Pretty Boy

Chapter 11

Liam

Harley Hayes was scheming.

That was evident in the way he seemed to wriggle out of their plans without an excuse and somehow manage to never be in the same place Liam was. Which was shocking considering they were in the same friend group and hung out together most of the time. 

Liam wasn't sure if it was the 'I fucked my brother's best friend' part that caught up to him or if he just needed space. If Harley needed space,, to think or come to terms with his own feelings then Liam was ready to give it to him.

Even if it drove him crazy to not follow Harley around like an obsessed puppy. He wasn't obsessed but he kind of was. He spent the time he usually played FIFA with Harley to busy himself with other stuff instead, like figuring out what he wanted to do with his life. He had never really given thought to it before, instead focusing on getting through highschool. He had never thought about after. 

He wasn't like his dad who was ambitious and smart and cunning. He had no idea where to go from school. He didn't know what he liked. He had never gotten the opportunity to explore, not when he was ear marked to go into business. Business he had no interest in. And it wasn't like he had any real interests that he wanted to pursue, anything that would make him want to stand up to his father and do for himself.

Sure, Liam liked a lot of things but there wasn't anything—any career that he knew he would love. Two years ago, that might've been fine but now that he was almost at the end of highschool, he needed to choose a path that would work for him. He didn't like the thought of going to graduation with no idea on what he wanted his life to be.

But knowing his parents, it wouldn't matter because at the end of the day he would be roped back into taking over the company. It wasn't that he didn't like his dad's business, it was just the fact that all his life he'd been working under him, following his stupid fucking rules and to think he would have to continue doing that was suffocating. Every day he was being pulled deeper into a life filled with fake smiles and lies and he couldn't do anything about it.

Liam stared at his phone, still with zero texts from Harley. He sighed. What had he become? How had Harley Hayes gotten into his head so fast?

His phone buzzed.

Liam startled, grabbing for it even when it was already in his hands. It was a text from Charlie.

C: i'm bored. Wanna hang?

Liam grinned.

L: Sure, it's not like I'm doing something productive

C: twinsies

Twenty minutes later he leaned against his bed as a frustrated Charlie Hayes paced around his room muttering about a show he had been watching.

"It's not fair!", he said indignantly, eyebrows drawn together, "Ten seasons! I watched them flirt for ten seasons only for him to die?"

"At least he's alive in heaven?", Liam offered with a teasing smile and Charlie narrowed his eyes at him.

"Yeah! But the show ended! Ten seasons of queer baiting, Liam! Ten!"

"Yeah that's kinda messed up", Liam admitted, eyes following Charlie's movements as he continued pacing.

He stopped abruptly, "Whatever, I don't care. I'm not invested"

Liam snorted, "Totally"

Charlie dropped down onto Liam's chair with a huff, folding his arms against his chest as he reclined back against the desk. He stared at Liam, seeming to study him.