The next few days were filled with classes and attempts to avoid Liam, both in the hallways and in her thoughts. But the Psychology project was a constant reminder of him. Emily scheduled their next meeting for later that week.
This time, Emily had put together an outline for their presentation. "I think we can each take a section," she suggested. "Liam, maybe you can do the scientific research part. Tasha, the real-world examples. And I can do the introduction and conclusion."
"Sounds good," Tasha said, trying to sound positive.
Liam nodded, looking at the outline. "Works for me. Just make sure your examples are strong, Tasha. Not just anecdotes." His tone was neutral, but Tasha still felt the jab.
"They will be," Tasha replied sharply, glaring at him.
They worked in silence for a while, each on their assigned parts. Tasha found herself looking up sometimes, catching Liam deep in thought, his brow furrowed as he read. He was incredibly focused. And sometimes, when he wasn't looking, she noticed his dark hair fell perfectly, just brushing his collar. It was frustratingly hard to hate him when he looked like that.
"Okay," Emily said after an hour. "I think we're making good progress. We should meet once more next week to practice the presentation."
"Fine," Liam said, closing his laptop. "Just send the details." He stood up, ready to leave.
"Wait," Tasha said, surprising herself. She cleared her throat. "About the examples... I was thinking of using some social media posts that show confirmation bias really clearly. Would you mind looking them over quickly? Just to make sure they're 'rigorous' enough for you." She tried to make her voice sound sweet, but a hint of challenge was in it.
Liam paused, turning slowly. He looked at her, his usual unreadable expression back. "You want my opinion?"
"Yes," Tasha said, meeting his gaze. "Since we're a team."
He considered her for a moment. "Email them to me. I'll take a look tonight." He didn't offer help, just a critical eye.
"Okay," Tasha said, feeling a small victory. At least he didn't refuse.
Liam then turned and walked away. Emily looked at Tasha, a small smile playing on her lips. "Wow. You really know how to push his buttons."
Tasha just shrugged, but inside, she felt a strange mix of emotions. A small thrill of winning that tiny battle, mixed with a growing confusion about him. The project was forcing them together, and with every interaction, Tasha realized Liam Carter was becoming harder and harder to ignore. And perhaps, even harder to completely dislike.