Liam’s pov: My dad’s anger

The walk to Jayden’s house felt endless. My phone rang again, and when I saw the caller ID, I knew exactly who it was. My dad. I couldn’t ignore it anymore, could I? I knew why he was calling. I had refused his rules over and over. He didn’t want me hanging out with Jayden, and now, because of Botox, he had the pictures to prove it. I wasn’t stupid. I knew he was going to ask questions I wasn’t ready to answer.

Jayden glanced at me, his face puzzled. “Your phone’s ringing. Why not pick it up?” he asked, his voice gentle but insistent.

I shook my head, not wanting to answer. “No. Let's keep walking,” I said, my voice firm but soft, hoping he wouldn’t push.

The phone kept ringing and ringing, vibrating in my pocket like it was trying to shake me from the inside. I couldn’t answer it. Not now. I didn’t want to go back to that world, to my father’s world, not when I was just starting to feel like I could breathe on my own. But my dad wasn’t going to make it easy. So, with a heavy sigh, I turned my phone off, not caring if it was rude or if Jayden noticed. I couldn’t deal with that call right now.

The air between us felt tight, but Jayden didn’t mention it again. He didn’t know what was going on inside my head, and I wasn’t ready to explain it. Not yet.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, we arrived at Jayden’s house. The door swung open, and his mom greeted us with a bright smile. She seemed so happy to see me, like I wasn’t the person who had just been at the center of a mess of lies and betrayals. It felt almost too good to be true.

“Oh my God, you’re Liam! Jayden’s friend!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. “It’s so nice to meet you! What do you guys want to eat? Can I get you anything?”

I felt awkward, like I didn’t belong here. Like I was a stranger in a world I wasn’t meant to be part of. But I didn’t want to be rude, so I smiled back and shook my head. “I’m fine. Really, we just need to work on some school stuff in Jayden’s room,” I said.

Jayden’s mom, still grinning, nodded eagerly. “Of course, of course! You boys go ahead. I’ll bring some snacks later.” She sounded like she was trying to make me feel welcome, but all I could think about was my dad and Botox.

Jayden led me upstairs to his room. It was small but cozy, with books scattered around and a desk covered in papers. The walls were lined with posters of bands and movie stars, and the smell of fresh laundry hung in the air. I felt at ease here, but it didn’t last long.

Once we were inside, Jayden locked the door behind us. We both sat on the bed, facing each other. He immediately pulled out his textbooks, opening them up with a sigh. “Do you know how to solve this?” he asked, his voice amused but a little frustrated.

I stared at the page in front of me, my mind racing. “Sorry,” I muttered. “I’m not really great with this stuff.”

Jayden shook his head but didn’t seem mad. He just started explaining it, like he always did, like I was some sort of puzzle he needed to solve. And as much as I wanted to say something, to ask him why he was always so nice, I couldn’t. I just wanted to forget everything for a while and focus on something simple, like math problems and science.

“You don’t know this, Liam?” Jayden repeated, this time with a teasing smile.

I laughed softly, trying to play it off. “Nope. I’m not the smartest guy around here.”

Jayden raised an eyebrow but didn’t press me further. We spent the next hour working through our assignments, mostly in silence, with him explaining everything. He was so much better at this than I was. It made me feel like I didn’t belong here, in his world. But at the same time, I was grateful. He didn’t judge me. He just kept helping, without a second thought.

As the evening wore on, I realized just how much I liked being here, away from the chaos of my life. But that didn’t last long. My mind kept drifting back to my dad, to Botox, to everything that was waiting for me when I got home. I wasn’t ready for any of it.

“Are you okay?” Jayden asked suddenly, looking at me with concern. “You’ve been quiet.”

I nodded quickly, forcing a smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired, I guess.”

Jayden didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t push me. We finished our work, and soon it was time for me to leave. Jayden walked me to the door, giving me a hug as he said goodbye. I tried to hold myself together, but something inside me felt wrong. My chest was tight, my stomach in knots. The thought of going home, facing my dad, made me sick. I didn’t want to go back to that house, to that life.

But I had no choice. and as soon as I got to the front of my house,  I saw him. My father was standing at the window, his eyes fixed on me. I froze, my heart hammering in my chest. His expression was unreadable, but I knew what it meant. It was a warning. A threat.

I swallowed hard, knowing there was no escape now. He knew. He had to know.

As I walked toward my house, every step felt heavier, like the weight of everything I had done was closing in on me. I could feel my dad’s eyes on me, even though I wasn’t looking back. I knew what was coming. And it wasn’t going to be pretty.

The door to my house loomed ahead, and I felt the fear rise in my throat. I was a goner. I could already hear my father’s voice in my head, feel the tension building.