THE LIGHT WITHIN.

Struggles unleashed.

CHAPTER 2.

TW: ABUSE AND BULLYING.

Liam stopped sobbing and said goodbye to Daniel. His heart was a little less heavy now that he cried to someone that showed him he cared and didn't pity him. He went inside the house to meet his father after closing the door who landed a slap on his cheek. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. Liam thought to himself. Liam turned to look at his father, his eyes filled with anger his face expressionless.

Liam held his cheek registering the situation he was in. he hadn't done anything, or was this about the rent again? Liam's eyes met his father's, which were cold and full of anger. His father launched on him strangling him. Liam could feel the man's fingers digging into his skin, as he pinned him to the door. He struggled to breathe, and everything started to go black. He thought he might pass out, but his father didn't let up.

The man's eyes were full of hatred, and he showed no mercy towards his own son. Finally, the man released him, and Liam collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. He wiped the tears from his eyes, wondering why his father didn't just end it all then and there. Perhaps it was because, in some twisted way, the man enjoyed hurting him. Liam wondered how he could ever escape this vicious cycle of violence and abuse. He felt trapped, with no way out. But even in the depths of despair, a small part of him still held onto a sliver of hope, a tiny light that refused to be extinguished.

"Befriend the rich yes, but if I hear outsiders start talking about how we treat you, your dead." He said as he paced around the room his breath frantic. "And also, you're not going to the Academy tomorrow, you need to clean the house and do the laundry and wash the dishes." The father said.

"But- didn't we have a maid to do all of that?" Liam asked in between breaths as he held onto his neck tighter.

"We fired her to save our money, note that every Wednesday you aren't going to school but staying at home and doing house chores, and if I find that you missed a spot, you'll do everything over and over again." The father sneered. If Liam stayed back for house chores, he'd miss classes and work given to them and he wouldn't be able to study. He couldn't stay and clean and not be tired to go to work, he had to find a way to avoid this somehow.

"Dad, they changed the time which I have to get to work and I doubt I'll be able to do all that, shift changed means more money for you guys, so please can you hire another maid?" Liam pleaded. He couldn't afford to miss classes; he wanted out of this place and the only way he could do that was if he topped all his classes to get a job that could satisfy his needs and leave this place. The father looked at Liam and thought about it, at least he didn't hit him for speaking out of term. The father only nodded and went upstairs.

Liam took short strides to the kitchen; he knew they wouldn't have left food for him but he knew his little sister didn't eat much so she'd always leave leftovers in the fridge. He found the food and sat on the table eating the food like there was no tomorrow.

"Hey! That's my food what are you doing?!" Susan beamed as she pulled the plate from Liam. Liam looked at her and back at his hands smeared by mashed potatoes, he hadn't gotten full yet and was still very much hungry at least the little she left would get him through the night without his stomach grumbling.

"Please Susan, can you give it back? I'm so hungry, you know mom doesn't cook food for me." Liam pleaded. He hated being like this but it's times like this he had to lose his pride and dignity.

"This is my food, I don't care if you're hungry, I'll do whatever I want to do with it," Susan said as she took the plate and tossed all the remaining food into the trashcan and rinsing the plate. Liam stared at her and said nothing, Susan had adopted their parents' bad behaviour and also treated him like he was nothing and didn't belong.