Chapter 9: Seven

After swimming they watched a movie or two, all curled up on the couches. Liam had went and got his change of clothes out of his car to be more comfortable. Izzy and Ember had cuddled on the sofa while Paige, Liam, and Ian took the couch. After lunch, which Iris had made for them since Ember's mom was at work and Ian's dad was out with some buddies, Liam and Paige went home.

Liam arrived home at a little past two and went inside. It wasn't silent but it wasn't loud. The only noise was the faint sound of his mother cursing at the maid in the living room.

He felt bad for the woman but used the distraction as a way to run up to his room. He shut the door behind him and fell onto the bed. Oh how he hated being home on the long weekend days.

Today had been good. He had fun. Now though, he's back home. He dislikes being home yet that's where he is most of the time.

He ends up watching a classic movie and then reading a little bit of a book. It's not the greatest afternoon, he'll admit, but it isn't bad. What's bad is the feeling of dread pooling in his stomach as seven o'clock gets closer.

"William." Fern's soft voice appears outside of his bedroom door after two quiet knocks interrupted his movie. The maid slowly opens his door and looks at him with a small smile. "Your mother requests your presence. It's almost dinner time."

Liam can't stop the sigh that rakes through his body. "Okay. Thank you."

She nods once and walks off, shutting his door softly behind her. Liam has always liked their maid. She's worked there since he was ten and is a kind, quiet woman. Such a shame she has to put up with his mother snapping at her all the time.

He stands up and looks over himself. He's in a T-shirt that's collar is stretched and dark plaid pajama pants. He knows he should change before going down for dinner. He knows his mother won't be happy with him appearing in such attire. He knows but doesn't care because he's too damn tired right now to change.

He goes down the stairs slowly, in no rush to see his parents. When he reaches the floor he looks over and to his right he spots his parents. His mother is on a chair that's made of light pink fabric and has gold stitches and accents. It's hideous in Liam's opinion but is expensive, hence why his mother has it. His father is on the brown leather chair that looks slightly more normal.

Liam walks in the living room and sits down on the sofa. It's not the most comfortable but it's soft so he'll take it. The fabric is a soft blue that would be pretty if it weren't for the gold stitches that match his mother's pink chair.

"Good evening Will." His father smiles at him and takes another drink of his scotch. Of course. He has to be drinking to smile.

"Good evening." Liam speaks back, his voice even and flat.

"You're wearing that?" His mother speaks for the first time, her eyes raking over his clothes. He knew she wouldn't like them.

"I'm tired and they're comfortable, Mother." He says, keeping the cool expression.

She opens her mouth to say something but stops. Instead it ends up being his father to say something. He chuckles and then speaks, "Let the boy be. I sometimes wish to wear my robes to dinner for the same reason."

Liam is glad he didn't. Even though he smiles at the man. His father smiles back and Liam wonders how much he's had to drink tonight.

"Where were you today?" His mother says, making Liam realize this wasn't going to be a casual conversation. Of course it isn't. It's going to be a lecture. As always.

"I was swimming." Liam says simply, keeping his voice calm and cool. "With some friends."

"Swimming?" His mother looks like she doesn't believe him. "Where? I was at the club for tea and didn't see you."

Liam sighs. The country club where his mother spends a lot of her spare time. He'd usually rather die than go there.

"You were having tea. How would you know whether I was there swimming or not?" He couldn't help but say it. His mother's thought process was complicated and flawed often, he finds it enjoyable to question her.

"Jimmy asked how you were and said he hasn't seen you in awhile." His mother says and raises a challenging eyebrow.

That actually makes Liam smile though. Jimmy is a waiter there. He's one of the few kids that doesn't come from a very well off family but is still liked by Liam's parents. Last summer when Liam was getting dragged to many business meeting him and Jimmy would talk on occasion. They definitely weren't friends but he was a nice kid.

"Well, yes, I wasn't there." Liam shook his head. "It was a private pool."

"Oh." His mother hums. "What time did you get home?"

"About two." Liam says and then afterwards easily adds, "I didn't see you so I just went up to my room."

His mother looks like she's trying to recall what she was doing at that time. Eventually she seems to dismiss it. "Fine."

His father and her dive into conversation about drama with people they knew. Names were said that Liam knew he should recognize but he didn't. They talk and he sits silently listening.

"Madam, dinner is ready." Fern came walking out of the dining room.

Right on the dot, seven o'clock. This house works on nothing if not routine. They get up and Liam's father goes in first while his mother follows directly behind the man. Liam lags behind them into the dining room and sits in his unofficial assigned seat.

He sits as a salad is delivered in front of him. He hates salad. Of course his mother doesn't care about that.

He eats about two bites but can't stand anymore. No one says anything about his lack of appetite. He never eats much at dinner.

The second course came around. It was something weird and exotic. Liam didn't dare ask what it was because that was simply terrifying. Who knows what his mother would say as an answer if he asked.

"William?" His father's voice suddenly cut through the silence.

It's odd. His father didn't talk much at dinner ever, unless his mother started conversation. Liam looks up and raises his eyebrows in interest.

"Yes?"

"I have a business transaction tomorrow. One of our employees has something to discuss with me. I was wondering if you wanted to come along? I think it could be good for you, help you learn some more about the inside operations of the firm."

His father's face didn't hold hope. It was rather steady, like he was saying something simple. Yet, Liam knew there was more.

His mother's face made up for everything his father's had lacked. She's smiling and looking at him with hope. Both of their eyes on him makes him want to curl in on himself.

He doesn't want to go. He never does. These things are boring to him, he has no interest in them. All that would happen is he would sit and listen to talk he didn't understand and then be expected to talk about the experience afterwards.

He doesn't want to go. He can't say no though, it doesn't matter his feelings. As seconds draw on that he's quiet, his parents' expressions start slowly changing. The undeniable look of disappointment filling their eyes at their son's hesitation.

If Liam was anything like they wanted he would say yes immediately. He would jump at the chance. He'd be so excited and grin with his father about it all night.

It truly was a shame, he's absolutely nothing like they want.

"I-" He starts but stops. He feels trapped. Before he continues he clears his throat. "I have a lot of studying I need to do. For school."

His father nods seriously. His mother looks heartbroken. Liam feels like he just messed up once again. He knows he did.

"Well William, when are you ever going to learn these things if you do not go with your father? You hardly know anything about the firm or how it runs and you are seventeen."

Liam looks down, feeling the shame beat down on his back. His shoulders suddenly hurt with the weight of the guilt. "I just- I'm not all that interested in these things, I suppose."

"William." His mother's voice is shrill. He looks up and she's looking at him in horror.

He looks over at his father but he shares a similar expression, if not just a little less dramatic. He sits up straighter and puts down his fork. That's how Liam knows it's starting.

He clears his throat. "Now, son. You know you will be going to school for law and then taking over. You know that, don't you?"

Liam looks down. That isn't exactly his plan. "I know that that's what you want."

"William." His father's voice doesn't sound like he's scolding him but Liam knows he is. "You will be taking over the firm. It's been the plan since you were young."

"I just..." Liam trails off. Is this something he wants to do now? "Why can't Mandy take over? She's really into all of the law stuff, and she knows how the firm is going to work."

Mandy, his older sister. She's in law school now. She has always been interested in law. When she was Liam's age she had already been to more meetings with her father than Liam could even imagine.

"She's going to work at the firm, yes, but she is not my eldest son. I feel that tradition plays a nice role in our lives and tradition says my eldest son will take over for me. That means you, William."

Liam looks down again, not facing his parents. Mandy wasn't his eldest son, just his eldest child. She wouldn't feel caged if she was expected to take over. She'd be okay with it. Liam isn't. He feels like he's trapped in.

"I just-"

"No, William." His mother interrupts. "I do not want to hear this type of talk again. Go to your room."

"Excuse me?" Liam's eyes widen. He's barely touched his food.

"You are young and confused. You do not understand the things you are talking about and you are being quite disrespectful towards your father and I by being like this. Go to your room."

"I'm just trying to-"

"Go." She glares at him and he sighs. It's a pointless fight. They don't understand.

He stands and pushes his chair in before leaving the dining room. He goes back up the stairs and towards his room. The sick feeling in his stomach is worse than before now.

The dark bedroom welcomes him but he doesn't feel any better after shutting the door. He lets out a sigh and walks over to his bed and lays down.

His shoulders have a weight bearing down on them that he wishes would leave. They're tense and sore, leaving him uncomfortable.

His throat has a knot in it. It makes swallowing difficult.

There's a pain in his chest. Like something is holding it down. Breathing is more difficult.

His abdomen hurts. It's the sore feeling people get after working out but he hasn't done anything to get that feeling.

His limbs are numb. They're stuck to the bed and he knows getting up would be impossible. It's like a chain is wrapped around him and holding him tight to the mattress.

There's nothing but pain. It's enveloped him mentally that there's no more room for it. Therefore when more of the pain comes it has nowhere to go but instead effects him physically.

He knows he shouldn't feel pain. He shouldn't feel guilt. There's no reason for him to feel like this.

All he has done is express how he feels. All he said was what he knows to be true. He just said who he was.

He still felt guilty though. Who he is wasn't good enough. He isn't good enough. Not for them.

It was difficult for him to accept. His parents couldn't understand who he was. As long as he was himself, they wouldn't accept him.

All he wanted was the happy, loving family that he saw everyone. They were in books, movies, and even with his friends. He would never get that though.

His parents were anything but loving. They followed tradition. They showed off their money. They lived how they were taught.

As long as he was who he is there's no chance of getting his parents acceptance. If he wanted that he'd have to strip away everything that makes him who he is. He wasn't quite rest to do that yet.

He could live without his parents approval if it meant he could live as himself. At least for now.

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Sad Liam, sorry this was a filler chapter.

Love you ♡

- Z