The Rebound Agreement ✔

twenty-one

[unedited;
please leave some comments as you read!!]

I nervously pat my foot on the doormat in front of Liam's dorm. My arms are folded over my chest as I wait in subzero weather for him to answer the door.

I'm worried. I mean, I'm almost always worried about something, but I'm more worried than usual.

What am I worried about? Well, you could assign a lot of things to go on that long list, but if we're sticking to the main one, I'm worried about facing Liam after realizing I love him and that he will never love me back. I'm still trying to come to terms with this idea.

I shiver as a gust of wind hits my back, and this is when Liam chooses to finally open the door.

"Katie," he says as he swings the door open. "You look like you're freezing."

Liam looks at me with concern in his gaze, the cute crinkle he gets between his eyebrows appearing. His hands are both in his sweatshirt pocket, and the the combination of his sweatshirt, sweats, and fuzzy socks make me quite envious of him.

My teeth chatter as I shrug, and Liam quickly pulls me inside, shutting the door behind me.

He opens his arms. "Come here."

Wordlessly, I step into his arms, laying my cheek against his chest and circling my arms around him. He holds me close to him, rubbing small circles on my back.

After a few moments, I feel his lips pressed against the top of my head. I involuntarily let out a contented sigh before pulling back and looking up at him and locking gazes with his big brown eyes.

"Thanks," I tell him, smiling softly.

I catch a glimpse of his lips upturning before he turns around and heads to the kitchen. I follow without question.

He bangs around, opening and shutting cupboards as if looking for something. On the fourth or fifth cupboard, he finally pulls something out and sets it on the counter.

"Hot chocolate?" I ask.

Liam smiles and starts poorly singing the hot chocolate song from The Polar Express. I gently smack his arm and tell him to stop, but I smile all the same.

"Here," he tells me, handing me a mug after he finally stops singing. I take it, cradling it in my hands and wiping off dust on the side of it with my thumb.

Liam pulls some marshmallows out of the pantry and sets them down on the counter. "I have an idea," he tells me, a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Oh, no. That's never good."

He tears open the bag of marshmallows and shoves his phone at me. "I'm going to see how many of these I can fit into my mouth, and you're going to video me."

"That's a horrible idea," I tell him, rolling my eyes.

He just grins. "I got to do it for the Vine."

I laugh. "Even I know that vine hasn't been cool since like 2014."

"Enough complaining," he reprimands me with a smile, the bag of jumbo marshmallows ready in his hand.

"Fine," I give in, shaking my head as I open the camera on his phone.

"Go."