Liam's POV (the song at the side doesn't really go with the chapter but it's good to listen to if you're peeved off at something or someone)
I had scrubbed my skin raw in the shower this morning but you could still see the faint marks of hearts all over my arms. The guys would have a field day if they saw it especially if I accidentally sang that song which I couldn’t help but belt out in the shower. So I stuck my blue hoodie on and I wasn’t going to take it off. I searched my pigsty of a room for my earphones but there was so much shit everywhere especially since I haven’t moved in properly yet. Raking around in a pile of clothes that I couldn’t quite decide if they were dirty or not I found a silver Zippo lighter that Jay had given me for my birthday last year and chucked it onto my windowsill. “Liam! Dad’s leaving if you want to come in the car with us!” Mollie shouted up the stairs at me.
“Yeah coming!” I shouted back feeling too lazy to even think about walking to school. Having a car of my own would be so much better. I mean what’s the point of having a fucking driving license if you don’t have a car to drive?
Giving up on finding my earphones in this mess I grabbed Mollie’s out her room before heading downstairs. They were bright pink so at least they matched my faded pink hearts just completing the whole gay thing I had going on today.
“Liam move!” My dad bellowed from outside in the car being as patient as ever.
“Yeah I said I’m coming!”
****
I had just started the first question in our thick computing workbook when the woman from reception came in. “Sorry Mr Mathers but Mr Asher wants to see Liam Jacobs.” She said looking at me and smiling. It’s been two days since I have beat up the arsehole so I was hoping that the Head was going to let it slide but unfortunately not.
“Right Liam just leave your stuff and you can finish this page for homework.” My computing teacher Mr M said as he began rearranging the pencil pot on his desk. I wanted to laugh as I had yet to learn something in this class that I didn’t already know from computing at my last school and I had yet to do any homework. I could fall asleep in this class and still pass the stupid exam. Kicking my bag further under my desk I stood up and followed the receptionist out the room with the eyes of the class on me.
“So how are you settling in?” The receptionist asked me trying to make conversation as we walked down the empty corridor. I was getting sent to the head because I beat some guy up and she was asking if I was settling in. What a complete nutter.
“Great.” I answered my voice dripping with sarcasm which made her laugh nervously. I just wanted this lecture over with. I had been through ever possible lecture in every way from the kind caring head teacher that ‘just wanted the best for me’ to the drill sergeant that wants me to ‘buck up my ideas’.
“Mr Asher this is Liam Jacobs.” The receptionist said as she knocked on the door to his office and walked in. I stood hovering in the doorway waiting to be called my arms folded across my chest. Zooey would be in art right now drawing more of the broken mirror. I pictured her in those sexy skinny jeans with her wild hair tumbling into her face as she sat hunched over the paper, her hand furiously scribbling away. Damn I should have taken art. Maybe good ol’ Ashy would let me swap it for computing despite the fact that I don’t have a creative bone in my body.
“Liam come take a seat.” Ashy demanded in a voice that clearly said ‘I’m in a shitty mood so don’t mess with me’. I walked past the receptionist who scurried away and slouched in the chair in front of his desk. “I take it you know why you’re here.”
“Yeah I beat up some arsehole who was talking shit about someone I know.” I replied my hands becoming clenched fists automatically. Ashy’s mouth pursed at my use of French but he chose not to remark on it.
“So by the sounds of things you don’t regret what you did?”
“No. The fucking prick got what he fucking deserved.” I said deliberately swearing just to rile him up.
“That ‘prick’ you speak of is a model pupil who is going on to have a great career and thus a great life. What are you going to do with your life?” He sneered looking over his thick black glasses at me. I wanted to crush them into his fucking weasel face but instead I took a deep breath trying to calm myself down before I lost it completely. “I spoke with the Head Teacher from your last school and she said you had great potential but you refused to do anything with it. You just did enough to scrape by.” He leant over the desk at me so I could smell his stinking aftershave. I had heard all this before about wasted potential so I just let it wash over me. “This is why when it comes to people like you I choose to speak to the parents first but yours seem to be uncontactable”
“People like me?” I asked through gritted teeth, my anger rising to dangerous levels.
“You’re not the first ever trouble maker to sit in that seat spouting profanities and looking as if they want to kill me. Some have even tried. The younger me would have tried to help you with whatever demons in your life that have made you this way but I don’t care anymore. You’re 17 so you are here by choice. Leave and do us all a favour. Or if you keep going the way you are going then I’ll kick you out myself. It’s your choice.”
“Leave or get kicked out? That’s some choice.” I said sarcastically my fists clenched so tight that my knuckles were going white.
“Well that’s the best choice someone like you is ever going to get.” He stated leaning back in his black leather chair.
“Then I’ll get kicked out. Might as well go with a fucking bang!” I shouted as I kicked the chair and stormed out. No longer able to contain my anger I punched the wall in the corridor outside as hard as I could. I heard the crunch of my bone against the brick then immediately felt the familiar shooting pains up my arm that meant broken bones. I was still fuming and now I had busted up knuckles. I am a fucking genius. Cradling my broken hand and swearing under my breath I heard the bell go then watched as pupils piled out of class, the noise filling the once quiet corridor. I immediately clocked Zooey weaving her way through the crowds with her doodle book clutched to her chest. Rather than the skinny jeans that I had imagined her in what she was wearing was so much hotter. It was a little white lacy dress with a long denim shirt that Raya would describe as ‘boyfriend fit’. The dress was short enough to show plenty of leg which I couldn’t help but smile hungrily at. As she got closer I grabbed her arm with my good hand and pulled her into me. She tensed in fright but relaxed when she realised it was me, leaning her body into mine. Pushing her hair out of her beautiful face I saw that she had managed to smudge charcoal and grey pastel down her right cheek which I tried to swipe away but just made it worse.
“Are you alright?” She asked studying my face.
“Yeah I’m fine. All the better now you’re here.” I replied smiling at her. It was the truth. As soon as I had saw her I’d instantly relaxed. She smiled shyly back at me, her bright blue eyes sparkling. I lent in kissing her smudged cheek then made my way down her smooth skin finally reaching her lips. I gripped her waist with my left hand to pull her body even closer to mine, her one free hand on the back of my neck keeping my mouth on hers. Entangling the fingers on my right hand into her messy brown hair I let out a groan as the movement sent a wave of pain through my body making my stomach churn. I leant my forehead against hers waiting for the nausea to pass.
“Are you sure you’re ok?” She said her hot breath on my chin.
“I’m just dandy. I decided to have a fight with the wall and the wall definitely won.” I laughed showing her my bloody knuckles. It was fairly disgusting with dried blood covering my now swollen hand and the bone out of place on my more prominent knuckle at my middle finger but unlike most girls Zooey didn’t act grossed out. Instead she gently took my injured hand in the both of hers carefully looking at it. Delicately she touched my broken knuckle and tried to flex my fingers one by one surprisingly not causing me much pain. I watched the concentration on her face and the familiarity of her movements as she checked my whole hand.
“Yeah you’ve definitely broken it and possibly the metacarpal on your middle finger too but your hand is too swollen to tell without an x-ray.” She said going all doctor on me which made me smile as my brain went from doctor to sexy nurse. “So what made you punch a wall in the first place?”
“Well it seemed like a good idea at the time.” I shrugged not wanting to dump all my shit on her especially when she clearly had enough of her own to deal with.
“You’re such a guy.” She laughed rolling her eyes at me. “Now get yourself to the hospital for an x-ray.” She began pushing me down the corridor towards reception just as the bell rang for the next class.
“Only if you come with me Angel.” I smirked giving her my best puppy dog eyes. “I need my own personal nurse.”