Chapter 35 You Are More
Mia's POV
I sat down slowly on the bench, my fingers brushing against the worn edge of the wood. The silence between us stretched, warm and heavy, until Liam finally spoke.
"Congratulations to both of us," he said, his voice quiet but sincere. "I knew our teacher would be impressed. But honestly..." He turned slightly toward me. "I was not expecting you to be that good."
I looked away, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear as a soft blush crept up my cheeks. "You are exaggerating," I muttered. "You were the one who stood out, Liam. Everyone noticed you."
He shook his head. "No. It was you who carried the weight of that scene. You made it feel real." His gaze lingered on me, searching. "I have never seen anyone do that before. Not like that."
My breath caught. It was not just what he said, but how he said it. Like he meant every word. Like he had not just memorized the lines, but felt them the same way I had.
"You are too kind," I said softly, but there was something tight in my voice. A quiet doubt that still clung to me no matter how well I had done. "You do not have to say all this just because you feel sorry for me."
He stilled.
"Mia." His voice dropped.
I glanced at him briefly, and that was enough to see the shift in his eyes.
"I do not pity you," he said firmly. "I admire you."
I froze.
"Do you have any idea what it takes to get up there and do what you did?" he continued. "Knowing people were waiting for you to fail?" His voice sharpened slightly. "You did not just act. You proved them wrong. Including her." I knew he meant Chloe. "And you did it with grace."
My throat tightened as Liam reached down and pulled a small lunch container from the bag at his feet.
"Here," he said, handing it to me. "It is from home. Fresh. Our chef insisted on packing enough for two. I think he is secretly trying to fatten me up."
I blinked at the neat packaging, the aroma already making my stomach flutter. "You did not have to."
"I wanted to." He looked at me, not smiling, not teasing. Just steady. "I figured you would skip lunch again. Or eat crackers behind the library."
I did not deny it. Instead, I whispered, "You noticed?"
"I have noticed more about you than you think."
My heart started racing, and for a long moment, neither of us spoke. The breeze tugged gently at the leaves above us, casting shifting light across the bench. I stared at the container in my lap, then looked up at him.
"Why are you doing this, Liam?" I asked quietly. "Why wait for me here? Why bring me food? Why defend me when you do not have to?"
He did not answer right away. His fingers tapped lightly against the edge of the bench, his gaze lifting briefly to the sky before returning to me.
"I do not know," he said honestly. "Maybe I am still figuring it out. But I do know this." His eyes held mine. "There is something about you, Mia. And it is not just how smart you are. Or how you performed in class. It is the way you never ask for anything. Even when you deserve everything."
My chest ached, deep and sudden. And the thing I had been holding in all morning, the hurt, the words Chloe had thrown at me like stones, finally rose to the surface.
"People like me," I said, my voice breaking just a little, "we do not get things handed to us, Liam. We do not get noticed unless we are useful. And the moment we are not, we are forgotten."
He looked at me then like he was seeing a storm trying to stay still.
"You are not forgettable, Mia."
I turned away, blinking fast. Then I felt his fingers brush against mine. Not bold. Not demanding. Just there, real and steady.
"Do not ever let anyone make you feel like you are less," he said. "You are not less. You are more. You always were."
I did not respond, but I did not pull my hand away either.
And in the quiet that followed, with lunch still untouched between us and the wind moving softly around us, something lingered in the air. Something neither of us dared to name yet.
"Can I drive you to the restaurant later?" Liam asked, his voice careful, like he was trying not to sound nervous.
I hesitated. "You have practice," I reminded him. "I heard from your teammates that you need to impress the coach."
"I can drive back quickly," he said with a small shrug. "I am sure the coach will not even notice I was gone."
Heat rushed to my face. I knew how it would look to other students, especially since everyone thought I still had Josh as my boyfriend. I knew it was not smart. But knowing that did not stop me from wanting to spend more time with Liam.
"Okay," I said softly. His smile made my heart race.
That afternoon, I could barely concentrate during class. My thoughts kept drifting back to Liam. To his smile. To the way he looked at me like I mattered.
When he picked me up after my last subject, I felt like I was floating. Like the whole day had softened around the edges.
"Thank you for driving me," I said as we stopped in front of the restaurant.
"My pleasure," Liam replied. He got out first, walked around the car, and opened my door before helping me out.
"Take care, Liam," I said quietly. "And good luck with practice."
He smiled, deep dimples showing. "Thanks," he said, stopping me before I could walk away. "I know you are busy with your part-time job, but can you watch our game this Friday?"
I felt my cheeks warm again.
"If you are worried about Josh, I get it. I would want more than friends, but since you are taken, being your friend is enough for me." He added.
That only made my heart beat faster.
"I am not sure if I can make it," I said honestly. "But I will try."
"That is cool," he replied easily. "See you tomorrow."
He got back into the car and drove away, leaving me standing there with my heart in complete chaos.
That night nearly broke me.
I did not get home until almost two in the morning. My entire body ached with exhaustion, my legs heavy, my mind barely functioning. My boss had asked me to extend my shift at the last minute, and I had said yes without thinking. I always did.
A group of unexpected customers had walked in well past closing time. Loud. Entitled. Laughing like they owned the place. Friends of my boss's son. That meant smiling through the fatigue, serving dish after dish, and pretending my legs were not screaming beneath me.
By the time I stepped out of the restaurant and into the quiet darkness of the city, I felt like a ghost.
The next morning was worse.
My limbs felt like stone. My eyes burned, and even after three alarms, it took everything in me just to sit up. I had barely slept. Every muscle ached from the double shift, and a dull headache pulsed behind my temples.
I wanted to stay in bed. Just this once. But I could not. My tuition and future depended on me.
So I dragged myself to school, shoulders heavy, eyelids low, pretending I was fine.
Inside the gates of Suncrest Academy, the contrast hurt. The other girls looked flawless. Perfect hair. Clean uniforms. Polished smiles. Meanwhile, I had a faint coffee stain near the hem of my skirt, and the strap of my bag was starting to fray.
I kept my head down. Hoping not to be seen. But of course, they noticed.
"You should stop coming to school if you are going to look like that," Chloe sneered, blocking my path with Belle and Trish beside her. "This is Suncrest Academy, not some charity shelter."
Belle laughed sharply. "Seriously. Just give up already. You do not belong here anymore."
I pressed my lips together. I was too tired to fight. Too tired to care. I shifted to the side, trying to walk past them.
Trish stuck out her leg, and I tripped. The world tilted, panic rising in my chest. Before I could fall, strong, steady hands caught me. His grip was firm around my waist, and I caught the faint scent of cedar and something clean and familiar. I did not need to look up to know it was Liam. I froze in his arms, completely stunned.