It All Started With A Deal

Chapter 4

He shook his head. "I can't believe you could actually smell it." He took one look at the doorway, and then the three of us, and ran out beside me.

I grabbed his hands and waved them around, my attempt at dancing. "I told you I could."

I plopped down on the ground. Liam joined me, Sam and Athena soon followed.

I sighed contently. "Everything good happens in the rain."

Athena's lips curved into a devious smile. "Wasn't your first kiss with Liam in the rain?"

"That's not what I meant."

The three of them burst out in a round of laughter. I grumbled. "Rude."

We stayed in the rain until Athena started shivering. Sam insisted on taking her home to get her some clean clothes. Liam, being the wonderful fake boyfriend he was, offered to drive me home so Athena could go with Sam, and Athena, clearly rooting for my sham of a relationship, refused to just let me drive her car home, insisting that I get more time with my boyfriend.

Liam wrapped me up in a towel the second we got into the car. "Thank you." My teeth chattered.

He typed my address into his GPS. "How did you remember my address?" I questioned.

He had only seen my house once before yesterday, during freshman year when we worked on a project together. He came by to drop something off but never actually went inside of my house. None of my friends had ever been inside.

Liam shrugged. "I don't know, I guess it just stuck."

"Please, we all know you're obsessed with me." I teased.

His lips curved as he shook his head. The drive to my house was silent, but a blissful kind of silence, with only the sound of the soothing rain to fill the atmosphere. Liam parked the car outside of my house. I thanked him quickly and headed to my front door. I shuffled through my bag attempting to dig out my key. When it was nowhere to be found, I made it over to the garage. Liam waited at the end of the driveway to make sure I got in safely, which only got progressively more awkward the more times I typed in the garage code, only for it never to open. I waved Liam on, hoping he would leave but being the gentleman he was, he wouldn't go until I was safely inside. My phone pinged in my bag, the screen lighting with Charles's name.

King Charles I: I changed the garage code.

Just perfect. I was locked out of my own house. In a fit of rage, I pounded on the front door. The window blinds shot open revealing Charles's face. His lips turned into a wicked, crooked smile, his disgusting, rotting teeth nearly falling right out. I banged on the door again. "Let me in!" I shouted.

Charles chuckled, slowly closing the blinds, his beady eyes fading from view. I banged on the window but it was too late. His pale and deformed figure was already retreating. I tried the door once more, knowing there was no point. I finally gave up, leaning my back against the door, sliding down it to sit. I wrapped my arms around my knees, pulling them to my chest. As if my humiliation was not already at its peak, Liam stepped out of his car. I hid my face from him. "Is everything okay?" He questioned.

I nodded, stretching on an elastic smile. "Yeah, this is just a game we play. I'm fine," I lied. "You can leave." I could wait until Brandon or Chase got home. It shouldn't be too long...I hope.

"I'm not going to leave you out here. I'll wait with you."

I shook my head. "No, really, it's okay."

Liam's eyebrows drew together. "Sapphire, what's going on?"