I.LIKE.YOU

It was Monday, and it was the start of the preparations for the school festival. By that time, things went back to normal. Alice, Grant, and Mark acted as if nothing happened. Most of the students were already decorating their rooms and the others were rehearsing for the play. Grant, despite what happened, was still as enthusiastic as ever. He, together with Mark and Alice, spend a lot of time practicing together.

"I must be a masochist, despite getting hurt I still want to hang-out with her," Grant thought to himself.

"That's great, your acting is fine but there's this awkwardness between you three. You have to work on that," Miriam commented.

"Don't say that Miriam, you know their situation." Gail whispered.

"But still, we have to win this, so the play has to be perfect," Miriam said. "Go on, repeat the scene," Miriam told them.

After doing the rehearsals, they stayed at the school auditorium. "Now Alice, what if you'd be the one to mentor our hosts?" Gail asked.

"Oh, I hired a mentor. I have to go for a while," she said before she left.

"Alice, what's with the get up?" Mark gave her a scrutinizing look once she returned.

"I'm not Alice, my name's Liam," Alice was once again in her Liam costume. "I'll be teaching you on how to be appealing hosts," she smirked.

"Then why do you have to dress up like a guy?" Grant asked.

"To get in character, I'll just do a demo and don't you dare tell the girls about this," Alice said. The guys shrugged and followed her.

Liam entered the classroom together with the other hosts. "Who's he?" the other girls asked.

"W-wait, I remember him! Lee? No, Liam! Is that you?" Tiffany's eyes sparkled.

"Yes, Alice said the class needed someone to teach these guys how to be hosts. Lucky for you, I happen to be a host," Liam smiled. Alice is actually surprised that no one except for Grant and the other guys could actually tell it's her. "I shall do a demonstration,"

Liam stepped near Miriam, "Good day my dear princess, how would you like me to entertain you today?" he said as he caressed her cheek. The girls squealed in delight.

"This is ridiculous," Mark facepalmed.

"However you'd like," Miriam blushed.

Liam took her hand. "I've never seen someone as beautiful as you, your beauty is the type that I'd like to keep all to myself." The girls have gone wild. Tiffany got too happy, so she ran towards Liam and latched onto him.

Liam stumbled backward and he hit the blackboard at the same time, the wig fell off and the whole class got shocked.

"Uh… huh… hi?" Alice grinned nervously.

"What the hell?! All this time you are Liam?!" Tiffany shook her shoulders.

"Well yeah, isn't it obvious? I thought you'd recognize me by now," Alice chuckled.

"You're a fraud!" one of her classmates shouted.

"I'm not a fraud, it's called cross-dressing, and besides I never thought the girls would actually like my character," Alice shrugged.

Miriam suddenly started laughing which kinda made the class nervous. "Great job Alice," she said.

"This doesn't sound good," Alice gulped.

"You'll be dressing up as a guy on the last two days of café service," Miriam said as she adjusted her glasses.

"What?" Alice exclaimed.

"I'll admit it, I think Alice is more appealing as a guy rather than her normal self," Rebecca giggled.

"Hey!" Alice pouted.

"I agree, I can't believe I actually fell in love with Liam when we were on our retreat," Tiffany sighed.

"Sheesh Tiffany, I think you fell for a bunch of guys, Mark, Grant, Justin, and Liam. Guess what, they're all connected to Alice." Alex laughed. The thought of Tiffany liking Liam gave Alice shudders, nothing else would match that disturbance she felt.

"Wait, I dressed up as a guy to have fun!" Alice explained.

"Consider it as a punishment for messing with us girls," Miriam lilted. "Alice will be pretending as a guy on the final two days of café service, no one must find out that she's Alice. Refer to her as Liam and treat her as a boy." Miriam preached.

"No adjustments needed, Alice is one of the guys in the first place." Lance teased.

"Shut it," Alice punched him.

Mark and Grant were both snickering when a bolt of lightning hit them and slapped them to realization. Alice being one of the hosts equals she can't designate them and second Alice being a boy means they can't be too close to her unless they want to raise suspicions.

"Wait, it's impossible, how can we explain where Liam came from, it isn't a good idea and we can't just say that we met him at the retreat." Mark objected.

"Well only the third years have seen him and some might not even know him, we can just say that he's a friend that we asked a favor from," Miriam explained.

"But what if they find out? Besides what if they ask where's Alice while she's Liam?" Grant asked.

"Somehow I think you two are against this," Gail said suspiciously.

"No, it's just that--" Mark stammered.

"Wouldn't it be difficult for Alice?" Grant asked.

"No it won't, I agree now, I'd rather pretend to be a guy than serve as a maid," Alice said. Mark and Grant sighed at Alice in disbelief.

"There goes our chance," they groaned.

"Then it's settled, operation Alice as Liam will indeed happen,"

"Cool, now I don't have to be a maid for longer notice," Alice grinned as she clasped her hands.

After the meeting, Alice, Grant, and Mark were ordered to go to the photo journalism's clubroom to do a shoot for their posters, after a lot of threatening from their Spartan of a class president they gave in and obeyed her.

"This is ridiculous," Alice said.

"It suits you," Sarah and Veronica giggled. Alice facepalmed as she looked at herself in front of the mirror. She was wearing a blue dress, striped socks and she had a blue ribbon on her hair.

"Hey, at least you look more normal," Mark grunted.

"Mark is right," Grant sighed. Alice saw the two, Mark was wearing a Peter Pan costume and Grant was wearing a pirate costume.

"You two look like total weirdoes," Alice sniggered.

"You're better off to dress up as a guy," Mark hummed innocently. Suddenly he was smacked on the head. "What was that for?" Mark groaned as he too smacked Alice's head.

"Stop being a douche bag!" Alice yelled.

"You started it!" Mark yelled back.

"Idiot,"

"Flea,"

"I guess they're fighting like they used to," Rebecca bellowed.

"What if we just get this photoshoot over with?" Grant said in an obviously annoyed tone.

"Both of you, we need to take a good picture. Miriam will kill us if we don't have one by today," Sarah said.

"Fine," Mark and Alice sighed in defeat.

This wasn't what Mark was expecting. He never thought that he has to carry Alice in his arms. "Can't we just take a normal picture? In an original Peter Pan picture, all I see is Peter and Wendy flying," Mark said.

"But this is a different version of Peter Pan plus there is a scene in the story when Wendy couldn't fly because she stopped believing in Neverland's existence then they got captured by Hook and Peter comes to the rescue," Rebecca explained.

"Then why is Grant just sitting there?" Alice complained.

"I'm finished with my shoot, they just need to see my handsome smirking face in the background," Grant chuckled.

"Yeah right Grant," Alice giggled.

"Admit it Alice, I know you think I'm as handsome as my brother," Grant said with a smug look.

"Yeah sure, your brother is at a different level but you have your own charisma." Alice grinned.

Mark huffed. "You can talk to Grant later Alice. For now, at least look at me while we're taking a picture,"

Alice faced him. "There, happy?"

"I have something to tell you," Mark whispered.

"What?" Alice inclined her head towards Mark.

"That pose!" Veronica clicked the camera.

"What?" Alice looked puzzled, Veronica and the other girls giggled before showing them the picture. Alice's eyes widened in shock, it looked like they were about to kiss!

"Nice picture," Grant whistled.

"It is, let's show it to Miriam!" before Alice could even make a remark the girls have already dashed to their classroom.

"What was your question?" Alice looked at Mark.

"I was going to ask you if you'd want a bubble tea after this so that you'd have the motivation to do the shoot." Mark scratched his head.

"The two of you should be prepared, everyone will definitely tease you about it." Grant chuckled.

"Who cares, I'm changing. I don't want anyone else to see me wearing this otherwise shit will only get worse," Alice grunted.

"I'll be honest, you look cute in that dress," Grant smiled as he pinched Alice's cheek.

"Oh shut up," Alice slapped his hand away and she went to the changing room.

Once Alice was gone, the two boys were left in a staring competition. "Do you still like her?" Mark asked.

"I'm in love with her, but don't worry Mark. I'm not planning on making my move on her unless you get rejected, after all you've known her for a longer time." Grant said.

"I never thought you'd have the decency. Oh wait, did you just say rejected?!" Mark growled.

"Whatever, good luck Mark but don't get cocky for now," Grant smiled.

Alice showed up wearing her school uniform afterward, she told the two that she'd head first in the classroom. Once she got in she was greeted by her classmates' smug faces. "What?" she asked.

"The flyers will be awesome," Miriam sang out.

"Wait it was a misunderstanding, you see Mark was gonna ask me something but then they took the shot," Alice explained but it was futile because her classmates still had those annoying grins on their faces.

"It's like talking to a bunch of trolls!" Alice pulled her hair in frustration.

"We will edit this tonight and we'll show you the copies tomorrow," Felix said. Then Grant and Mark returned to the classroom and once again the class remembered the darn photo again much to Alice's chagrin.

After that, once again rehearsed for the play, soon it was time for them to go home. "Aren't you going to go home with Grant?" Mark asked.

"I am, he said he'll be waiting at the gate," Alice replied, then she looked around. "Where are Josh and the others?" Alice asked.

"The usual, they're with their girlfriends." Mark sighed.

"Oh, why don't you get yourself a girlfriend? You seem left out most of the time" Alice said.

"I want to but I can't yet," Mark groaned.

"Why?"

"Because I have to be super patient with this girl," Mark was starting to get irritated. He is talking about his love-life with the girl he likes, how absurd.

"I never knew you had a love interest, how come you never told me about it? That girl must be dense for not realizing." Alice scoffed.

"Oh she is super dense indeed," Mark wanted to tell Alice straight but as he did say, he has to be super patient so instead of telling her he had other plans.

"You know people are starting to think that you and Grant are dating," he groaned.

"It's okay, not like it's real anyways." Alice chuckled.

"I have a question," Mark said.

"Is it about love? I can help you anytime," Alice smiled.

"Alice, do you have feelings for me? Do you like me?" he asked with a sweet smile. Alice flinched.

"What the hell?" she faced him. "I thought we're done with this?"

"Answer my question," Mark calmly said.

"I told you before, I don't hate you." she avoided eye contact.

"You're as sly as a fox, do you know that?" Mark chuckled.

"Well, how about you Mark, do you like me?" Alice said in an arrogant tone. Mark only smiled at her.

Alice's heart skipped a beat. "I'll see you tomorrow" she ran off in an uneasy way. "Why? He was supposed to laugh and deny it! He was supposed to be grossed out!" Alice thought as she hurried to the gate.

"I've been waiting for you," Grant greeted.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Alice's voice cracked.

"Are you okay?" Grant asked.

"Y-yeah, let's go." she shuddered.

Once they arrived home, Alice hurried to her room and lied down on the bed. She buried her face onto her soft, white pillow. "Why am I like this?" she asked herself. Her face was flushed and her heart was still beating fast. "This seems weird," she bellowed.

Minutes later there was a knocking on her bedroom door. "Hey Al, it's Grant," Alice only groaned in response. "Are you okay?" he asked as he sat on the edge of the bed, Alice sat up.

"Yeah don't mind, I'm just puzzled that's all." she said with faint laughter.

"You're bothered aren't you?"

Alice took a deep breath. "Well, there's no use denying it. Tell me Grant, when you ask someone if they like you and that person just smiled at you, how would you react?" she asked.

"I'd be confused or intimidated because that person didn't answer me at all," Grant replied. "Maybe Mark just wanted to annoy you." he laughed.

"How did you know it was Mark?" Alice looked surprised.

"Anyone who isn't you would've guessed it that easily. Besides, there are many stuff you don't know because you're too dense." Grant shrugged.

"Dense? How?" Alice got even more confused.

Grant rolled his eyes and he scratched his head. "Look Alice, I like you," he emphasized the last three words.

"Eh?" Alice blushed.

"I told you that before didn't I? I'm glad nothing became awkward between us but I realized that for now, there is this one guy that truly deserves you but you're just too dense. So take my advice, be more sensitive will ya?" Grant patted her head.

"W-wait, you really do like me? I thought you were just joking," Alice looked flustered.

"Alice, do you think I'm joking?" Grant said in a serious tone. Alice's face turned red as she looked down.

"N-no, I'm sorry." she stuttered.

Grant moved forward and wrapped his arms around Alice. "Whatever happens, I'll always be here for you but you know that guy would be very lucky to have you," Grant whispered to her ear. Alice blushed even more.

"M-maybe you're just hungry, should we eat dinner?" Alice changed the subject.

"I may be hungry but what I said is the truth, let's go." he kissed her forehead, then he pulled her up.

"What was that for?" Alice whined.

"Tch. It's the farthest I can go, I would've gone for your lips if I had a chance but I wouldn't want to be a hypocrite," he smirked.

"Oh god, Grant…shut up!" she blushed furiously.

It was the day that Alice had to leave the Mendoza residence. Alice's and Grant's parents have just arrived from their long business trip and Alice's parents were there to fetch her.

"Thanks for letting me stay, I had lots of fun here," Alice said courteously.

"I think my boys are disappointed," Mrs. Mendoza laughed.

"I'll miss you Alice," Grant smiled.

"We'll still see each other at school you know but I'll definitely miss this place," Alice remarked.

Suddenly Justin stepped forward and pulled Alice towards him. "I'll miss you Alice, thanks for staying over." he leaned down and kissed her forehead. Alice blushed, do brothers really have a habit of stealing kisses from her? First it was Mark and Ivan then now it's Justin and Grant.

"How could you take advantage of the situation?" Grant smacked Justin's forehead.

"Ouch! You're a mean brother!" he groaned.

"We'll be leaving, thanks for letting my daughter stay over with your two sons…" Alice's father coughed.

"Oh yes sir, thank you," Grant and Justin said in unison.

"Bye, I'll definitely miss those random times when either one of you would just barge in my room!" Alice giggled. Then everyone except Alice froze in shock.

"I'll talk to your sons soon, Tony." her father coughed and Grant and Justin looked nervous.

After that they bid their farewells and they left. "My oh my, my boys are in love," Gina Mendoza cooed.

"Mom!" the two whined.

"Well Alice seems nice but seriously you're doomed with her father. I can't believe you'd just barge into a girl's room," their father joined in.

"Oh cut it out, besides even if I like her and confessed to her we'll probably just remain friends because she's clueless now" Grant chuckled.

"Yeah, I gave her a hint that I'd make a move on her if Grant doesn't but until now she still has no idea." Justin sighed.

"It's okay, patience is a virtue," their mother giggled.

"So you do like her!" Grant immediately held Justin in a chokehold.