Liam leaned against the wall, arms crossed as he watched Lily and Emily rush around the apartment, excitement palpable in their voices. They had spent the morning convincing him to leave his books behind for a day outdoors—a plan he resisted from the start.
"Come on, Liam!" Lily chirped, practically bouncing over. "It's just one day off. All you ever do is study and sleep!"
Liam shrugged, unphased. "Maybe because studying is what actually matters?"
Emily rolled her eyes. "You're coming, no debate. Besides, we already have it planned out."
They left him no choice, dragging him outside and heading to the riverside field, where Avery was already waiting with an enthusiastic grin.
"There he is! I thought you'd chickened out," Avery teased, hands on her hips as she sized him up.
Liam, arms still crossed, barely spared her a glance. "Let's just get this over with."
Ignoring his disinterest, Avery clapped her hands together. "Perfect! We'll start with a 50-meter dash. Quick and easy warm-up."
They took their marks at the makeshift start line, Avery stretching her legs with visible excitement, while Liam simply stood, eyes half-lidded. Lily and Emily stood on the sidelines, ready to cheer and call the start.
"Ready... set… go!"
The two took off, Avery sprinting with all her might, but Liam's speed left her in the dust. By the time she crossed the finish line, he was already waiting, leaning against a tree with an expression that was more boredom than pride.
Avery caught her breath, her eyes alight with challenge. "Alright, alright, I get it. You're fast. But let's see you keep up in a 100-meter dash!"
Liam merely raised an eyebrow but said nothing, taking his place at the starting line again. The moment Emily signaled them, he bolted forward, finishing the 100 meters with a solid lead once again. Avery, though determined, couldn't close the gap.
"Again?" she asked, breathing heavily but undeterred.
"Sure," he replied, a hint of condescension in his voice. "Though I don't see it ending any differently."
They continued with different races, from another 50-meter dash to a longer 1-kilometer run. In every event, Liam maintained his lead, finishing effortlessly and looking indifferent each time. Avery's competitive spirit kept her trying, though it was clear she was becoming frustrated.
"You're really something," Avery finally admitted, hands on her knees as she caught her breath. "No wonder they call you a robot."
"Not a robot," Liam said, flatly, with a faint smirk. "Just focused."
As Avery took a break, Lily and Emily decided to jump in, challenging Liam to a short race of their own. Though they didn't stand a chance against him, their exaggerated sprints and playful remarks lightened the mood.
"Oh, look at him go!" Lily said, feigning dramatic disbelief as Liam breezed past her with ease. "It's like he's not even human!"
Emily joined in, giggling. "I don't think he even broke a sweat."
Liam's expression didn't change much, but he glanced at them with faint amusement. "You two wouldn't last five seconds if you were actually trying to compete."
Avery, catching her breath and watching the three, smirked. "I'm impressed. Didn't expect you to join us, let alone put us all to shame."
Liam shrugged. "Didn't have much choice."
Though his tone was as cool as ever, there was a flicker of something lighter in his gaze. Avery noticed it but decided not to press further.
As the afternoon wore on, they alternated between races and quick breaks by the river, the girls chatting and laughing while Liam sat slightly apart, occasionally listening but rarely joining in. Despite his aloof attitude, he couldn't completely ignore the sense of ease that had settled over the group.
When the sun began to dip toward the horizon, casting an orange glow across the river, they finally called it a day. Avery was already planning their next outing, insisting she'd beat Liam one of these times.
"Not a chance," Liam said with a hint of challenge, but his tone remained as cool as ever.
Lily grinned, nudging him playfully. "Admit it, you had fun."
Liam shrugged, hiding any sign of enjoyment. "It was… fine."
The others laughed, knowing that for Liam, "fine" was probably the closest they'd get to an admission of fun.