Liam had decided to return to his lake-side spot when he'd come out of school, and was driving down the road with the radio blasting and all the windows down in an attempt to get him to think of something other than Hayley. It wasn't working, and he was even considering seeing a shrink when he started to hear her laugh, but as he turned onto one of the deserted backstreets that eventually lead to the motorway, he saw her walking down the road with Luke, and his blood flamed with jealousy.
He cut the engine right there, pulling up onto the curb and blocking some old guy's drive just as he was about to reverse out, and jumped out of the car, running down the street after the couple. He was glad that it was Hayley who turned to look when they heard him, and he overtook them, coming to a stop infront of them. First, he turned his attention to Luke. "Look, mate, I need to talk to Hayley about our math assignment. Can you piss off, please?"
Luke looked irked. "No. Anything you have to say infront of Hayley, you can say infront of me."
"No, really, get lost."
"It's not math, is it?"
Liam sighed, and gave up, looking Hayley in the eye. "Listen," he said, his voice soft. "You don't want to be with this idiot - no offence. He's your best friend, not your boyfriend. And I know, I know I'm not either, and I know that's my fault, but... But I want to be. I want to be with you, Hayley. I think I'm in love with you." He stopped, amazed at what he'd just said, but even more amazed as the realisation hit him that he meant it, he really meant it. He loved her. He chewed his lip, nervous for the first time he could remember, and waited for her reaction.