Now this is the final chapter of part two. We will now be entering part three which is called Breaking Down the Walls. Hope you guys enjoy the ending lol. ;)
Chase is up above!
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Chapter Ten
A few days have passed since Chase and Liam had to return Harley to Mr. Moore. Now Liam was very aware that it was a doll, but he was embarrassed to admit that he would miss it. He found it almost funny. Before the project he wasn't sure if he even wanted kids someday, but now he knows that when the time comes there will be nothing that he wants more.
Liam couldn't help but think of this as he and Chase walked to their health class. Glancing at him briefly, he almost couldn't believe how close the two had gotten, and in all honesty, that terrified him. He liked Chase, but he wasn't sure if he was ready for another relationship. The last time he opened himself up to someone in that way it turned out to be a disaster.
It scared him. The 'what if's. Who knew that two small words could be so threatening? It was like a double edged sword for Liam. If he dated Chase he would think, well what if they break up? He'll lose a good friend. Only then he'll consider remaining friends with him and then he'll wonder, what if Chase starts to date someone else? Would he someday grow to regret the chance he didn't take?
The regret associated with the words 'what' and 'if' is probably the worst feeling anyone could ever experience.
"So are you excited?" Chase asked breaking Liam's train of thought. "We're getting our grades for the baby project back today."
"Yeah, I hope we did well," Liam replied absently-mindedly.
"I'm sure we did," Chase assured him. Looking nervous, Chase seemed to hesitate before continuing, "Just before the project is over it doesn't mean he have to stop hanging out right?"
Sensing Liam's hesitation, he quickly finished speaking, "I just mean we've become such great friends lately. I'd hate to lose that."
Liam sent Chase a small smile. "Yeah I'd hate to lose that too."
The two walked the rest of the way in silence. They walked into the health classroom and found that Mr. Moore was already there working on his computer. Several other students were there as well waiting for class to begin. Sitting at his desk, Liam pulled out his notebook and textbook for the class. More students began to fill the room and soon enough the bell rang signaling the start of class.
Most of the class period had been pretty boring. Now that they were done studying sex ed/pregnancies (hence the baby simulator) they had moved onto drugs and alcohol. Mr. Moore was a pretty interesting teacher and did a good job at keeping the information interesting, but Liam's brain just wasn't having it today. No matter how interesting Mr. Moore made it, Liam was just bored and spacing out.
Honestly, Mr. Moore could be standing on his desk in a clown costume and doing the chicken dance and Liam wouldn't have batted an eye. That is how utterly bored he was.
Eventually, after three drifting to sleep nods, five day dreams, and several doodles class finally ended and Liam was released. They the students left the classroom Mr. Moore was standing at the door handing out their graded rubrics for their projects.
Chase grinned and threw his arm into the air. "Yes! We got A's."
Liam couldn't fight the smile that broke out at Chase's excitement. "It is pretty cool," he admitted. "We must have done a good job."
"Good job? We must have done a great job," he corrected as they reached Liam's locker. "Hey uh you wanna hang out tonight? I think there are some good movies at the theater right now. Maybe we can go see something?"
Liam looked at him surprised. His expression must have been clearly evident because Chase quickly added, "Just as friends I mean. I was actually going to invite Liz as well."
Not letting the disappointment show, he plastered on a fake smile and said, "Yeah of course. That sounds fun."
"Excellent," Chase said with a smaller smile then before. "I'll see you tonight then. Seven o'clock okay?"
With a nod, Liam watched as his friend walked away. Now alone he couldn't help but feel disappointed only then he felt like an idiot for feeling disappointed. In one sense Liam likes Chase and he really was hoping that he was asking in more of a date way then a friend's way. However, the thought of that also terrified him. Liam hasn't been on a date since freshman year and he wasn't sure how he would have felt if he agreed to a date with Chase.
"Fear truly can be a powerful thing," Liam said to himself as he walked out of the school to go home.
~*~*~
Seven o'clock rolled around and Liam made no move to leave. This is good, he thought to himself. Some distance between us will be good. This is for the best. After about twenty minutes of this Liam's cell phone rang beside him on the bed. He picked it up to find that Chase was the one calling him.
He dismissed the call with a sigh. "This is for the best," he repeated trying to convince himself.
The phone began to ring again after another five minutes. This time he ignored it and let it ring through until silence filled the room. Looking at his phone, Liam picked it up and went to his contacts. He clicked on the contact before bringing it into his ear.
"Hey dad," he greeted once it was picked up.
"Liam? Hi. I'm so glad you called. I was almost scared you wouldn't after last week," his dad admitted sheepishly.
Liam couldn't fight his own sheepish smile. "I know. I thought for sure I was going to chicken out."
"But you didn't?"
"But I didn't."
Either Liam's dad knew him really well or his dad could hear something in his son's voice because he asked, "Is everything okay, Liam?"
"I don't know," Liam admitted. "Everything just seems to be so complicated. When did life get like that?"
His dad laughed. "Life is always complicated son. I think that most parents just do a good job at hiding that fact from their kids until they reach a certain age. What's complicated in your life?"
Shaking his head, Liam said, "Nothing. I guess it's just today's stress getting to me."
"Alright well if you ever need help or even just a place to relax you let me know. I have a spare bedroom with your name on it." Liam appreciated his dad's words but also felt awkward thinking of an empty room waiting for him to make his own. He wasn't sure if he would ever have to stay at his father's long enough to see a reason to decorate the room, but it was nice to know that he had the option.
"Thanks dad," Liam told him. "I have to go, but I'll call you later okay?"
"Alright son. I love you."
"I love you too."
Liam fell back against his bed with a frustrated sigh. Hopefully tomorrow would be better.
~*~*~
The next morning, Chase was waiting outside of the school when he and Liz pulled up in the car. He was leaning against the school with his arms crossed and Chase certainly didn't look happy.
"You shouldn't have ditched him," Liz sang.
"I didn't ditch him." Liam glared at her.
She raised an a challenging eyebrow at him. "No? You said you would go to something. Then you don't show up. You don't call, you don't send a flare or a fruit basket. I don't know. It sounds like you ditched him to me."
"It's not like it was a big deal anyway," Liam argued with her as they climbed from the car. "Besides we're just friends."
"Liam I know you have been seriously screwed over in the past, but this time it was you who did the hurting. Chase was really looking forward to you being there. It wasn't about the movie. He wanted to spend time with you and now it looks like you couldn't care less."
He looked over to find Chase making his way toward the two.
"I'm just gonna leave you two alone," Liz said not-so-subtly.
"Hey," Liam tried.
"Hi." Chase's voice was quiet as he spoke. Liam hated to admit it, but Liz was right, Chase was hurt.
"I'm sorry I didn't show last night," he apologized.
"I was worried about you," Chase admitted. "You didn't call or anything. I was just hoping you were okay."
"I should have called," he realized. "I'm sorry I didn't."
"You said you wanted to hang out last night. You didn't have to lie to me. If you don't want to hang out outside of school all you have to do is tell me."
Shaking his head, Liam said, "That's not it. It's not about not wanting to spend time with you."
"Then what is it?" Chase asked.
Liam hesitated. His brain was fighting a war within himself. One side wanted him to be honest with Chase, but the other wasn't ready to reveal everything to him. Soon enough one side of the war won out while the other waved the internal white flag.
I can't believe I'm about to do this, he thought.
Without saying anything, Liam used his hand to bring Chase forward to him. No words were said. No asking was done. Liam let his lips meet Chase's in a kiss. Fighting his own shock Chase soon began to kiss him back.
The two only broke apart when the school bell rang signaling first period. As if hosed down by water, Liam jumped away shocked by what had happened. He could not believe he had just done that.
"Liam-"
He didn't stay to listen to what Chase had to say. Liam didn't fight his coping mechanism. He instead allowed it to work the only way he knew how.
Liam ran.
Careful not to bump into anyone or let teachers see him, Liam ran into the school toward his locker. By the time he reached it he was breathing hard and exhausted. Liam quickly opened his locker and pulled out his textbook for first period before making his way there. Luckily he only had the one class with Chase so he at least wouldn't have to see him until then.
Whenever class would end Liam was careful to keep an eye out for Chase. He would quickly run to his locker and swap out his books in between classes. If Chase tried to catch him there then Liam was probably just ahead of him. Even during lunch, Liam sat by himself so he wouldn't have Liz pecking at him to speak with Chase.
So far he was doing well, at least until health class.
Liam waited in the closest bathroom to the health classroom until the bell rang for the beginning of class. With a breath of relief, Liam left the bathroom and made his way there. Since he was late class would have already began and Chase won't be able to talk to him or so Liam hoped.
Walking into the room Mr. Moore paused his teaching. "You're late, Mr. Parker."
"Sorry Mr. Moore," he said, "I had an important call that I had to answer."
Not believing him, Mr. Moore replied, "Yes, well since it is your first offense I will let you off with a warning, but don't let it happen again."
Liam nodded and walked to his seat. Chase looked like he wanted to speak to him but didn't once Mr. Moore began to speak again. Liam internally cheered at his timing. The victory was short-lived however. Soon enough the class was interrupted again. A boy about the same again as him and Chase walked in.
Shocked he immediately froze at the sight of the new kid. This is impossible, he thought. What is he doing here? There was no mistake. It was him. He looked exactly the same: the messy back hair, the brown eyes and even the facial structure. Not much had changed in the past three years.
"Okay class, this is a new student so how about we all make him feel welcome," Mr. Moore told everyone.
He then went on to tell the class his name, but Liam didn't need to hear it. He already knew his name.
Adam.
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DUN DUN DUNNNN!
Does anyone remember that name? Haha if not it will be mentioned in the next chapter. Keep an eye out! ;)
~Kaylee