Expulsion gave Liam Barrett a dangerous choice. Needing to transfer for his final year, he'd known immediately where to go. It was a distantly familiar place that'd taken everything from him; had once ruined him so absolutely and twisted his persona...
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The night refused to end, dragging its heels in, kicking and screaming. The only entertainment Liam found was the hours of bickering between him and Bradley— steadily heating arguments that boiled further through the night.
ㅤLiam had quickly learnt of Bradley's scary perception. The guy easily saw through any lies Liam presented, like each sentence was a document and Bradley was reading through the titles. It was a weapon Liam hadn't previously noticed. Whether it was a new skill or if Bradley had been capable of it for years without him noticing, Liam did not know. The latter was a terrifying thought.
ㅤLiam slowly grew certain that the only reason he'd noticed this was due to Charlie's drunken sloppiness. Unnervingly, Liam wouldn't have caught it otherwise. Bradley had the perfectly constructed brilliant poker face when sober, flawlessly hiding what he wanted to stay hidden. Alcohol was his weakness.
ㅤDespite this perception, he seemed blind to Liam's real identity. Of course, Liam looked nothing like how he'd used to; a different person both in name and appearance. He'd grown past six feet, his skinniness was now well-built, the angles of his face had moved and sharpened. But, it was still him. Perhaps Liam had meant that little to the bastard that he hadn't even been worth remembering.
ㅤHe wasn't the only one, Bradley was also nothing like the boy he'd been. Not once had that genuine and carefree grin graced Bradley's lips; a smile that'd been vividly etched into Liam's mind. Half the time, it was as if he was talking to a different person entirely. It scared him.
ㅤLiam was terrified his temper would cool, that his mind would be unable to conflate the two identities that were Bradley. This hatred was the only original thing Liam had left. In a way, it felt like it was the only thing keeping him alive. Liam had lost everything else to him. He needed this abhorrence. He would fade without it.
ㅤ"What's wrong with you tonight?"
ㅤOutside, Mia walked beside him, her face blank. Behind, Chris was chatting away with Bradley, oblivious to his girlfriend's wandering.
ㅤ"What do you mean?" he asked.
ㅤMia glanced up at him, silently pressing him not to play this game with her.
ㅤLiam sighed and raked a hand through his hair. "Nothing. I'm just a bit tired."
ㅤ"Bullshit." Her voice cut like a blade, slicing through his lie. It stunned him.
ㅤGlancing over his shoulder again, he observed Bradley's lazy grin directed at Chris. Liam couldn't bring himself to lie to Mia, but he was nowhere near prepared to sit down and tell her his life story either.
ㅤ"Do you know him?" she questioned, her eyes flicking to Bradley, following his gaze.
ㅤHe nodded. A momentary silence gave him room to breathe.
ㅤ"It's clear you're pretty unfond. I'm assuming there's a lot of history there." Her assessment was almost clinical.
