Scars (Ziam)

The Truth

    I stood there, hesitant. Something didn't feel right. The atmosphere, as my mum's eyes passed over me and met the serious faces of Nicola and my dad, it seemed thick and heavy-- like a blanket was wrapped around us, smothering us all.

    I slowly walked to our mum, and I wrapped my arms around her loosely. I knew we would have to leave to one of our rooms soon, but I didn't want to go. I wanted to stay. I wanted to know what was wrong with mummy. Why did she seem so... far?

    Ruth took a hold of my arm, and she pulled me away. "Come on, Liam. Let's go play with your action figures," She offered, and it sounded like an amazing offer. Nobody ever wanted to play action figures with me. It was why I wanted a brother, not two sisters.

   I nodded, and Ruth led me to the hall to go to my room. As we were leaving, I heard our dad begin to talk.

   "We have to talk about the way you've been acting. I think it's time we consider rehabilitation centers," My dad said, and I heard my mum's immediate protest, making me flinch at how upset she sounded. Why were they hurting her?

   "No," She nearly sobbed. Then, her voice got softer, but I managed to hear what she said before Ruth pulled me into my room.

   "I'm not crazy."

   I looked at the three people sitting on the sofa, and I felt sick to my stomach. I didn't know what I was to expect. So, I held my breath, hoping that I wouldn't hear my dad say those same words he said to my mother so long ago.

   Instead, I was met with Nicola and Ruth gushing to each other.

  "See? I told you. He spends so much time with him. It's adorable," Ruth said, and Nicola smiled widely.

   "Nice going, Liam. He's very easy on the eyes," She said, and I was terribly confused. What were they talking about?

   I saw that she was looking out of the window, and I heard Zayn's car barely backing out of the driveway. I felt a heat build in my cheeks, but I did my best to ignore it. I was making a friend. That was all, and that was terrifying enough.

   "I thought you still had classes," I said, changing the subject as I slowly walked toward the hall so I could disappear to my room and force my heart to calm down from where it was hammering away in my chest.

    "I decided to take an early vacation to come and visit you all. Don't say you aren't happy to see me," She pouted playfully, then she was standing up and walking to me with opened arms. She enveloped me in a hug, and I stood still, my hand only moving to pat her back once.

    She pulled out of the hug, standing an arm's distance away from me, and she took my hands in hers, looking at me with careful eyes.

   "Ruth and dad have been concerned about you, Li. It made me quite worried, too. I just had to come visit and see how you're doing," She said, and my heart sank in my chest. There was a pit of worry and agony in my stomach, and I tore my hands away from her.

    "You mean so you could observe me," I said, glaring at her before looking over to Ruth, who seemed to be guiltily wringing her hands. I stared at my dad, and he looked down right exhausted. I was a burden placed upon them.

   "Liam, no," Nicola said, her voice sounding leveled and calm, and I knew exactly what she was doing. It was so easy to see right through her-- through all of them. I found the skill to be one that I picked up from being forced to watch others from the outside instead of conversing with them on the inside.

   "Don't do that," I said, backing away from her. "Don't talk to me like I'm one of your patients."

   "You're not my patient, Liam, you're my brother. Am I not allowed to be concerned about my little brother?" She said, her voice becoming stronger as she spoke. I preferred this Nicola to the calculated and cool one she was just seconds before.