Mum's The Word (Sequel To Just Say The Word)

Chapter 2

What'd you think of that last chappie? Any suggestions??

Pic's of Liam: Landon Liboiron

Chapter 2

Liam's P.O.V.

My eyes slowly drifted open. A searing pain went through my head, my throat was dry, and my neck was sore. I groaned.

"Don't rush it. Stay still, I'll get you some water."

I jumped up. Bad idea. My head really hurt.

Kalum chuckled, handing me a glass. "I told you to stay still, nitwit."

I looked up at my older brother. He was two years older than me and much more independent. He was supposed to still be on a cruise to France right now. I took a swig of my water. "Why are you here?"

He chuckled. "Don't you want to know what happened to you?"

I thought hard. I remembered my dad choking me and then...nothing. "Dad choked me out."

Kalum just kept looking at me.

"And..." I thought about the throbbing in my head. "What happened to my head?"

"You had a pretty bad fall after you passed out. Hit your head on the floor pretty hard. Mom was going to make us take you to the hospital if you didn't wake up in thirty more minutes."

I chugged the rest of my water. "I hate him."

Kalum narrowed his eyes at me. "He shouldn't have choked you, but you were being a dick."

How could he jump on Dad's side like that? "Kalum you weren't even there! Mom was trying to bring up Mackenzie again and-"

"Shut.Up Liam!"

I snapped my mouth shut. I had enough sense to obey him. He had always been the man of the house when my father went on one of his long expeditions.

"Mom told me all about Mackenzie. I understand, Liam. Just don't take it out on everyone else. It's not your fault."

"But it is, Kal. She killed herself because of me! She was no one before I brought her into my circle." I was on a long needed roll. I couldn't stop now. "I let my friends chew her up and spit her out, then injest her and vomit her back up. I embarassed her countless times and made her feel like she was nothing..like I didn't care about her. She killed herself to escape me." The tears spilled out uncontrollably. I was finally letting all of this out and it hurt..so badly.

Kalum sat down next to me and threw an arm around my shoulders. "Liam, it's not your fault. You didn't force her to do it. She did it on her own. There were many other ways she could've went about this."

"Yeah, but she didn't! She chose to take her life! It was all because of me!"

Kalum smacked the back of my head. "Stop being so damn self-centered you self-absorbed asshole!"

I gawked at him. "What the hell, dude?"

He stood up and stared down at me. "Everything's not always about you, Liam. That girl had other issues. Don't keep trying to twist it around like you were the most important part in her life. You weren't."

I sighed. What he was saying made complete sense, but it was still hard to wrap my mind around. I guess I was kind of egotistical and self-absorbed. "I know," I whispered. "But I really miss her. I loved her, Kal. I really do-did," I corrected myself.

Kalum nodded his head. "I know, Li. You just need to forgive yourself. That's the only way you'll ever get over her."

I layed back down. "I know, Kal. I know."

Lance's P.O.V.

The next day, I convinced myself to go to school. The aching in my chest from missing Mack was still there..dulled a little by my uh..self medication from last night, but still there nontheless. As I walked down the hall, I noticed a familiar blonde head..one that I'd been avoiding since I started coming back to school. At the last minute, I tried to turn around and head in the opposite direction, but she saw me anyway and quickly approached me, tugging on my arm.

"Lance." Her voice was like nails on a chalk board to my ears. "Lance," she called a second time, pulling on my sleeve to make me face her. I complied, making sure not to look her directly in her eyes. "Lance, speak to me. Please," she begged.

"Kat." The animosity in my voice frightened even me. I could see her recoil a bit at my tone. I expected her to yell at me, maybe even storm away, but she didn't.

"I miss her too," she whispered. "She was my best friend too..even if I wasn't hers. She was nice to me when no one else was." She looked down but still didn't release my arm. It was as if she knew I would run away the moment she let go. I'm not saying she wasn't right, I'm, just saying she didn't have to know everything.

Noticing that I wasn't going to reply, she continued. "Please don't shut me out, Lance. I know it's hard, but...you're all I have left at this school. Don't leave me alone." Her blue eyes teared up. "Please Lance."

It hurt to see her so upset, it really did. I'm not a monster who can bear this, but..I couldn't. "Sorry, kid. You're not my responsibility anymore." The coolness of my tone surprised even me.

Kat looked up at me one last sad, tormenting moment before dropping her head. "Then goodbye, Lancy. Thanks for abandoning your last friend." With that, she stormed off, not sparing me one last glance.

I have to admit it hurt. Not only did she use the silly little nickname Mack had gave me, but in those last months Mack was here, Kat and I had become friends. But it hurt to lose one friend, I wouldn't dare get close to another. It would feel too much like I was replacing Mack. I could never replace Mack.

So I kept walking down the hall until I got to my first hour class. Walking to my desk in the back of the class I took note that he wasn't here today. That should make me feel good, right? Yet somehow I knew that his friends would make sure that the regular torture I got everyday from being alone here would be magnified today.

The teacher, Mrs. Tatum, began to drone on about some type of slave trade and I immediately began to tune out. Mack always told me how smart I was. Said that even though I didn't actually need to pay attention in class to get good grades didn't mean that I shouldn't. By listening, I could bring my grades up to A's. She always told me how proud she was of me for pretty much everything I did. She didn't even hold my stepdad's murder over my head. Gave me a chance to explain everything to her even when I didn't want to. Mack was perfect. She was everything to me.

"Hey," someone whisper-yelled to me. I had heard them the first two times, but chose to ignore them and remain entranced in my memories of Mack, but of course this person was persistent.

I made the mistake of tilting my head a little to get a glimpse of the pesky whisperer. She immediately launched into talking.

"You got a hearing problem or something, stranger?" She was still whispering, but I could hear the joking undertone to her voice.

"Just my luck," I whispered under my breath, She was the same girl I ran into yesterday. Seems like all the ladies love me today.

She quirked a smile. "What was that? Just your luck?" She chuckled a little. "I know you're lucky. You get to engage in conversation with me."

Is it just me or did she clearly ignore my sarcasm? "Look, I don't want friends," I whispered back to her. "Just leave me alone. Please," I added for extra effort.

She smirked a little and twirled her pencil between her fingers. "Who says I want to be your friend?" She leaned over and I resisted the urge to lean away. "Newsflash." She was inches away from my face- too close for my comfort. "I don't even like you," she whispered lightly into my ear. Then she pulled away, turning to face the teacher and ignoring me for the rest of the hour. That was okay with me, though. I didn't need any more of her attention than I already had..no matter if she had kind of piked my interest about her. I could care less about her mystery or appeal.

She's not Mack. She never will be.