Past and Present

LIAM'S P.O.V.

I went to school the next day. As much as I don’t want to have to face Coke, I still had to go. I have period 1 with her so I’ll make up something then.

I walked in and there she is. Sitting at her seat, quietly doodling. I sat beside her, she ignored me.

“Hey,” I said uneasily.

She ignored me.

“Look, I’m really sorry about last night and if there’s anything I can do to make-” I started.
“Why didn’t you come?” She cut me off. She turned towards me and I can see that her eyes are still red from crying. Guilt washed over me like a big wave.

“I was…” My mind was racing for an excuse, “I was at this really important uh… funeral yesterday. My great great grandpa died.” Shit… I meant to say great grandpa but an extra “great” came out.

She raised her eyebrows, “how old is he?”

“He’s uh…” I looked around nervously, “he’s a hundred and… three.” I smiled proudly. I never knew I could make up excuses this quick.

“How old is your great grandpa then?” She frowned. I can see she’s trying to test me.
I did a mental calculation. If my great great grandpa and my great grandpa at… 20, then my great grandpa is….

“Eighty three.” I stated proudly.

“And your grandpa is?”

“Sixty three.” I answered. For the sake of easy calculations, I made all of them have kids at 20.

She crossed her arms, “let me guess, your dad is 43? And somehow you are now 23?”

“Nope. My dad broke the chain and had me at….” What’s the difference between 43 and 18? I scratched the back of my head, I was never really good at math. “It doesn’t matter when he had me, he just didn’t have me at 20.”

She stared at me, her eyebrows raised and her arms crossed. She doesn’t believe me.

“Come on babe,” I said, “forgive me. It was important.” I took out the present, “Happy belated birthday.”

Coke finally cracked a smile as she took the present. She smelt the rose and hugged the teddy bear.

“Alright,” she said, “since this teddy bear is so cute.”

“Look, it has a necklace too.” I said as I took off the necklace on the bear’s neck, it has a silver heart charm. The charm is split in two, half says Liam, and the other half says Colen. She smiled happily as I put it around her neck.

“I love it,” she said.

“I love you,” I replied.

We were about to lean in for a kiss when my phone buzzed. I opened it as Colen leaned over my shoulder to read the text.

Meet me at the back of the school at the end of the day, we don’t want your little girlfriend to know ;) –Sammy.

Colen slowly shifted her gaze towards me.

“Liam, what is going on?”

Notes