I stood still, unresponsive, as Liam kissed me. My brain couldn't seem to work. The shock of it all had wiped my mind blank.

Just as I was about to find the will to kiss back, Liam pulled away, muttering "sorry" as he walked out of the house.

I stood rooted to the spot for a few moments before running after him, but I couldn't find him anywhere.

I saw Lottie and Louis standing in the driveway of their house, washing the car. I ran over to them.

"Did you see where Liam went?"

Louis winked at me. "Lover's quarrel?"

I glared at him. "Seriously, Lou."

Lottie shook her head. "No, we didn't see. Sorry, Elle. You're still coming over tonight to babysit, right?"

I nodded my head. "Yeah. Five thirty, right?"

She nodded, smiling.

I pointed at her. "You better video this goof here in the play, otherwise I will be very upset."

Louis smiled, before pretending to look hurt at my 'goof' comment. "Love you too."

I rolled my eyes. "You know I love you." I waved at them both before going back inside, knowing that Liam was long gone.

I got dressed for dancing, meeting Gemma at the studio.

"So, have you and Liam made out yet?" She asked, as per usual. But this time, I couldn't just give my usual outright no.

"Not exactly" I mumbled, taking the piece of chocolate she handed me.

She very nearly choked on her chocolate. "So something happened?"

I nodded. "He kissed me."

She stared at me for a long moment. "Well, finally. Did you jump him?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, you horny harlot. I was in shock, so I did nothing. Nada. Zip, zilch, zero."

She groaned. "This is not good."

I sighed, taking a whole row of chocolate. "Tell me about it."

After dancing, I went home to get changed before making my way over to the Tomlinson's. I spent the night watching Disney movies with the girls, something that only served to remind me of Liam.

The next day, I didn't see Liam at all. Usually, he would come and force me to go outside instead of sleeping all day like I wanted to.

I finished off the container of ice-cream, going to eat with a spoon to spite Liam for not coming for me, but I couldn't do it. If felt like betrayal, which was ridiculous.

On Monday, Liam sat waiting on my doorstep as usual, a packet of strawberry licorice in his hands. "Morning, Elle. Ready for a fun-filled day of school?"

I stared at him for a long moment. Was he really just going to pretend that he'd never kissed me? Because I really didn't know if I could just forget that.

I walked over to him, leaning against his side as usual. But this time, I could see the way he was hesitant to put his arm around me, not wanting to overstep his boundaries.

Not that we had any.

I took the strawberry licorice from his hands, ripped it open and walking backwards away from him. He smiled, "how do you know that that's meant for you?"

I shrugged, still walking backwards.

He walked after me, catching up. I tripped over a crack in the pavement and almost fell, but he caught me.

He held me for a few moments longer than normal before letting me go and walking towards school.

At school, I put my things in my locker as Gemma practically interrogated me.

"So what's going on?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. He was acting as if it never happened this morning."

She smiled. "So you know what you should do? Go snog his face off." She said the last part very seriously, and I knew she meant it.

I rolled my eyes at her. "I can't just go 'snog his face off', Gem. I think he wishes he'd never kissed me, anyways,"

It was her turn to roll her eyes at me. "Please tell me you're kidding me. You know what I think? I think he thinks that you wish he hadn't kissed you, so he's trying to pretend he never did."

I laughed dryly. "I think you're full of it."

She closed her locker door loudly. "I think I am an undiscovered genius."

I rested my head on my folded arms, blowing a stray lock of hair out of my eyes. History seemed never ending today.

A scrunched up piece of paper hit the back of my head, but I ignored it. Liam had been doing that all lesson, so I didn't bother to turn around.

Katelyn, the girl sitting at the desk across from me, nudged me in the rubs before handing me a piece of paper.

I looked at her, confused, but she just shrugged, pointing to the corner of the room.

A turned to look where she was pointing, and saw none other than Paul Tatum waving at me.

I resisted the urge to groan, turning back around and picking up the piece of paper. I looked at it as if it deeply offended me, finally getting up the nerve to open it.

Stay after class a second. I want to talk.

I rolled me eyes. I could see where this was going. But I figured I could let him down easy, tell him I wasn't interested.

I turned around, nodding at him apprehensively. He smiled, and I turned back around.

I didn't notice that Liam had stopped throwing paper, nor did I notice the devastated expression on his face.

After the bell rang, I stayed in my seat, waving goodbye to Gemma and Katelyn. Liam came over to my desk, waiting for me as per usual.

I smiled at him. "I'm fine. I'll meet you at the table."

Liam looked over to the corner of the room, where Paul still sat. "Come on, Ella." He insisted, holding out his hand.

I gave him a pointed look. "I'll meet you at the table, Liam."

It was then that I saw the hurt look in his eyes and rethought my actions. I wished there was some way that I could tell him what was going on, because I knew that he was probably coming to the wrong conclusion.

He retracted his outstretched hand, picking my bag up and walked away without a second glance.

Paul slowly got up out of his seat and walked over to me. I rose from my seat, meeting him cautiously.

He smiled arrogantly, my stomach turning. I just wanted to get this over and done with.

After letting him down gently and telling him that I really wasn't interested, I left him in the classroom to go find Liam.

He was standing at my locker, my bag at his feet.

I picked up my bag, but he took it off me before I could sling it over my shoulder, carrying it for me.

I bit my lip, opening my mouth to explain, but he cut me off.

"You promised" he accused quietly.

I frowned before catching on. "Liam, it's not like that. At all."

He came to a stop on the sidewalk, glaring at me. "Then explain to me why you were waiting behind after class for Paul freaking Tatum?" His voice rose, quickly becoming full of anger.

I stared at him, surprised at his reaction. "It's not like that, Liam. I was telling him that nothing would ever happen between us."

"You're full of it" he snapped.

Fury clouded my mind and I snapped back at him. "Why would you care anyways? It's not like you want me."

He glared at me. "Are you blind? Of course I bloody want you!"

I glared back, feeling tears of hurt and anger beginning to form in my eyes, threatening to spill over. "Yes, that's why you walked away after you kissed me."

"You didn't kiss me back!"

"You didn't give me a chance to, you ran away!"

He glared at me, tossing my bag at my feet and turning his back on me.

I left the bag there, shouting after him as a tear slid down my cheek. "So, what? You're just going to run away again? Way to go, Liam."

He whirled around, walking back to me. I had no idea what he was going to do until he gripped my hips, roughly pulling me closer and pressing his lips to mine.

This time, I registered what was going on and kissed back, my fingers threading into his hair.

He raised his hand to wipe away the tear with his thumb before cupping my cheek and deepening the kiss.

"Get a room, little ones!" We both pulled away, looking over to see Louis laughing at us. I felt my cheeks go bright red, taking Liam's hand and pulling his towards my house, grabbing my bag as I did.

Inside, we both stood awkwardly for a moment before he wrapped his arms around me. "I'm sorry for being a prat back there" he murmured, stroking my hair.

I rested my head on his chest, sighing. "You were a prat" I agreed, getting a laugh out of him.

We cuddled up on the couch, watching movies for the rest of the night. My parents were still on their work trip, so Liam stayed over again. This time, though, he didn't bother to even try to sleep in the guest room.

We lay in my bed, with my leg hitched up over his hip. I sighed, resting my head on the pillow.

He smiled, rolling over so that he above me, leaning all of his weight on his arms.

I smiled, leaning up to kiss him chastely.

He shook his head innocently. "Not enough."

I giggled and he leant down to kiss me again.

I pulled him impossibly closer, entwining my fingers into his hair.

He slid his hands up my sides, bringing my shirt up slightly along as well. He clutched at the skin of my waist, deepening the kiss.

I tugged at his shirt, pulling it up and over his head, breaking the kiss for a second.

He smiled shyly, brushing my hair off my shoulders and kissing me again.

It should've been awkward lying underneath my best friend with only a tight shirt and miniscule pyjama shorts on, but it really wasn't.

One of his hands slid around the curve of my waist, pulling me closer.

I sighed, playing with the little frays of hair at the nape of his neck.

He broke the kiss, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.

"We should probably get to sleep" he murmured, pressing another chaste kiss to my lips.

I nodded, cuddling up to him, his arms around me.