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“Yes?” I don’t look up from my computer.
“Hannah, look at me.” The commanding tone he uses shouldn’t do something to me, but it does. To my surprise, I listen without a fight.
“What?” The moment our eyes meet, my stomach flutters, an unwelcome swarm of butterflies descending.
“When people compliment you…believe them.”
My eyes stay pinned on his. I’m unsure what to say.
It’s not that I can’t take a compliment, but when they come from him, I find myself questioning how genuine they are. Their sheer rarity and his otherwise detest of my presencedoesn’t exactly lend itself to hearing a compliment and not instantly questioning his motive.
When he’s like this, I’m reminded of the boy I used to know, the boy who held my heart in the palm of his hand and chose to tear it to shreds anyway. I’m reminded of who I thought he was all those years ago… I just need to remind myself that he hasn’t changed; he’s never been that boy.
“Be careful, Liam,” I say, my words a hoarse whisper. “Keep saying stuff like that and people might start to think you actually care about me.”
He shifts from his serious demeanor back to playful, the stark change causing my head to spin.
“No one would ever believe that.” He scoffs as he adjusts the cuffs of his shirt and stands, but he doesn’t move away from my side of the room. “But seriously, Hannah, you shouldn’t let people talk down to you…even me. I know I seldom get away with that without you biting back, but I wish you’d find that with other people.”
I know he’s referring to my mom in the way he says it, which shifts the butterflies in my stomach to a churning sensation.
“I bite back because I hate you,” I grit out, the animosity not finding my eyes.
“You really are a good actor. Sometimes I even think you hate me…but we both know that’s not true.” He smirks again with a wink, this time turning away to walk to his desk.
My mouth drops open as I stare at him walking away.
“You’ll catch flies with your mouth hanging open like that.” He doesn’t even turn around as he speaks.
How the hell does he do that?
Despite my shock, it has the desired effect, and I snap my mouth shut to stop mygawking.
“Go ahead and head out.”
“But you said you needed me to stay late with you.”
“Yeah, but there’s no point in us both being stuck here late. You got me your notes and that’s all I needed from you, so go home.”
I remain in place despite his words.
“Hannah, go home.” The commanding tone from before returns, igniting the same reaction.
Butterflies…that need to be squashed.
As I stare at him, our eyes linger far longer than feels appropriate. Yet neither of us is willing to break contact.
I clear my throat, peeling my eyes away from his with the nagging desire to rid myself of the flutter that’s taken up residence in my stomach.
“Gladly—to get away from you.” My scorching tone appears to throw him off, the playful Liam from before nowhere in sight.
“Exactly.” He sits back down at his desk, the cold demeanor I’ve grown accustomed to back in place as if it never slipped.
THIRTEEN
HANNAH
Oddly enough, this is the first time I’ve been fully alone with Gen since I moved out of their house. Not for a lack of her trying, mind you, but I’ve been struggling to find a new normal between us after everything that has happened.
