"Finals are coming up, all I'm saying I'd that maybe you should be taking this a little more serious." Paige says to Ember as the three walk to lunch.
"Nonsense." Ember waves her off. "I'll be fine."
"You need to actually start paying attention in class and studying." Paige deadpans. Ember gives her a confused look.
"Paige, babes, no." Ember shakes her head. "Besides, I've already gotten it all figured out. If I were to get a zero, my grade were drop a letter. So with my B's and C's, I'd still pass. As long as I study some like the week of, I'll be fine."
"You know if you put as much effort into studying as you do to avoid it, you'd probably have really good grades." Liam speaks. Ember looks at him with a small smile.
"Such a shame." She says with a shrug. "Oh well."
Paige rolls her eyes. They make it to the cafeteria and pick up trays. Falling into line, they start to pick out foods they want.
"You frustrate me beyond belief." Paige mumbles.
"I know I'm hot Paige, but calm down." Ember winks and then starts laughing.
Paige sighs. They make their way over to a table and sit down. Taking a bite out of a cheese stick, Paige looks over at Liam.
"How are you?" She asks softly.
Liam shrugs. He feels himself smile as he amswers. "I've been pretty good lately."
Paige smiles. "That's good. How are you and Ian working out? I know it's official now, that's great."
"Yeah, it is." Liam nods. "I'm happy."
He's thought it so many times. It's constantly been at the back of his mind. Yet, saying it out loud makes it more real. He's happy, he really is.
He never realized how unhappy he was until recently. Maybe all that mental health stuff Paige used to talk to him about was real. He always used to think she was overexaggerating but maybe she was right.
"That's really, really good, Li." She grins.
"I hate it when you two do these little therapy session things where you pretend I'm not here." Ember suddenly speaks up. She looks between the two and takes another bite of her food. "You haven't had one in awhile, I thought I was scotch free. I guess not though."
She sighs dramatically. Paige rolls her eyes but a fond smile is on her face. Liam's expression is also a fond one.
"It's fine though. Go and be cheesy." She says simply. "I'll just sit here wondering if there's a reason plants are green, all by myself."
Liam rolls his eyes this time around. Paige just simply shakes her head. Ember takes a drink out of her water bottle innocently.
"They're green because of the process of-" Paige begins to answer but is immediately cut off.
"Paige. This is one of those things you question, not something you give me a detailed scientific answer over." Ember shakes her head.
"You're weird. We can finally answer one of your questions and you don't want it?" Liam looks over at her like she's lost her mind. Ember just gives him an easy smile.
"If she answers my question, what will keep me awake at night?"
"Your horrible grades?" Liam jokes. Ember's mouth falls open for a second before she burst out laughing. Even Paige let out a few quiet giggles.
"No, Liam. Those have never bothered me." Ember states like it's something to be proud of, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Oh of course not." Liam shakes his head.
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.
They won't kick him out of the house. He already knows that for sure. They wouldn't dare. They're far too worried about their image for that. Kicking out their son who's still a minor would make them look like bad parents. God forbid anyone think they're bad parents.
He wears black sweatpants and a yellow shirt. It's got cute bees on the front of it. He likes it.
His phone chimes and a second later the doorbell rings. Liam doesn't even have to check his texts to know it's Ian. He bounds out of the room and down the steps as fast as he can.
Their maid is already opening the door as he gets down. Ian stands behind it, smiling his polite and charming smile. Fern smiles back, clearly confused at who this boy is.
"Ian, hey." Liam greets, finally making it down the stairs. Fern lets him in and shuts the door behind him once she realizes Liam knows him.
"Hey." Ian breathes out. It's quiet, almost as if he's nervous. Liam smiles at that for some unknown reason.
He's nervous too but it's okay. It'll be okay. Ian's here. Nothing can ever be completely terrible as long as Ian is here.
"Mom, you know Ian. Dad, this is Ian Morrison." Liam introduces, walking into the living room. His father puts down the newspaper. He gives a small, tight lipped smile.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Ian."
"You too sir." Ian smiles. He has such a beautiful smile. Liam has to force himself to look away so he doesn't stare all day.
"I have something to tell you guys." Liam starts.
He feels the nerves start to really set in. He's okay though, always okay. He can feel Ian's presence next to him and even if they aren't touching, it's comforting all the same.
Both his parents look up expectantly. His dad waits patiently while his mother waves her hand in a motion telling him to go on. He clears his throat, trying to get rid of the lump there that he hasn't felt in at least a week.
"Ian's my boyfriend." He says, watching their reactions.
His mother's eyes go wide, and then narrow. Her eyebrows furrow in a glare. She's glaring at them.
"Boyfriend?" His father's face is filled with shock, maybe even some unbelieving hiding in there.
"Yes, boyfriend." Liam nods. "We're dating. I'm gay."
His mother stands up suddenly. Her hands are clenching into fists. Her eyes blaze an icy cold color.
"No." She says, her voice going louder. "No I will not have this. William, you don't understand what you're saying. This boy is corrupting you. They're all corrupting you. Changing your morals, making you believe such nonsense. I won't have it! You will not be seeing them again. You!" Her eyes dart to Ian. "Get out of my house! You're no longer welcome here or anywhere near my son ever again. William, go to your room!"
"Mom-" Liam feels his own eyes narrow. That doesn't happen. He's never glared at his mother. She cuts him off before he can speak.
"Go! You don't understand. You're confused. Go now." She spits. Ian gives him a sorry smile and leaves the house, going back out. Liam sighs, feeling frustration cover him entirely. He goes back up the stairs, feeling like a child going to sulk.
His door shuts and he leans against it. He doesn't want to cry. He doesn't feel sad, only frustrated. He's angry.
There's taps on his window and his eyes snap over. Ian waves at him. He rushes over to open it.
Ian slips in and immediately he wraps his arms around Liam. Liam melts into the embrace, glad that at least Ian isn't mad at him. They hug each other for a while before pulling away.
"You okay?" Ian asks softly, gently caressing Liam's face in his hands. Liam nods.
"I kind of expected a reaction like that. I just wanted to tell her, get it off my chest."
Ian nods in understanding. "Okay. Do you still want me to stay?"
"Yes." Liam smiles now. "Let's watch a movie."
"Okay." Ian chuckles, shutting the window and following Liam to the bed.
They end up getting tangled up in each other. Liam is practically using Ian as a mattress. The laptop is playing a movie next to them but they're both more focused on just embracing each other.
Maybe it's a bit strange. Two teenage boys wrapped up in one another on a Wednesday afternoon. They aren't even paying attention to the movie very well. Liam likes it though. He loves it, down to every little detail.
He's smiling into Ian's shirt while the other boy rubs his back. It's so simple and so... wholesome. Liam can't stop smiling.
He just got banished to his room by his parents because he's 'confused' about his sexuality. He didn't get accepted, he wasn't congratulated, they weren't even polite to his boyfriend. He got yelled at and Ian got kicked out of his house.
All this happened and he's still smiling. He knew it. He knew that even if the absolute worse thing ever happened, as long as Ian was there he'd be okay. Maybe he'd get some bumps and bruises but he'd manage.
Ian makes him happy. Their friends make him happy. With the group and all the new things he's done, he feels a new sense of freedom. It feels like he isn't trapped with no where to go, no way to breath. He can move around. He can do what he wants on occasion.
It doesn't matter if he's not allowed to see them again. He's going to. There's no stopping him. If he has to, he'll sneak out his window every damn day he has to, just to hang out.
"Do you even know what's happening?" Ian chuckles quietly when Liam nuzzles his face into the other's neck.
"Nope." Liam answers honestly, earing another laugh from Ian.
"Why even suggest we watch a movie if you're not going to pay attention?" Ian asks, amused.
"So we could do this." Liam comments. "I like this. It's simple."
"You like simple?" Ian asks seriously. Liam hums. Ian continues to rub his back. "Okay then. Good, because I'm simple."
"Good." Liam says back. He slips his hands under Ian's shirt and travel them up the boy's sides. Everything feels alright.
"Your hands are cold." Ian says, his voice coming out so quiet it's almost a whisper. Liam hums, moving so he's sucking on Ian's neck. He loves doing that.
Ian groans, his hands stopping their rubbing motion. Instead, they grip his hips. Liam smiles against the skin of the other boy's neck.
"Damnit, is now really the time?" Ian grumbles but it's all in vain because his hands are traveling up and bringing Liam's shirt with them.
"Why not?" Liam says quietly. Ian seems to agree.
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So um, I had no plans for this chapter. There you go!
Next one will probably be the last before the Epiologue.
Love you ♡
- Z