Once I agree to Luke's terms, his God-awful plan sets into motion. I stupidly agreed to meet up with Luke every Friday to offer him any "helpful information" I might get out of Liam in the time I'll be spending with him.

At lunch, I avoid Luke's gaze as much as I possibly can, which is hard considering he seems to make a point to stare at me throughout the entire period. It's as if he thinks I'm going to back out on his plan, like I'm going to give up before I've even started.

Unfortunately for me, I have never been a quitter.

In English class, I feel Luke's blue-eyed stare boring into my skin, as if his irises have attached lasers. I'm hardly able to pay attention to Ms. Edwards' lesson on Shakespeare, as our class is to be starting Romeo and Juliet within the week. I don't think I could have run out of the room any faster when the bell rings to signify the end of the period, trying my hardest to avoid any sort of run-in with Luke.

Still, I agreed to Luke's plan, so I intend to follow through with it. So far, the two of us have come up with what we call "Phase One" in which I'm supposed to corner Liam sometime, whenever I'm able to catch him alone.

It seems like the world is trying to do me a favor, because as I'm making my way toward fourth period I spot Liam entering the library. Alone.

I follow after him in seconds, slipping into the library with my school books clutched to my chest. I can feel my heart ramming against my rib-cage, begging me to turn around before I actually go through with Luke's ridiculous plan. At this point, I can't even remember why I agreed to do such a thing in the first place. However, my feet seem to be in a different place than both my heart and my head, and they lead me in Liam's direction without so much as a second thought.

I spot Liam standing before one of the empty tables scattering the wide room, setting his things down. With a deep breath and no thought, I force myself forward.

"Hey!" I'm speaking much too loudly, considering I'm in the library, though the place is mostly empty, anyway. I smile as wide and genuinely as I can as I glance up toward Liam, tilting my head to the side as I question, "It's Liam, right?"

Liam gazes over at me, pinning me with his dark eyes, as if trying to place me in his memory. His lips soon break out into a slow, easy grin which assures me that Liam Wellington has yet to forget who I am.

"Hey," he responds casually. "I remember you. Jade, was it?"

"Right on the first try," I tease as I meet his gaze with a small smile, finding that this flirting thing isn't too hard, immediately hating myself when I realize what I'm doing.

"Well, I couldn't possibly forget the name of the only other person on the planet that gets along with Luke Bradford the way I do." Liam winks to follow his comment, hinting at our mutual hatred of Luke. However, I'm not longer sure I can even say I hate him anymore, considering the only reason I'm here talking to Liam in the first place is because Luke asked me to.

"Besides," Liam continues, his voice bringing me out of my thoughts. "Pretty girls are hard to forget."

Despite the fact that all of this is supposed to be fake on my end, I can't help blushing at Liam's comment. It isn't every day I'm given a compliment like that, after all.

"So . . . you think I'm pretty?" I tease, to which Liam smiles and shrugs nonchalantly. Clutching my notebooks to my chest with one hand, I use the other to gently shove Liam's arm. "Well, in that case, I guess you're not so bad yourself."

Liam's expression is one of mock-offense as he raises his eyebrows at me and jokes, "You guess? Ouch, Jade. That hurt."

"Well, you're no Percy Jackson," I muse, making sure to keep my smile and tone light. "But you'll do."

To this, Liam furrows his eyebrows in what seems to be confused. "Percy . . . Jackson?"

I can't help gasping at his ignorance. Staring at Liam blankly, I question, "You've never read the Percy Jackson series?"

Liam smiles as if he finds me amusing. "I'm sorry to say that I haven't."

"And I'm sorry to hear that." I shake my head. "Maybe we'll have to watch the movie together sometime, because you are missing out."

"Well, I can't turn down an offer like that," Liam says playfully, brown eyes gleaming as they connect with mine. We share a smile, and for a moment I forget that I'm supposed to be faking all of this. That I'm supposed to be playing Liam; deceiving him, even. For just a moment, our flirting—or whatever you want to call it—feels . . . real. And not unpleasant.

Before I'm able to think better of doing so, I reach into my bag and grab a pen, clicking it open. Then I take Liam's hand in my own, sensing his confusion as I raise the top of my pen to his palm and begin to scrawl my number across his skin.

I click my pen closed once again, smiling up at Liam as I say, "Whenever you're ready to discover all that is Percy Jackson, give me a call."

Liam wets his lips before pressing them together as if trying to hold back a smile. "You know, I might just take you up on that."

I tilt my head to the side, pouting in mock-disappointment. "Might?" I question. "That doesn't sound very definite."

"Is anything?" Liam counters, and I must admit that he has a very good point.

"I should head to class," I tell him, as I'm not fifteen minutes late for fourth period, which I figure out by risking a glance at the clock hanging on the wall in the corner of the library. "But I'll be waiting for that call."

"And I'll be waiting to make it," Liam assures me. When he smiles, I'm not quite sure why I begin to feel tiny butterflies dancing around in the pit of my stomach.

With that and one last goodbye, I turn on my heel and make my way toward the exit. Feeling slightly accomplished and more than a little guilty, I pull my phone out to text Luke that I've got everything under control.

And then I curse him for asking me to do this at all.

»»----- -----««

Liam doesn't message me until two days later.

I'm sitting at my desk and finishing my history homework when my phone dings with a text. I drop my pencil, grateful for an excuse to stop shifting through my textbook, and reach for my phone to find that the message is from an unknown number. Instantly, I'm certain the text has to be from Liam, and reading the message only confirms my suspicions.

I can't help smiling to myself as my eyes scan the message, trying to come up with a suitable response. When a reply finally comes to me, I answer Liam quickly: That's fine. I'll try not to be too disappointed.

Anxiously, I wait for him to respond. I try to return to focusing on my homework, reminding myself that what I have going on with Liam isn't even real. At least, not on my end. This is all a ploy to help Luke get what he wants, and in return I get . . . well, I'm not sure yet.

Why, exactly, did I agree to do this again? Seriously, I wish someone would tell me. Because I struggle to come up with a viable answer.

Lost in thought, the sound of my phone dinging with a notification brings me back to reality.

I bite my lip as I type my response. Of course you will. Someone once told me I'm hard to forget.

Well, he hasn't even read Percy Jackson, so . . .

I raise my eyebrows at Liam's latest message, wondering what he could possibly getting at.

What kind of deal?

I stare at my phone screen for a brief moment, unsure of why I feel surprised by Liam's offer. I guess I hadn't expected him to ask me out so quickly, if ever. However, this proposal certainly makes my job here much easier. I have to admit that a part of me is almost genuinely thrilled at the idea of going out with Liam Wellington, though I couldn't say why. Another part of me, a smaller part, feels guilty about all of this.

I remind myself that I have yet to answer Liam, and quickly begin to type a reply. You drive a hard bargain, Wellington.

You think you have girls all figured out, don't you?

You know what, Wellington? You have yourself a deal.

I say that's the best news I've heard all day. Think you could pick me up?

I can't wait. Goodnight, Liam.

With that, our conversation comes to and end. I look back over our messages for a moment, smiling to myself faintly. It then hits me that Luke's plan seems to be working, as Liam Wellington just asked me out.

As the thought passes through my mind, I rise from my desk chair with my phone in hand, wandering over to my window. I unlock my phone and make a call to Luke, waving at him through the glass to get his attention. He sits up in his bed when he notices my call, turning his glasses-clad face toward mine through the windowpanes that separate us.

"What's up, Clumsy?" Luke questions when he picks up, walking over to his window. Soon Luke is standing before me, seemingly waiting for me to explain the reasoning behind my phone call.

"We're in."

»»----- -----««

a/n: it's finally winter break. woo. i hope everyone has happy holidays and a happier new year. :)