After Dark

Eight

Liam slams his car door and begins walking to the school. The air is crisper this morning and it feels fresh in his lungs when he breathes it in.

Mondays are terrible. School is terrible. Yet, Liam still isn't the most unhappy because it beats being home.

Dealing with the looks of disappointment and even a bit of resentment from his mother all Sunday was not fun. Dinner that night was silent. The awkwardness just made the guilt worse.

"Good morning, Will." A boy walks up and smiles at him. He faintly recognizes him.

"Good morning." Liam replies and it only slightly sounds cold.

"How are you?" The boy asks. He's got a big smile.

"I'm fine." Liam then clears his throat, trying to get rid of the hostile tone. "You?"

"Splendid." He grins. "I saw your dad yesterday."

Liam raises his eyebrows. "Did you?"

"Yes. He was having a meeting with my dad and I came along."

"Oh." Liam doesn't want to be having this conversation anymore.

"Yeah." Raymond, Liam thinks that's his name, nods. "A shame you weren't there. We could've talked a little after."

Liam hums. "Shame."

"Well, I'll see you around. I just thought I'd come say hi." He smiles again, good-naturedly. Liam watches him walk away. The guilt stirred in his stomach.

He walks in to the building and goes towards his locker at a fast pace. Not fast enough that it'd be weird but fast enough that no one else will try to talk to him.

He goes to his locker and scowls at the metal that didn't do anything to him. He's mad. At who or what he doesn't know. All he knows is he's mad and frustrated.

"Li?"

He looks over and Paige is standing there. Her voice is tender just like her expression is. Ember is next to her and they're both clearly worried.

Liam lets out a sigh. He isn't happy. He's rarely ever fully happy. However, he's grateful for these two.

"Hey. Good morning." Liam answers.

"Doesn't seem like yours has been very good." Ember says and Paige just weakly nods.

He turns back to his locker and begins to open it. "Yeah, well, Saturday night sucked and Sunday wasn't much better."

"Oh." Ember nods dully. Paige looks sad for him. They both look sad for him.

A new type of guilt pangs him for a moment. "Sorry. How are you two?"

"Fine." Paige nods simply.

"Swell." Ember smiles brightly. Liam gives her a small smile back as most of the guilt leaves. At his smile, Paige smiles.

"Good weekend?" Liam asks and raises his eyebrows. He takes his laptop out of the back and hangs it in his locker.

"Yep. Izzy ended up staying the night."

"Oh?" Paige looks over now, suddenly very interested.

"Yeah." Ember smiles. "We watched movies and cuddled like all night."

"Good for you." Liam says quickly, his voice teasing. He's smiling a bit bigger now.

A slow blush rises to Ember's cheeks. "You know?"

"That you're like, madly in love with her?" Liam asks. "You told me, remember?"

"Oh." Ember looks like she's processing. "But everyone usually just thinks I'm joking anyway."