 3: The Lunchroom Sparks
807 Words
Liam's POV
I stood at the entrance of the St. Vivienne cafeteria, my hands shoved deep into my pockets. This was the stupidest plan my mother had ever devised, and that was saying something.
"You look like you're walking to your execution, not lunch," Stella remarked as she passed me, heading toward the salad bar.
I ignored her. My eyes were scanned the room until I found her. Megan was sitting at a corner table, tucked away behind a stack of library books. She looked like she was trying to disappear. Not on my watch. If we were doing this, we were doing it right.
I felt the eyes of the entire junior class on me as I started walking. The whispers followed me like a physical trail of smoke.
"Is he going to her?"
"I thought they hated each other."
I reached her table and pulled out the chair directly across from her. The screech of the metal on the floor was loud enough to make her jump.
"You're late," Megan said without looking up from her book. Her dark curls were tied back in a high ponytail today, exposing the small mole on her jawline.
"A king is never late, Foster. Everyone else is just early," I teased, leaning forward. "And we have a deal, remember? Put the book down. People need to see your face, not a biology diagram."
Megan's POV
I slowly lowered my textbook, my heart thudding against my ribs. Liam was leaning across the table, his amber eyes fixed on me with an intensity that felt dangerously real. He was wearing his sports jacket today, the "St. Vivienne" crest looking polished and intimidating.
"You're acting too much," I whispered, leaning in so only he could hear. "You're supposed to be my boyfriend, not my stalker."
"In this school, there's no difference," Liam replied with a smirk. Suddenly, he reached across the table. Before I could pull away, his warm fingers brushed a stray curl away from my forehead.
The cafeteria went dead silent. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, and for once, it wasn't from anger.
"Look behind you," Liam murmured, his voice dropping an octave.
I didn't have to look. I could hear the heavy, rhythmic thud of expensive sneakers. Daniel.
"What is this?" Daniel's voice boomed. He stood at the edge of our table, his signature cocky swagger replaced by a look of pure confusion. He glanced at me, then at Liam's hand, which was now resting casually near mine. "Megan? Is this some kind of joke?"
I took a deep breath, channeling every bit of resilience I had. I reached out and placed my hand over Liam's. His skin was warm, and I felt a slight jolt at the contact.
"It's not a joke, Daniel," I said, my voice surprisingly steady. "We're together."
Liam's POV
I watched Daniel's face turn a shade of red that matched the school's upholstery. It was satisfying-more than it should have been. But then I caught sight of Sophie at the far table. She wasn't red; she was pale, her green eyes narrowed into slits as she watched us.
"Together?" Daniel scoffed, looking at me. "Since when do you date scholarship girls, Carter? I thought you had standards."
I felt a flash of genuine heat in my chest. I stood up, making sure my height advantage was clear. I didn't have to try hard to look protective; the words came out before I could stop them.
"My standards are exactly where they need to be, Cole," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "And if I hear you call her 'scholarship girl' again, we're going to have a very different kind of conversation."
Daniel stepped back, his eyes darting between us. He muttered something under his breath and stormed off toward the exit.
I sat back down, my adrenaline spiking. I looked at Megan. She was staring at me, her chocolate eyes wide and searching. For a split second, the "fake" part of this felt like it was slipping away.
"That was... a bit much," she whispered, though she didn't pull her hand away.
"Go big or go home, right?" I replied, trying to regain my cool.
Across the room, Elena turned to her friends, her voice carrying over the hum of the crowd. "Did you see that? Liam Carter just growled. This is going to be the best semester ever."
I caught Megan's eye and, for the first time in three years, she didn't look like she wanted to kill me. She looked like she was actually considering that maybe, just maybe, this wasn't going to be a total disaster.
- Writer
