Up In Smoke → Liam Dunbar [1]

Chapter Eleven

Addy and Liam walked side by side into the school the next morning.

Dr. Dunbar was not very happy to find out that Addy had stayed the night without them knowing. It was more of the fact that it was a girl staying over. If it were Mason, he would have just chuckled. Addy found it unfair. They weren't going to do anything. Plus, both her and Mason were interested in guys.

After the lecture – a very embarrassing lecture that caused Addy and Liam to not make eye contact for the rest of the morning – they hopped on the bus. There was something off about Liam. He was jumpy at every little thing, and when Addy grabbed his hand, his grip broke one of her bones. She hadn't told him, but he noticed her wince and apologized dozens of times.

They walked down the halls of Beacon Hills High School. "Liam! Addy!" Mason caught their attention from across the busy hallway. The pair stopped and turned towards their friend. Mason was a good kid, she didn't want to seem him involved in their life and get hurt. "Am I going to see you two at the bonfire tonight?"

"I-I'm thinking about skipping it," Liam stuttered out. He's eyes darted around, avoiding eye contact with everyone that looked in his direction.

Addy was surprised when he said that. She thought that he was a party type, and that he'd enjoy getting drunk with his teammates. It was understandable, though, with everything going on. But they needed normality, to do something teenagers did. But if he wasn't going, she wasn't going to leave him by himself.

"Yeah, I was thinking that, too."

"You're not skipping it, neither of you," Mason said. He wanted to go, but there was no way he was going without his few friends. There weren't many parties in town that allowed kids their age to show up, it was always just for juniors and seniors so when they got the chance, they partied hard. 

"Why not?"

"Because you're on the lacrosse team. Don't you have to go?" Addy hadn't really thought of that. She managed to get her grades up my a few marks, enough to keep her on the team if she did well. Coach would bend the rules a little to keep good players on the crappy team they had.

"I don't, uh, I don't think I can make it," Liam fumbled. At the end of the hallway was a berserker. It wasn't there, of course, but his mind was telling him differently. It just stared at him – the dead soulless eyes behind the skull. Addy looked over where he was looking, and didn't see anything besides students.

Liam grabbed her hand. It was the only thing that kept him from running away. Sure, running would make him look like a wimp, but that's what he felt like. He was terrified of the berserkers, but they didn't seem to faze Addy at all. Maybe because she didn't remember that night; that pain she received and the a leisure terror in her brain. It was all a blank.

"You're coming. And were going to find you a nice girl." She glared at her friend, the thought of Liam with another girl made her jealous, although she would never admit it. "Or Addy. Addy works better, yeah," Mason changed his words at the cold look Addy had on her face.

"But anyway, we're going to find me a lacrosse player. Because statistically speaking, someone on your team has gotta be on my team, alright?" Addy giggled at the last part he said. She actually giggled. It didn't happen unless someone was tickling her. Liam liked her little laugh, and he was determined to hear it again.

"Liam?" Mason gave him a questioning look. His gaze was still locked on the non-existent berserker. Addy rubbed her thumb on his wrist and pulled him out of his fear induced state.. Neither of them would admit that the feeling was heavenly. They didn't need to say it, though. It just was a noticeable thing.