Well, whatever it is they’re debating.
Madison follows my gaze to the stage, where our school debate team is assembled. And he’s up there. Liam. Oh my God, he looks so handsome in that nice blue button-down shirt. Once again, my heart does this weird thing in my chest. If I didn’t know better, I’d think I should go see a doctor.
“He is so hot,” I murmur as I lean back in my seat.
Madison crinkles her nose, which is totally free of freckles. Madison doesn’t have one freckle, but she always complains about her double chin. “I don’t know, Liv. I don’t like him.”
“You are so weird. What don’t you like about him? He’s, like, perfect and gorgeous.”
“He’s…” Madison’s gaze travels back to the stage. “I don’t know. He just seems really… Like, when he talks, he seems so fake.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It’s hard to explain. I feel like everyone else is real, like they’re really living life. But Liam is, like, this actor who is being paid to hang out with us.”
I stare at her. “What the hell are you talking about, Mad?”
“I’m just saying. I feel like I don’t trust him entirely. He’s a phony. You know?”
I’m not going to point out to her that between Aidan and Liam, it’s clear who is more trustworthy. Liam is a straight-A student, and he’s a star on both the debate team and the track team. Whereas Aidan is built like a bull, he’s failing two classes, and he almost got expelled last year for getting into a fistfight in the hallway at school. If anyone makes me uneasy, it’s Aidan.
Liam catches my eye, and maybe it’s my imagination, but his whole face seems to light up when he sees me and he waves enthusiastically. Is it possible he likes me as much as I like him? I mean, he invited me to come today. So maybe he does. The thought of it is enough to make my heart start beating faster again. Liam Cass. God, he’s so cute.
But then he starts talking to another girl, who is on stage with them. That’s Olivia Reynolds. She and I share the same first name, but that’s where the similarities end. She’s on the debate team, like Liam, and she’s really gorgeous. She has silky blonde hair that looks professionally styled, and she’s totally stacked. Unfairly stacked, given how skinny she is. When she’s talking to Liam, the two of them look like a really attractive couple. Between the two of us Olivias, she’s clearly the superior one.
How could Liam like me when she’s around?
I try not to think about it.
By the way, Liam is totally brilliant during the debate. I don’t even entirely understand what they’re debating. Something about transportation between different states. It’s all really boring, honestly. But Liam is such a good speaker. He should become a politician or something. Whenever he talks, everybody is paying such close attention to him. Even Madison looks up from her phone for, like, two seconds.
The judges deliberate at the end, and our home team wins the debate. I applaud as loudly as I can. Madison just rolls her eyes. She isn’t into extracurricular activities, and to be honest, neither am I.
“So are you going to go talk to him now?” she asks me.
“What?” My eyes fly up to the front of the room, where Liam is now talking to Olivia Reynolds. Again. God, she’s really pretty. It’s so unfair. “Now?”
Madison huffs. “You made me sit through that whole stupid boring debate and you’re not even going to go talk to him? Seriously, Olivia?”
“He’s busy.”
“So? Interrupt him.”
“I can’t just talk to him out of nowhere.”
“Why not?”
“It would be weird.”
“Seriously, Liv.” She holds up a hand. “I can’t even.”
Maybe if Liam weren’t talking to Olivia Reynolds, I could go up to him. But I’m not wrong. It would be weird if I went up there now. I mean, he’s going to think I’m some total stalker or something.
I start to explain that to Madison, but she’s not listening anymore because Aidan has burst into the auditorium to find her. He’s still wearing his outfit from football practice, and he stinks of sweat. God, couldn’t he have taken a shower or something before coming here? The first thing he does is plant his lips on Madison’s and they kiss for like five minutes straight. It’s so gross. I try not to look. They probably wouldn’t even notice if I left right now.
“Hey, Aidan.” Madison separates from Aidan for a split second, probably because she needs to breathe. “Tell Olivia she should go talk to Liam.”