Expelled and needing to transfer for his final year, Liam had known immediately where to go. It was the place that'd taken everything from him; that'd ruined him so absolutely it'd twisted his personality beyond recognition.
The place where he'd met...
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Days dragged uneventfully, one sleepless night after the next, until the big day rolled over.
ㅤLiam hadn't seen much of Charlie leading up to that point, and was unsure whether that was a good thing or bad. The sudden time and silence on his hands that he'd normally occupied with the other man had been brittle and still—his waking hours sickly monotone.
ㅤ"What do you mean you can't come?" Mia barked.
ㅤLiam sighed, pressing the ache in his temple. He was on his bed, fidgeting with his rattling keys in one hand, his phone limp in the other. Afternoon was setting in and Liam still hadn't left his room for that day, having skipped his mandatory daily exercises.
ㅤ"I told you already, I have that charity event with my aunt today. I can't come along."
ㅤMia and Chris had arranged a night out, which he'd inevitably opted out of. They'd assumed he wouldn't go to the event after he'd complained about it all week. Unfortuntely, petulant absence wasn't an option with his aunt.
ㅤMia growled a little. "I thought you hated those things."
ㅤ"Yea, yea. I do. But I can't just not show up. I've gone every single year since I can remember. I can't just skive." As much as he wanted to.
ㅤShe sighed gently through the phone. "I'm sorry about that, Liam."
ㅤ"It's fine... It's one evening. I'll get through it alive on the other end—I, unfortunately, always do."
ㅤ"But I know how shit they make you feel."
ㅤLiam decided to pretend she hadn't said that, promptly moving along the conversation. "Anyway, my date this year is going to be a huge source of entertainment." A smile threatened to rise. "Maybe it'll be fun."
ㅤ"You could've asked me, you know."
ㅤ"I wouldn't put you through that kind of torture." Not that Chris would let him. "Charlie, however, he can suffer to hell."
ㅤA hesitant beat of silence. He checked his phone to ensure they were still connected. "Mia?"
ㅤ"You're not..." Another pause. "You're not serious about him, right?"
ㅤLiam flinched. Not only confusion slammed into him, but shock. His throat was strangely lumped. "What makes you say that?" Because, despite the unwarranted and extreme reaction to those words, he truly didn't understand why such a question was necessary. His heart was worrying nervously.
ㅤ"It's..." badump badump badump "...nothing. It's nothing. It was a silly thought of mine. Let's not go over this again."
ㅤAlthough his body eased in relief, an edge of anxiety remained. What was he relieved about? He wasn't sure. But, he welcomed it.
ㅤ"Of course it's nothing."
ㅤ"I am really glad you two are getting along," she continued, injecting happiness into her voice. "It might not be in the exact way that I imagined, but it's a hell of an improvement, that's for sure."
