26. Saviour

I'm in a relationship.

That's so odd to say. I'm still coming to terms with it.

After Holden had asked me, I was a little stumped, but then I realised that he was a really sweet guy and I would probably be an idiot to say no to a guy like him.

The moment that I had said yes, the grin that came over his face was adorable. He looked so happy, I really wondered how much he actually liked me and how long he wanted this for.

I really didn't know much about Holden, but I knew that he was a good guy.

There was the little factor of my feelings for Liam, where I may possibly be in love with him. However, as the days go by, it's sinking in more and more, that he's not mine.

Liam is happy and in a relationship with Julie. The sooner that I learned to accept, understand and realise this, it will be easier on my mind and my heart.

He's not mine and never will be, that's just a fact that I'll have to accept, and I am trying to.

In a weird way, because I actually spend a lot time with Julie and because we've become closer friends, it's helping me to accept my own unrequited love.

Whenever I see her happy or with Liam, there is a bit of hurt, but then there's also that knowledge that they're happy. My friends are happy, as they should be.

Besides, maybe I'll have those feelings again for Holden.

I really don't want to hurt him, in fact that's the last thing that I'd ever want to do. I'll admit that I have never really seen him in a romantic light, but I've have noticed how great he is.

Plus, it would be kind of nice to have someone who likes me for change.

I think I could really like Holden.

We had out first not long after he'd asked me out. He took me bowling and although I sucked, he didn't mock me about it. Holden bought the food too, refusing to let me pay for anything. However, there was an adjoining, small arcade area too, where I won a keyring and gave that to him.

During the date, I felt happy.

Over the next weeks, I continued to feel the same genuine happiness.

Holden and I still haven't had our first kiss yet. I feel terrible that I'm taking this extremely slow, and this probably isn't easy for him either, but I just want to be sure about myself, him, us and everything in between, before I kiss him.

We both deserve that.

It's also my first kiss and it does mean something to me.

There was another positive, ripple effect after Holden finally opened his mouth and asked me out.

Everyone seemed to have plucked up the courage and began asking each other out in our group, pretty much coupling up.

Sara actually asked Danny out. Or more like told him they were going to go out - which wasn't much of a shocker.

We had gone out to eat and another girl began to flirt with Danny. Of course, Sara didn't have the nicest reaction. She chose to literally pushed her out the way, declaring that Danny was 'her man.' Sara told Danny, she was done hiding away from her feelings and that she liked him. This caused Danny to kiss her, there and then. We were all ecstatic about it and it was the first day I actually saw Sara blush.

Unfortunately for Andre, things didn't go as smoothly with Mel. He tried to ask her out and she gave a firm no. This happened multiple times. He's convinced that at some point, he'll win her over. I'm actually rooting for him. Mel's a tough cookie on the outside, but even she had a soft heart, just got to see how long it takes Andre to crack through.

Max and Flo were already together and Chris had begun dating Derek too, but they looked loved up as ever.

It's quite amusing to think how much has happened over this term.

I hadn't actually pictured all of it happening, but it wasn't all bad. I was dating Holden, that had to be a positive.

In all honesty, I'm ready to start my summer already.

***

As part of my recent decision to be a little bit healthier than usual, I decided to go on a bike ride.

Of course, it probably would've be better to go for a run or walk, but I don't like running and not in the mood to run either.

Ever since Holden and I started going out, he liked to drive to school together. Apparently, it was his way of spending some time with me. I couldn't really refuse that.

Before Holden, I would have Liam driving me to school, since we were neighbours and it made sense. He would just offer and I accepted, even though the idiot would never wake up on time and I had to trick him to wake up earlier.

It was nice to not be be all flustered after a bike ride when I got to school, but I still missed it, so I thought let me just go out today.

As I turned another corner, I heard the loud horn noise from a car and turned my head, to see a very familiar blue car pulling up beside me.

I saw Liam park and then get out his car, walking up to me, as I just stopped peddling and waited for him to come towards me.

"You're riding your bike," Liam said, as soon as he was near enough.

I let out a snort. "Nothing gets by you, does it?" I questioned him sarcastically, which I personally found hilarious since my feelings clearly did, but of course he wasn't in on that joke.

"Smart-ass," he replied, but with a grin on his face.

"Where were you off to then?" I asked him.

"Decided to go for a drive to clear my head," he replied, letting out a sigh.

Again, I couldn't help myself.

"So, it wasn't a long drive then?" I said, cheekily.

This time he laughed, that caused me to smile too. It wasn't the sound of his laughter, but rather his eyes after that I'd always notice, the warmth within them.

"Why are you trying to clear your head?" I then asked, stopping my thoughts from getting any deeper.

"It's this stupid ball," Liam groaned.

Ah, yes. The ball.

Our school had this weird tradition. We had this annual ever, which was called the Summer Ball.

It was essentially our prom, but for all years. It was also an excuse for everyone to dress up nicely. But it was nice to see the decorations and all, with the themes too.

Another thing that was associated with the Summer Ball, much like prom, were the proposals.

"Why is it so stupid?" I asked Liam.

He frowned in return. "I'm trying to think of a type of proposal that Julie would like, since she's never been to one before. I want it to be special and not fail, but it's so hard. I don't want her to be disappointed."

I assumed a lot of people in a relationship would be having this issue.

When I had spoke to Julie about it, she mentioned how excited she was to be a part of this but she wasn't thinking about any of kind extravagant proposal. I agreed with her thoughts on that, I'd hate something too big.

"Come on. Let's go Mama Macy's," I told Liam, seeing his frustrated expression.

Since my offer was random and not at all what we were talking about, Liam's expression was just confusion.

"Why?" He asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Well, because you looked stressed and I'm hungry," I told him.

I had been riding my bike for about half an hour now, I think I deserved some cupcakes.

"Alright. I'll pick my car up later. Let's go," Liam said and began to walk.

I was surprised that he didn't question it, but then again, Mama Macy's is like a sacred place for Liam and I. Of course, it wasn't exclusive to us, but I wouldn't joke about going there, and I'm pretty sure he knew that too.

In all honesty, I would've preferred if he offered me a lift there.

***

"Hey, hands off my cupcakes," I told Liam, as I had to swat away his hands from my cupcakes.

Mama Macy's has the best cupcakes. There are the normal flavours you can get and there are some that are more quirky, however my favourite are the red-velvet cupcakes. In my opinion, they're the best, which is why I made Liam buy me six of them.

But he can't have any.

"You still look miserable," I told Liam, as I took another bite of the cupcake.

"Maybe because you're not sharing," he replied.

I laughed as he pouted...but I'm still not sharing.

"Ah, come on. Turn that frown upside down," I told him, laughing at my own words.

He shook his head. "I can't. Everyone's doing those elaborate things and I'm just confused. I have ideas, but I feel like they're shit," Liam said.

"I'm sure they're not all shit," I replied.

Well, I bet some of them were.

This was the same person, who thought it would be a bright idea to jump off a tree. We used to play superheroes and we both wore capes - such dorks - and Liam climbed up a tree and I thought he could jump and be okay. Luckily my Dad caught him, or the idiot would've broke his arm or leg.

"Do you have any ideas?" He asked me.

"Yes, let my just pull them out my top hat like magic," I said.

"But you're like my Mr Miyagi," he replied.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I'm the old guy from Karate Kid?"

He chuckled at my expression, especially when I threw my straw at him from my milkshake.

"This isn't hard, Liam. You know Julie, I mean you're dating her, just think about things she'd like and go with your gut," I told him.

He sighed. I felt a little sorry for him and pushed a cupcake close to him, which then caused him to smile.

"Has Holden asked you yet?" He then asked me, taking a bit of cupcake, getting the cream frosting all over himself. Dork.

I shook my head. "Not yet," I said.

Honestly, I was really curious about what he was planning. I felt like Holden knew me well enough to know that I would want something simple. I mean, even if it was a big thing, I wouldn't be mean about it, I'd still appreciate it.

"To be fair, you'd be easy to plan for," Liam said.

I raised a brow at him. "Oh really?"

He nodded with a childish grin on his face. "I'd wear a knight costume with a swore and all. Give a you a dragon plushie, which I slain. Then hand you a cupcake."

It tugged at my chest a little that he remembered this. He remembered our childhood. The games and fun, the good memories.

But he was clearly not remembering it right.

"Please, when we were younger I was the one who'd slay the dragon, you stuffed your face," I said.

Liam laughed at my words, knowing that was right.

During all the make-believe games we played as kids, he'd eat his way through them and I would be doing the rescuing and battling. I had an affinity to be the hero and I guess I still do.

I had always been my own knight in shining armour