You said I'd be Okay

•Chapter Seven•

Zak
I clocked out for the day and went to Liam when he clocked in. I need to talk to him about this Tobias kid yesterday. He looks familiar like very familiar. I know I've seen him around but I feel like I had an interaction with him.

"Hey Liam. Who was that Tobias kid? He looks so familiar." I said.

Liam looked like he saw a ghost. I rubbed his back. I guess something bad happened between them.

"He was uh like a little brother to me. So he would come to me when he needed help either with school or at home. He was here on your first day. He was the kid who was crying on your first day when you left early." he said rubbing his eyes.

Do I bring up the notebook? Do I ask anymore questions about him? I need to know who the owner of the notebook. They need to get their justice and a better life. Their mother is a piece of shit. She deserves to be put into jail for the child abuse and neglect she did to him.

I made my iced coffee and sat at a table. I pulled out his notebook and started reading it again form the beginning.

I don't understand why his councilor didn't step in and take action. It was obvious that there were signs of child abuse and neglect. How could she not notice the bruises he had all over his body. They were visible by the sound of it. I must know who this kid is.

"Zak I'm so sorry! But you need to cover for me. Family uh emergency. I'll be back soon." yelled Liam with tears pouring out his eyes.

I nodded and he ran out to his car and sped off. I just stood at the counter waiting for people.

••••••

I left after cleaning the whole store and locking up. I don't want to seem like an ass but Liam should've been here to at least help clean up and lock up. I spent an hour trying to find the spare key. It was ridiculous. I got in my car and drove to the hospital.

I should visit grandma one last time. I hate that she is there. Mom and dad are pulling the plug next month. I don't want them to but they seem tired of paying the bills of a quote "dead" person. Even though she is only in a deep coma after her car accident two years ago.

I want my grandma back and okay so I can hug her and eat her cooking one more time. I miss the times I spent with her. She was like my mother when my mom wasn't there for awhile. I know I'm a hypocrite by drinking alcohol when I despised it when she got into her accident. It's just because my world turned upside down. I had no place to go.

I parked in the parking garage. I pulled out my bag and walked to her room. I sat in the chair beside her bed and held her hand.

It is hard to know that my parents are pulling the plug on her soon. They loved her as much as I did. So I don't understand why give it a little longer.

I stayed in her room for an hour before deciding to leave. I pulled out a flower from my bag and placed it on her table. I can't be in here anymore knowing that they are killing her. I walked down the hall and rubbed my eyes. Working from open to close is a hassle I never want to do.

I bumped into someone and was surprised that it was Liam. Well I kinda wasn't since it was a family emergency.

"Hey Liam. Is everything going okay?" I asked.

"Uh. Hey. I uh guess everything is okay. He woke up. It wasn't long enough to say his side. But it's all my fault. If he wasn't at my house he'd be okay. He wouldn't be here fighting for his life. I'm sorry." Liam said.

"No no. It's okay. But are you talking about the boy that was at your house when you helped train me?" I asked.

He shook his head and I went sided eyed. That boy is the one who's notebook I have. I gotta help him now. I will make sure he gets the help he needs and make him okay. I pulled out the notebook and looked at Liam.

"We can use this to get him out of his home. The help he needs to get." I said, showing him the book.

He looked at the book and gasped. As if I was holding a dead animal.

"You're the one who had his book. Why didn't you give it back?! Why did you even read it?! That was his safe space." yelled Liam, snatching the book out of my hands.

Oh buddy. Your in for a ride. I just walked away.  I don't want to deal with him like this. He should be supporting of using the book to get help. Liam is honestly stupid. Why would he not be supportive and be angry that I "kept" it.

I cooled down and walked back to Liam and told him everything. He looked away and scratched his neck.

"I'm sorry. I'm just under a lot of stress because this is my fault and I'm probably going to get into legal trouble for not reporting child abuse." said Liam looking at the ground.

So he knew the whole time that his mother was extremely abusive. Is he that stupid that it mostly ends up with their child in a hospital. I slapped Liam without even realizing it.

"Yeah. I deserved that. I didn't help Tobias in the way he actually needed it." said Liam.

"May I see how bad condition he is in?" I asked.

Liam lead me to his room and what I saw was horrible. It's like a work of five people beating him but it was only his mother.  That cruel woman will suffer the consequences and rot in jail.