Revenge and Retribution

1

"What the fuck were you thinking?"

ㅤDistracted on his phone, Liam was dispassionate of the oncoming rage sitting in the booth opposite him. Whilst he normally would've remained stubborn, refusing to show any sign he was listening at all, this time, he gave in.

ㅤHis sister's face was flushed with fury, eyes creased in a glare. He stared back blankly for a moment, before returning his attention to his phone screen; more interested in his Twitter feed than anything she predictably had to say.

ㅤHis sister realised this. "Well?"

ㅤFrustrated, he finally sat up, running his hand through his dark scruffy hair. He pondered how to answer, inwardly going through reply after reply. But he was at a loss. Nothing fixed this. So, he simply shrugged.

ㅤHer nostrils flared and he'd expected to be throttled. Instead, Olivia scrunched her eyes shut for a few seconds and melted into something akin to disappointment and pity.

ㅤ"I can't bloody believe you, Liam. Out of all the shit you've done, this is beyond anything I could've expected from you. That scholarship you got...? You might as well say goodbye to private school forever because word travels faster than fucking sound in those circles. We would know."

ㅤHe refused to give anything away, his expression carefully blank. He scrolled through his phone, text blurring past on his screen, unread.

ㅤA sad sigh pricked his attention, looking up, tears started to pour from his sister's glassy green eyes. Liam's heart panged, his throat dry.

ㅤ"Everything you've worked for Liam— every single goddamn thing..." Her head fell into her hands.

ㅤLiam stared at his lap, his hands still clenched around his stupid phone. He couldn't bear to look at her. This upset was his fault. Again.

ㅤBy no means was Olivia a crier. When they were little, Olivia had been the one to make him cry.

ㅤ"It'll be fine," he assured her, thinking quickly. "It's only one more year and I'll be off to uni. This isn't the end of the world."

ㅤOlivia brushed her stuck dark waves away from her wet cheeks. She took a deep breath in an attempt to compose herself.

ㅤ"State schools are nothing like what you've grown up with. You're really going to struggle, Lee. It's just completely different."

ㅤ"Listen," he hushed her, "even if word does spread, even to the state schools, I have eleven A-graded GCSEs. Somewhere will take me, Liv. I'll have to try a little bit harder is all."

ㅤAnticipating the success of his assurance, Liam patiently waited. Olivia didn't speak, and Liam followed her lead and kept quiet. The silence hung over them for a while. She was absentmindedly stirring her strawberry milkshake with a mushy paper straw.

ㅤDespite the consequences of his actions, like the expulsion, he couldn't regret what he'd done. The twat had it coming and Liam took great pleasure in wiping the irritating smirk off of that ugly disfigured face. Whether the school had believed him or not, that guy had deserved it.

ㅤEarly morning sunlight glowed a soft warmth on his cheek. Cars and people went by the window, friends and colleagues laughing with one another. A young scrawny boy walked past, his hand reluctantly attached to his mother's, his cheeks tinted in embarrassment. The boy tried to snatch his hand away and Liam just watched. It hurt a little.

ㅤ"Okay," she said, at last.

ㅤ"Okay?"

ㅤ"Yeah, okay. There's no point in getting wound up over something we can't change." Olivia paused, in thought. "We'll enrol you somewhere local. You can choose where. I'll support you as long as you don't pick that fucking art and design college in the next town over." She pointed at him. "You pick that place and you're dead to me."

ㅤAn amused smile tugged his lips. There was a story behind her hatred of that school, but she'd never tell him.

ㅤHe snorted. "Do I look gay to you?"

ㅤ"Liam," she warned.

ㅤ"Girl."

ㅤHe sniggered, lightly defending himself as Olivia reached over the table to smack his head.

ㅤ"You bitch." He covered his face in protection.

ㅤ"That's what I thought," she huffed. "Thank God for subconscious sexism because you never hit me back."

ㅤ"I'm respectful of the fairer sex."

ㅤShe rolled her eyes. "You're the last person I'd consider respectful. What was the name of your latest girlfriend, remind me?"

ㅤLiam paused for a few seconds.

ㅤ"... Women have names?"

ㅤ"Liam!"

ㅤ"I'm sorry! I'm joking! I'm sure it would've been a lovely name if women had those. Feminism still has a long way to go."

ㅤAmusement danced in Olivia's eyes, humouring her younger brother's teasing. She'd always had a soft spot for him. In their family, they got along the best, despite her being several years older.

ㅤBut Liam knew she would blame herself before others. Even in situations that were entirely Liam's fault, she stole the burden and responsibility before Liam could think to own his actions. In turn, Liam felt like shit and wilfully forgot his mistakes out of gnawing guilt, never learning. It was a painfully repeated cycle that was so comfortable to them.

ㅤ"So," she continued. "You have any ideas on where you want to go now?" Olivia willingly handed him the reins. His obsession with independence wasn't a landmine she was prepared to step on.

ㅤLiam pretended to think about it, but he'd known the minute of his expulsion where he would go. The school's name had come to him instantly. "Yeah. I already know where."

ㅤWaiting for an answer that never came, Olivia finally huffed out; "Are you going to tell me?"

ㅤ"Nope," was all Liam replied.

ㅤ"It's a surprise..?"

ㅤ"Yeah, it's a surprise."

ㅤOlivia sniffed, annoyed. She regarded her sludgy milkshake.

ㅤ"Don't worry about all the paperwork and stuff," Liam said. "I'll get Ella and Logan to do it."

ㅤA hesitance captured her and Liam tensed slightly, knowing that look on her face. She was considering whether to ask what she wished to know, afraid of the answer.

ㅤ"Are they treating you right Liam? Are you... happy?"

ㅤLiam physically flinched, unsure what his sister wanted to achieve by asking him such a thing. Considering it for a few moments, he gave the answer his sister wished to hear, rather than the one he wanted to give.

ㅤ"Yeah, they're great, honestly. I get three meals a day, I have my own room and I gained a little brother." He chuckled. "He's so stupid."

ㅤOlivia's responding smile was unconfident. "Yes, but are you happy, Liam? I need to know." Her eyes were wide with a pleading hope. The weight was uncomfortable, with her attempting to hang her peace of mind on his response. But, giving her one of his big signature grins, he looked her directly in the eye.

ㅤ"Yes. I am," he lied.