Me & My Invisible Guy

by Sarah Jeffrey

  “Mind if I sit with you?”

  “Sure.”

  We walked toward the cafeteria together, but I couldn’t get my brain working. Say something already.

  I spotted Tess talking to Yvie and a couple of other girls, and she gave me a silent cheer.

  “So what do we do?” Liam asked.

  “About what?”

  “Well, you usually sit with Tess, and I usually sit with Alex. But I doubt Tess will want to sit anywhere near Alex if even half of what he told me is true.”

  “Good point.”

  Liam turned and looked at me with those soft brown eyes. “We could sit by ourselves. Would Tess mind?”

  Would Tess mind? She’d probably give me a medal. “I don’t think so.”

  Liam walked up to one of the smaller tables by the window and dropped his notebook on one of the seats. “Is this all right?”

  “Sure.” I dropped my bag onto another chair and walked with him to get food. I stuck to the salad line, and he got in the grease line. So what if he eats garbage?

  Tess was with some other cheerleaders, and she gave me a wave, letting me know that she would sit somewhere else.

  I got back to the seats first, but Liam didn’t take long. He sat down with his tray of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and, thankfully, a side salad.

  “So, you’re one of those healthy eaters?” he asked.

  “Cheerleading. It’s a lot more work if you don’t eat right.”

  Liam looked at his tray and frowned. “It just tastes so good.” He picked up one of the legs. “Come on, try it.” He held it out in front of me.

  “No way.”

  Liam laughed. “It won’t kill you. One bite. Come on.”

  “I hardly know you, and you’re trying to clog my arteries?”

  “Come on,” he urged.

  “Hey, Liam.”

  I didn’t even have to turn around to know that Lexi was standing right behind me.

  “Hi, Lexi.” Liam set the chicken leg back down on his tray.

  “Mind if I sit with you guys?” she asked.

  “Uhhh, sure,” he said. What else was he supposed to say? But my heart felt as if it had dropped to the floor.

  I managed to keep from letting out the groan I felt inside.

  I looked around for Tess and caught her attention. She scowled when she saw Lexi settling herself in the chair next to Liam. I was trying to decide who had the advantage—me across from Liam, or Lexi next to him—when Tess appeared at the end of our table.

  “Sorry to interrupt you two, but I need to borrow Lexi.”

  “Excuse me?” Lexi asked.

  “Tammy over at Hope House says that you volunteer there sometimes.” Tess was all sweetness and smiles. She was my hero.

  “I did over the summer.”

  “Perfect!” Tess clapped her hands together. “We’re putting together a toy drive for Hope House, and I thought you might like to help us.”

  The girl was brilliant. Lexi glanced at Tess, then Liam, and then me. She wouldn’t be able to refuse without looking bad.

  “Sure.” She stood up very slowly. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

  Tess put her arm around Lexi and steered her away. Now that’s a best friend.

  “A toy drive?” Liam asked.

  I told him about Tess’s plan. “Let me know if you need some more help,” he offered.

  “I’m sure Tess would love any extra help we can get.”

  Now was my chance. I had to do something, especially after two close calls with Lexi. She was positioning herself well, and she would see Liam at church—a place where she would have the definite advantage. How was I supposed to do this? Blurt it out?

  “I think Lexi has a crush on you.” Total fail!

  Liam looked over to where Tess and Lexi were sitting.

  “Really?” he asked.

  I couldn’t tell if he was flattered or simply surprised. He turned back to me. “What about you?”

  “What about me what?” Can he tell I have a crush on him? I swear I stopped breathing for a second.

  “Now that we’ve established you don’t have a boyfriend….”

  “I wouldn’t be sitting here with you if I did, now would I?” Not a bad response. At least it didn’t give away how flustered I was. Did that mean he might be interested?

  “True.”

  Awkward silence.

  At least it was awkward for me. I picked at my salad, trying to figure out the right phrasing to make asking him out sound like something I had just randomly thought of. But with the churning in my stomach, I was afraid I might throw up in the process. Pretend boyfriends are so much easier.

  “So, do you have any plans this weekend?” Liam asked me.

  My heart jumped. “I’m cheering tonight. Home game.”

  “What about after the game? Do you want to catch a late movie or something?”

  “Sure, that sounds great.” I hoped that the silly grin I felt inside wasn’t actually on my face. I had a feeling it probably was.

  The bell rang.

  I felt like doing a cheer but refrained. Score two for me. And I didn’t even have to do the asking.

  I stood at Tess’s Jeep and waited for her to cross the parking lot.

  “You are my hero. My knight in shining armor. My…”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah. But did you do the deed?”

  “No.”

  “What? Mallory!”

  “He asked me out.”

  Tess squealed and grabbed my shoulders. “Details.”

  I told her everything, complete with reenactments.

  Tess squealed again. “I can’t believe you have a date with a real, live guy! And he’s hot! Good grief, it’s about time.”

  I pulled away and stared at her. “What do you mean?”

  Tess leaned on her door. “Mallory.”

  “Mallory what?” I couldn’t read her expression.

  Tess folded her arms. “Mallory. That whole thing with Todd? I mean, come on, I’m not an idiot.”

  I stared at her, trying to get my head around what she was saying.

  “Tess…”

  “It’s over now. Over and done and gone, and you’re moving on, and that’s all that matters.” Tess climbed into the Jeep and put down the window. “Aren’t you coming?”

  I was still stunned. “You knew?”

  “Look, Mallory. I know all about needing something to be true that isn’t. I’m the Queen of Appearances. You know that. I knew you’d get rid of Todd when you were ready.”

  I couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. Tess knew that Todd was a figment of my imagination? That he was some made-up boyfriend? I flicked through all the times we had gone shopping because I was going to see Todd and all the phone calls I’d pretended to get and all the weekend wedding trips I went on with my dad just to say I had gone to see him.

  I am the most horrible person alive.

  I didn’t know what else to do but walk away. I wanted to crawl in a hole and never come out again.

  “Mallory, wait. Mallory!”

  Tess caught up with me, but I kept walking, letting the tears stream down my face.

  “Stop, please.”

  I obeyed and wiped at my face. A girl crying in a high school parking lot wasn’t exactly noteworthy, but I was still self-conscious—a lot of people were hanging around.

  “I didn’t mean to make you cry. I figured it was okay now…. You took down the pictures.”

  I tried to wrestle control of my emotions. Tess knew. Tess knew and wasn’t angry or even hurt. So why was I the one bawling like a baby?

  I was embarrassed. Actually, embarrassed didn’t go far enough—humiliated would be a better word. It was like being blissfully unaware of the fact that you’d been parading around with your skirt tucked into your underwear.

  Tess looked worried and a little confused.

  “Why?” I choked out the question. “Why did you let me lie to you?”

  Tess gave me
a small smile. “Because you weren’t hurting anyone. I have to lie all the time for my mom, and she hurts us every day. You? I don’t know. I guess I just wanted you to be happy.”

  Tess hugged me and pulled me back to the Jeep. “Now get in. Remember the rule? No more talking about Todd. It’s over.”

  I sat there, wrung out and slightly relieved. Tess knew the truth and still loved me. What more could a girl ask for?

  CHAPTER 6

  I could ask for a lot, apparently. The top thing being that Lexi would transfer to another school district. She not only came to the game but planted herself and a couple of her friends on the bleachers right in front of the squad. I swear, every time I had to shake my hips I got a look of judgment from her.

  Tess noticed, too. During a water break she asked, “Does she usually come to the games?”

  I shook my head. “Not that I know of.” I had yet to see Liam, but it was still the first quarter.

  “Lexi’s harmless. Liam asked you out, not her. She’ll get over it.” Tess trotted back to her spot.

  I hoped she was right.

  Just then I caught sight of Liam strolling through the crowds toward the bleachers. He caught my eye and made his way to the fence line where I was standing.

  “Hey, you. Still up for tonight?” He leaned on the metal fence, a killer smile across his face.

  “Yeah. I like your jacket.” I reached out to touch the soft brown leather, and he rested his hand on top of mine. Shivers went through me as well as a shot of fear. I didn’t know what to do on a date. What will I say? How will I act?

  “Mallory!” someone from the squad shouted.

  I heard the music start. “Gotta go!” I ran off, looking back as I jumped into my spot. He was still leaning in the same position, watching.

  I knew the routine cold, so as I spun and cartwheeled and jumped around, I was able to keep track of Liam. First he was just standing there watching me. Then I saw Lexi walking down the bleachers. Then she was standing next to him. And by the time the dance was over, she had moved him up into the bleachers right beside her.

  How dare she? She’d snaked him away all in the span of a four-minute song.

  I stood next to Tess, who had her arms crossed and was scowling in Lexi’s general direction.

  “She’s got nerve, doesn’t she?” Tess said.

  “Yeah, and she’s using it on Liam. Aren’t there a hundred other guys in this school?”

  “She’s probably thinking the same thing about you.”

  “Not helpful.”

  “Why are you even worried about it? Remember, he asked you out.”

  The music started again, and I moved into my place, never taking my eyes off Liam and Lexi. She seemed to be talking to him while he watched the game. And me. He was definitely looking in my direction, and he smiled several times, too. It should have been enough to reassure me, but it wasn’t.

  And the game going into overtime didn’t help. Liam looked at his cell phone several times, and I knew a movie was going to be out of the question if the game didn’t end in the next ten minutes.

  I turned toward the field, willing someone—anyone—on our team to score and end the agony. Tess walked over and stood next to me.

  “You don’t have to see a movie. It’d be better to go somewhere you can talk, anyway.”

  I nodded.

  The opposing team fumbled, and the crowd reacted with a gasp. One of our players snatched the ball and began running, and we all started yelling as we watched him dodge the other players and cross into the end zone.

  We turned and shook our pom-poms in the air at the crowd. Liam and Lexi were both on their feet but were looking at each other, engrossed in a conversation.

  A moment later Lexi turned and started moving, working her way down the bleachers with Liam following her.

  Tess and I went to gather our bags, everyone in high spirits because of the win. Me, I felt sick to my stomach. How can you want something so badly and be totally scared of it at the exact same time?

  Tess put her arm around me and squeezed my shoulders. “Have fun and call me the second it’s over. Promise?”

  “Promise.”

  She walked away with a couple of other girls from the squad. I checked my cell phone and immediately wished I hadn’t. Three texts, all from Mom, expecting me to be back home by nine to stay with Darby. It was already after eight.

  I stared at the texts. It will be fine. Darby will be fine.

  Right?

  For the first time in my life, I had an adorable guy with a smile on his face waiting for me.

  I’ll only be a little late. I shoved my phone into my bag and walked toward Liam.

  “Hey, you,” I said.

  He smiled. Even with all my fluttery nerves, I was so happy that smile was for me.

  “I think we missed the movie,” he said. “Are you hungry? We could get something to eat.”

  “Sure.” I fell in step next to him.

  “Where do you want to go?”

  I considered that. The typical after-football hangouts would be crowded and uncomfortable for a first date. But the non-hangout places would be too quiet. Decisions were not my forte.

  We’d made it all the way to Liam’s car, and I still couldn’t figure out the best place to go.

  “Maybe Roxy’s?”

  “That’s the one on Courthouse?” he asked.

  “Yeah.” Roxy’s would be crowded but probably not as bad as some other places.

  It took a while to get out of the parking lot, so it wasn’t until we got onto the road that he turned and looked at me.

  “That was some impressive stuff you did out there.”

  “Oh, I can only do the basics. Tara’s the one who does the really fancy moves.”

  “I guess I didn’t realize how many stunts cheerleaders do.”

  “Don’t go to many games, huh?”

  “Football seems bigger here than at the last place I lived. I figured I’d try to have the whole experience since I’ll be able to stay and graduate here.”

  “You will?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Where’d you live before this?”

  “Connecticut. Hockey was the game to play up there. I even learned to ice-skate, but I never got good enough to actually make a team. Before that it was South Carolina.”

  “Do you play any sports?”

  “Not really. I guess I’m more into music.” He said it apologetically.

  “Like what kind?”

  “All kinds. I play the piano and guitar, and I’m learning to play the drums.”

  “Wow. That’s pretty impressive, too.”

  He smiled at the compliment, then pulled the car into the parking lot of Roxy’s. It was way more crowded than I thought it would be.

  We went inside and ordered some drinks.

  It wasn’t going badly. Liam was easy to talk to, and since we didn’t know each other, asking questions was just natural. So far, so good.

  I wanted to bring up Lexi, just to see what his reaction would be, but it seemed like a desperate thing to do. No reason to let on that I was concerned about her.

  “What about you? You grew up here?” he asked.

  “Pretty much.”

  “And your family?’

  “Older sister. Mom and dad. All pretty normal.” At least that’s the way it looked to everyone else. It was kind of strange to realize that I couldn’t be totally honest with him, even though I swore I wouldn’t lie anymore. Keeping my family secrets from Todd was easy, of course, but what about a real boyfriend?

  Enough! It was just our first date, and I was already stressing over what secrets I was allowed to keep from a boyfriend.

  “Normal’s okay. Actually, normal can be great.” Liam looked at me, I mean, really looked at me, like he was trying to see something inside of me. His eyes were the color of milk chocolate, and I wanted to reach over and brush his hair out of the way.

  Then I happened to glance up and
see Lexi coming through the door with a couple of other girls. I rolled my eyes, and Liam turned to look over his shoulder.

  “I think she’s stalking you,” I said. And ticking me off.

  “Don’t worry about it,” he said.

  I didn’t want to worry about it, but she was making a beeline for our table. I sat back in the bench seat as she stopped at the end of the table.

  “Funny running into you two here,” she said.

  “Hilarious,” I said.

  Liam looked at her. “I think your friends are waiting for you.” He pointed to the booth they had grabbed near the windows.

  “Oh, they can wait. I was going to ask if I could get a ride to church on Sunday.” Lexi smiled at him, a picture of feigned innocence.

  Liam cleared his throat and looked at me. I tried to act uninterested, but my whole body tensed, waiting to see what he would do. I will not kill Lexi.

  “Sure. I guess so.”

  “Thanks!” Lexi grabbed his hand. “That’ll be such a help.” She bounced off, and he turned his attention back to me.

  “Sorry about that.”

  I wasn’t sure what he was sorry about. Lexi? Giving her a ride?

  “We’re just friends, in case you’re wondering,” he added.

  “I think she’d like to be more than friends.”

  Liam fixed his eyes on me. “I’m more interested to know how you feel.”

  I felt my cheeks grow hot as he took my hand in his. “About…?”

  He grinned. “This. You. Me.”

  “I’m pretty interested.”

  He picked up my hand and kissed it. “Glad to hear it. Because I am, too.”

  Now I was positive that there was a silly grin on my face, but I didn’t care.

  The crowded restaurant seemed to disappear as we talked. I found out all sorts of things about him. He was the younger of two and was probably grossly underplaying his musical talent. I found myself wanting to hear him sing.

  And he seemed genuinely interested in me. I told him about my family—leaving out the bits about Darby, of course—and about my friendship with Tess. By the time we left, I was no closer to understanding why I liked him so much, but I was surer than ever that I wanted to be around him. As much as possible.

  Then we got in the car and I saw the time. Ten o’clock? Panic set in immediately. I couldn’t bring myself to even look at my phone.