Camp Gay Away

2.

My morning was spent shuffling through the line, with no sight of Liam in the thick crowd, and listening to Rick talk to the other guys at the table. There was the blonde boy from last night, now that I'm up close I get a really good look at him and the brunette boy. I don't remember seeing him in the crowd last night, but he may have been on the bed.

Honestly, hearing Rick talk, he seems like a nice guy, but referring back to last night I'm more than sure it's a ruse. I've decided to be his friend as long as I'm here so at least I won't have any problems with where I lay my head.

Their all talking about cars and I feel a bit left out, well that's until the blonde, Sam, starts to talk about how his dad caught him in the back of his car with a guy he shagged with every now and then.

"So he just starts screaming like crazy loud and I'm telling him, you have to quite down or he's gonna-BAM" he shouts out of nowhere and I jump a little, I can see Rick snickering out of the corner of my eye, "He just slams the door open and starts yelling his bloody head off, next week, I'm here"

I can't help but start thinking his story is similar to Liam and I's. I can feel the eyes on the table shift to me and the brunette kid speaks up first, "so how'd you get here uhm-Neil?" He ask

A twinge of annoyance crosses my mind but I ignore it, "It's Niall, and well"

I start to think about what I'm going to say, with Rick being a horny bastard and all, along with these two other boys, I don't want them getting ideas.

"I was with my boyfriend Liam and we were...things got-" I'm stopped when Rick decides to interrupt me with a look of total shock and utter crushing disappointment

"That blokes your boyfriend!" He ask with a boisterous tone

I start scratching the back of my neck, "Yeah, he's my boyfriend. Anyways, things got heated and my parents came in, well I mean, we were only kissing but...it didn't look good and, there was a fight" I look up and I've got the tables full attention, "It wasn't good, so my parents called his parents and, we're here"

There's nothing but silence until Sam speaks up, "wait so he's here? With us?" He ask

I give him a nod and a simple answer of "yes". Their eyes shoot to Rick, like saying with their eyes, you messed up.

"I apologized" he says loudly putting down his water.

"Sorry doesn't fix everything " I mumble under my breathe

I feel a strong hand on my shoulder, and I just see Rick's face turn away.

"Is he messing with you Niall" Liam says from behind me.

"Huh? Oh uhm, no Li, we're fine" I say giving him pleading eyes. Liam's giving me a dirty glare and I know why, I'm sitting next to Rick and he's not happy about it at all.

Rick gives an uncomfortable laugh to the two other guys at the table but they just turn their heads away from the situation.

"Come with me" Liam says, dragging me from the table by my wrist.

His head snaps around and his face is straight, no emotion but it's a type of parenting type of look, "Li, I didn't finish my breakfast" I say

He turns and continues leading me away through the room. We're getting stares from everyone and luckily, by the grace of God, none of the counsellors see us. I wish I could say none, but there's a distinct glare from the you get counselor Zayn. He's on top of the stage but I can still see him staring at us, but he doesn't do anything.

Liam drags me into a one man bathroom and locks the door, he turns around and his face is beyond red.

"So you're friends with him now!" Liam screams at me

I keep my composure, "well yeah Li, I don't want to-"

Liam cuts me off, "That's your problem Niall you're to damn-" I cut Liam off this time

"I'm not to damn nice! I just don't want-" Liam cuts be off again and it's really making me angry.

"You don't want what! So you don't think I can protect you!" Liam screams at me and for a short while, there's a silence.

I realize that Liam is just...being insecure, and protective. I take a step toward him placing both my hands on his chest, and I grip his shirt tightly in my fist and pull him towards my face, "You're the only person who can protect me Liam, you're all I have"

Liam and I just stare into each others eyes, breathing heavily from our argument, our first argument.

Liam breathes out all the air he was holding and just closes his eyes, letting his head drop. He's thinking, "I just can't let anyone hurt you Niall, I love you so much" he wraps his arms around me and holds me tightly "your all I have and I won't let anyone hurt you again".

I breathe in the smell of him from his shirt, not letting go. I think I understand what Liam was feeling now. He's going through it right now, and seeing me converse with, Rick, it must have made him feel that I had to stoop low enough to be his friend because he couldn't defend me himself. I'd hate to make Liam feel like he can't protect me, because he knows he can and I know.

"Liam, I have to share a bunk with him," I tell Liam and he jolts back, arms still at mine but a frantic look on his face, "and I just thought it'd be easier to not have any problems with where I have to sleep...ya'know?"

Sadly for me, it doesn't take Liam long to put two and two together because when I get finished talking he's even more pissed than when we started on this topic.

"Niall, why'd you run into my room crying? Was it Rick?" Liam ask me pushing my back towards the door, not hard enough to hurt, but he was seriously mad.

I can't look him in the eyes, I just look away at the ground and he flings me aside from the door and bolts into the mess hall.