ards, unable to shake the restless energy that had settled under my skin since yesterday. When my

00

my grip on the phone

y, Pri

ble that sent an involunt

gross," I laughed, though

g a jacket," he commanded, the a

rted, hanging up before my h

a way I hoped looked intentional. Zara always said I was 'okay' looking, but tonight, my eyes seemed different. Th

y fit together like a perfect puzzle. I was the piece tha

and Liam loved, so naturally, I loved them too. Paired with black leggin

tely no

and Liam were huddled in the kitchen, their voices a hushed,

Li

and the air

hite shirt crisp against his tan skin, the top button undone to reveal the hollow o

tating. And he w

ked, a crooked grin

Luna, stop staring.

dressed," I managed to say, tug

his gaze sweeping over

, but the atmosphere in the room shifted. Mum looked at us, her eyes

? You

"Have fun, sweetheart." Dad wrapped an arm around

the driveway. He opened the passenger door

rmured, sliding in

n a way that made my pulse jump.

scent of him; clean rain, pine needles, and a sharp hint of mint filled t

asked, reaching into the backse

t...

rthday, Lu

of roses so red they looked almost

If he were any other guy.

ark corner of my mind. "Liam,

" His voice was

ay a delicate gold chain holding a single, teardrop-shaped emerald

... L

our eyes," he said simply, w

the cool stone. "You should be giving thi

silent. The

d," he said, his gaze inte

n possible? You're..." I ges

ng for the

gnore the irrational wave of relief that

ght," he snapped,

reaking slightly. "Just c

to put i

Su

fting it off my neck an

fying. He didn't touch me more than necessary, but the heat radiating from him was palpable.

g my judgment. For a second, just a sec

The mantra repeated in my

his breath ghosting o

ws hiding my flushed face. Liam was lo

t," he m

e purring to life. We drove in silence, the city ligh

e quiet. Taylor Swift's All Too Well

I raised

vely. "And for the record, her songwri

," I s

u," he said, his voic

iving into the darkness now, the streetligh

ay," I ventured, looking out at the looming trees. We

nt, his eyes fixed

to murder me, are you?" I joked, thoug

una," he said. The gravity

atching the trees blur past, trying to silence the voice in my head th