The next morning, Liam found himself back at his desk, staring blankly at the textbooks in front of him. The events of yesterday kept replaying in his mind—Joe's arrogance, the way Lily had brushed off her fever like it was nothing. He couldn't shake the feeling that maybe she didn't take care of herself because no one else had ever cared enough to insist she did.
Shoving those thoughts aside, Liam grabbed his backpack and headed out the door. As usual, he made his way to Lily's locker before class, hoping to catch her before she could run off into some other disaster.
When he arrived, Lily was already there, leaning against her locker, eyes half-lidded and her cheeks flushed. It was obvious she was still sick, but she still wore that signature smile, as if pretending everything was fine would magically make it true.
"You look worse than yesterday," Liam said as he approached, a frown settling on his face.
"I feel fine!" Lily chirped, though her voice was hoarse and shaky. She gave him a playful grin. "Just a little tired, that's all."
"Lily, come on. You can't keep doing this," he said, shaking his head. "You're not a superhero. You're allowed to take a break when you're sick."
Lily's grin faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "I can't miss school! I'll fall behind, and besides, you're always here to catch me if I stumble."
Liam felt a pang in his chest at her words. She was so used to people taking advantage of her that she didn't even realize when someone was genuinely concerned for her well-being. He was about to say something when Lily suddenly swayed, her hand reaching out to steady herself on the locker.
"Okay, that's it," Liam said, catching her arm gently. "You're going to the nurse's office."
"No, no, I'm fine!" she protested, though her voice was weaker now. "It's just a little fever."
Liam didn't bother arguing. Instead, he slung her backpack over his shoulder and led her down the hall toward the nurse's office, ignoring her half-hearted protests.
When they reached the quiet office, Liam helped her sit down in one of the chairs while the nurse took her temperature. Sure enough, she had a fever.
"She needs to go home," the nurse said, eyeing Liam. "Can you get someone to pick her up?"
Lily sighed. "I don't want to bother my parents. They're busy, and it's really not that bad."
Liam's frown deepened. He hated how Lily always downplayed her needs, as if she wasn't worth the trouble. But he knew better than to argue with her when she was like this.
"Well, if you're staying, I'm staying too," he said firmly. "I'll make sure you're okay."
Lily glanced at him, her eyes softening. "You don't have to do that…"
"I know. But I want to," he said simply.
Later that day
Liam had brought Lily home after school, insisting she rest while he helped with her homework. They sat in her living room, papers and books scattered across the coffee table, though Lily's focus was clearly fading.
"I really don't know how you put up with me," Lily muttered, leaning her head against the couch cushion. "I'm such a mess."
Liam paused, glancing at her. "You're not a mess," he said, his voice steady. "You just don't take care of yourself because you're too busy worrying about everyone else. But I'll be here to remind you."
Lily smiled softly, her eyes fluttering closed for a brief moment. Then, suddenly, her smile turned mischievous as she sat up a little, peering at him.
"You're just saying that because you secretly like taking care of me," she teased, her voice playful despite the lingering fever.
Liam rolled his eyes, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Right. Because there's nothing I enjoy more than babysitting you."
"Liar," she shot back with a grin. She scooted a little closer to him, her hand brushing against his arm. "I bet if I asked you to stay here all night, you would."
He raised an eyebrow, leaning back just slightly, though his gaze never left hers. "Don't push your luck, Davenport."
She giggled softly, but her smile faded into something softer, her eyes lingering on him in a way that made Liam's heart skip. "You know... I really do appreciate you, Liam. More than you think."
For a moment, the room felt heavier, the air between them charged with something unspoken. Liam cleared his throat, trying to shake off the strange flutter in his chest. "I know. And you don't have to say it."
Lily gave him one last smile before settling back against the cushions, her eyelids drooping as exhaustion finally caught up with her. "Well... if you ever want to say it back... I'm listening."
Liam chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Get some sleep, Lily."
Later that evening
As the sun began to set, Liam packed up his things and prepared to leave. He glanced back at Lily, now fully asleep on the couch, wrapped in a blanket he had fetched for her earlier. For a moment, he just stood there, watching her breathe softly, her face peaceful despite the fever.
He quietly slipped out of the house, the cool evening air hitting him as he walked down the street toward his own home. His mind was still buzzing with thoughts of Lily—how she always managed to get under his skin with her teasing, how effortlessly she could make him smile even when he didn't want to. And how, despite everything, he couldn't help but want to stay by her side.
As he made his way home, one thought kept circling back in his mind: maybe, just maybe, his feelings for Lily were more than just friendship. But if that were true, what would he do about it?