Start Small, End Big.

Racing? I'm Disappointed

* * * * *

Liam is seen sitting on the couch in the family living room at his big house. His parents are seen sitting across from him with stern expressions on their face as the ceiling light dimly shines on the coffee table between them.

William speaks with his voice tight with anger as he begins to confront his son.

William: Liam, we need to talk. What the hell is going on?

Liam looks at his parents with a dumbfounded face and responds defiantly.

Liam: I don't know what you're talking about, Dad.

Ava jumps into the conversation, her voice elated with disappointment. She thought better of her son. She thought she raised him correctly.

Ava: ne nous mens pas (don't lie to us), Liam. We've heard rumors about you participating in street races.

Liam stands up visibly irritated and with evident frustration at his parents' dislike at one of his newfound skills that he enjoys.

Liam: So what if I have? It's my life, isn't it?

William gets visibly upset at Liam's response and begins to speak with his voice rising in volume.

William: Your life? Do you think risking your life for some stupid thrill is acceptable?

Liam responds angrily, his voice cracking as he does so.

Liam: It's not stupid! It's exhilarating! And it's the only thing that makes me feel alive!

Ava responds as her voice trembles with emotion for her son, who she starts to worry about now knowing what dangerous things Liam has been doing.

Ava: Liam, we're scared. We're scared of losing you.

Liam remains angry as his passion for street racing takes over.

Liam: Well, maybe if you actually cared about what I wanted instead of trying to control every aspect of my life, you wouldn't have to worry about losing me!

William slams his hand onto the coffee table. Furious at his son's responses.

William: How dare you speak to us like that! We're your parents!

Liam doesn't stop being angry and raises his voice.

Liam: Yeah, and you're supposed to support me, not suffocate me with your rules and expectations!

Ava notices Liam's anger and begins to speak softly as tears begin to roll from her eyes. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. What did she do wrong to have Liam end up like this? How could she fix it?

Ava: Liam, please... We just want you to be safe.

Liam lowers his voice but fills it with resentment as he responds. How could his own parents not trust him? Or support him? He doesn't deserve that.

Liam: If you really wanted me to be safe, you would trust me to make my own decisions instead of trying to dictate my every move!

The room falls silent, the tension thick between Liam and his parents. Liam's anger simmers beneath the surface, his emotions roiling as he confronts his parents' authority.

William begins to speak to break the silence with a lowered tone. And sighs heavily before responding.

William: We're just worried about you, Liam. We love you. You know that. We just want you to be safe, that's all. That's our job.

Liam shakes his head in denial. He doesn't understand how that should affect what he loves in any way, shape, or form. He knows street racing is dangerous, but his skill behind the wheel has prevented him from getting into an accident his whole life. He doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon.

Liam: If you loved me, you'd let me live my life on my own terms.

With those words hanging heavy in the air, Liam storms out of the room, leaving his parents to grapple with the aftermath of their heated argument. Liam's parents beckon him to come back but to no avail.

William: Liam! Liam! Come back! Do not walk away from this conversation!

Liam muffles under his breath

Liam: More like an attack...

Liam continues to walk away towards his room as Ava beckons him back as well.

Ava: Come on, sweetheart, please! Come back and speak to your dad and I! We just want what's best for you!

Liam: I'm done....

Liam shuts his door angrily. As his parents look at each other in pure shock and worriedness. William puts a palm on his face and sighs with defeat. He gets up from his seat and swears under his breath.

William: Damnit...

Ava gets up and heads to Liams room but is stopped by William.

William: No, hon, let him be, we don't want to make him more angry. We need to take his car away that'll show him.

Ava: Come on, mon amour (my love), we can't do that. He loves that car. And even if we tried, we couldn't, he bought it himself. He saved up so much money to buy it, and I can't take that away from him.

William: Yeah, well, he's gonna take himself away from us if he doesn't do anything. I just thought he was practicing not racing.

Ava looks confused.

Ava: You knew about him racing.

William: No, not him racing but him practicing. He told me he took a lap. And he did so good Ava like professionally good. I wanted him to maybe keep practicing and then go to a racing school and get his license so he could maybe become a racer just like he dreamed. All parents wanna see their kids achieve their dreams. I couldn't take that away from him. I'd be a bad father. But, now, I'm rethinking my choices...

Ava: Why didn't you tell me?

William: He told me not to, he didn't want you to get angry at him but I guess that's too late now.

Ava: Really? est-ce que je suis méchant (am I that mean)?

William: You'd be surprised.

Ava sighs

Ava: Let's just let him cool down. He gets angry like this all the time every time we bring it up. We can't have that.

William nods in agreement

* * * * *

Alone in his room, Liam wrestles with his conflicting emotions, torn between his desire for independence and his family's concern for his well-being. In that moment, the fracture in their family becomes painfully evident, and Liam is left to confront the conflict within himself as he struggles to reconcile his dreams with his family's expectations.