chapter seven:
Zayn didn’t want to push Liam into saying anything about the reason he’s blind, he didn’t want to make Liam uncomfortable. After all, Zayn knew that it must have taken Liam a lot to accept his apology because after all… Zayn was… Zayn is… No, was, a dick to Liam for all of the past high school years. So, Zayn just played it cool.
“What about your dad?” Zayn asked, “Like… What does he have to do with anything about me not being able to be your friend?”
Liam stayed silent for a moment. He then took a deep breath and said, “Be-Because if he does… You’re screwed.”
“That won’t be a problem, I can handle him.” Zayn said gallantly.
“Yes, yes it will,”
Then, Liam let Zayn process the stupidity he just said, until he realizes what his father did to Liam.
“Look Zayn, are you really willing to go blind?” Liam played with the bedding of his bed.
Zayn stayed quiet.
“Thought so…” Liam scoffed.
Then, there was a silence where Zayn thought about what to say because he was guiltily really, really curious about his father and why in the world a man could be so cruel to such a innocent boy.
“Why…?” Was all Zayn could think about saying, but Liam immediately knew what he was talking about.
“I haven’t really told it to anyone,” Liam murmured, “Except my mom, medical people, and Louis, my guide.”
“It’s okay,” Zayn scooted closer to Liam attempting to make physical contact to represent reassurance, but when their knees brushed one another Liam immediately flinched and backed away immediately.
Liam was trying to avoid telling Zayn his story because he knew what would happen afterwards; he would tell it to Harry, Harry would tell it to his friends, his friends would tell it to the whole school, and BAAM! more humiliation.
“It’s a long story…” Liam whispered, “Really…”
“I’ve got time,” Zayn budged.
“Let’s talk about the project, alright, so you’re doing clay and pottery and all that. I’m doing what? Face painting? Then, we’re doing the cupcakes together, right? And then, we set up our booth. We should get a good grade right. If we don’t get a good grade I’m screwed because I don’t get anything about that class. I’m not very good at math. I really hate math to be honest, it’s an awful class. The teacher doesn’t explain properly. Like for God’s sake I’m blind! Explaining more clearly would help a ton. It’s a really hard subject. You know what’s also a hard subject sci-”
“Liam…” Zayn was about to scoot closer to him, but changed his mind as he didn’t want to feel the disappointment of being rejected for his physical approaches.
“Science is a really hard subject for me, I don’t like it at all it’s so hard. Like I don’t care about atoms, neutrons and all that. Like the periodic table? What am I gonna need to know that for. I’m blind I don’t need to be a scientist. The last thing I need is to be told to look through a microscope and have to tell everyone I can’t seeeeeeeee! I really just… I don’t like science. I don’t like math either… I just don’t like school in general, you know?”
