Author: Kirsty Moseley

‘Me too. That couch is surprisingly comfy, better than my bed but that’s prob because U were there’ he replied, making me smile.

‘U could always stay over tonight. Maybe I could sneak out to the lounge after Kate’s asleep’ I text him back.

‘I like that idea! What R U doing today? Wanna do something?’ he asked.

‘Not sure, think I need to spend the day with Kate though seeing as she’s staying here’ I replied.

‘That girl is ruining everything, first I can’t stay over, now I can’t spend the day with you! Strong dislike coming from over here’ he text back, making me giggle.

We text each other back and forth for about an hour and I was glad that I decided to upgrade my phone package so that I got unlimited texts, otherwise this would be costing me a fortune.

I got up a couple of hours later, getting dressed and heading out to the kitchen. Liam was already over. I shouldn’t have been surprised really; he was hardly ever at his house. He spent most of the day here when he wasn’t at school, leaving around nine o’clock only to sneak back in through my window around ten thirty anyway. I smiled at him but quickly looked away because he was sitting next to Jake.

“Morning, Ambs. Where’s Kate? Did you talk to her about not touching me?” Jake asked, making me laugh at his serious expression.

“She’s in the shower. Anyway, you should be flattered that she likes you, though maybe she’ll move onto Liam today,” I teased, winking at him.

Liam groaned. “No way! I’m seeing someone,” he stated confidently. I blushed slightly and shifted uncomfortably on my feet because he’d just said that to Jake.

Jake’s face snapped in his direction. “You’re seeing someone? As in, like, seriously? You don’t do relationships,” he said, frowning and looking at him disbelievingly.

“I crazy about her,” Liam replied, shrugging. I made my way over to the fridge to get some milk for my cereal, trying to pretend I wasn’t there. My heart was crashing in my chest. Oh God he was going to do it! He was going to tell Jake!

“Crazy about her? As in, you’re not going to mess her around? She must be a really great screw,” Jake said, smirking and slapping him on the back proudly. I choked on my orange juice.

“I’ve not slept with her. She believes in no sex before marriage.” Liam smirked.

Jake looked like he nearly passed out, he was looking at Liam like he had grown another head. “You…. she…. what?” he stuttered, shaking his head violently.

Liam just laughed. “As of now, I’m officially off the market. So, Angel, tell your friend that I’m taken,” he instructed, turning to me and giving me a wink.

“I will. Wow, so a reformed man-whore, maybe there is hope for you after all, Jake.” I laughed, throwing a coco pop at him.

“No way, I give it a week and Liam will be back to his old self, sleeping with anything that moves,” Jake stated confidently.

“I don’t know Jake; he looks pretty serious to me,” I said as I finished my breakfast. Liam smiled at me, he obviously liked what I said, showing my trust.

“Finally, you’ve learned to use the head that’s attached to your neck,” Jake joked, making me flinch at his words.

“I think it’s sweet, Liam. She’s a lucky girl; hopefully you won’t break her heart,” I muttered, looking down at my empty bowl, just hoping that he wouldn’t hurt me.

“I won’t,” Liam stated confidently. I smiled as I walked back to my room to see Kate. I could hear Jake quizzing Liam in the kitchen and I didn‘t want to be there for it.

“So, what shall we do today?” I asked Kate as she was applying her usual ton of make-up.

“Hmm, I know, how about we go bowling? I could call Sarah and Sean. We could ask your brother and Liam to come,” she chirped excitedly. I didn’t really like bowling much, but my other friends loved it. We probably ended up going about one a month.

“Sure, I’ll call them.” I grabbed my cellphone and dialled Sarah’s number.

“I’ll go ask sex god one and two.” Kate smiled, skipping out of my bedroom.

I followed behind her as Sarah answered. “Hey, Sar, want to come bowling?” I asked cheerfully, as Kate plopped herself down next to Jake on the couch, practically sitting on his lap.

“Yeah sure. What time?” she replied, sounding excited.

“We’ll meet you there in, say, an hour?” I suggested, looking at my watch, it was only just after ten now so that should be fine.

“OK. I’ll call Sean, I can pick him up on the way,” she chirped.

I grinned because Kate was now flirting with Jake shamelessly. “OK great. See you there.” I disconnected the call and leant against the wall, watching my best friend plead with my brother.

“Please come with us? Then you can see how skilled I am with balls,” Kate purred, fluttering her eyelashes. Liam choked on his laughter, quickly turning it into a cough as Kate turned to face him. “Come on, Liam, I’ll make it worth your while. I know you’re a good player, how about you teach me a few tricks?” she said seductively, moving closer to him. He looked uncomfortable with her advances. I was actually enjoying him squirm. Usually, he would flirt back with her, but today he looked like he wanted to run away.

I decided to help him out. “Kate, will you leave them alone? I don’t want my slut of a brother, and his reformed slut of a best friend, coming, if I have to watch you throw yourself at them all day,” I scoffed, pretending to gag. I was actually getting quite annoyed that she was still looking at Liam like she wanted to eat him there and then. Liam looked at me gratefully, which made my heart seem to stutter slightly in my chest.

Kate grinned at me. “Hmm, well where’s the fun in that?” she asked, winking at me and making me chuckle.

“We’re going bowling in an hour anyway; if you want to come it’s up to you. Sarah and Sean are coming, and maybe Terri too.” I shrugged, plopping on the floor by Liam’s feet, leaning against his legs. I could see Kate staring at me with shocked, wide eyes, so I quickly moved away from him, blushing like crazy.

“I don’t mind bowling. What do you think, Jake, want to whip the girl’s asses?” Liam asked, grinning.

Kate nodded quickly. “I’m definitely up for some whipping,” she said enthusiastically. The boys both ignored her.

“Yeah OK. I like bowling I guess. Hey, Liam, why don’t you ask your girlfriend to come along too? Or are you afraid that she’ll take one look at me and think she’s made a mistake and dump your ass for an upgrade?” Jake joked.

“My girlfriend wouldn’t even look at you, Jake, so I don’t have anything to worry about,” Liam answered confidently; I could hear the amusement in his voice. I just blushed harder, trying to melt into the sofa and disappear.

“You have a girlfriend, Liam?” Kate asked, frowning. She looked like she was trying to solve a complicated math problem, her face all scrunched up in concentration.

“Yep he does. Some mystery girl who he’s crazy about, apparently,” Jake scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Kate’s eyes shot to me for some reason. She looked like she was trying to bore a hole in my face. I gulped and looked away, not really wanting to lie to my best friend. She gasped and looked at me with wide eyes, then looked at Liam, then back to me, silently asking if it was me. Holy crap, what is she a mind reader or something? I nodded slowly, trying not to be obvious, making her gasp again and giggle excitedly.

“Let’s go finish getting ready in your room, Amber!” she cried, jumping up. She was so excited that she actually clapped her hands like a child. I groaned internally, oh great, here it comes, the million questions.

“I’m already ready.” I shook my head at her warningly.

“I need your help in the bedroom with something!” she hissed, looking like she would murder me if I didn’t get up right now. I pushed myself up and I heard Liam chuckle from the couch. I rolled my eyes at him; he really had a big mouth at times! But it is a sweet mouth.

I followed Kate into my bedroom; she shut the door and grabbed me. “I knew it! That boy has been eyeing you for years!” she cried, jumping up and down. I laughed at her excitement; she seemed almost as pleased about it as if it was her going out with him.

“He has not!” I smiled.

She dragged me over to the bed. “Oh be quiet! He is always looking at you. He finds any excuse to touch you. He flirts with you shamelessly, and is always telling you how hot you are.” She sighed dreamily. “So, young lady, when were you planning on telling me, your best friend?” she scolded, playfully.

“Er well, we were going to keep it secret for a couple of weeks. Jake’s really not going to like it.” I cringed slightly at the thought of the warning look I’d seen him giving Liam earlier when we were cleaning after the party; he was really opposed to the idea of me dating him.

“Wow, yeah, I didn’t think about that. Jake’s going to be crazy mad!” she said with wide eyes. I nodded, playing with my hands in my lap. “So, when did all this happen? You were together at the party, right? He was staring at you the whole night, and he beat the crap out of Jessica’s brother for kissing you.”

I gasped, a little shocked. “He beat up Jessica’s brother?” I asked. I remembered him pinning him against the wall, but then I ran off to be sick.

“Yeah. He was shouting at him to keep his filthy hands off you, and that you didn’t want him to kiss you. He’d seen you trying to push him away, apparently. Liam hit him a couple of times before the team broke it up. Then he just disappeared after that, Jake said he went home.” She eyed me curiously. I knew my face was red, I was a terrible liar. “He didn’t go home, did he?” She smirked at me knowingly.

I took a deep breath and shook my head. She screamed, literally screamed, and about two seconds later Jake and Liam came bursting into my room.