Chapter 6: As Cool As The Sun

“Liv!” I heard someone calling out as I skipped on my way to class. I turned around to find Dan rushing to me.

Yes, I was skipping in the crowded hallway… 

Turns out, when you’re acting like yourself, being different from the rest, people just give way to your craziness. You just have to ignore the stares… 

Besides, I was in a really good mood because of that delicious burger I ate last night… 

And the ice cream after that… 

Food is life!

“Danny!” I exclaimed. 

“Thanks for forgiving me!” He dryly said. 

Oh! He saw what I wrote over the loud art we did on his car!

“You’re welcome!” I beamed up at him. 

“Are we cool now? For real?” Dan asked me. 

“Oh, we’re cooler than that ice-cream in Paige’s refrigerator!” I grinned. 

“Actually, that ice-cream melted because the refrigerator stopped working.” Paige interrupted as she emerged from the crowd. 

How did she know when to appear?

She’s a magician!

Or I’m friends with a real wizard… 

The second one makes more sense… 

“Now we have to get new ice-cream and a new refrigerator.” She sighed. 

“But we’re still cool!” I told Dan. “Hey! Why didn’t you call me over? I could have helped you in finishing that ice-cream!” I scolded Paige. 

Paige rolled her eyes but ignored my words. 

“We’re as cool as the sun with you right now, Dan.” Paige told Danny-boy. “You weren’t even our real friend.” She scoffed. 

“I was! Believe me, guys! I love you two!” Dan exclaimed. “I just had to tell Ryan about Liv or else he would have-” Dan started but I cut him off. 

“So you were real friends with Paige and not me?” I frowned.

“Look, the whole friendship thing was real. I just snitched a little to Ryan. That’s all.” Dan explained. 

Sneaky sandwiches!

“So, you and Paige were clear, right?” I asked. 

“Paige had nothing to do with anything!” Dan reassured me. 

“Gee! Thanks!” Paige rolled her eyes. “I thought I had something to do with our friendship!” She huffed. 

“You know what I meant, Paige.” Dan replied. 

“I know. But you still kinda betrayed us.” She sighed. 

“And that too just to exercise in weird gear.” I added. 

I mean, why do people want to go and get sweaty in the field with that weird stuff that they have to wear to fight over a weirdly shaped ball?!

See how many weirds were there in that sentence? Even I, Olivia McAlister, am not that weird!

I am actually more weird… I’m the weirdest… 

But that’s not the point!

“I’m sorry.” Dan said. 

“So, did Ryan get you kicked off the team that your secret is blown?” I asked. 

Ryan didn’t seem like the type to threaten someone like that. He was a kind, good guy… 

But who knows… 

“He doesn’t know that you know.” Dan answered. 

“So you’re being a double-agent now?” I smirked up at him as the three of us started walking down the hall. 

“Well, if you want me to. I mean, I owe you that much.” Dan shrugged. 

“Do any of the guys on the team like Paige?” I asked with a huge grin. 

“Liv!” Paige looked at me with a horrified expression. 

“A couple do.” Dan replied. 

“Is anyone planning to ask her out?” I asked, my grin growing. 

“Maybe…” Dan frowned. 

“Why are you so curious to know?” Paige asked me. 

Why am I so curious, she asks… 

That girl!

“I love you, Paige. But I need some me and movie time. Which means you need a boyfriend to keep you busy.” I explained. “But nothing too serious. I’m still hoping that you will marry my brother and then we’ll be sisters forever!” I added. 

Paige just rolled her eyes, not saying anything because she knew that it was useless to argue with me. 

I’m stubborn… 

And besides, whenever my brother’s around, Paige turns into a bright red tomato! And she also starts stuttering like an idiot… 

And she was the one who gave me the idea of her marrying my brother and being my sister. I know that she was joking but… Who cares?! 

“What about me? If you two become sisters, what will I be?” Dan frowned. Suddenly a smirk covered his face. “Will you and I-” He started but I cut him off. 

“Don’t even think about it, traitor.” I warned him. 

He raised his hands up in surrender but his smile gave him away. 

“I was just saying…” He shrugged. 

“You’re hot and all but I don’t date people who snitch on me.” I smiled at him. “For three years.” I added. 

Oh god! 

I love making people regret their mistakes! 

And this is golden!

“Besides, she owes someone a kiss.” Paige smirked. 

I turned to glare at her as Dan frowned. 

“I do not!” I shot back. 

“Oh, but you do.” She told me. “And I think he’s waiting for it.” She spoke in a hushed voice as she pointed towards the lockers a few feet away. 

I turned to see Hunter standing there, staring at me. 

Okay, he’s officially a creep! 

But he did pay for my burger last night… And he also dropped me home… 

“You are going to kiss Hunter Kingston?” Dan frowned. “Why on earth would you want to do that?” He asked in a tone that implied that he was disgusted. 

I narrowed my eyes on Dan. 

“Why? What’s wrong with that?” I asked him suspiciously. 

“Don’t you know? He’s absolutely disgusting.” Dan said, shaking his head. “I heard that he once brushed his teeth with his dog’s toothbrush!” He added with a grimace. 

What the… 

Crazy Crows! 

Who the hell said that?! 

“Dan, that guy is a neat-freak! He made me sanitise my hands before I ate an ice-cream. It wasn’t like I was going to touch the ice-cream but he still made me do it.” I told him. “Besides, he never had a dog!” I added. 

There was silence as Dan and Paige blinked at me. 

Did my words come out more intensely than intended? 

Eh! Who cares? 

The point is, Hunter has been anything but disgusting ever since I first met him. I knew him. I knew him better than anyone. 

“When did you eat ice-cream with him?” Paige asked me, breaking the silence. 

“After we dropped you home.” I shrugged. “Who even told you about him being disgusting?” I asked Dan. 

“The guys were discussing it…” Dan replied. 

Why didn’t Ryan stop them from saying something totally not true? 

That’s not the point! 

“Dan, Hunter is not disgusting. And he definitely cares more about hygiene than all the sweaty guys who run after a ball that’s not even spherical in shape!” I told him. “No offence!” I added when I saw his frown. 

“Offence already taken.” He mumbled. 

“Looks like you really want to kiss him.” Paige smirked at me. 

“I don’t!” I exclaimed. 

“You do, sweetheart.” Paige told me, patting my head. 

“I don’t!” I shouted. 

“You so do!” Paige’s smirk grew wider. 

“I don’t!” I shouted even louder. 

I mean, the whole school already knew me as a weirdo, yelling in the hallways won’t change anything anyway… 

“What don’t you want to do?” A voice asked, bringing my attention to Ryan who was now standing next to me with a confused expression on his handsome face. 

“Ryan!” I squeaked, backing away from him. 

Where did he come from?! 

Oh my god! 

Is he a ninja?! 

“What were you guys talking about?” Ryan asked. 

“We were just talking about how much Liv wants to kiss-” Paige started to explain with a smirk as she glanced at me. 

“Daniel!” I cut Paige off. I took a deep breath. “I was just telling Dan about how much I wanted to kiss him.” I told Ryan, nodding my head. 

“Well… Keep it PG level… We are in the middle of the school hallway.” Ryan spoke nervously, scratching the back of his head. 

Oh right! 

He still thinks that I don’t know that he knows that I am not really dating Dan. 

“We will.” I smiled at him, motioning for him to leave with my eyes. 

“I’ll… go…” Ryan nodded at us before walking away. 

“So… Do you wanna kiss me?” Dan asked me with a smirk. 

“I’d rather kiss Hunter.” I told him dryly. I turned to start walking again but I saw Hunter smirking down at me as he blocked my way. 

“This is the second time you’ve said that you want to kiss me.” He said. 

“In your dreams, Kingston.” I smiled at him before I walked past him. 

“That’s my favourite dream, princess.” Hunter called after me. 

My breath hitched but I just rolled my eyes as I walked away, ignoring the deep laughter behind me which I knew came from the green-eyed boy. 

How do I always get into the weirdest situations?