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Every night, around 2:20 AM, Liam would wake up abruptly and couldn't fall back asleep. He tossed and turned, but nothing seemed to work. Because of this, he would get out of bed and wander around the room, careful not to make any noise. It had been happening for a couple of months and, after so many sleepless nights, he had convinced himself that adolescence was the cause.
He was stressed about school and getting acceptable grades; Stressed about lacrosse and his role as the team's future captain; Stressed about his relationship status with Hayden; Stressed about...
It didn't matter.
His friends noticed his unusual exhaustion and emotional instability, but they soon realized that Liam didn't want to face the issue.
He leaned against the window, staring at the full moon. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths.
No, it wasn't adolescence tormenting him.
He knew what it was.
He knew who it was.
Theo Raeken was his fucking problem.
He played with and manipulated Liam's IED completely at his own whim, and Liam hated how easily he gave in.
Theo provoked him constantly, and the blonde had a hard time keeping his temper. He literally drove him crazy, making him completely lose his mind, but despite this, the brunette was always close by. Theo would let him vent, and once he was done, he would give him his opinion, a sign that he was actually listening. Liam didn't know the reason why, or at least that's what he kept telling himself.
He had Hayden by his side, and he couldn't be luckier. She listened to him, she comforted him, and she reassured him.
He liked her like crazy and he was happy.
The problem was...
Liam never thought about her... at all.
He punched the wall and growled in anger. It was as impossible to believe as it was to accept, and it was driving him into a frenzy.
He tried so hard to think about the girl: think about her voice, the fruity scent of her hair, her gentle touch... Useless.
The brunette's gaze clouded his mind, as did his strong cologne and his fucking hand on his face.
Liam found himself blushing, and that made him even angrier.
It happened one evening a few months earlier, after lacrosse practice. The blonde didn't expect to find the other in the school parking lot, especially since he hadn't called him for a ride.
He approached anyway, noticing the other's frowned expression.
He scanned him from head to toe.
«Way to set an example, future captain»
Liam had a large bruise on his cheekbone and bloody knuckles on his right hand.
He scoffed and rolled his eyes. Before he could answer, Theo firmly grabbed his chin and pulled him close. Liam hated the way he couldn't move and how his fucking heart beat so fast. Above all, he hated how intensely Theo looked at him before pulling away.
He remembered that night for another reason, too. He seemed to forget what had happened before getting into the truck because he was too restless. Theo noticed and let him vent, as usual. He talked to him about school, lacrosse, and, of course, Hayden.
«She's driving me crazy»
He told him, exasperated. He pushed his wet hair back and rested his elbow on the window. Theo drove in silence.
«In private, she's great at saying she loves me, but at school or around others, she acts like she doesn't know me»
Liam laughed bitterly and pulled out his phone, as if to show the other he had proof of what he was saying.
«She literally sent me a picture of the sea with the text, "The color of the sea reminds me so much of the blue of your eyes" and it was even followed by "I'd love to drow-"»
«You don't have blue eyes tho»
Liam froze. Theo had never interrupted his rants before. He must have misheard, surely.
«...What?»
They had arrived outside the blonde's house, so Theo turned off the car.
«Your eyes aren't blue»
Theo wasn't looking at him; he seemed extremely interested in the road ahead of them. After seconds of absolute silence in which he didn't dare look at Liam, he added:
«You have a freckle of brown in»
After a few more seconds of silence, Theo finally found the courage to look at him. The blonde looked at him, petrified. They stared at each other intensely, neither of them saying a word. The brunette briefly looked down at the other's parted lips before shifting his gaze back ahead.
He sighed softly and added:
«You deserve better, Liam»
Liam hit the wall, again.
He brought his hands to his face, abruptly cutting off the memory.
Months later, he still didn't know how to interpret those words.
Was it a confession?
A suggestion?
Or had it just been one of those random comments that didn't mean anything?
He had no idea.
The only thing he knew for sure was that Theo Raeken had completely fucked up his life.