Love With a Motive

“What movie should we start off with first?” I asked Liv as I lay back down on my bed. “Liv?” I called again when she didn’t answer straight away. I looked up in time to see Liv and my darling older brother, Matt, sharing a not so chaste kiss in my bedroom doorway.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed the nearest pillow and chucked it at the vomit inducing couple.

“Hey!” Matt shouted as he and Liv broke away from each other. “What the hell was that for?”

“Give it a rest, you two,” I sighed. “It’s Friday and that means movie night. Matt, get out of my room, you can see Liv tomorrow. Liv, get your ass in here, don’t make me get out of this bed, young lady,” I demanded arming myself with another pillow just in case I needed to throw it at them.

“See you tomorrow, babe,” Matt said as he quickly kissed Liv once more.

“Okay,” Liv smiled back, a dreamy expression on her face.

“You guys act like you’re not gonna see each other for the next six months; it’s just for the night,” I mumbled dryly.

My best friend in the entire world, Liv Masters, had been dating my sometimes annoying older brother, Matt Sanders, for the past three months and unfortunately for me, they were still in their honeymoon phase. Frankly, I hated it when they acted all coupley in front of me. First of all, I wasn’t fond of PDA; people who are just shy of going at it in public sicken me. Secondly, I certainly wasn’t fond of my best friend and older brother brandishing about their coupleness in front of me. I found it incredibly rude that didn’t seem to care about making me the third wheel.

I knew things were going to be slightly different when Matt told me he was going to ask Liv out officially, but I guess I was hoping most things would stay the same. The best thing about my brother dating my best friend, because I was able to find a positive swimming amongst all the negative, is that because Liv is spending most of her time with Matt now and I still hang with Liv a lot, I was now also spending a lot of time with Brian, who is my not so secret crush, because he’s one of Matt’s best friends.

Of course, Liv is trying to get me to tell Brian about my “undying love” for him, but I know for a fact that he likes another girl. I’ve had to hear him go on and on about Lindsay Perkins for the past couple of months now and just how perfect the blue-eyed blonde is. Not gonna lie, it does sting a bit to hear the object of my affection go on about a girl who isn’t me, but I’m just Brian’s best friend’s little sister, not someone who he could ever have romantic feelings toward and it sucks.

“Guys, seriously!” I made a face as I caught Matt and Liv making out again. “You two are pathetic.”

“You’re just jealous that no one wants to make out with you all the time,” Matt smirked at me as he wrapped his arms around Liv’s waist.

I opened my mouth and shut it quickly unable to fire a retort back; my wit and tongue had failed me for the first time in my entire life. “Shut up and get out of my room,” I grumbled out annoyed.

“Good comeback, K,” Matt gave me a thumbs up. “That one’s going into the Comeback Hall of Lame.”

“Leave! Now!” I jumped up from my bed and charged at Matt with my pillow raised and ready to do some serious damage to his smirking face.

“Don’t get your panties in a bunch,” Matt said. “I’m leaving.” He kissed Liv once more on the cheek and closed the door behind him on his way out.

I sat back down on my bed and shot Liv a scathing look.

“What?” She asked innocently as she sat down in a bean bag chair.

“I love you guys, but I find you so annoying at the same time,” I said. “Pick a move and let’s start this bitch.”



After the second movie was over and the credits were rolling, I reached down for some more popcorn only to find the bowl empty. I shared a knowing look with Liv and we both shoved out of our bean bag chairs to get more snacks.

“How’s your English paper coming?” Liv asked as she heated up a slice of pizza.

I made a face at her. “Not all of us start working on our papers the second they’re assigned, Liv. You know my process; wait till the last possible second and then pull an all nighter and get my standard B plus. It’s a good system and I don’t want to mess with it.”

Liv chuckled. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” She pulled her plate out of the microwave.

“It’s always been my motto,” I nodded.

“I thought your motto was hakuna matata?”

“That’s my other motto, can’t have just the one these days,” I said as I poured my soda into a glass. “You’ve got to have several.”

Liv laughed. “Grab me a bottle of water, will you?”

“Hakuna matata,” I started singing softly. “What a wonderful phrase,” I smiled at Liv. “Hakuna matata, ain’t no passing craze. It means no worries for the rest of your days! It’s our problem free—”

“Philosophy—” Liv cut in twirling around my kitchen using her pizza a microphone.

“Hakuna matata!” We shouted loudly and giggled like idiots.

“Can I see my girlfriend yet?” Matt asked. “Or are you two gonna do another number with the mop and broom?”

I whipped around and saw him leaning against the entrance of the kitchen, his arms crossed over his chest and an annoying smirk on his lips.

I kept in the insult I wanted to hurl at him when I realized he caught mine and Liv’s impromptu musical moment and exchanged a look with my best friend. I rolled my eyes at the eagerness I saw in hers. “Five minutes,” I grumbled irritably. “I’ll be in my room.” I stiffly walked past them and up the stairs quickly to avoid any lovey crap between them.

I laid face down on my bed and let out a huff of air that blew my bangs out of my face. I needed to find someone to hang out with that didn’t have my brother on their mind all the freaking time. Or least, figure out way to make Liv think about him less. Maybe I should tell her a whole bunch of embarrassing things about Matt like the time he—

“I’m here, right on time,” Liv announced as she waltzed into my room with a lovesick expression on her face.

Her eyes had this far away look in them and I chucked a pillow at her. “Back to earth, space cadet. Time to watch a scary movie.”

Liv scoffed as she sat back down in her bean bag chair. “You’re such a wimp when it comes to scary movies. Want me to find Mr. Snuggles for you so you have something to hide behind?”

I pointed at her threateningly, a scowl on my face. “Don’t you dare mock Mr. Snuggles, Olivia Leigh.” Mr. Snuggles was a green teddy bear with a pink bowtie that my mom got me when I was four and still scared of the dark. He’s helped me through many a dark, scary and stormy night and I wouldn’t let anyone soil his good name.

Liv was quiet for a moment. “Do you want me to get him for you?” She asked solemnly.

I sniffed and looked away from her. “Yes, please, I’d appreciate it.” Liv found me Mr. Snuggles and I cuddled him to my chest. “Thank you.”

She pressed play and ‘Insidious’ started up on my TV. I cuddled Mr. Snuggles tighter to my chest and groaned. “You know I hate this movie,” I hissed.

Liv just smiled over at me. “Man up.”

I watched the entire movie with my eyes shielded by Mr. Snuggles’ ears hating the girl who I called my best friend the whole time. I was kinda wishing that Matt would pop in so I would have an excuse to stop the movie but he never did. Stupid older brother, never there when I actually needed him.

“Okay,” I nearly shouted when the movie was over. “We’re so not watching anymore scary movies tonight,” I said. “I’ll have some serious nightmares if we do. So, s’mores?”

“Yes please!” Liv grinned and shot out of the bean bag chair and ran out of my room.

I laughed as I followed behind her at a slower pace, Mr. Snuggles still firmly held in my arms. When I got to the kitchen, Liv had just about gotten everything assembled for our chocolately snack. I put Mr. Snuggles down and grabbed a piece of chocolate. She was putting the assembled graham cracker towers in the microwave when Matt and Brian entered the kitchen.

“Hey, what’s this?” Brian asked as he picked up Mr. Snuggles.

I could have died from the embarrassment of watching Brian inspect Mr. Snuggles; his study of the green bear making me painfully aware that I hadn’t washed him in a while and that he had a red mystery stain on his belly. Matt and Liv started laughing and I blushed one thousand shades of red, ducking behind Liv so Brian couldn’t see me.

“That’s Kara’s bear, Mr. Snuggles,” Matt answered with a laugh. “He keeps away the monsters, right, K?”

I snatched Mr. Snuggles away from Matt and tried not to let my humiliation show. I was definitely going to tell Liv some of the things I knew would embarrass Matt now. “Shut up, Matt. Or do I need to show Liv the picture of you wearing mom’s yellow dress when you were six?”

Matt stopped laughing and glared at me, his neck and ears turning red as Brian and Liv started laughing.

“You wouldn’t,” Matt said darkly, his face stony.

“Oh, I would,” I answered back just as serious.

“Bitch.”

“Jerk.”

“Okay, okay, you two, break it up,” Liv said as she stood between us. “Why don’t we all have some s’mores and play nice?”

“Fine,” I huffed sending one last glare at Matt before I turned away and got the s’mores out of the microwave.

Liv started making some more on another plate and heated them up for the guys.

After we had all eaten about three s’mores each, I couldn’t hold back a yawn and Brian smiled at me.

“Tired?” He asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s getting to be about my bedtime.”

“It’s not even midnight yet,” Brian scoffed.

“I know,” I shrugged. “But I love to sleep. It’s my favorite hobby.”

The house phone rang in the living room and Matt went to go answer it.

“Hey, Liv, remember how you pretended to be Matt’s girlfriend to get rid of Tiffany?” Brian asked suddenly.

Liv nodded with a small smile. “Yeah, it was only a few months ago. Why do you ask?”

I saw Brian’s beautiful chocolate eyes light up hopefully as he smiled sheepishly at Liv.

“No,” Liv shook her head. “I am not gonna put myself in that kind of situation again.”

Brian’s smile turned pleading. “I don’t want you to chase off some jealous psycho bitch. I want you to help me make someone jealous so that she’ll go out with me.”

“I’m not doing that either,” Liv said. “Besides, you know Matt wouldn’t like it.”

“Who says he has to know?” Brian countered.

“Find someone else, Brian,” Liv answered flatly.

“I’ll do it!” I said eagerly fighting back a smile.

Liv and Brian turned to me. Liv was shocked and Brian was smiling at me.

“You will?” They both asked at the same time.

“Yeah,” I said, trying to make myself seem more relaxed. “I don’t mind helping you out, Brian.”

“Great,” Brian said and moved forward to hug me.

I closed my eyes as my arms wrapped around his waist. I breathed in his cologne and sighed quietly. Brian gave the best hugs ever. Too soon, he pulled away from me and I did my best not to pout.

“What’s great?” Matt asked as he came back into the kitchen.

“Kara’s just gonna help me out with a project,” Brian told Matt.

“Oh, cool, I guess,” he said and slipped his arm around Liv’s shoulders. “Wait, what project?”

“Just a project,” Brian answered vaguely. “It’s nothing too important. So, we gonna finish playing Black Ops or what, bro?”

“Yeah,” Matt answered. “See you tomorrow, babe,” he kissed Liv’s cheek.

“Later,” she said with a pout.

“Really, you guys need to stop being so lovesick over each other,” I said.

“I agree,” Brian nodded.

Matt rolled his eyes but left the kitchen without saying anything. Brian hugged me quickly one more time, whispering a quiet thanks in my ear before he went after Matt. I sighed softly. He had hugged me twice. Best night ever.

When I snapped out of my daze and looked at Liv, she was frowning at me.

“That’s how you get wrinkles,” I warned her.

“Kara,” she sighed. “Are you sure you want to help Brian? I mean, you like him, won’t it be hard for you to help him get another girl?”

“Liv, you’re my best friend on the entire planet and I love you like the sister I never had,” I started seriously. “No offense, but let me worry about getting my feelings hurt, okay? I’m a big girl; I can handle Brian not liking me and dating someone who isn’t me.”

Liv didn’t believe me, I could tell by the look she was giving me. I didn’t believe me either but that’s because I knew I was lying. I hated that Brian was interested in another girl. I hated having to hear about how perfect she was. I hated being jealous.

I would never tell Liv this, she probably wouldn’t let me live it down for the rest of my life, but I hoped that by pretending to be Brian’s girlfriend that he would fall for me the same way Matt had fallen for Liv. I knew it was a long shot, but I was willing to take the risk of getting hurt, even if it didn’t pan out the way I wanted it to.

“Right,” Liv said slowly as she nodded.

She opened her mouth but I cut her off. “Really, Liv. I’ll be fine. Trust me.” I could see the words of warning flitting through her worried eyes and sighed, she wasn’t going to let it go. “Alright, spit it out.”

“You’re my best friend, Kara, and I remember you talking to me about Matt a few months ago when I agreed to a fake relationship with him, you didn’t want me to get hurt, so just know that I don’t want you to get hurt either. I know how much you like Brian, and I know what you’re thinking by doing this,” she said.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I denied quickly.

Liv rolled her eyes. “I know what you’re hoping is going to happen by doing this and I hope, for your sake, that it does turn out the same way it did for me and Matt. Not that he’s going to be happy about you and Brian getting together.”

“You’re not gonna tell Matt about this right?” I bit my lip. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure if Liv would be my best friend first over Matt’s girlfriend sometimes.

“Are you kidding? There’s no way I’m getting in the middle of this one. This is something you’re going to have to work out with him when the time comes. You Sanders are a stubborn lot, so I already know that I’ve got zero chance of talking you out of this, but I’ll be here for you if it doesn’t work out with Brian and I won’t even say I told you so.”

“Is that all?”

Liv sighed. “For now.”

“Okay,” I nodded. “Let’s go watch another movie then.”

Liv and I were pretty quiet for the rest of the night. I was too busy dreaming up romantic scenarios that involved me and Brian and I’m sure Liv was worrying about me being in way over my head. She was right about one thing though; I was a Sanders and I had already made up my mind, there was no backing out for me now. Besides, Brian was asking for my help and I wasn’t just not going to help him, no matter what he was asking me to do.

Even if helping him meant breaking my heart.