Not A Word

Chapter Ten

Tara

It was the end of the school day and I was staying after to work with Liam on our science project. More like he was forcing me to work on it by bringing me to his house and trapping me there. I had been given no choice in going and even Mr. Hanson had conspired against me.

So as I grabbed my books from my locker I felt someone's presence behind me. Turning I saw Liam leaning against the wall of lockers. "What are you doing Liam?" I asked quietly. My voice was more resigned with no real emotion coloring it and making actually interesting.

How could I make my voice colorful if the only color in my life was grey. A dull unexciting grey at that. Never had I thought that mere sliver of joy in my life could be taken away so easily. I guess that's because I never even knew a had a glimmer of joy to begin with. My world went from a world with at least a few colors to a world that was all the same color, not even different hues of it.

"I'm here to make sure that you actually come. We can't do this project by ourselves and we need each other's help to do it." he explained with a bored tone to his voice.

If he was acting like he actually wanted to spend time with me then he was a better actor than I gave him credit for. There wasn't even a ray of the Liam that I knew, the one that beat on me, showing. He was completely nice and it almost seemed like he would protect me from Zayn if he came after me. I couldn't believe that truly for a second. Thinking that I might have a protector could get me into trouble.

"What do you think I'll blow it off and go smoke behind the school? Better yet I bet that you think I'll blow you off and go have sex with some guy." I accused with a nasty sneer on my face.

"Now darlin' let's not jump to conclusions here. I am merely here so that if Zayn shows up he won't kill my partner." Liam walked forward and placed a finger under my chin, forcing me to look up at him. "I hate what he's doing to you Tara. I want to be able to help you get through it."

"As opposed to being the person who inflicts the damage?" I asked in a hushed tone. My breath had been slightly taken away by his words.

"Especially opposed to that. You have to know that I didn't like hurting you Tara. I was just afraid."

"Well you had the luxury of running away from that fear while you let me take the consequences of it each day." I shot at him then said even quieter. "I didn't need it at school as well."

"What?"

"Nothing lets just get to your house so I can leave already."

"What do you not like spending time with me love?" Liam asked sarcastically.

I poked my finer into his chest. "Look I'm not your darlin' and I sure as hell aren't your "love" so quit calling me by endearments when you don't mean it." I turned around and stride to the parking lot where Liam's car was parked.

"Whats with the attitude Tara? I'm not calling by endearments I'm merely saying love. I say it all the time." he shouted sounding exhausted by the squabble.

"It may not mean anything to do but if I'm going to have a guy call me love of darlin' I would at least like for them to be someone I could stand to look at. It would be even better if it was a friend. Oh wait. Friends are outlawed for me! That's right I'm not allowed to have any form of happiness in my life because it would take the power the five of you hold over me! Thanks for the fucking reminder!" I screamed in his face.

"I'm not with them anymore Tara. Can't you just trust me?" his voice sounded like a plea.

I gave a dark and humorless laugh, "Trust you? That must be a joke. I can't trust anyone." I turned around and finally reached his car.