unnoticed feelings

Liam walked home in a daze, the ghost of Emily's kiss still lingering on his cheek. His mind replayed the moment over and over, dissecting every detail—the warmth of her lips, the nervous flicker in her eyes, the way she had rushed inside before he could react.

Was this real?

It had taken him years to move past his hopeless crush on Naomi, and now here he was, caught in something that felt much bigger, much more uncertain. With Naomi, everything had been a fantasy, a distant dream. But with Emily, things were tangible—messy, real, and terrifying.

As he reached his house, he barely acknowledged his mom's greeting before heading upstairs. His room was dimly lit by the soft glow of his bedside lamp, casting long shadows across the walls. He fell onto his bed, exhaling slowly.

His phone buzzed.

Emily: Did you get home safe?

Liam smiled.

Liam: Yeah. You?

Emily: Mhm. Hey… about earlier…

Liam's heartbeat picked up.

Liam: Yeah?

A few minutes passed without a reply. Then—

Emily: Never mind. Goodnight, Liam.

Liam frowned, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. Should he push? Should he ask her what she wanted to say?

Instead, he typed back:

Liam: Goodnight, Em.

As he put his phone down, he had the nagging feeling that whatever she had held back was important.

And he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

---

The Next Morning

Liam was running late for school. He barely had time to grab a granola bar before rushing out the door, hoodie half-zipped, his bag slung over one shoulder. The autumn air was crisp, biting against his skin as he jogged toward campus.

When he arrived, the hallways were already bustling with students, the usual morning chaos filling the air. He spotted Emily at her locker, but before he could approach her, someone stepped into his path.

Naomi.

"Hey, Liam," she said, smiling in a way that felt just a little too calculated.

Liam stopped short. "Uh… hey?"

Naomi leaned against the lockers, arms crossed. "So, I heard a little rumor."

Liam's stomach dropped. "What kind of rumor?"

She smirked. "That you and Emily are… a thing now."

Liam blinked. "We're not—" He hesitated. Were they?

Naomi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So that kiss on the cheek didn't mean anything?"

Liam felt heat creep up his neck. "Were you spying on us?"

Naomi laughed. "Relax, I wasn't. But Emily's not exactly subtle when she's flustered. She kept touching her face like it was on fire when she got to class yesterday."

Liam swallowed hard, glancing over at Emily. She hadn't noticed him yet, too focused on rearranging her books.

Naomi followed his gaze. "Look, I'm not trying to mess with you. I just think you should be careful."

Liam frowned. "Why does everyone keep saying that?"

Naomi sighed, her playful demeanor fading. "Because Emily has a past, Liam. And I'm not saying that to scare you off—I just don't want you to go into this blind."

Liam's jaw tightened. "I don't care about her past."

Naomi studied him for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Just… make sure you're ready for whatever comes with it."

Liam didn't reply. He just walked past her, making his way toward Emily.

---

During Lunch

They sat under their usual tree outside, the cool autumn breeze rustling the leaves around them. Emily picked at her sandwich, uncharacteristically quiet.

Liam watched her, trying to decide if he should bring it up.

Finally, he said, "Emily… is there something you want to tell me?"

Her hands stilled. She didn't look up. "Why?"

"Because I feel like there's something you're holding back."

Emily sighed, setting her food down. "It's not that simple, Liam."

"Try me."

She hesitated, then met his eyes. "It's about my ex."

Liam tensed. "Okay."

Emily took a deep breath. "He wasn't… just some guy I dated. He was controlling. Manipulative. He made me feel like I was nothing without him."

Liam's hands clenched into fists.

Emily looked away. "At first, he was charming. Sweet. He made me feel special, like I was the only person in the world who mattered to him. But then, things changed. He'd get jealous over the smallest things. If I talked to another guy, he'd make me feel guilty about it. If I didn't text him back fast enough, he'd accuse me of ignoring him on purpose."

Liam stayed silent, his chest tight.

Emily's voice grew quieter. "It got worse over time. He started deciding what I should wear, who I should talk to, even what I should post online. And whenever I tried to push back, he'd twist everything around—make me feel like I was the one overreacting."

Liam exhaled sharply. "Emily…"

She gave a small, bitter smile. "It took me a long time to realize it wasn't normal. And even longer to leave."

Liam was quiet for a moment before saying, "Did he ever… hurt you?"

Emily hesitated before shaking her head. "Not physically. But… the emotional scars are still there."

Liam reached out, covering her hand with his. "I'm sorry you went through that."

She looked down at their hands, her fingers trembling slightly. "That's why I'm scared, Liam. I want to see where this goes. But I also don't want to lose myself again."

Liam squeezed her hand gently. "You won't."

Emily met his eyes, searching them. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I'm not him," Liam said simply. "And I'd never ask you to be anything other than yourself."

A long silence stretched between them before Emily finally nodded. "Okay."

Liam tilted his head. "Okay?"

A small smile tugged at her lips. "Okay, we can take this slow. No pressure."

Liam grinned. "I can work with that."

For the first time in a long time, Emily looked… lighter. Like she wasn't carrying all the weight alone anymore.

And Liam was determined to prove that she never had to again.