After Dark

Thirty-eight

The smile is easy. Eating is easy. Being here, around all these people but with his best friends is easy. Lately, everything that used to be so difficult feels easier. It all feels simple.

These few simple moments where he feels okay used to be so scarce. It felt like they rarely ever came for him. Now though, it's like they come all the time.

He'll be doing homework and then his phone pings with a message from Ian, and suddenly he feels okay. Or it'll be like now, he'll just be having a conversation with Ember and Paige. They'll be talking and that sickness disperses. Just like that, he's okay again.

The bell rings and his thoughts are shattered. Liam stands up with the girls and they make their way over to throw their trash away.

"I'll see you guys later." Ember says once they make it into the hallway. Liam doesn't reply, he doesn't have to, but instead just nods in acknowledgment. Paige waves a little and Ember splits up from them.

A little while later and Paige leaves too, going to her own locker. They don't say or do anything to each other when they split ways, just keep walking. Liam smiles when he opens up his locker, it's small and insignificant. He doesn't even know why he's smiling. He's just happy.

The day rolls by while he still feels happy. There isn't much to disturb his happiness anymore. His mother has slowly given up on scolding him. Now, other than sitting through awkward dinners, he doesn't really have to socialize with her.

He is partially hurt that his own mother has given up on him. There's some pain there, of course. He's okay though. He can get over it.

The school day ends and he still feels okay. The air is easier to breath in, it makes his lungs feel open. He smiles and waves to the girls before running to his car. Ian's coming over, during the day, for the first time today.

He knows it might be a bad idea. It probably is. However, he's going to go through with it. He and Ian talked about it last night. It'll be easier with Ian there. They're going to go through with it, together.

He's going to come out to his parents.

It has to be today. They're both going to be home this afternoon for sure. It has to be done today.

The phone rings right as Liam parks his car. He smiles when he sees Ian's contact name and picks it up. "Hey."

"Hey, I'm on my way now. Are you sure you're ready? We can just watch movies in your room if you want. Or I don't even have to come at all." Ian's talking hurriedly. Liam can't stop himself from grinning at his boyfriend's concern. "I just want to make sure you're really okay with this. You don't have to feel pressured just because I came out to my folks."

"No, it's okay." Liam says, entering the front door. He looks over and his parents are in the living room. His mother is drinking a cup of tea, barely even acknowledging him, and his father is reading a newspaper. The man looks up, gives him a curt nod, and then goes right back to his newspaper. Liam runs up the stairs. "I want to do this."

"Okay." Ian sighs. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure." Liam nods to himself, slipping into his closet and taking off his dress shoes for school. "See you when you get here?"

"Definitely." Liam can almost see his grin as Ian says it. With that, they hang up. Liam goes back to changing, undoing the buttons on his shirt to slide it off his shoulders.

He knows this might all blow up in his face. He's well aware of that. However, May is approaching and then school will be out. Then, there's three months of summer and just one more month before September. He'll be eighteen in September. Once he's eighteen, he can leave if his parents really aren't happy with him.