The following Monday, the atmosphere at school felt different. Liam noticed it the moment he walked through the gates. People turned to look at him, whispered behind their hands, and occasionally called out greetings. His transformation was no longer subtle—it had become impossible to ignore.
But amidst the sudden attention, something felt off. Emily was nowhere to be seen.
---
At lunch, Liam found her sitting at their usual spot under the oak tree, but she wasn't alone. A group of girls—Emily's friends—sat with her, their laughter floating through the air. Liam hesitated. He was used to having Emily to himself.
"Hey," he said, walking up to her.
Emily looked up, startled. "Oh, hi, Liam."
He glanced at the others, who were eyeing him curiously. "Can we talk?"
Emily frowned slightly but nodded. "Sure." She stood and followed him a few steps away.
"What's up?" she asked.
"I didn't see you this morning," Liam said, his tone more accusatory than he intended.
Emily shrugged. "I was with the girls. You're usually busy with... other people now, anyway."
Liam blinked. "What does that mean?"
"Nothing." She crossed her arms, avoiding his gaze.
"Emily, come on," Liam pressed. "If something's wrong, just say it."
She looked at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Okay. Fine. You've changed, Liam. And not just how you look. You're... different. Distant."
"I'm not—"
"Yes, you are," Emily interrupted. "Ever since Naomi started paying attention to you, it's like you don't need me anymore. I mean, why would you? She's everything you've ever wanted, right?"
Liam opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out. Was she right? He had been chasing Naomi's attention for so long that he hadn't stopped to think about how it might affect his friendship with Emily.
"I didn't mean to make you feel that way," he said finally.
Emily's expression softened, but the hurt lingered in her eyes. "I know you didn't. But that doesn't change how things feel now."
Before he could respond, one of the girls called out to Emily. "We've got to go! Mrs. Carter's going to kill us if we're late!"
Emily glanced back at them, then at Liam. "I'll see you later, okay?"
"Yeah," Liam said, but his voice lacked conviction.
As she walked away, he felt a pang of regret.
---
That afternoon, Liam found himself at the gym. It had become his sanctuary—a place where he could channel his frustrations and clear his mind.
"You're pushing yourself too hard," one of the trainers said as Liam finished a grueling set.
Liam wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Just trying to keep up."
"With who?" the trainer asked, raising an eyebrow.
Liam didn't answer. He wasn't sure anymore.
---
The next day, Naomi approached him in the hallway, her bright smile cutting through his clouded thoughts.
"Liam! There's this new café downtown. You should come with me after school."
The invitation caught him off guard. "Uh, I don't know. I've got... stuff to do."
Naomi tilted her head, pouting slightly. "Come on, it'll be fun. You need to take a break from all that serious stuff."
Liam hesitated. Naomi was everything he'd ever wanted—beautiful, popular, confident. But the more time he spent with her, the more he realized how superficial their connection felt.
"I'll think about it," he said finally.
Her smile wavered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "Okay, let me know!"
As she walked away, Liam's thoughts drifted back to Emily.
---
That evening, Liam decided to take a walk to clear his head. As he turned a corner, he saw Emily sitting on the swings at the neighborhood park, her face illuminated by the soft glow of a nearby streetlamp.
He approached cautiously. "Hey."
Emily looked up, surprised. "Liam? What are you doing here?"
"Just... needed some air," he said, sitting on the swing next to her.
They sat in silence for a moment, the creak of the swings filling the space between them.
"Emily, I'm sorry," Liam said finally.
She glanced at him, her expression guarded. "For what?"
"For being an idiot," he said, managing a small smile. "For not realizing how important you are to me until now."
Her eyes softened, but she didn't respond immediately. "I'm still here, Liam. But I can't be the one always waiting for you to notice me."
Her words hit him harder than he expected. He nodded slowly. "I get it. And I don't want you to feel that way anymore."
Emily studied him for a moment before sighing. "Let's just take it one step at a time, okay?"
"Okay," Liam said, relief washing over him.
As they walked home together, the weight on Liam's chest began to lift. For the first time, he felt like he was moving in the right direction.
---