Liam leans forward and grabs my hand giving me a tight squeeze, something that surprises me. His smile is still bright and his expression shows sheer relief, but I can only blink as I watch him. Then he grabs my hand with both of his and takes it to his lips, leaving a kiss on my knuckles. I gasp and try to pull back, but he holds my hand tighter.

"Thank you, Belle. I know I haven't been the best with you and I'm sorry. I promise you I'll try harder now that you've given me a second chance," he says but I don't know if I'm too dumbfounded or what, because his words make no sense.

"You don't need to do this," I tell him, still trying to get him off of me but he doesn't let me go. "Liam, please."

"I mean it, Belle. I'll be exactly what you want me to be," he says and I get annoyed, not only because he doesn't let go of my hand, but because of his words.

"Don't push it, Liam. I don't need you to charm me or try to be my perfect man. That's not necessary and I don't want it. You don't have to be what I want. Just be yourself but be considerate, for everyone's sake, not just mine. You treat everyone as if they were rubbish, that's why I got pissed. Because you didn't consider your sister's feelings, because you didn't think of your family. You only thought of yourself and you won't get anywhere like that. You don't have to be what others want because that's faking, and faking only leads to emptiness. Are you okay with that? Do you really prefer people liking you for what you're not instead for what you really are?" I look away and take a deep breath.

Why is that Liam always makes me raise my voice and get all agitated? I try to stay cold and distant, but I always end up lecturing him on something. I choose not to interact, to stay away from people and meaningless relationships but here I am, telling Liam how to avoid exactly what I don't even bother to consider, as if I had some meaningful relationship at all. Why do I try to teach him the differences in interactions when I can't even bother to make a real friend?

My words surprise him because he looses up the grip and I get my hand back.

"If you're so desperate for people's acknowledgment and approval, then be truthful to them. Be considerate, don't be a fake," I conclude in a calmer voice and he only stares at me, hopefully thinking of what I'm saying instead of just letting the words go with the wind.

"How can you— never mind. I'll try," he says but his expression is confused and I wonder if he really understands and notices the difference between being considerate and being someone else's preference.

I take a deep sigh, remembering that I've decided to take his apology and a different approach. No more fighting, no more reminding him it's a deal. I have to do my best and get along with him. Stay cool and collected.

Now I'm lean in and take his hand to give an encouraging squeeze. "It's okay, I'll help you in what I can. I haven't been easy on you either and I accept my share of responsibility. I'll try to make things easier between us, too," I tell him and his expression softens. "Let's try to get along, okay? For our own sake," I propose next and he thinks about it instead of immediately agreeing, so I smile to tell him I mean it. I don't want to fight for other five months, I certainly refuse to live with a constant headache, so this is the best way we can approach the situation.

"Deal," he says with his own smile. Not the arrogant and playful one, not the sarcastic one, not the patronising one. This smile is sweet and kind and suits him better than any other type of smile. When I see him smiling like this I actually believe we can get along. I don't mean we'll like each other, but at least we won't hate each other's guts.

"Then now I want to invite you somewhere." Liam raises his eyebrows in an interested mannerism that invites me to continue. "We are putting a fair with my students for the parents, to show the progress so far. Would you like to come and see?"

He does not reply and thinks about it, but I don't take offence in his actions. At least he is not roundly rejecting the offer because it involves children or because it's too lame for him. He is being considerate, so I smile because it's a proof that he means it, that he's trying.

"When is it?" he asks.

"This Friday," I reply and he nods, still thinking.

"Yes, I can make it. In the morning, right? At your school? At what time should I be there?" I keep the smile oblivious to the fact that he is now playing with my fingers, lacing his through mine until we are actually holding hands. I don't notice this until I look down and see our hands tangled up together.

"Uh... yes, the morning. Around ten is fine," I say a bit distracted because I keep seeing our hands together. His grip is not strong like before, but gentle and almost hesitant, as if he knew I could pull away any second. In an attempt to show I also mean it when I say I'll try to get along, I let him keep hold of my hand because, after all, it's not uncomfortable and by now it doesn't even feel that unnatural as it was at the beginning.

"Perfect then. I'll be there," he says with a big smile.

•••

It's Friday and I'm a bit nervous that Liam is coming. During the week we've kept in touch and it's a bit weird at first because I was used to him being the jerk, so when he texts to ask me how I'm doing and if everything is going well with the fair I'm thrown a bit off. I don't even know how to reply at first, it feels surreal but I remind myself that I have to also try to make this fake relationship work.

Some parents have arrived already and the kids are excited and nervous. We've set our small fair in the classroom, all the desks creating a circle and the kids' favourites projects on display. Some have drawings, some have sculptures, and some have collages. Most of them have drawings they've done and coloured. The important thing is that all the exhibitions are things we've done in class so the parents haven't seen them, this is the first time and they'll love it. And as the parents arrive, I give them a report I've made of each kid, a bit more detailed and personalised than the ones I give them during parents' meetings.

"This is your class?" someone asks from behind when I'm busy watching one of my kids showing her drawings to her mother. She's a single mother and she normally can't make it to parents' meetings because she is always working until very, very late, so I'm impressed she's here today. Even Sophia is ecstatic, I can tell. I've never seen her smiling so brightly before.

I turn around, surprised, just to find Liam smiling brightly at me, still wearing his grey coat and the scarf hanging from his neck. He keeps both hands on his back in that innocent way kids try to pull when they did something bad.

"Oh, you're here," I say and then compose myself to give him a smile back. "Yes, this is my class and most parents have arrived." I take a glimpse to see those few kids that are sitting behind their desks with long faces because their parents won't come. If I were their parents I wouldn't have sent them to school knowing I couldn't make it and that that would make them sad. It's more merciful to keep them at home.

Liam looks around and I notice his eyes stay a bit longer on those sad-looking kids. Then he speaks to me, "I brought these for you." He takes from behind a lovely bouquet of sunflowers. I'm impressed that he actually managed to get those at this time of the year. "To congratulate you for pulling this off, but maybe we should give a flower to each of the kids whose parents' didn't come. To cheer them up, don't you think?"

I blink in surprise at his suggestion, taken aback by the generosity in his words. It's been almost a week since I saw him being the worst to his family that it's so weird to see him being like this. I know, for sure, he is trying and I'm beyond impressed because he is being considerate to others, and not just anyone but my kids. I might not like children and apart from this class I won't care about any other child, but these kids are my responsibility, they are my students and I can't ignore them. I worry about them.

"I think that's a lovely idea, Liam," I tell him with an honest smile. "And thank you for the flowers, it was a beautiful gesture."

To show my gratitude I lean in and I kiss his cheek. I would peck his lips using this opportunity to show we are a couple, but we are in my classroom with kids and parents around who wouldn't approve of that behaviour. He smiles at me before handing me the bouquet, our fingers brushing against each other.

After that he helps me give flowers to the kids who don't have their parents and I have to introduce Liam as my boyfriend when they ask me why he is here. Some recognise him but none of my students is a fan of him. Even some parents ask me about the man by my side and I have to explain he wanted to see the kids' hard work when I told him about what we were doing.

"She always speaks so highly of all her students, I had to see for myself. I hope you don't mind the intrusion," he says and the parents smile approvingly.

This reminds me of the premiere we went together to, in which I had to speak to leave a good impression of Liam. I don't have problems with my students' parents, but it's always good to be in the best terms with them and Liam is helping.

So we stay there, for almost an hour with the kids. Some parents leave sooner than others and the good mood stays until the end. The kids whose parents didn't come roam around Liam, showing him what they had prepared to show their parents. He smiles and acts surprised and impressed with what they show him and sometimes I find myself engrossed watching Liam with the kids, smiling happily and innocently, making them laugh and playing a bit. When there are no parents around anymore, all the kids are around Liam who's got all the instruments we have in the classroom. I watch from my own desk how he plays a bit with each one, teaching the kids a bit then handing the instrument to the closest kid. After a while, they have a whole performance that sounds extremely out of tune and synchronisation, but it's beautiful nonetheless and Liam smiles radiantly at me, as if he were having the time of his life. For some reason, that stirs something in my chest, making my heart beat in surprise, I assume.

By lunchtime Liam has to leave so I walk him to the parking lot, not after all the kids begged him to come another day to make music with them. They actually liked him and I think kids bring the best of Liam. He looked almost as the boy I saw in those interviews, just a more adult and mature version of the naïve and innocent kid that was just starting.

"Thank you for coming today," I tell him when we make it to his car. "The kids had a better time thanks to you. It worked really well," I continue and he smiles.

We stand face-to-face and he keeps the soft smile. "I also had a good time. Thank you for inviting me, Belle," he replies and I'm actually glad I did. It worked better than I could've ever expected. "It was good to spend some time like this before leaving," he adds and I frown in confusion. "The tour starts tomorrow, remember?" Oh... I had forgotten about that. The reason why he couldn't make it to his sister's wedding. Liam laughs, realising I had indeed forgotten about it. "I'll be away a couple of days before we have a show in London."

"Okay, have a safe trip and do your best on stage," I tell him, not sure if that's what I should tell.

"Thanks," he says before he takes a step closer. I tense but I don't step back, trying not to look intimidated. Besides, he is not approaching like a predator, like he used to do before. "Take care, I'll see you when I'm back in London," he says next as his hands land on my waist pulling me towards him. I stumble forward a bit awkwardly until I'm pressed against his body.

He doesn't say anything else, instead he lowers his head slowly, aiming to kiss me, I'm sure of that, but he's doing it slowly, giving me time to pull back if I want to.

I want to pull back, I should pull back but then I remember we are outside, not in the classroom and if people see us kissing goodbye outside, then that's good. Who knows, maybe some paparazzi followed Liam here and are taking pictures of us right now.

It's okay,I tell myself. Just a kiss. It's acting, it's not a real kiss.

So I close my eyes and wait until I feel his lips on mine, soft at first, testing if it's okay to do this. I don't push him nor reply, I just stay there but then he presses a bit more and his hands slide to the small of my back, pulling me even closer. And that's when he really kisses me and I surprise myself kissing him back, my own hands—that were resting on his chest, trapped between us—sneak up to his neck and I stand on my tiptoes so we are in a more comfortable position.

As his lips play with mine, tempting me for an even deeper kiss, I start to forget to keep the cool mind and act and I just let myself feel and enjoy the kiss, which is not forceful or lustful, it's a caring and sweet kiss, meticulous but intoxicating nonetheless. And I like it, I'm actually enjoying it.

And that's why I pull back, before I lose focus of what this really is. We don't need to put that big of a show. He tries to kiss me again when our lips part as if he isn't ready to let go, but I put my hands back on his chest, keeping the distance between us.

"See you later, Liam. Drive carefully," I say, my voice a bit hoarse so I clear my throat as casually as I can as I push Liam softly and take a step back. Then I look up and smile at him.

"See you later, Belle," he says with a look in his eyes that makes me tremble inside, but I don't dwell on that, I just nod in acknowledgement and turn on my heels, walking away from him and whatever the way I felt when he kissed me this time means.

-:-:-

I've been reading Cinder again the whole afternoon and akjshgajhgsjas that book is the reason why I started writing this series! Have you read it? If not, then we can't be friends ¬¬'

Bel, xx

PS: what about 1K votes for the next update?
PPS: Manip I made of #Lisabelle on the multimedia. Yeah, I've picked #Lisabelle as ship name cos it sounds cool.