LIKE LOVE OBSESSION

The alarm blared in my brain, and I shot up in a panic, grabbing my phone. The screen flashed the time—Oh no, I'm so late!

I had stayed up late, talking to Sinister. Gosh, that man had loaded me with so many assignments for the festival that I could barely focus. And of course, while he would already be at school, arriving in his sleek sedan, I—an ordinary girl—was scrambling to catch up.

I sprinted out of my house, the cold morning air biting my skin as I raced toward the road.

"Hey, Grace?" A voice called from behind me. I turned around, startled.

What was Liam doing here?

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my shock evident as I blinked at him.

Liam, who had been running just a little ahead of me, burst out laughing. "This is crazy. Did we live next door to each other this whole time?"

I rubbed my eyes. Was I dreaming? "How come we never crossed paths before?"

He grinned. "I guess we never noticed. Anyway, come on, let's catch the bus. We might just sneak in if we hurry."

"Sneak in?" I asked, confusion clouding my thoughts. "But we're already late..."

Before I could protest any further, Liam grabbed my wrist and started sprinting, pulling me along with him. I barely had time to process what was happening as he dragged me to the bus stop.

"But why do you take the bus?" I gasped as we ran. "Isn't it something you do for fun?"

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Why would taking the bus be 'for fun'?"

I gave him a sheepish look. "Well, you know, wealthy boys always have personal cars and drivers on TV shows…"

He shook his head, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "You watch too many dramas."

I couldn't help but smirk. Well, this place is worse than a drama, you know? I thought to myself.

"I live by myself," Liam said, breaking the silence. "My mom banned me from driving before graduating high school."

"Huh? You live by yourself?" I asked, barely believing it.

"Yeah, my mom's abroad running her business. It's been a few years now. My dad... well, he has no time for me."

I blinked, trying to process his words. "I see," I mumbled.

We reached the school entrance, still talking, completely unaware of the time slipping away.

"What's your story, Grace?" Liam asked casually.

"We'll talk about it later," I replied quickly, trying to steer the conversation. "We need to—"

But before I could finish, Liam veered off toward a narrow alley, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Huh?" I called out, confused. "The gate's that way!"

He waved a hand dismissively, not even glancing back. "I bet you don't know what the penalty is for being late to school, do you?"

My heart skipped a beat. "What? What's the penalty?"

"Forty laps around the schoolyard," he said nonchalantly, "And you know how huge it is, right?"

I froze, my mouth falling open in shock. "Isn't that a little extreme? In a school full of rich kids?"

Liam raised an eyebrow, his grin wide. "Well, you don't exactly look like the athletic type. You probably wouldn't last one lap."

His words made my heart pound harder—whether from frustration or something else, I wasn't sure. This is insane, I thought. Who punishes students like this in the 21st century?

"Now, time to climb," Liam said with a sudden shift in tone. He dragged me toward the side of the school, toward a tall fence that I hadn't even noticed before.

"H-Hold on!" I gasped, my breath coming in shallow bursts. "Sophia is supposed to be on duty for the student council! I can't sneak in!"

Liam gave me a look that made my insides churn. "Then what?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "You're going to run the laps?"

I swallowed hard, looking at the fence that loomed over me like an impossible barrier. "But the fence... it's so tall!"

Liam's laughter was soft, almost mocking, as he crouched down and patted his back. "Step on my back and climb over. I'll cover for you."

My heart skipped a beat. "Wait, what? You're kidding."

He met my eyes, his gaze serious, almost intense. "Listen, carefully. After you climb over, stay still. The physics teacher checks the fence every day. I'll distract him. You just have to get to the classroom as quickly as you can. Got it?"

"But what about you?" I asked, feeling a wave of concern for him wash over me.

Liam shook his head, the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. "Don't worry about me. Just hurry."

I was left standing there for a moment, staring at him. And then, with a deep breath, I did what I had never thought I would do: I climbed over the fence.

As I landed on the other side, I could hear Liam's voice ringing out, loud and unapologetic.

"Oh, hey! Where's Mr. Kennedy? Not here today? Maybe I should just skip class!"

Is he insane? I thought, my heart racing in my chest.

"Mr. Robinson, the question number four on your midterm paper was a little strange, you know!" Liam continued, his tone casual and mischievous.

"I know you got a perfect score on your physics midterm. What point are you trying to make?" Mr. Robinson's voice called back from the entrance.

"Oops, I forgot. I got perfect marks," Liam replied, acting like it was no big deal.

"Stop talking nonsense, and wear your school uniform properly," Sophia's voice chimed in, and I froze as I heard her approach.

That was my cue. I darted toward the school building, running as fast as I could, my heart pounding in my chest. The adrenaline coursing through my veins made it feel like everything was happening in fast motion.

"Liam is quite a runner," I muttered to myself, watching him sprint across the yard for the penalty laps.

"Huh?" Sophia asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Oh, I'm talking about Liam," I quickly explained, trying to brush it off.

During the entire self-study session in the morning, I couldn't help but watch Liam run lap after lap around the yard. His determination was hard to ignore, and the whole thing made me feel a little guilty.

Maybe I should take him to lunch or dinner later, I thought, feeling a strange sense of appreciation for what he was doing. After all, he had gone out of his way to help me get inside the school without getting caught. The least I could do was thank him properly.

After school ended, I walked alongside Sophia, lost in my thoughts when suddenly my phone buzzed. It was a message from Sinister.

I know we don't have a committee meeting tomorrow, but can you make time and meet me after school? I have something to tell you.

The sudden request caught me off guard, but I quickly typed back a response.

Okay, I will see you tomorrow.

I sent the message before even fully understanding why I felt so uneasy about meeting him.

Sophia glanced at my phone, her curiosity piqued. "Who is it?"

"Oh, it's nothing," I replied hastily, regretting the words the moment they left my mouth. I wasn't ready to explain anything about Sinister to her, and honestly, there wasn't much to explain either.

Sophia raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. However, her next question completely threw me off.

"Did you climb over the school fence today?" she asked, her tone unusually sharp.

"H-how did you know?" I stammered, my heart skipping a beat.

She shrugged, not missing a beat. "Liam kept glancing over the school fence as he made a scene of himself. It's hard not to notice."

My face turned red with embarrassment. "Oh... I'm so sorry! Please, just let me off the hook this one time," I pleaded, feeling guilty.

Sophia let out a frustrated sigh. "Ugh, you're not listening to me, are you? Getting so close to those boys I warned you about."

I winced, but before I could respond, she added with a teasing smile, "So, do you have a guy you like?"

"N-no! I don't!" I quickly denied, avoiding her gaze. The question caught me completely off guard.

She raised an eyebrow again, smirking. "Hmm, sounds like you might have one soon though."

Sophia gave me a knowing look. "I know it's hard to admit, but we all go through it. Sometimes, you have to accept that things are changing."

I stayed quiet, unsure of how to respond. Her words lingered in the air like a silent challenge, and I didn't know what to make of it.

Sophia sighed, her mood shifting a little. "You know, Grace, I'm just glad you're here. I've been lonely for a long time. Before you, it felt like I didn't have anyone to really talk to, to trust. But you..." She smiled softly, "You're my best friend. I don't want anything to come between us."

I looked at her, my heart suddenly heavy. It was true. Sophia had been there for me when no one else was. She always had my back, and I knew I could count on her. But was it enough? Was I being fair to her if I started letting myself get closer to Sinister?

"Sophia, you're the best," I said, my voice soft. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

She smiled warmly. "I'm lucky to have you too, Grace. I just don't want to lose you. Not to anyone."

The weight of her words hung between us. I couldn't quite figure out how I felt about Sinister or what was going on, but one thing was clear—I couldn't ignore the bond I had with Sophia. Not now. Not ever.

We walked in silence for a moment, the weight of the day settling in. As we reached the end of the path, I turned to her.

"Thanks, Sophia," I said quietly. "I promise, no matter what happens with... him, I'll always be your friend."

She nodded, looking a little relieved. "Good. You're stuck with me, Grace."

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips, and for a moment, everything felt a little lighter. The uncertainty, the confusion about Sinister, seemed to fade just a little in the presence of Sophia's unwavering support. Whatever was coming next, I knew I could face it. Because I wasn't alone.

And with that, we walked home together, the familiar streets comforting me with their certainty, even if the rest of my world felt uncertain.