The accusation hung between us.
My plan—the mature breakup speech I'd been rehearsing—started dissolving. Because she was looking at me like I was the bad guy here. Like I'd committed some crime when all I'd done was help delete a fucking video to save my own ass.
"You don't trust me?"
"Should I?"
"Yeah, actually. You should." My voice was getting louder. I could hear it but couldn't stop it. "I didn't do anything except try to fix a problem."
"What happened that night?" Her eyes locked on mine. "With Alex."
My heart hammered. Wrong rhythm. Too fast.
"We deleted the video. That's what happened."
"And?"
"And nothing."
"Then why did you look like that when I found you? You weren't just close to him, Liam. You were touching his chest. I saw your hand on him."
Shit.
She'd seen more than I thought.
"I was about to push him." The lie came automatically. "We were arguing about Riverside, typical Kingswell superiority bullshit. Then I saw you coming and didn't want it to turn violent."
Emily shook her head. Small movement. Like she wanted to believe me but couldn't quite get there.
"What's the deal with you two?"
"Rivalry shit. That's all."
"Don't lie to me."
"I'm not lying."
"Then look me in the eye and tell me there's nothing going on between you and Alex."
The challenge sat there.
I should have done it. Should have looked her in the eye and said the words. But the way she'd phrased it—nothing going on—made my chest tight. Made the defensive anger surge.
"What do you think is going on?" The words came out sharp. "You think I'm gay? Is that what this is about?"
Emily's eyes widened slightly. "I didn't say that."
"But that's what you're thinking, right? That's why you're asking about Alex. Because you think there's something—what?Romantic?Between me and some Kingswell asshole?"
"Liam—"
"It's rivalry shit, Emily. Competitive weirdness. Adrenaline. That's it." I could hear myself spiraling—voice getting louder, meaner, doing the thing I always did when someone got too close to something I wasn't ready to look at. "Yeah, I got too close in that hallway. Because I was about to shove him. Not because—"
I stopped. Jaw clenched.
"Not because what?"
"Nothing. Forget it."
