Theo woke up and looked at his phone; he had two messages from Scott and one from Lydia.
Scott: "Is Liam okay? Mom's been keeping me updated, but Liam won't answer my texts." "Are you holding up okay; how is the rest of the puppy pack?"
Lydia: "Hey, Theo I hope everything is going well with you and Liam. Will you tell him to answer my texts?"
Theo shook his head; he was going to have to talk to Liam about not leaving his friends on read. Theo hadn't got as many messages as he got this week in his entire life. Liam must have already been downstairs; the bed smelled empty of him, and his spot was cold. He got ready, then walked downstairs. Melissa was in there making coffee; she was back to working daylights.
"Good morning, where's Liam?" Melissa asked him.
"I thought he was down here; I woke up, and he was already gone."
Suddenly, Liam walked in the front door looking shameful; he was clearly shaking and in workout clothes.
Melissa glared at the boy, "You did not go on for a run; did you?"
Liam looked down at his tennis shoes, barely able to stay standing. Theo went over to support him.
"You are an idiot; you know that?" Theo looked down at him.
Theo helped him up the stairs, and Liam got a quick shower. Theo made sure he didn't pass out in the shower; they went back downstairs once Liam was ready. Melissa had breakfast ready for them.
She had Liam's usual smaller portion, but as well as a vanilla nutritional shake. "I want you to drink that Liam; I'm serious," Melissa looked at him. Liam stared at the bottle, shaking and clearly scared. He was haunted by these drinks from inpatient; he looked at the label, staring at the number of calories in the bottle. Liam sat down; Theo never knew someone could panic this much about food. He's been researching eating disorders but never had experience with anyone with one. Theo was used to everyone just eating what they were giving and being thankful the Dread Doctors actually fed them for once, but he watched Liam break down, feeling his heartbreak for the boy.
Liam couldn't fight with Melissa, so he reluctantly drank the shake, but ignored the food sitting there. Theo stared at the boy as they walked to the truck.
"How long did you run this morning?"
"I don't know just to the preserve and back."
"Liam that is 4 miles!"
"I know; I should have been able to do more."
"Liam you walked in, and I thought you were going to collapse on the floor. You're scaring me."
"I'll be fine; I just need to get back in shape."
"You were never out of shape; your body just doesn't have enough fuel to support yourself."
Liam knew that deep down inside of him, but his eating disorder manipulated his thought pattern.
The boys pulled into the school. The day went on the same way; Liam struggled to stay focused in his classes. Liam, Mason, and Corey all walked into the cafeteria. Liam looked like he was struggling to even stand at this point. He basically collapsed in the chair beside Theo.
Nolan and Alec stared at the beta, unsure of what to do.
"Liam?" Nolan looked at him.
"Hey, Little Wolf, do you want to go to the nurse?" Theo asked his boyfriend.
For once in his life, Liam nodded his head yes, "I just need to lie down for a little bit."
"Do you need me to go with you two?" Mason asked.
"No, I'm 100% sure I can carry him myself," Theo told his boyfriend's best friend.
Theo grabbed his arm and basically carried him out.
"Liam stay awake until we get to the nurse's please."
"I am trying to."
Theo walked into the nurse's office with Liam on his shoulder. The nurse got up and grabbed Liam off of Theo, slightly expecting his appearance at some point from talk around the school.
"Do you want to go home, Liam?" she asked him.
"No, can I just lie down for a little bit," he asked her.
"I really think you should go home, but if you don't want to I'm not going to force you. Thanks, honey for bringing him. Do you need a pass back to class?" the woman looked at Theo.
Theo shook his head no and looked at Liam; Liam gave him a look of reassurance before he collapsed on the cot.
Theo walked back to the table; Mason was nice enough to get the chimera lunch.
"Thanks," Theo looked at him.
"How is he?" Corey asked him.
"He claims he's staying for the rest of the day; I'm just worried about him."
Nolan spoke up, "He isn't going to practice is he?"
"Knowing him, he'll try," Mason replied.
"He ran four miles this morning before I got up at 6:30," Theo told them. "That's why he's so bad today."
Alec and Nolan shook their heads.
"I feel bad for Liam; I know what it feels like to be broken, but he's drowning right now," Alec told the group.
The group sat there in mostly silence until the end of the period. Corey walked into economics and was shocked to see Liam already sitting in his seat, slumped over, looking to be in pain.
"Why are you here?" Corey asked him.
"I couldn't let Coach know I went to the nurse."
Corey just shook his head at the beta, "Are you in pain?"
"My stomach is just bothering me."
Corey really wanted to say, "I wonder why, " but decided to bite his tongue.
Coach came in, "Bryant sit down." Corey sat down in his seat looking at Liam wince in his seat.
Coach started rambling about something, but neither Corey nor Liam paid attention to the whole class. The bell rang, and Corey helped Liam get up. Coach didn't say anything to him today, but he was watching the boy barely be able to stand up.
Liam and Corey walked into chemistry.
"Why are you here?" Mason looked at him.
"Oh, he went to economics too," Corey glared at his boyfriend.
"Liam, really you need to take a break," Mason looked at his best friend.
"I'm fine Mason."
"Everyone here can see you aren't, and I am not going to let you completely fall apart on me."
Liam stared at Mason and just sat down in his seat. The class drug on until finally the final bell rung.
Liam slowly walked to his locker where Theo was awaiting his arrival. Theo gripped his hand and saw black veins go up to his arm.
"Liam, are you in pain?"
Liam knew he couldn't lie this time Theo could physically feel his pain right now.
"It's my stomach; I'm sorry."
"And you think you should go to practice?"
Liam looked down at the ground, avoiding eye contact with his boyfriend. He grabbed his bag out of his locker.
"I'll be fine," the beta told the chimera.
"Call me, if you need to be picked up earlier; she'll let me leave if I need to."
"Okay, thanks," Liam turned and went to the locker room.
Corey, Nolan, and the rest of the team glanced at Liam as he came in but didn't say anything. He threw on a sweatshirt and sweatpants, despite it being 60 degrees outside.
The team started running the warmup mile; Liam was struggling to keep his eyes open. He finished earlier than the other boys of course, and this time collapsed on the field. Coach ran over and got Liam off the ground.
"Geez Dunbar you are light; you are taking the rest of practice off."
"I'm fine, Coach; I don't need to sit out."
Coach Finstock shook his head at the boy, "One more chance today; if you end up on the ground one more time, you are calling your boyfriend to have him pick you up."
"Okay, Coach."
The rest of the team had finally finished; Liam suffered through the rest of the plays and drills, barely holding himself up.
Corey had to help him get his gear off in the locker room when he collapsed on the floor.
"Hey, Liam are you with me?" Nolan looked at the beta.
Liam nodded his head and slowly pulled himself up. He got changed and showered, with the boys' help, and suddenly Theo and Mason walked into the locker room.
"I figured you needed me," Theo said as Liam was leaning against the locker holding himself up, "And you do."
"Oh, because I just always need you," Liam said sarcastically.
Theo just smirked at him as he picked his boyfriend up; Liam didn't even fight him carrying him to his truck. He just went limp in the chimera's arms.
"No more 5 am runs?" Theo asked him.
Liam growled at him.
"Okay, Little Wolf."