"Oliver, Liam," She said wiping her hands on her clothes. Her complexion is much better than before. After going upstairs with the documents in her hand, she came down and walk into the kitchen, muttering, "Let me cook something for you guys".
The house which previously felt cold and empty, was suddenly filled with the warm, savory smell of her cooking, she quickly prepared a simple but delicious dinner for everyone.
"Honey," she said, her voice low but clear. "It's much later than I thought. The buses had stopped running, and it's raining quite hard. You'll have to stay here tonight."
"Mrs Gracie's spare rooms are being renovated" his mother explained, looking apologetic. "Liam dear, would you mind sharing your room with Oliver just for tonight?"
Liam stayed silent for a long moment, hid eyes unreadable. Finally, he gave a small shrug. "It's fine. He can stay."
After the dinner, the atmosphere was thick with tension. The rain had stopped.
Oliver followed Liam up to his room, feeling small and out of place in the luxurious space. Neither of them spoke as they got ready for bed.
Restless, Liam walked to the balcony and Oliver ended up going to join him to escape the stiffing silence at of the room.
The silence of the balcony was heavier than the humid night air. Oliver stood stiffly beside Liam, trying to get hold of himself. Well it's not like they haven't slept together in a closed space before.
Liam was the first to speak. His voice was low, barely a murmur against the dark. "I never properly thanked you, for willows valley."
Oliver started, turning slightly. "Oh, it was nothing. Anyone would have done the same."
A wave of uneasiness washed over Oliver. He couldn't figure out this new, softer version of Liam. Was this a trick? Was he just being polite? "It's fine, really," Oliver added.
The conversation opened up a small crack in the wall between them. The stars above provided the only light as they began to share things they wouldn't dare say in the bright light of the day.
"I'm not a bad guy,"
One thing led to the other, Liam admitted the immense pressure he felt from his family to be perfect, about how lonely he was , despite his popularity.
Oliver stared at him from the corner of his eyes. He'd never had a friend before, so what he was feeling right now felt foreign to him.
So this side of Liam could exist. But surprisingly, Oliver felt compassion and pity for him, despite all Liam had done.
Hesitantly, Oliver also opened up about his anxieties, his part time job, and his worries about fitting in.
As Oliver spoke about how hard his mom worked, Liam reached out. His fingers lightly brushed against Oliver's hand where it rested on the cold , metal railing.
It was a fleeting, almost accidental touch, but Liam didn't pull away immediately. He let his hand linger there for a moment longer than necessary.
Oliver's breath hitched, his heart pounding in his chest.
Again, Liam shifted his weight, his shoulder brushing against Oliver's. The contact was electric.
Oliver pulled his hands away slightly. Wondering maybe the touch was intentional or casual. Or was he thinking too much.
Liam cleared his throat, breaking the silence as he stepped inside. "We should probably...get some sleep.." he muttered, his face expressionless.
The room felt smaller now. There was only one bed, a large one, but to Oliver, it looked like a tiny island.
Liam went to the bathroom first and came back some minutes later, wearing a black pajamas. Oliver also went to freshen up, that was when he remembered that he hadn't brought any clothes or night wears.
Still under the shower, a knock sounded from the door. Oliver quickly put on a towel and went to open the door a creak.
Liam was standing outside, his arms outstretched as he stared at Oliver's face. On his hand is a deep blue pajama. "Wear this," he said placing it in Oliver's hand. Before Oliver could say anything, he had already walked away.
After coming out of the bathroom, the bedroom door also opened and Liam walks in. It seems he went to do something downstairs. Oliver felt a wave of self consciousness as he watched Liam pull back the covers of the bed. Oliver moved to the very edge of the left side, lying down so close to the brink, that he was worried he might fall off. He kept his back to Liam , staring at the dark wall.
Liam climbed in on the other side. The mattress shifted under his weight, and Oliver froze, holding his breath.
"You don't have to fall off the bed," Liam said quietly. His voice sounded different in the dark. Softer. Less certain. "I'm not going to bite."
Oliver let out a small shaky breath. "I know. It's just... I'm not used to this."
"Me neither," Liam confessed.
They lay there in a silence that was no longer cold, but was definitely awkward. The rustle of the sheets, the steady rhythm of their breathing, and the frantic thumping of Oliver's own heart.
At one point, Liam turned over, and his foot accidentally brushed against Oliver's calf. Oliver flinched slightly, but he didn't pull away. The spot where they touched was unusually warm.
Neither of them moves their legs for a long time, both pretending to be asleep.
Eventually, the exhaustion of the day began to take over. Slowly, their breathing evened, and the awkwardness drifted into a restless shared sleep...
On the last day of the term's holiday, the air was crisp with the feeling of school starting the next day.
Oliver was finishing his final shift at the restaurant. He was busy wiping down a table when the bell above the door chimed aggressively. His heart sank as George and Alejandro walked in, followed by their group of friends.
"Well, look who it is," George said slumping on a seat."The quiet kid is a servant now. How fitting,"
For the next thirty minutes, they made Oliver's life miserable. They ordered him around unnecessarily, demanding extra napkins every two minutes and sending back drinks because "they weren't cold enough".
When Oliver brought their food, Alejandro intentionally "accidentally" knocked over a glass of water, forcing Oliver to get on his knees to mop it up while they laughed and filmed him with their phones.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the table...