We're Getting There

Chapter 13

Sammy lazily kicked a red football back to Liam, who was sitting on the floor of his bedroom.

"Did you hear about what Alex did? He went on a proper rampage, the other day. Turns out he was the one who wrecked the computer room." Sammy shrugged upon catching Liam's confused look. "He'll probably be expelled. Serves him right, though. I never liked him."

"Sammy," Liam interrupted, catching the ball. He just wanted to not think about Alex for one day. "I want my ears pierced."

Sammy stared down at him from the bed. "I know. You already told me."

"Right now, I mean." Liam threw the ball back at Sammy. "So could you possibly shut up about Alex?"

"Sure, I'll shut up about Alex--but only to tell you how stupid you are," Sammy said, letting the ball bounce off his legs and roll under his desk. "Seriously? Right now? You can't just decide that."

"I can and I have, while you've been nattering on about the devil as if he matters. I want something new and different." Liam stood up to see himself in the mirror above Sammy's bed. "What if I dyed my hair too?"

"If you want a makeover, I dunno... Bella can give you one or something." Sammy tried to reason. "You don't need to stab a hole through your ear. Do you even have parental consent?"

Liam shrugged. "There's someone in our class who said his older brother can do it for me without it. So, you coming or not?"

"Isn't that illegal?" Sammy asked. "I don't support breaking the law."

Liam rolled his eyes. "You can keep trying to talk me out of it on the way. Are you coming?"

Now, he was putting on his jacket. Sammy huffed and slipped on his hoodie. He was going to join him, not because he thought he could talk Liam out of it--he definitely couldn't--but because he couldn't handle pain at all and he'd surely need support.

***

Liam stopped at the end of a row of terraced houses. "I think this is it," he said, tucking his phone back in his pocket.

Sammy grimaced at the tagged walls of the houses. "Looks kinda shady."

Liam ignored him and knocked on the peeling white paint of the front door.

"Hey, Liam," their classmate said, opening the door. "Oh, Sammy's here. You want a piercing too? My brother can do anywhere." Sammy shook his head. "Maybe a tattoo? Do you have any designs in mind?"

As they were led to the living room, Sammy refused all the ideas their classmate put forward. A big guy was waiting there for them on the sofa.

"Which one?" he asked his brother, standing up. Liam was pushed forward. "Sit down." He gestured to a chair in the middle of the room.
"Just a lobe?" Liam was asked.

"Uh... yep," he answered.

The guy disappeared for a minute to prepare the piercing gun.

"Can I... hold your hand?" Liam asked as they waited.

Sammy rolled his eyes, holding his hand out for Liam. "You're welcome."

The guy joined them again with his piercing gun in hand. "So, you're sure you wanna do this?"

Liam nodded and squeezed his eyes shut and clutched tightly on to Sammy's hand.

"Ow, ow, ow. Loosen up a bit." Sammy winced. "It won't even hurt."

Liam flinched as his left ear was pierced. For the next one, he was more prepared. Saamy had been right, it didn't even hurt that much.

"So, keep it in for six weeks, keep it clean and all that. 25 quid."

Liam handed over the money, trying to refrain from touching his newly pierced ears. "Nice. Cool. Thanks."

Sammy sighed and dragged them out of the house, assuring Liam that yes, he did look amazing, every time he asked.

***

Liam quietly shut the door and slipped off his trainers. He began to tiptoe across the carpet.

"Liam, is that you?" Dia called from the kitchen.

Liam almost swore under his breath. How did she still hear him when he had snuck in with ninja stealth. He reluctantly answered yes.

"Can you please take the bin out?" Dia asked.

Liam trudged his way to the kitchen, pulling his hood further down. He took the rubbish out of the bin, hoping that Dia wouldn't notice anything.

"Did you have fun at Sammy's?" she asked while washing some broccoli. "Before you go, sit down for a bit."

"Yeah," Liam answered. "We had fun."

"Is that all? Usually, there's a lot more."

Liam shrugged. "We didn't do much."

"Well, I'm glad you had fun." Dia abandoned her broccoli to sit down with Liam. "Liam, your mother isn't doing too well at the moment," she told him softly. "It's a bit worse than usual."

Liam paled. "What do you mean 'worse'?"

"They don't know if... well—" Dia trailed off, giving Liam a pitying look.

Liam stood up suddenly. "I'll take the bin out now," he said robotically.

"Liam..." Dia tried to get him to listen.

She could only wait for him to come back from putting out the bin.

"Liam, I know it's tough. I can't imagine what you're going through but we have to talk about this." Dia stood in the way of Liam's escape to his room. "Sarah said she wants you to visit her as soon as possible and she wants you to start considering... adoption."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he said thickly. "As if... as if she's going to... No. I'm not considering adoption. I'm just here until I can live with Mum again. She's fine. She's getting better."

Dia gently wiped away his tears. "I'm sorry, Liam." She pulled him into a hug and rubbed his back.

As much as Liam wanted to push her away, he couldn't deny himself a nice warm hug, given the news he'd just received.

Dia pulled away to caress his face. "I'm always there for you, you know that?"

Liam nodded sombrely.

Dia stared at him for a moment. "Your ears are... oddly shiny."

Liam blushed, realising his hood had been pulled down. "I kinda, got them pierced... sorry."

Dia shook her head. "When—what—why? Why did you do that? How? You're only—"

She spotted his miserable face and conceded. "Maybe we'll talk about this another time. They do look good on you though."

Liam managed a small smile. "Thanks."

~~~

i don't know where this is going but I want to keep writing so I will hehe :)