Obliterated

Chapter 6

Liam

October 2nd, 2016 | 10:00 am

The next day Liam and Rachel were cleaning up the trash and empty beer cups in the living room. Liam wasn't sure when his parents would be home. They were always pretty busy with work and they had both scheduled business trips for this weekend. Liam had not really wanted to throw the party, but Rachel insisted and now things were good between the two of them again. So, he didn't mind all the clean up, he just wished it hadn't taken a party to resolve things.

"I can't believe Austin punched me," Ryan said, holding his jaw as he walked into the living room.

He, Josh, and Rachel had spent the night and Liam was honestly surprised neither of the boys had slept with any girls last night. He was even more surprised that Rachel had not tried anything last night either, she just fell asleep next to him. Liam sensed something was on her mind, he would have to ask her when they were alone.

"Dude it serves you right for dancing with his girl," Josh said, flopping on the couch and pushing a bunch of beer cans and cups onto the ground.

"She's not his girl anymore," Rachel pointed out as she picked up all the trash Josh had shoved on the ground.

"You don't get it, Rachel, you're not a guy," Josh explained.

"Then explain it," she said as she continued to clean up.

"Well let me put it this way, what do you think you are known for?"

Rachel looked confused. "Being the cheer captain maybe?"

"No, well maybe, but for guys it's more so that we know not to mess around with you because you're Liam's girl. He's our best basketball player and so every girl knows not to mess around with Liam for the same reason."

"But we're still together," Rachel pointed out. "Austin and Lexi broke up, what's the big deal?"

Josh chuckled. "If you two did break up though everyone with common sense would know they can't get with you, it's like out of respect for Liam and vice versa."

"That's dumb," Rachel stated. "Besides I heard Austin slept his way through half the town this summer doesn't that contradict your theory?"

"Well it's different," Josh said.

"How? Because Lexi is a girl? That's sexist."

Josh shifted uncomfortably. "I'm just saying Ryan should have known Austin would have been angry that he was practically grinding on Lexi."

Ryan rolled his eyes but Rachel looked mad.

"So should Lexi not be mad at all the girls Austin has been with since they broke up?" She quipped back.

"I don't know," Ryan said. "Girls play differently, they're mean in another way. Guys just punch it out and move on, girls are vicious to each other in other ways."

"Besides you were kind of mean to Lexi too," Liam pointed out.

Rachel looked down. "Well, I feel bad about it now. I mean I can't believe how bad she has it."

Liam frowned, so Rachel was capable of empathy. Liam liked seeing this side of her, he wondered why she tried so hard to hide it. When the boys had left Liam told her this and her cheeks flushed bright red.

"Don't tell anyone I feel bad for her," she said quietly.

"What's wrong with caring about others?" he asked, taking the trash bag from her.

"Liam, I do feel bad for her but if people knew I defended her, people would ice me out too."

"I was nice to Lexi and no one cared," Liam pointed out.

Rachel sighed. "Well maybe Ryan is right and it's just different for girls."

"Well, it shouldn't be," Liam said.

"I agree, but it's just how things are. If we were in a perfect world I would stand up for Lexi, but we don't, so I can't."

Liam noticed how upset Rachel looked and stopped cleaning. He motioned for Rachel to join him on the couch. She came and sat down next to him and she put her head on his shoulder.

"You don't get how hard it is to be a girl," she mumbled.

"Yeah you're right," he said softly, putting his arm around her. "Is your mom-"

"Don't."

"Sorry," Liam murmured.

He knew Rachel had a strained relationship with her mom, he just wished she would open up to him. He wanted to help. If only Rachel wasn't so insecure, what was it going to take for her to open to him? She had no problem showing off her body to him, yet somehow sharing her problems was embarrassing to her.

"Liam?" she asked softly.

"Yeah?"

"What's your deal with Lexi?" Rachel asked. "I mean I get it, you feel bad for her and you want to help her, but why? A bunch of kids at school get treated the same way and you haven't done anything for them."

Liam sighed he couldn't talk about it, but he knew Rachel wanted an answer. "I don't know, I just feel like I spent all of my high school ignoring all of that and now I just don't see why it mattered at all. Why are we so obsessed with looking cool all the time at the expense of others?"

"So is Lexi your way of doing good?"

"I guess," Liam mumbled. "She's all alone you know? I get what that feels like sometimes."

Liam could tell Rachel didn't quite believe him. Liam couldn't explain any further though.

Eventually, Rachel sighed and spoke up again. "My mom and I aren't really getting along."

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Sometimes I just feel like she is living through me," she whispered. "She wants to do all these things that she did and I don't want to but she's my mom, what am I supposed to do?"

Liam wasn't sure what to say. "I'm sorry Rach, that sucks."

"You know she told me to throw a party," she said. "I would have been fine just having a quiet Friday night but she insisted."

"Why do you do what she says?" he asked.

"She's my mom, Liam. What am I supposed to do?"

Liam frowned as he comforted Rachel. It wasn't fair. Liam could see clearly now something he had never noticed before. All of the bad qualities he saw in Rachel were coming from her mother, deep down Rachel was a good person. He wondered what it would take to make her see that who she is was more than enough.