Perfect For Me

CHAPTER 32 (Liam Williams)

"Lili! You're he- Oh, and Ry!" I stood there, looking dumbfounded while my little brother ignored me to welcome my boyfriend. I have to say I felt a bit replaced. "Liam!", I heard Betty's voice. "Good to see you!" At least someone who appreciated my existence. I hugged her while thanking her for looking after Ethan. "Oh, don't thank me! You know I love you both! So, don't hesitate to ask me anytime you need something!" I smiled at her. I really loved her like my own grandmother (if I still had one). When I had first met her, I had been so overwhelmed with everything what had been going on with my mom, I often had broken down at her doorstep. So she knew about almost all of my problems and had always been a great help.

Now I bit my lip. "Erm...actually... I know it's a lot to ask for and I totally would understand if you said no....but,.... Could you maybe... like only if it really isn't problem for you-" Betty interrupted me. "Stop stuttering and tell me!", she demanded. "Okay. So, a few of my friends asked me if I wanted to go skiing with them next weekend and I don't want to take Ethan with me. So I was wandering if you could maybe look after him? Like I can stay at home if it's too much for you..." "Hey, I would love to have Ethan over for a few nights. Go on and enjoy the time with your friends, Hun. You do that way too little." "Thank you!" I hugged her again before turning around to Ethan and Ryan.

My boyfriend held a piece of paper in his hands and...were that tears in his eyes? He quickly picked my brother up and whispered something in his ears which had Ethan laugh. Huh?

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I had just taken Ethan to bed when I decided to call Ryan. I was really curious about what Ethan had given him earlier that day. And about how the talk with his parents had gone. Okay, and maybe I just missed his voice. What? He's my boyfriend I was allowed to get attached to him!

I closed my door and sat on my bed. My thumb hovered over the call button. I had already called him once today. Would he think I was too clingy? Did he even like hearing my voice? What if- Before I could overthink everything, I lost balance and in order to not fall of my bed I accidently gripped my phone tighter and clicked on the call button the same time. "Shi- Oh, hi Ryan!" I mentally facepalmed myself. Great. "Hi! You sound surprised? Didn't YOU call ME?" "Erm, yeah? Anyways, how did the talk with your parents go?" The other end of the line went silent.

"Ryan?" "Hmm? Oh, yeah, sorry. It was really okay. They apologised. Multiple times. But I feel like they really want to try and be better. Now we will eat dinner together every day! They even reduced their working hours for me. And they promised to come to every soccer game of mine. I really hope they don't turn out as incredible embarrassing!" Ryan chuckled. He may seem a bit weirded out by everything, but I knew it really meant something to him. "That's great. I'm happy for you."

And I really was happy for him. But I also was kinda jealous over the fact that even if his parents hadn't been the best in the past, he still had them, and they even were willing to try change themselves for him....

I shook my head. The thing I was most curious about still was unsolved. "Hey, something else.... When we were at Betty's Ethan gave you something and you looked like you were about to cry. What happened?" "Oh.... I really love your brother, Liam!" I could hear the smile in his voice which made me smile. "That's great Ryan, but still, what has been going on?" "Erm... So, Ethan apparently listened to our call last night." I nodded my head even though he couldn't see it. "Yeah, he fell asleep on me. Probably he heard some things." "Mhm. And so he came to me to tell me that firstly, he would ALWAYS love me. Even if my family doesn't. And secondly that I would always have a loving family because you are also my family. And he drew me a picture of us three in a big red heart...." He trailed off at the last sentence. "Oh..." I normally wasn't a very emotional person but that made my heart melt. Seeing the most important people in my life get along so well....

"I have to hang up, erm... see you tomorrow?" "Yeah, see you...." None of us hung up. We just stayed on the phone, listening to each other's calm breathing, hoping the conversation wouldn't be over. "Good night Liam." Ryan finally said. "Good night..."