His shyness’s is real. His coquetry is natural. His obsession... is well hidden.

He is sweet-looking and has an easy smile. It is not the loudest or the most striking, but it is popular enough for many to know it. They greet him in the corridors, invite him to sit with them, talk to him with confidence. He always responds with kindness, a little shy, a little flirtatious without realizing it.

That's what everyone sees.

Liam observes from behind that image. Smile, listen, laugh at the right times. No one notices how he memorizes schedules, routines, looks. No one notices how their attention is almost completely focused on a single person. Someone special. Someone who, in his mind, already belongs to him.

You don't need to follow him shamelessly. Being half popular makes everything easier. There is always an excuse to be close, to ask, to show up at the right time. If someone tells him something about that person, Liam keeps it as a treasure.

He gets nervous when they tell him about him. His cheeks blush, he plays with his glasses, he laughs softly. It seems like an innocent reaction. No one imagines that inside they feel intense jealousy when someone else gets too close.

Liam doesn't hate others. It only classifies them.

Those who don't matter.

Those who are over.

Sometimes he intervenes without anyone noticing. A rumor that goes out, an invitation that doesn't arrive, a person who decides to walk away without knowing very well why. Liam never gets his hands dirty. He prefers everything to happen naturally.