We're Getting There

Chapter 5

"What happened?" Dia asked as she grabbed Liam's face and gently touched the bruise on his forehead.

"It's nothing, Dia," Liam said pushing her away.

"That doesn't look like nothing to me," Dia said sternly.

"I just fell, okay?"

"How?"

"In PE we were doing a relay and I tripped and fell on my head."

Dia sighed. "How many times have I told you to tie your shoelaces."

"They were tied!"

"Then how did you fall?"

"I just did!" Liam told her.

"Did someone trip you?" Dia frowned.

"No." Liam shook his head. " I'm fine, I promise. Now, I really need to do my homework, so..."

Liam dragged himself and his school bag upstairs only to meet Ellie on the landing.

She gasped dramatically. "Lima's hurt!" She jumped up and clung to Liam's torso.

"Ellie, I'm fine." Liam slowly made his way to his room with Ellie still clinging on to him. "I'll tell you a secret though," he whispered once they were alone in his room. "There's someone that I really like in my class, and he looks very nice and it's pretty distracting. So, today I was looking at him and I didn't look where I was going, and I fell."

Ellie bounced his lap. "Can we play princesses, now?" She asked, no longer interested in his bruise.

Liam wondered why he'd bothered telling her. "No, Ellie. I have some stuff to do."

His phone pinged in his pocket and he pulled it out to read a message from Lexi: Me and Jay are coming over. Have to get away.

"You can play with Jamie though. Do you remember him?" He said tossing his phone back onto his bed.

Ellie nodded. "He's Lexi's brother."

"Yep, and he's coming over soon. Go tell your mum." Ellie scurried downstairs to do so.

Half an hour later, the doorbell rang.

"Hi Lexi, hi Jamie!" Dia greeted as she opened the door. "How are you?"

"Fine thank you, Mrs Newman," Lexi replied. "I'm guessing Liam's in his room?"

"Yes," Dia told her. She lowered her voice. "You don't know anything about that bruise on his forehead do you?"

Lexi laughed. "Oh, he fell over ogling Jaxon in PE. Was he too embarrassed to tell you?"

"He hasn't even told me about anyone called Jaxon."

"That's strange... it's all he ever talks about."

Dias smile fell slightly. "I'm sure he's wondering what's taking you so long. You should go upstairs. Dinner will be ready soon."

"Thanks, Mrs Newman. Jamie, go play with Ellie, okay?" Lexi gently pushed her brother in Ellie's direction.

"Come on, Jamie!" Ellie held out her hand to him. "We can play anything we want!" Jamie grasped her hand as he was dragged away.

Lexi walked upstairs to Liam's bedroom and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Liam said from inside.

"Hi," Lexi waved as she walked in. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yep." Liam agreed. He patted the area next to him on the bed. "Come and sit."

Lexi places herself next to him. "I hope you don't mind us being here. We had to get out of the house and we used to do this all the time."