Series Starter Firsts in Series Collection - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,344

happen, just like I told you earlier. I’m going to enjoy watching this play out. The show so far has been AH-MAZING,” she sings as she hops back to her bed.

The first week of classes goes smoothly. Hailey and I’d already mapped out where we needed to go, so we could ensure we’d be on time. That’s yet another thing she and I have in common, neither one of us like to be late. Thursday night we’re hanging out in our room trying to figure out how to celebrate our first week. Neither one of us has classes on Friday, so we’ll have a three-day weekend for this semester. Hell yeah. I haven’t seen Liam at all this week. Of course, I’ve gone out of my way to avoid him and Aiden. I gave Aiden the excuse I was busy with diving into my classes. He bought it, thankfully.

My cell phone starts singing LMFAO “Sexy and I Know It.” Aiden’s ringtone. He programmed it himself. He’s quite proud of his selection and often calls when we’re together just to remind me.

“Hey, Ace,” I chirp.

“Hey, you. What are you and Hales up to tonight?” he asks.

“Well, we were actually just discussing that. How about you?” I want to say how about you and Liam, but I don’t want to be obvious. It’s been a week since I’ve seen him.

“Nothing really. Liam and I are just sitting around, thinking about going out for pizza, and wanted to see if you and Hales wanted to come with?”

I pull the phone away from my ear. “Hey, Hales, Aiden said he and Liam are going out for pizza and they want to know if we want to come with.”

“Yes. How much time do we have?” she responds as she jumps off her bed and starts rummaging through her closet.

I laugh at her antics. “Yeah, we’re in. Where do you want to meet?” I listen to Aiden tell me he and Liam will pick us up in twenty minutes. I quickly say goodbye, so I can get ready.

“They’ll be here in twenty minutes to pick us up,” I tell Hailey as I laugh at her throwing clothes around our room.

“Get your ass in gear, missy. We only have twenty minutes, make that nineteen. What are you going to wear?”

I shrug my shoulders. I’m a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of girl. I want Liam to want me, but I want him to want the real me. I refuse to pretend to be someone I’m not in order to earn his affections. “What’s wrong with what I have on?” I question her.

Hailey rolls her eyes at me. “Nothing, I just think you should change it up a little is all. My brother is chomping at the bit for you, and we just want to give him the little push he needs.”

“What do you mean he’s chomping at the bit for me?” I question her, hands on my hips.

She sighs. “He’s called and texted me more this week than he has in our entire lives. He wanted to make sure you were okay after Sunday.”

“Wow. Okay, well, I guess that’s a good thing. I told him I wanted more, Hales. Do you think he’ll ever be able to give me that? Give anyone that?” I ask her, sadness in my voice.

Hailey nods her head yes. “I do, he’s really into you. Liam’s just working through his emotions right now. He’s never wanted anyone like this before, or cared how they were doing. This is all new to him. Give him time to adjust to the thought of being in a relationship.” She brings a pair of distressed capri jeans and a spaghetti strap tank over to me. “Put these on with some flip-flops. They’ll show off your curves, but it’s still really casual, so it won’t look like you’re trying too hard.”

I don’t respond, instead I make quick work of changing my clothes, then let Hailey touch up my makeup and hair, which I’d straightened today. We barely finish when we hear a knock at the door.

“Come in!” we both yell at the same time as we giggle.

Chapter 12

Liam

I pester the shit out of Aiden until he finally breaks down and calls Allison and invites her and Hailey out for pizza with us. Luckily, they agree, and soon Aiden and I are on our way up to their dorm room to pick them up. Aiden knocks on the door and a chorus of, “Come in,” and a lot of giggling rings