Shadow Eyes

A smile is just a smile, right?

Liam’s P.O.V

She looks frightened, I can see fear in her eyes. She looks at my wounds at my tear stained face, I know that she wants to help, but something’s holding her back. She walks over to me and plants a soft kiss on the top of my forehead, and then she runs off. The small kiss made me feel a little bit happier, but the daunting thought of seeing the bullies again tomorrow casts another shadow of doubt over me again. I try to stand up, but I groan in pain and fall over. I sit back down again and look down the street to my left. I can see her, she’s watching me. “Help me, please” I croak, hoping that she would hear me. Fortunately she did, and she came running over to help me. “Are you okay?” she asks me. “No” I mumble. She bends down, her long black hair hiding her face. She puts one of her arms underneath me and the other around my waist. She picks me up gently and asks where my house is. I give her the directions and she gently carries me there.

When we reach the door, I tell her no one is home, and that she can leave me on the door step. “No, I’m not doing that” she says firmly. Somehow she opens the door and carries me inside. “My room is straight down the hall way, last one to your right” I tell her. She nods her head and carries my inside my room. Very gently, she lays my on my bed, wrapping a blanket over my body. She finds the bathroom and with a wet flannel she dabs at my wounds. I wince in pain, she sooths me and continues cleaning them. She puts the flannel in the wash and returns with a steaming cup of hot chocolate for me. “Here you go” She chirps, handing the cup to me. She carefully helps me sit up, and I drink my hot chocolate while she bandages my wounds.

“Thanks you so much” I tell her. “It’s alright” she replies. She moves my pillow for me and her sleeves get pushed up her arm. I gasp in shock, and grab her wrist. I pull it close to me and she tries to wriggle away. “Why?” I simply ask, my thumb stroking the scars up and down her arm. "It's nothing, you don't need to worry" she states, not looking me in the eye. "I'm if I've brung up something I shouldn't of" I mumble, sinking back onto the pillow and covering my face with my blankets. She gently lays a piece of paper next to me and stands up. "If you need anything just call me, I'm Alex by the way, Alexandra" she says. "Thank you so much Alex, I'm Liam" I say, flashing her a goofy grin. She kisses my head again and I pull her into a tight hug. "Thank you for everything" I mumble into her soft, long hair. "It's okay" she replies. "I'll see you at school then" she chirps, before giving me and wink and leaving  my house....

Alex’s P.O.V

I had to help him, I just had to. He reminded me of, me. He was so helpless, he was breaking apart. I just hope I can help him, before his life, his soul is destroyed forever. I hate being around people, but his warm touch left me wanting more. For some strange reason, all I wanted was for him to hold me, hold me tight and hide me from the reality of this harsh world. Seeing the world through my eyes isn’t nice. It’s so lonely, and only cruel stuff happens, you lose everything you love, and no one cares about you. I feel responsible for Liam, I don’t do why, I just do.

I begin the boring walk home, pushing away all thoughts. The grey sky looms over me, bringing it’s gloomy presence with it. I finally reach the faded blue door, and I let myself in. The house is dark, as usual, the curtains are never opened.  Mum is sitting in her chair, with an almost empty Vodka bottle in her hand. She continues it stare at a blank patch on the wall, she doesn’t even blink when I walk past her. She always looks the same, pale and grey face. Her eyes are always glazed over with sadness. Everyone I see looks like her, all empty and faded. But Liam, Liam has hope and warmth, he was so different.  I had to be careful though, thinking of Liam too often would make me become attached to him. I always lose everyone I become attached to.

I grab a drink of water and I trudge upstairs, to my room.  I open my door, and shut it softly behind me. I drop my bag roughly on the ground. I sit on the edge of my bed and stare into space, then a picture caught my eye, I’d never seen it before. It was hidden behind my guitar, I haven’t played my guitar since Jake died. My hands start to shake, and I push my long, black hair away from my face. I stand up, ready to confront old memories. My legs feel like jelly, ready to let collapse. I walk over to my guitar and move it away from the wall, uncovering a small picture that has fallen out of a photo album. Confusion floods throughout my mind, I’ve never this album before. I bend down and pick up both the photo, and the album. My shaking hands clasp both objects tightly, I can’t stop my tears from pouring out of my eyes as I start reading the back of the album. To Alex, from your big, awesome brother Jake xx My legs can’t handle my bodyweight, they give way and I collapse on the ground. Surrounded with an empty, depressed atmosphere and my tears blur out everything around me. I open my book and look at all of the photographs Jake has left me.