After Dark

Twelve

Thursday rolls around quicker than Liam thought it would. He was slightly nervous the entire day.

He isn't sure what to expect. He doesn't get to hang out with people often. He doesn't know how to act.

He's actually scared. Yeah, he's hung out with these people before. They're chill and he's a little more comfortable with them now, but he's still scared.

What if he does something stupid? What if he says something wrong? What if they realize he's just a boring kid and there's nothing special about him?

He tries not to think about it. Instead he tries to focus on his class work and the ridiculous questions Ember asks during lunch.

When the final bell rings Liam feels relieved. Ember stands up and sends him a smile. "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah." Liam nods. They both leave the classroom and go separate ways.

Liam goes to his locker and starts gathering his stuff. Paige walks up at some point with a friendly smile.

"Are you excited?" She asks kindly. He gives her a very weak smile back.

"Terrified."

She laughs lightly at this and pats him on the arm. "It'll be okay."

Liam lets out a sigh. "Yeah, okay."

"I'll see you later." She smiles.

"See you." Liam says back and then she leaves.

A few seconds later Liam throws his bag over his shoulder and shuts his locker. He walks out of the school and tries to not lose his mind from nervous jitters. He really shouldn't be this nervous.

It would be okay. Besides, they were just a bunch of other kids like him. How scary can teenagers be?

Very scary. Liam reminds himself.

He ignores it all in favor of sliding into his car and starting it up. Instead of focusing on nerves, he focuses on the dread settling at the prospect of going home. He focuses on the fact that he knows his mother will be home.

The drive home is short like always. He parks at the end of the house and shuts his car off. He doesn't go inside right away though. He sits in his car and lets out a sigh before finally getting out.

He opens the front door and hears his mother's voice immediately. She's in the dining room and talking to a man and a woman. The woman has a clipboard and is writing things down.

"I want white roses and peonies. Nothing else though, I can't stand orchids and anything else wouldn't match our color and decorative schemes." The woman looks over just before Liam started up the stairs. "William! Good, good, come here."

Liam stuffs down the sigh and doesn't let it escape. He walks over and stands next to his mother who is smiling proudly.

"This is my son, William. William, these are our party planners. This is Lianna and Ryan."

"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you." Liam smiles and reaches over to shake Ryan's hand and then Lianna's.

"You're going to help me, go put your bag up and hurry down." His mother shooed him away. He doesn't need to be told twice.

He runs up the stairs and when he gets to his room he drops his bag before groaning loudly. "Dammit."

He doesn't swear all that much because his mother slaps him for vulgar language when she hears but he doesn't care. The last thing he wants to be doing is helping his mother plan a party. However, he knows if he doesn't go back down there then she'll come up to get him and be mad.