New Beginnings (Thiam TW)

Chapter 5: Reaching Out

TW: EDNOS, vomiting

Liam woke up feeling awful. He was tired, weak, and his head was pounding. He threw on clothes and threw his bag over his back. He needed to eat something. He grabbed an apple from the counter and made coffee as his step-dad walked down hearing him awake.

"Are you ready for this weekend?"

Liam nodded, "Yepp, I should be back Sunday."

"Here," Dr.Geyer opened the cabinet and slid him some aspirin.

"Thanks," Liam grabbed six with his stupid werewolf metabolism, "that obvious?"

"Just a little bit," Dr.Geyer forced a smile, "you look exhausted, but you were wincing pretty bad."

Liam nodded, "I just haven't been able to sleep much."

"I've noticed, hopefully, you can rest after you get back."

"Maybe," Liam shrugged, taking a bit of the apple, feeling nauseous already.

"Liam, try to hold that down."

"I'll try," Liam muttered. He heard Nolan pull up outside. "Nolan's here; I got to go."

"Be careful, Liam. I love you."

"I love you too, dad."

Liam walked outside and climbed into Nolan's passenger seat, "thank you again."

"No problem, so you are leaving right after practice I'm assuming?" Nolan asked.

Liam nodded, "I heard you were drug into helping Mason, Corey, and Theo tomorrow."

"Apparently, if it's okay with you."

"Of course, it is; you can do whatever you want."

"Well, it just seems like they all look to you to lead."

Liam stared at him, "I'm not an alpha."

"To them, you seem to be, I mean I don't understand pack dynamics, but they all follow you. I would follow you."

"Thanks," Liam smiled, but his mind flashed to trying to kill Scott to become the alpha. He was still trying to finish the stupid apple. He felt awful as they pulled in; Liam climbed out and threw up in the parking lot. Nolan walked around his car to make sure he was okay.

"Liam," Nolan watched as the beta cough up nothing, after throwing up the apple and the aspirin. He had nothing left in him. He almost collapsed until Nolan grabbed his arm.

"I'm fine, sorry you had to see that."

"Why don't you go to the nurse and lie down?"

"I can't I have to go tonight."

"You ate an apple and threw up; I don't think that's okay."

"I know it's not," Liam snapped at the boy.

Nolan took a step back as if Liam would attack him.

"Sorry," Liam muttered, "I don't know what's wrong."

"You seem like you can't let yourself keep anything down."

"I'm not doing this on purpose, Nolan."

"I never said you were."

"I think you are just putting too much pressure on yourself," Nolan admitted.

"Nolan, you are new to this. I know you don't understand, but I don't have a choice I have to do this."

"Okay, Liam at least let us help you."

Liam nodded as he followed the boy inside.

Mason and Corey looked at them as they walked in. Liam's eyes were watering; he was shaking.

"What happened?" Mason stared at him.

Nolan looked at Liam as if he needed permission to tell them. "Nothing," Liam muttered.

"Nolan, what happened?" Mason looked at the boy.

Liam gave him a low growl. Nolan looked back and forth between them unsure of what to do.

Corey stepped in, "Liam, we just are concerned, if you don't want to tell us it's fine."

Liam nodded and just grabbed his books from his locker. They went to class in silence as Liam's mind wandered over everything. He wanted to see Theo; he wanted to be sitting on his bed again with him. He could still smell Theo's jacket as he cried into it. Classes drug on; Mason, Corey, and Nolan kept on giving him concerned glances, but it didn't matter he wasn't interested in talking.

"I got to go use my phone," Liam looked over at Mason before they walked into the cafeteria. He wandered into the locker room, figuring no one would be in there, and dialed Theo's number.

"Hey, Little Wolf," Theo answered more concerned than anything.

"Are you working right now?"

"No, I'm on lunch. What's up?"

"I just needed to-" Liam didn't even know why he called Theo. He just wanted to hear his voice; it was stupid he couldn't tell the chimera that.

"How was your morning?" Theo saved him as if he knew the beta didn't know what to say.

"Eh, good."

"You're lying; I can't even hear your heart, and I know you were lying."

Liam sighed, "Nolan watched me throw up; I tried to eat an apple this morning to take some aspirin. I couldn't hold it down. It's fine, but-"

"Liam, should you be going today?"

"I have to," Liam answered.

"Okay, just let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you for talking to me," Liam muttered.

"You know you can call me anytime," Theo smiled as Liam hung up the phone.

"Was that your boy?" Tate smiled across the table.

"He's just a friend," Theo sighed.

"A friend that calls you from school because he isn't okay?"

"He's just in a bad place right now, and he's going away for the weekend."

"You tried," Tate looked at him.

"I know; I'm just worried. He's in good hands though."

Liam went into the cafeteria and collapsed in the seat beside Nolan.

"I got you a sandwich," Mason looked at him, "just peanut butter, the only way you'll eat it."

"Thanks," Liam forced a smile, taking the smallest bite he could. He took another one before he got nauseous. He could see Nolan staring at him, making sure he didn't throw up right there and then.

"You guys should be careful this weekend," Liam looked at them.

"We will be; you too," Mason answered.

"I will be," Liam smiled, "also keep Theo in line."

"Oh, we will," Corey smirked.

The bell rang; Mason looked with concern as Liam threw away the sandwich again.

"Dunbar! The net is that way!" Coach screamed as Liam missed the goal for the second time of the day.

"Don't werewolves have super eyesight, Dunbar?" Diaz laughed.

"Oh wait, he's probably scared he's going to get beat up by a coward again," another teammate laughed.

"Hey, just ignore them," Nolan leaned down beside him.

Liam nodded, fighting back his claws. He charged the net the next play, throwing a perfect shot.

"There we go, Dunbar! That will be it for the day, don't do anything I wouldn't do this weekend."

"Thanks, Coach," Liam shook his head as Nolan and Corey came behind him, so no one would mess with him today.