Chapter 2

"One more word about demand and supply and I'm going to hurl" Sage said rubbing her temples as we walked out of the classroom, taking our things with us. We were heading straight for the cafeteria. After hours of hopping from class to class, it was finally time to have lunch, I could barely wait even though Vesper, Sage and I had secretly shared Oreos at the back of the class during the lecture. "I quite enjoy the subject" Vesper said with a shrug. "You slept through half of it" I pointed out. "Hey I was just closing my eyes, I could hear everything clearly" She defended. "How about we sit somewhere different for today? Looks like your boyfriend's table is full so..." Sage said with a shrug, taking a tray and getting in line. "Aww, that's too bad!" Vesper pouted before squinting at the popular tables and adjusting her glasses. "Who's the new guy? He's so fine." "That's Liam's cousin, from New York" I said. "I love his outfit." Vesper sighed, dreamily. "Black on black on black?" Sage asked, shooting a disgusted look over her shoulder. "He looks so good, I could run my hands through that hair anytime, what's his name?" Vesper continued anyways. "Gosh Vesper!" Sage groaned. "Owen" I said, "he's not really nice anyways" "Just like every single person at that 'popular' table" Sage put in, making air quotes. I took my tray that was full of food by now and left the line. "Liam is nice." Sage only laughed, throwing her head back. "Lyra!" Liam's loud voice called from where he was seated and I turned to look. He waved us over to the table and we, including a reluctant Sage, went over. "Get lost Lloyd, my girl needs to sit" Liam shooed one of the football guys away so I could sit next to him, rather, between him and Owen. "Hi Lyra!" One of the several girls called, waving from the other side of the table. She looked so chic and glamorous. "It's Lyra" I said quietly so she couldn't hear but I waved back. "Nice outfit" Another girl said. "Nerd." She added quietly and they all giggled like they were sharing an inside joke. Great, they were mocking me. I only realized that Sage and Vesper hadn't gotten seats a bit too late. I caught a glimpse of them walking away to find somewhere else to stay. "What about my friends?" I asked Liam who looked down at me with a smile. "There's no room for them here, they can find somewhere else to stay" "Can't you make room?" "And chase my friends away? Hell no. If you have a problem with it, you can just leave" He said calmly. I stared at him for a second, actually considering it. "I- I'm fine here" I finally said, but he'd already turned away to toss an apple at a guy with glasses. "You realize this table is for wannabes, right?" Owen said quietly next to me before taking a bite of his beef burger. "You're here too" I murmured, staring down at my plate and fidgeting with my fingers. "You realise if I try real hard I can actually hear you, Squeaky?" He said, giving me a sly, side look. I turned to frown at him just as Liam grabbed my waist from my other side, laughing loudly at something someone said. With a wince, I tried to pry his fingers away but he kept coming back. Sighing in resignation, I picked at the diced apples in my tray. Lunch went by slowly and I kept casting longing glances at Sage and Vesper. They were near the window, having fresh air which was scarce here. The guys were so noisy, jeering at people passing by, calling girls names and calling a freshman over just so they could trip him. They'd been doing this everyday for a long time so it was nothing new. I finally got to breathe when the bell went off, by that time, my fingers were raw from endless biting and picking at them. Taking my sweet time, I watched my food slowly slide out the tray and into the trash can hoping Liam would get impatient and leave me behind. "So you see it or you don't see it?" Owen's voice suddenly asked from behind me, startling me badly so that my whole tray went into the bin. "See what?" I snapped unintentionally and his eyebrows raised in an impressed way. "Not so squeaky when you're mad huh?" Owen asked, "but I'm guessing you don't see it" "See what?" I asked in a much calmer tone. He nodded at something behind me and I turned to look just in time to see Liam shove a shorter guy super hard into the wall. "Liam Frances is a jerk" Owen said calmly. "So what's a girl like you doing with a guy like him?" I glared at Owen. "He's your cousin, how can you say that about him?" I asked "and I'm his girlfriend, remember?" "So you're gonna tell him I think he's an idiotic spoiled brat?" He deadpanned. I was about to open my mouth to speak when a pair of strong arms wrapped around me from behind. "Looks like you're very well aquatinted with my girl now?" Liam asked, kissing my cheek while I glared at Owen who squared his shoulders and stared down at us with something close to "eww". "So what do you think?" Liam asked. "You were right, she's a keeper. You got yourself a good one, Cuz." Owen said through his teeth. The smile on Liam's face was happy and proud. "You don't need approval from him" I said, throwing a glance Owen's way. Liam only laughed like I said something funny and held out his elbow for me. "Come on, we've got the next class together" I took his arm with warm smile "Let's go" I said, not bothering to look at Owen once more. He was just a trouble maker. Liam was perfect for me... to me, I mean. "Sorry about yesterday honey, I had this thing..." Mom said from the other end of the line. "It's fine mom, I understand, we can hang out today?" I said, holding my hair up in a ponytail and putting the band in place. "Oh, today can't work, I have a meeting tonight" She said and I facepalmed as I suddenly remembered. "I have a meeting too!" I said, "well it's more like uh... dinner at the Frances's" "You're still dating that Frances boy Haylor or what's his name?" "Liam, mom" I chuckled, playing with the airplane figurine on my table. "You crushed on him for years before he finally opened his eyes" She sighed and I blushed. "I know, aren't I lucky?" "Listen, I have to go now, Lyra. Sorry to break this up" "That's fine, that's cool but don't forget, you...!" Before I could finish my sentence, the line went dead. I put off the phone screen and replaced the figurine. Tilly meowed and hopped onto my table to knock the airplane to the floor. "Exactly, she promised we'll see all these places together" I said, running my hand down Tilly's black and white fur. "Egypt, Paris, Greece and Rome, You'd be there too with your own matching T-shirt..." "Lyra, I'm making bacon, you in?" Dad called from the kitchen. He didn't even have to yell it because my nose was working overtime. I wasn't even close to running late so I shook off my slightly melancholic feeling and made my way downstairs with Tilly and all my things. "Count me in Dad!" I called and went outside. After I put all my things in the car, I made my way back into the kitchen to have breakfast. "I could have sworn you'd refuse" Dad said, laying out food for three. The wet food wasn't for either of us, don't worry. "You made breakfast, I would've regretted missing it" I said, stabbing a piece of bacon as I took a seat. "Rawrrrr-!" Tilly yowled and jumped off the floor and onto the table, but I caught her in my arms before she could reach her food. "Patience, girl" Dad said and put her food on the floor with a chuckle and she nearly tumbled out of my arms, trying to get back down. "She acts like we starve her sometimes" I gushed and went back to eating. "What? That's crazy" Dad laughed airily and I gave him a pointed look. "Oh come on, you know I feed her" Dad reassured me. "Thank you" I said and went back to my food. After a very enjoyable breakfast, I made the usual cup of coffee for Liam, making sure it was just how he liked it and set off for school. I found Liam in the hallway without his usual entourage today but simply waiting next to Owen who was busy in his locker. Liam was talking nonstop about something, "... And then I won the next bet and took all of their money, right, so...." Owen closed his locker and faced away from Liam just so he could roll his eyes. But they landed on me as I approached them, instantly sizing me up. I ignored the uneasy feeling I got from him scrutinizing me and turned to Liam. Oh boy, he wasn't smiling. "You're late," he said, looking down at me with folded arms. "The bell hasn't gone yet, Liam" I said quietly, and held out the cup to him. "I didn't want to skip breakfast today" I added, doing a double take at Owen who was leaning on the lockers, watching. His eyes were really striking. "I skip breakfast everyday to get here on time" Liam pointed out. Please, it was only because he was prone to stomach aches. "One of the reasons I regret coming to your house" Owen cut in quietly, unwrapping a sandwich. "And what did you have for breakfast?" Liam continued like his cousin hadn't spoken. "Um...bacon, sausages and eggs....wh..?" "Isn't that a bit too much?" Owen paused mid-chew. "You don't need that much fat" Liam said pointing at my stomach which I surreptitiously covered with my arms. "And you don't need so much coffee" I whispered, looking down. "I didn't hear you" Liam said and I shook my head. "Damn, speak up, that mumbling thing you do is getting old" I opened my mouth to say something but closed it wordlessly over and over, successfully looking like a gaping fish. "Didn't you say you had to have a talk with the coach before classes today?" Owen asked Liam who looked up at him with a frown. "No?" Liam replied, slightly confused. "Dude, you better hurry before you lose something important" Owen said in mock concern. "Like you think he'll put me on the team?" Liam asked, already looking hopeful. "Sure, get outta here" Owen nodded, taking another bite and we watched Liam race down the hall and give the finger to the protesting people he nearly pushed over. "How rude!" Someone called and I sighed, looking away in embarrassment. "Thank you" I said to Owen. "How do you repay me, kid?" He asked, not missing a beat. "D... I...uh.." I stammered, not expecting that question but he simply took the thermal cup out of my hand and waved it at me with raised eyebrows. My goodness, he had a resting sarcastic face if there ever was one. "I'm fine with this, small fry" he said and took a long sip. I tried not to stare at him as I waited, rocking listlessly on my feet. Then he noticed me still waiting there. "Well what do you think?" I asked. "The drink?" He asked. "It's really good." "Really?" I grinned. "Let me guess, Liam never told you that before" He said, stuffing his free hand into his pocket. "Yes he has!" I lied without thinking. "You're loyal to a fault, Squeaky, I'm impressed" Owen nodded in approval, "mostly disgusted that you'd stick up for that idiot but impressed still" "You know what, if you want to talk trash about my boyfriend, I don't think you can have his drink" I said and snatched the cup out of his grasp. "Hey!" He protested in alarm like I was taking his life source away. "Wait, that's mine." "Nope," I said and took a sip "it's mine now." "I don't see how that's fair." Owen said dryly. Then he pointed at something behind me, "Friends of yours?" I turned around to see Sage and Vesper walking towards me. "Yeah. Hi guys" I said, waving before quickly turning to Owen to give him back the coffee. "Maybe we could share next time" "I hate sharing" "Then get your own coffee!" I whispered loud enough for him to hear before turning around, nearly missing the amused look in his eyes.