Infinity

Chapter 3

"Please, for once don't fuck everything up." Liam tried not to flinch at his mother's words as he grasped the multiple envelopes in his hands tighter. There were more than thirty birthday cards, Christmas cards, letters. All from his father. The same one she had told him had ditched them when he was five. The same one she claimed not to have heard from since.
"So when were you going to tell me? When I left for college? On my wedding day maybe. Look he says he tried calling why didn't you tell me." His face was red with fury. The fact that she wasn't even looking at him too busy pruning and trimming her precious roses only infuriated him further. The only reason he even found these cards was because one of the boxes that was supposed to be donated away from their house move accidently ended up in his new room.
"Look Liam I don't know what you want me to tell you. Yes your father wrote you a couple of times. Probably when he wasn't too busy getting arrested or ending up in rehab. I was a single mother with a son to support what was I supposed to do? Give you those letters and let you get your hopes up. Who were you going to cry to every time he disappointed you? Every time he didn't show up. I was going to end up cleaning his mess just like always and I didn't want to deal with it."
"So you just lied to me. You didn't even give me a chance to get to know him for myself." He hadn't felt the urge to cry in a long time but suddenly he was fighting a stinging in his eyes. How could she do this to him? How could she be so selfish? Standing up unfazed she took off her gardening gloves and walked into the house. Leaving him to trail behind her. Why did she always walk away from him?
"Liam were trying to build a new life for ourselves here. Why do you keep looking back? You have a new school, a new house, you have a new father almost, and a new brother and all you can think about is a man who never bothered to show his face around here." He could feel his hands shake with anger. Sure all those things sounded good on paper. So why the fuck was he miserable.
Maybe because shed totally screwed him over along the way. Sure he wasn't exactly the most popular guy back when he lived in their small two bedroom apartment bit at least he had some friends. All before his mother showed up one day to tell him that she was engaged to some guy attorney he'd never even met. That they were moving into this guy's house with him and his son. Like it was some kind of prize having to uproot himself? It been weeks since they'd moved into the Styles home and all Harry had said to him was a couple of grunts in the morning as he got out of the bathroom while Liam waited to get ready.
Not mention the total awkwardness of having to go on that god awful camping trip with Harry and his friends. Louis was about the only one of them that he could stand. The rest of them just gawked at him or in Gigi's case completely ignored him. Liam raised his hand around the green pendant around his neck. He thought he and the rest of them would eventually get together again. To try and figure out what the hell had happened to them that night. Instead they'd all driven back in awkward silence and Liam had spent his lunches rushing to the library glad to eat his meals in peace.
"When's the last time you talked to him? Do you even know where he is?" Liam hadn't thought about his father in years not since his mother shook him when he was six. Making him swear never to bring that man up again. So he hadn't, not wanting to hurt her. Turns out she was the one who was hurting him. The sound of the facet running was the only thing that filled the silence in the kitchen. She was filling up her watering can. All for the stupid roses.
Look up and turning off the water she gave him an exhausted look. "He called about two years ago on your birthday. You were in the other room with your friends. I told him you didn't want to speak to him and not to bother calling back." He felt like she'd just punched him in the gut.
"Oh my god! You're a total psycho." He turned to walk out of the room only to hear the sound of her obnoxious high heels clicking on the wooden floors. God how he hated this stupid house. He hated his new school with Harry and all the fake rich people. He hated his mother for being the biggest liar ever. This was all her fault. Ready to walk up stares she grabbed his wrist pulling him back with surprising force for such a tiny woman.
She stared into his eyes pleadingly. "Liam listen to me. You don't know him the way I do. He'll hurt you. He's not a good person. If he really cared about you he would have fought for you. He's not a good person."
"No, you're not a good person" he snapped. "You think because you have the nice house and the new fiancé that makes you better. You're just a gold digger that got lucky. The only reason you didn't tell me about my dad was because he wanted me and he didn't want you." Seconds later he felt the burning on his cheeks where she slapped him. "God you're a bitch. I am so out of here." Turning he rushed for the door.
"Liam wait-"he slammed it as hard as he could wanted to get as far away from her as he possibly could. Making his way towards the street he looked back expecting her to come out and ask him to come inside. Instead the front door stayed shut. God sometimes he really hated that woman. Everything about her was fake. She dyed her hair. She got Botox and he was pretty sure she'd lied to Robert (Harry's dad) about her age. The only thing she cared about were those stupid roses. Since he was little she'd spent most of her free time gardening than with him. Fine well fuck her.
"I hope all her fucking flowers die" he cursed under his breath walking away. Stomping on his way he let his anger be his fuel as he walked aimlessly through the street. He'd been too busy being angry to bother grabbing a jacket. Great something else he could blame her for. Walking around, he made his way into a small coffee shop. Digging his pockets he suddenly remembered leaving his wallet on the kitchen counter back home. Fuck his life.
"Hey I didn't expect to see you here" he turned to find Harry's friend Louis walking over to him with a smile on his face. Louis was probably the only one of Harry's friends that Liam actually liked. He wasn't snotty or rude and whenever he asked how Liam was doing he could tell it was just him wanting to know and not him digging for gossip like Kylie.
"Oh hey. I was actually gonna grab some coffee turns out I left my wallet at home though so I'm gonna head out." Turning to leave embarrassed he felt Louis grab his arm and drag him to the counter.
"One latte" said Louis enthusiastically.
"Louis you shouldn't I-"
"Don't mention it really. I'm happy to do it." He had the brightest smile and Liam followed him back towards his table as they waited. He found a stack of the well-worn novels waiting for them.
"Wow I wouldn't necessarily take you for a book worm." Louis looked down slightly embarrassed.
"Yeah well. It's kind of a small town there's not really much to do." Stacking all the books neatly from largest to smallest he placed them neatly in his backpack. The last he'd seen Louis had been last week when he'd rushed into Liam's first period classroom looking pretty upset.
"Louis actually I'm kind of embarrassed but I found-"
"Here's your latte enjoy" the waitress placed Liam's order on the table a sing song ring to her voice. Liam nodded politely glad for the interruption.
"So are you enjoying school yet" asked Louis. "It's only been a week and I'm already behind on homework."
"Don't worry I've been behind on homework since kindergarten." Louis let out a laugh. Putting his hands to his mouth just to make sure he didn't accidently spit his coffee.
Letting out a grin Liam let out a laugh as well. For the first time in a while it was good to forget about all his drama back home and just relax. Louis was funny and he didn't act like a total asshole even though he was friends with harry. They actually found they liked some of the same bands and both were fans of Victor Hugo. Most of his classmates probably didn't even know who Victor Hugo was. Sitting in that coffee shop Liam let all his worries melt away. Happy for a moment of fun.
"Oh crap look at the time." Louis looked down at his watch and then looked down the window into the darkening sky. It had been sunny when Liam had first arrived. "I have to go home and study for a test. I have to go." Grabbing his stuff and leaving a twenty on the table Louis rushed out the door. Sitting silent Liam watched him go. As if pulled by puppet strings Liam suddenly found himself rushing out the door looking around to find Louis at the end of the side walk about to go through a crosswalk.
"Louis wait!" Louis turned around a look of surprise clear on his face.
"Hey, oh I'm sorry did I forget to pay?" Digging through his pocket Louis quickly pulled out his wallet.
"No it's not that. I was just wondering. Would you maybe wanna hang out some time?" It was a moment that lasted forever and Liam was sure he'd laugh at him and tell him to fuck off.
Instead Louis smiled and said "sure."
ON his way back home Liam felt an unusual bounce in his step. Maybe he could actually have a life here after all? Louis seemed cool enough they might even end up friends. Reaching his house what he saw snapped him out of his thoughts and his blue eyes widened. The garden, the grass, the roses, the bushes, everything was a sickly brown color. As if it had been left out in the sun for weeks without getting watered. Suddenly remembering what he'd said on his way out he felt a twisted feeling in his stomach.
"What the fuck?"
e>

Chapter 4

"Please, for once don't fuck everything up." Liam tried not to flinch at his mother's words as he grasped the multiple envelopes in his hands tighter. There were more than thirty birthday cards, Christmas cards, letters. All from his father. The same one she had told him had ditched them when he was five. The same one she claimed not to have heard from since.