Nights Like These

Ten: out of oxygen

Long chapter, sorry 😩

Liam walks into his room after a short jog, he worked up quite the sweat so decides to take a shower. He throws his shirt off when he hears a page turn and instantly jumps around, facing Theo who lays on his bed. "Ah, you scared me!" Liam shouts out, hand on his shirtless chest.

His eyes widen at that, he hadn't spoken to Theo since their out of control fight. He had to go to the nurses office to see if his nose was broken- thankfully it wasn't, but he had to get a stich for his eyebrows and chin.

It wasn't just a teen rivalry anymore, that fight confirmed that Theo was... well, insane. He was in a gang, no doubt about that rumor now. He had told Mason who told Corey who told Nolan and they all freaked out together that the rumors are true. Liam scolded Mason for being such a gossip but he was just glad he didn't have to keep repeating the story.

Theo didn't say anything in response. He didn't even look Liam's way, instead his eyes were glued to his book and the infinite words upon it. Liam wanted to be in his head for a second when he was reading, because when he had a book in his hands everything else seemed to melt away and he looked so calm and peaceful.

Like a human.

But the real Theo was inhumane who carried a gun.

Liam shakes his head and goes to the bathroom, but before he closes the door Theo finally pipes up, "I hope you don't mind that I borrowed this from you" Theo says and raises his nails, still looking at the book. Liam squints his eyes at them and realises they're painted black.

Liam bites his cheek, "nice" he comments, not really sure what else to say. Theo drops his hand and nods simply, going back to ignoring his existence. He pulls a face at that, confused as to what came from that interaction, they only ever talk to each other when they pull pranks. And besides that fight was gruesome, Liam expected Theo to start hating him more (if that was possible) not show him his painted nails.

Liam shakes his head and closes the door, leaning back on it he sighs and glances around. His eyes widen and he rushes to the sink, in it is all of his nail polishes poured out creating swirls of colours that are slolwy mixing together. The empty bottles laid out on the side.

Liam grits his teeth at that, of course. There had to be a catch, when isn't there? "Dickhead" he says quietly to himself and begins to throw the bottles in the bin and wash the sink out.

****

Today they had a big lacrosse game with another college, the stands were filled with people. The ambience was alive at the sound of cheers were heard all over the feild, Liam looked in the stands and deflated when his parents weren't there.

He new they couldn't show but he had hope, even if it was small it was still there.

It had only just begun and he already wanted to go home, the game was of course against his old college. The friends of the guy he had a fight with was there and they didn't look too pleased, one had already wrestled him as soon as the whistle blew and he didn't even have the ball.

Corey, Mason, Gwen and Hayden were in the stands. Also Theo, supporting Issac, he was sat next to Garret, Alec and Tracy a bit over.

As he caught the ball from Nolan he darted at full speed to the goal, he nearly made it when a guy had rammed into him. Throwing him to the ground, he groaned and Nolan ran to him to help him up, he saw Mason jolt up and start screaming 'red card', "god, he's crazy" Nolan had, steadying Liam.