Walking into school Monday morning had my stomach twisting. Not only was I scared about what Danielle surely had planned for me, but I was nervous to see Liam.

After my birthday party I had the weekend to reflect on everything that happened, but I still wasn't prepared for today. Was Liam going to ignore me? Pretend that I never confessed my feelings to him? I wanted to avoid the answer to that question at all costs.

I wore a loose grey hoodie with the hood up and my head down so no one would recognize me as I headed to my locker, and for once in my life a plan I came up with actually worked out. I was able to get the books I needed from my locker, and even got to class without being recognized.

I sighed in relief as I sat down at the back of the classroom of my first period, and slid the hood off of my head. Now that I'm in class nothing too bad could happen to me. Sure, Liam's in this class but he never shows up early so he won't have a chance to talk to me, or ignore me since the teacher will be teaching.

"Hey Emma." Someone greeted me as they sat down beside me.

I jumped at the sudden noise, and turned to greet the familiar person back.

"Hey Leo."

"Why are you wearing a hoodie that's ten sizes too big?" He asked, raising his eyebrows curiously.

I rolled my eyes and answered, "It's extra cold today, and big hoodies protect little people from icy air. And it's also really comfortable, why wouldn't I wear this?"

He nodded and raised his hands in surrender, "Fair enough, sorry I asked."

I chuckled, and then quieted down as students started filling up the room.

I kept my eyes trained on the door, waiting for Liam to show up, but he never did. The bell rang, the teacher started speaking, and there was no Liam in sight.

Maybe he's avoiding me to the point of not even going to classes that I'm in. Maybe he's scared that I'm going to urge him to say he likes me back.

I wouldn't do that though, I'm not expecting him to say anything back, I don't know what I was expecting when I told him in the first place. I really shouldn't have said anything.

I wish that stupid confidence that got me into this mess would come back so I wouldn't care about what might happen with Liam and Danielle. Where is the boldness when I need it?

The door to class opening brought me out of my thoughts, and my eyes curiously sought out the one that opened it.

Liam.

His eyes scanned the room for an empty seat, but he paused when they landed on me, long enough to give me a small smile before going back to the task at hand and finding the only available seat in the middle of the room.

Did that smile mean he wasn't ignoring me? Was everything really going to be fine between us? I really hope so.

I spaced off for a while, playing possible scenarios of my next conversation with Liam in my head, until someone nudged me.

"Have you heard a word of the lesson? You've been zoned out the whole class." Leo teased, gesturing at the chalkboard that was now filled with equations.

My heart dropped, I didn't pay attention at all so far, and guessing from the fact that I didn't understand anything I was looking at, we learnt something new today. I'm going to struggle through my homework tonight.

"Crap." I muttered under my breath, and Leo chuckled at my expense.

Now on top of all the stress I have about Liam and Danielle, I'm adding math to the list. Great.

Thankfully the bell rung as the teacher gave out the homework, and I was distracted from my newest problem.

"Emma." Someone called after me as I exited the classroom.

I turned to see Liam catching up to me.

"Will you go on a date with me after school today?" He asked nonchalantly.

I froze mid step, causing someone to walk right into my back.

"Sorry." Liam apologized to the person while I just stood there, dumbfounded.

Did he really just ask me on a date? When I was running though the possible scenarios during class, I didn't dare think up this one. I never thought that confessing my feelings to Liam would end up landing me a date with him.

"Are you okay?" Liam asked, waving a hand in front of my face to snap me out of my dazed state.

I cleared my throat and began walking again, my cheeks heating in embarrassment as I replied "Yes. To being okay, but also yes to going on a date with you."

He gave me a heart stopping smile and I almost stopped walking again. He must know how much he's effecting me, and yet he does it anyway.

"Stop smiling at me like that." I mumbled, tearing my eyes away from his face so I could focus on not bumping into anyone else.

"Like what?" He asked, and I could hear the smile in his voice. He knows exactly what I mean.

"Like I'm your reason for happiness." I elaborated, trying my hardest to not trip over my own feet and embarrass myself further.

We walked in silence for a moment and I put all my focus into not looking at him. He doesn't need any more material to tease me with.

"Maybe you are." He finally said, so quiet that I almost didn't hear him.

My head snapped in his direction and I stared at him, wide eyed, completely forgetting that I was actively not looking at him for a good reason.

"Stop doing that!" I exclaimed, and luckily we arrived to my next class so I rushed into the room without another word, faintly hearing Liam's chuckles as I retreated.

He's toying with me. That smile, and the things he's saying, he knows how I'll react and he does it anyway. Is he trying to give me a heart attack? Or is he just trying to embarrass me for the rest of eternity?

"You look like you have a lot on your mind." Lisa observed as I sat down at the desk beside hers.

I sighed, leaning my head in my hand as I replied "I'm going on a date with Liam after school."

There was a long moment of silence, so long that I got concerned and turned to look at Lisa, who was looking back at me with her jaw dropped.

"He asked you out?" She exclaimed.

"Shh!" I shushed her, wildly looking around the room in panic to see if anyone heard her. Thankfully we were the only two in room at the moment.

She gave me a confused look, "Is this some big secret or something?"

I sighed again, "I don't want Danielle finding out. I can't deal with her today."

Lisa nodded in understanding as students starting filling up with room.

"Where's he taking you?" She whispered, excitement brightening her baby blue eyes.

I shrugged in reply. I didn't even think to ask where he was taking me on this date.

My eyes widened as I looked down at my baggy hoodie in horror. I'm going on a date with Liam after school, which means I don't have time to change, and I'm wearing this old thing! I can't go on a date looking like a slob! This is a disaster!

I leaned over to Lisa as the teacher started the lesson and whispered "I need to borrow your clothes."

She looked at me like I grew another head, and I took that as her asking me to explain myself.

"I'm going on my date after school, and I'm wearing this." I told her, gesturing to my outfit.

She slowly nodded her head in understanding, but her eyes were conflicted. I bet she didn't want to wear my clothes for the rest of the day.

"I don't mean right now, after school just meet me in the bathroom by my locker and we can switch clothes then." I tried my best to persuade her, pleading with my eyes.

There was a long pause between us before she finally sighed.

"Fine." She mumbled, looking down at her outfit longingly.

She wore black leggings, a loose white top, and a grey cardigan. Cute, comfy, and casual.

Thankfully she's wearing something I'll be comfortable in, and not a cropped top or anything like that. I don't want to go on the date feeling self conscious. In that case I'd have to wear my hoodie but then I'd feel self conscious in that too. Thank you Lisa for wearing something I can wear!

After my mini freak out, class went by quickly and soon the bell was ringing and I was on my way to my usual lunch table with Lisa right beside me, chatting away about my mystery date.

"Maybe he'll bring you sky diving, that seems like something he'd do." She suggested as we weaved through the crowded hallways.

I laughed, "I don't think he'd do that. At least not for a first date."

She shrugged, "You never know. Or maybe he's taking you to a trampoline park! Liam doesn't strike me as a traditional dinner and a movie kind of guy."

I rolled my eyes at her outrageous ideas, but she could be on to something. Liam has a wild side, he's in a gang, he rides a motorcycle sometimes, he seems like someone up for an adventure. I can't imagine our date being a trip to the movie theatre, or a fancy restaurant.

Ideas stirred in my mind about where he could take me, and excitement bubbled in my stomach as I imagined different dates and Lisa continued to suggest more and more ridiculous things.

"I could totally see him flying you to Italy in a private jet."

I rolled my eyes and laughed, my heart fluttering with the anticipation of the date. Lisa has raised my expectation for this date very high, I hope Liam doesn't disappoint.

•  •  •  •  •  •  •

"Hurry up Lisa, I need your clothes before Liam changes his mind about the date." I whined as I impatiently waited outside of her bathroom stall.

I just needed her shirt and cardigan, my dark jeans would look fine with her clothes, but she was taking forever.

"Here." She huffed, swinging her tops over the stall.

I quickly grabbed them and scrambled into the stall next to hers, pulling my hoodie off at the speed of light once the door was closed. I tossed my top over the stall wall to Lisa and I gave her clothes one last glance before sliding them on when she took my hoodie.

A minute later I was out of my stall, waiting for Lisa to get out and make sure I looked okay.

"Why do you even own this?" She asked as she exited her stall, giving my hoodie a look of disgust.

I shrugged, "It's comfy. So do I look okay?"

She gave me a quick once over and nodded, "You look great. Now go rock this date and make Liam fall in love with you."

I rolled my eyes and laughed as we walked out of the bathroom and went our separate ways, Lisa to her locker and me to the front of the school to meet Liam.

My stomach fluttered with anxious butterflies as I got closer and closer to Liam and our date. What if I embarrass myself? Or what if he realizes that he doesn't like me enough to go on dates with me?

But what if it's perfect? What will it mean if the date does really well? Would he ask me out on another date right away? Or would he wait until the next day? Or next week?

Maybe I should be the one to ask him out on another date if everything does well. It would show that I really do like him, but he already knows that.

I paused at the doors of the school and took a deep breath.

I can do this.

Without another thought, I pushed the door open and walked straight for Liam, who was sitting on the steps.

"Hey." I greeted him.

He turned to face me and his expression was surprised, "You changed."

I nodded and my cheeks heated, does he think I'm trying to hard? Was this a mistake?

"I looked like a slob in that hoodie I was wearing." I explained.

He smiled, "You looked cute."

I blushed even harder at the compliment.

"But I do like this new outfit." He added.

"Are we gonna go?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Sure." He said as he stood up, and we started towards the parking lot.

"So where are we going?" I asked as we got to his car.

"It's a surprise." He vaguely answered, opening the passenger door for me.

Of course it's a surprise, why would I expect him to reveal where we're going. How silly of me.

I huffed out a sigh as I slid into the car, and Liam chuckled as he closed the door behind me.

I watched as he walked around the front of the car to the drivers side, and my stomach fluttered again at the realization that I'm on a date with Liam Coleman. The guy I've been crushing on. How did this happen?

"Want the radio on?" He asked as he started up the car.

I excitedly nodded, I love music, especially from the radio because I never know what songs are going to come on.

Liam hit a couple buttons and music started playing throughout the car as he backed out of his parking space.

I lightly swayed to the song playing, and as we turned out of the parking lot Liam began to sing the song. Loud and horribly.

"Never gonna give you up!"

"Never gonna let you down!"

I laughed at how obnoxious he was being, and he briefly looked over at me and smiled before returning his eyes to the road and resuming his awful singing for the rest of the song.

"If this whole school thing doesn't work out, at least I know I can fall back on a singing career." He joked.

We both laughed as another song started.

For the rest of the car ride we sang to whatever songs we knew, and laughed the whole time.

"You have arrived at your destination." Liam announced in a robotic voice as we pulled into the parking lot of an unfamiliar brick building.

I laughed at his GPS impersonation and exited the car once we were parked.

"So where are we?" I asked as we met up at the front of the car.

"You'll see." He teased, still not giving up the surprise.

I rolled my eyes and followed him into the building.

Inside there was painting stations like in my art class at school, and one station at the front of the room that faced all the other ones.

I know what this is!

"A painting class?" I asked, practically bouncing in excitement.

Liam nodded to confirm my suspicion.

"This is amazing. How did you know I liked painting?" I asked, unable to take my eyes off of all the wonderful painting supplies.

"I remember you getting very angry at me that time I took you out of your art class at school, and you were so upset when Danielle's friend ruined your painting. I just figured art must be really important to you." He explained.

I didn't know Liam could be this thoughtful. This beats any date Lisa and I joked about earlier today.

"This is perfect." I whispered, looking at the room in awe as people filled in.

"Let's go claim our easels." Liam suggested, and we walked up to two unoccupied work stations close to the front of the room and sat down at them.

I looked through all the supplies as we waited for the instructor, and a minute later a man walked up to the easel at the front of the room.

"My name is Edwardo, I'll be your instructor, and today we're painting an evening tree landscape.

I listened intently as Edwardo explained the steps we were going to take to paint the landscape, and then followed the instructions given as we began the painting.

"Which brush am I suppose to use for step one?" Liam leaned over and asked.

I picked out the brush he needed from the brush holder on his work station and held it out for him, "This one, and remember to take little strokes, it sets the tone for the painting."

He nodded like he knew what I was talking about, but his eyes were confused. He doesn't know anything about art, yet he picked this to be our first date because he knew I'd enjoy it.

As the painting progressed, I got lost in the art and transported to my own little world. That's why I love painting, all the bad fades away when I have a paintbrush in my hand.

Something wet on my nose brought be out of my trance, and I looked over at Liam in confusion.

"You crinkle your nose when you concentrate." He told me, pointing at my nose, and that's when I saw blue paint on his finger and realized what happened.

"You got paint on my nose!" I exclaimed.

He laughed, and I took that as my opportunity to get him back. I quickly dipped my finger in yellow paint and ran it down his cheek, leaving behind a line of yellow.

Now we were both clutching our stomachs laughing and disrupting the whole class.

"What's so funny over here?" Edwardo asked, walking over to us.

"Nothing." Liam and I said in unison, quickly sobering up so we didn't get in trouble.

"This is very good young lady." Edwardo complimented me as he looked at my painting. We were just adding the final details when Liam attacked my nose with paint.

"Yours however, needs some work." He continued as he took a glance at Liam's.

I looked over at it for the first time and slapped a hand over my mouth to conceal my giggles. Liam's painting was awful!

"I'll have you know I worked very hard on this sir." Liam defended himself, and I could tell he was also trying hard not to laugh.

"Maybe if you spent more time painting and less time looking at the redhead beside you, it would look better." Edwardo teased, and then continued on to the people behind us.

"You got told." I teased Liam, trying my best to keep my laughing quiet so Edwardo wouldn't come back to us.

Liam just rolled his eyes and smiled.

A couple minutes later Edwardo was done inspecting everyone's paintings, and ended the class.

"I had a really great time." I told Liam as we walked out of the building, paintings in hand.

"That's good, but we're only just getting started." He replied.

I gave him a confused look as he held the car door open for me, and he kept his face neutral.

Does that mean the date isn't over?