Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Maybe he should confess to the braces.
But then would that make him look like a liar?
Or charmingly insecure?
Liam has relocated to his desk, feet propped up on the edge of his bed, when the three dots finally appear, nearly startling him out of his seat when he lurches forward, blinking. Then:
Hate2LoveU
Hmm, OK. No braces. And where does one find a cowlick on a green fireball, I wonder?
Liam stares at the response in complete confusion—until he’s reminded that he chose the first thing he could find on his phone to use as a profile pic: a screenshot he took from some brainless, time-killing mobile game with green fireballs.
TongueTiedInKnots
I’m a bit more turquoise than green in real life, but yeah, I’m pretty much a fireball.
Liam gnaws on his lip uncertainly. Despite the little joke, he’s still mulling over the long pause after he said he had no braces. It’s very possible he’s just overthinking it. Maybe the guy had to set his phone down at that exact time to answer a knock at the door, or to wash his hands, or to take care of a terrifying owl that just flew in through his window and is wreaking havoc on his bedroom at this very moment.
Or maybe he really is having other conversations, too.
Suddenly his next message pops up:
Hate2LoveU
I guess I can live with turquoise. Question is, can you live with the fact that I fart lightning bolts? That’s my real ass, by the way. I’m a cartoon.
Liam chokes on a laugh as he bites his knuckles to keep it from coming out too loudly.
Okay. He’s definitely overthinking. This guy is locked in.
TongueTiedInKnots
Wow. Impressive.
Hate2LoveU
What is? My god-given gift to fart lightning? Or my cartoon butt?
TongueTiedInKnots
How about the fact that you just turned my worst day into the best day of my summer?
The three dots of Hate2LoveU typing wiggle on the screen as Liam finds himself returned to his bed, feet dancing excitedly in the air behind him.
Hate2LoveU
Oh, this is nothing. Give me a few more days, I’ll make this your best week.
Liam’s heart is nearly floating out of his chest.
TongueTiedInKnots
For someone whose name has “hate” in it, you sure do know how to make a guy feel good.
Hate2LoveU
For someone whose nickname is “tongue tied”, you sure do have just the right words to make this boy’s heart race.
Liam bites his lip again as he reads the words over and over.
He makes his heart race.
This guy with lightning bolt butt cheeks.
He’d be lying if he said his heart wasn’t racing, too. For some reason, his usual doubts and skepticism feel so far away. Whatever instinct inside Liam that used to raise ten red flags immediately when he began chatting to a potential date is long gone.
He feels perfectly at ease with this faceless, funny, smart, and sensitive guy whose real name he still can’t fathom.
As the minutes roll by, he continues trading message after message with Hate2LoveU. The flirting gives way to an interesting debate about who is the strongest Greek god or goddess. Then they talk about the stars, which both of them can see out their windows. Nothing else in the whole world seems to concern either of them other than each other.
It’s the perfect ending to an otherwise terrible day.
TongueTiedInKnots
Goodnight, Hater.
Hate2LoveU
Nighty night, Fireball.
When Liam sets his phone down on the nightstand, it’s well past two in the morning, which is a lot later than he intended to stay up.
And who cares?
That’s the last thought on Liam’s happy, fluttering mind as he hugs his blanket and curls up in bed, full of thoughts of his new acquaintance. His heart feels as light as a noctilucent cloud. His head is a bowl of fluffy whipped cream.
Nighty night, Fireball.
These are the thoughts that keep him happy as he strolls into Gary’s Grocers the next morning. It doesn’t faze Liam when the first thing he sees is Teague Jenson sitting on the conveyor belt of a checkout line, apron slung over his shoulder, an opened bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in his lap, surrounded by six other coworkers as they laugh and chat loudly. It doesn’t even bother Liam when the computer in the back gives him trouble as he tries to clock in.
Nothing can bother him today as he smiles and whistles to himself while putting on his apron, feeling on top of the world.
Mr. Michelson catches him just before slipping out through the swinging doors. “Morning, Liam! Hey, got a favor to ask!”
“Anything you need,” insists Liam with a beaming smile.
“Can you let Teague shadow you again today? I’ve got a full schedule myself, Natasha is out for the week, and you did such an amazing job with him already.”
Liam gazes across the store at Teague, still chilling and laughing with his crowd of admirers, as an icy-hot pick of dread attempts to chisel its way into his good mood.