Seeing Double

Chapter 10

A/N: Mentions of self harm (not explicit) & threats to harm self.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Liam shrugged, his hesitance obvious as he looked toward Theo. "What if Asher finds out? What if he gets mad?"

"Isn't he already mad?" Theo asked.

"I mean yeah..." Liam replied, "but I don't really want to add to it." The night after the party had resulted in Theo driving Liam home, Asher had been way to drunk to even care. But the next day Asher had blown up Liam's phone with test messages and phone calls, "I still haven't called him back, look."

He handed his phone to Theo, thirty five text messages all consistent with bipolar messages. All of which only sent Theo into a deeper rage and hurt, this wasn't his brother.

'I miss you' 'I'm so sorry don't leave me' 'you're nothing without me' 'fucking answer your phone or I'll lose my shit' 'I need you' 'LIAM' "ANSWER UR FUCKING PHONE' 'I'm so sorry please I love you'.

"Good to see he realises he fucked up," Theo said, although he couldn't help the anger rising inside him upon seeing how terrible Asher spoke to Liam. "I'm really proud of you for not replying to him," he said.

Liam smiled, "thanks," he said. Putting his phone into his pocket he looked up, "it hasn't been easy, I love him... I hate that I'm causing him pain right now..."

Theo nodded, he wanted to be as gentle as he could with his words. Knowing how sensitive and vulnerable the other boy was at the moment, "you're doing the right thing."

"He's your brother," Liam replied.

"I know," Theo said, "but that doesn't mean I agree with his actions or words, we might be twins but we are nothing alike. I would never treat you this way," he bit his tongue, "you deserve better."

Liam paused, "I love him," he said. His voice trailed off on a whisper as he looked around, the park was empty which only added to the eerie vibe Liam was feeling. The wind began to pick up, blowing through his longer brown hair.

Theo liked it, the length of his hair. The way is cascaded across his face, shaping it and shadowing all the right areas. He fought the urge to tuck a strand behind his ear, god was that hard.

Liam looked nervous, the way he gulped and fidgeted with his fingers. His thumb brushing the flesh around his index finger, "you're staring," he spoke. Theo was pulled from his daze, no wonder he seemed nervous.

"I'm sorry," Theo replied, although his eyes didn't strain from the other boy. "Your hair looks nice, like that I mean," he wanted to kick himself. Could he be any more obvious, "I just mean it suits you?"

Liam let out a soft laugh, "thanks," he shrugged. "Oh, there's Nolan." He walked past Theo to the other boy they had planned to meet up with, "hey Nolan," he smiled.

"Hey captain," Nolan teased, considering Liam was the captain of the lacrosse team. "So, that party," he brought up, earning a glare from Theo.

"You saw that?" Liam asked.

"Most people did-"

"Dude," Theo said, smacking Nolan's arm. "Not helping," he shook his head, maybe this was a bad idea.

"it's fine, I figured a lot of people saw... I just hoped they didn't," Liam said, chewing at the inside of his lip, "how have you been anyways?"

"Yeah good, Hayden's here," he said after checking his phone and receiving a text message from her. "One moment," Nolan said, placing a hand on Liam's shoulder to pass him and help Hayden find her way.

"I'm sorry about him," Theo said, a husky forced laugh following his words. "He doesn't always think before he thinks," his eyes averted to the ground, noticing Liam's converses.

"It's okay, he's nice..." Liam replied, "plus, I'm dating Asher so... I'm used to that kind of stuff," he shrugged, although that did little to ease Theo's worries. His phone begun to ring, a frightened expression plastered his face when he saw Asher's face on the screen.

"Don't answer it," Theo said.

"Okay..." Liam paused, the phone continouing to ring as he slipped it back into his pocket. "He's going to be so mad..."

"He should have thought about that before her put you on show and threw you into the pool. He knows you have anxiety, heck even someone without it would have panicked," Theo snapped back.

"He's texting me again," Liam said, pulling out his phone. "Shit," Liam said, his body freezing up as he read through the text messages. "I have to go," he said shaking his head, bile rising in his throat.

"No," Theo said, grabbing his wrist. He swore he could feel Liam's pulse bouncing through him, "he's just trying to mess with you Liam, don't go."

"Look," Liam said, shoving the phone forward to reveal text messages and a photo attachment. "Does that look like he's messing with me to you?" the photo consisted of an image of a razor blade. The text messages were no better. 'I love you I can't lose you' 'I'm not living without you' 'this is your fault' 'I'm sorry don't leave me' 'goodbye'.

"No, please don't go," Theo pleaded, "he won't do it, he's messing with you and trying to manipulate you Liam. That's what he does, and he will continue to do it if you show him it worked."

"I am not risking his life Theo, he's your brother. What's wrong with you?" Liam snapped, his eyes welling with tears as he stormed off. His phone ringing, Asher's face showing again, "baby?"

Immediate relief could be seen in Liam's body as his shoulders relaxed and his breathing slowed down, "I'm so sorry, I'll be over soon, okay? Just stay in your room, don't do anything stupid please."

"Liam please," Theo begged once the phone call was over, "he's going to keep hurting you, let us help you."

"He needs me Theo," Liam said, "he is going to hurt himself and-"

"No he's not," Theo snapped, "he's my brother Liam, I know him. He will not do it, he knows you are scared and he can manipulate you! That's what he's doing, he's fucking with your head."

Liam scoffed, "so you think that little of me? That I'm just some dumb guy who can be manipulated?" Liam took another step back, "he loves me and he's realised he messed up. I'm going to see him and nothing you say or do will stop me, so please. Let it go. I never should have told you anything to begin with," Liam shook his head, turning away and walking to the street.

"So that went well," Nolan sighed, copping a side glance from Theo who simply watched as Liam ran to enter the taxi.

Published: 28th April 2024
Word count: 1142