Tmf Driam - Tumblr Posts

🖤Glass Hurts (Pt. 2)❤️

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Synopsis: Drew gets a call from Liam, who confronts him about what happened between him and Jake.

A/N: Part Two! Drew finally gets a break. Also this is like my first time writing Liam-

Contains Swearing, and Mentions of Suicidal Thoughts.

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Drew opened his eyes when he heard his phone buzz, and slowly, he lifted his head. When did he fall asleep?

He looked around, and found himself curled up on the floor, with broken glass scattered nearby.

…He’d have to clean that up at some point.

He pulled out his phone from his pocket, only to see it was Liam who was calling him. He declined it a moment later, and returned to his lock screen.

It’s almost 11:00pm… Why’s Liam even awake right now?

Drew rubbed at his swollen eyes, and as he picked himself off the ground, he felt his phone buzz again. It was Liam, again. Drew declined it.

As he sat down in his bed, he noticed Liam had messaged him.

Liam: Drew answer ur phone ik ur not busy rn

Liam: And ik ur ass wasnt asleep either

Drew: I don’t want to talk rn

Liam: Please

Liam: Im gonna spam u if you dont answr me

Drew: Kys

Liam called him a third time, and with a heavy groan, Drew answered.

“What the hell do you want, Liam?” Drew asked, his voice a bit raspy.

“Finally. Christ, Drew-”

“Can you answer my fucking question? Or are you just here to waste my time?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. What’s oh so important to you right now that I’m distracting you from?” Drew took a moment to respond.

“Sleeping.”

“You were not sleeping.”

“Yeah, I was. Until you woke me up.”

“Fine. But I’ll bet, like, 10 bucks your ass was not in bed.”

…

“That doesn’t matter-”

“God-”

“If this is all you’re gonna talk about, I’m going back to bed.”

“Wait-” Drew could hear Liam sigh on the other end of the phone. “I just… wanted to talk to you.”

“About?”

“You know what.” Drew thought for a moment, but before he could make a guess, Liam answered for him. “What happened last Friday.”

Drew felt the lump in his throat return when he heard those words.

“What about it?” He asked, trying to keep his voice steady. Liam didn’t need to know how it was affecting him.

“Look, Henry and I both know you’re not doing okay-”

“I’m fine, Liam.”

“Why didn’t you tell us that over this weekend? When we kept asking you if you were okay?”

“I was busy-”

“You weren’t busy, Drew. I know you weren’t.”

“You don’t know shit, Liam.”

“I know you.” Liam countered. “And I know that you’d never be too busy to text back.” Drew didn’t have a response, and he could hear Liam sigh again.

“Look, I know you’re not doing okay. And… that’s okay. I just… if you want to talk about it, I’m here-”

“I told you I’m fine!” Drew snapped, his voice cracking on his words. “There’s nothing for me to talk about.” Liam didn’t say anything, and Drew continued. “I don’t care that he lied to us. I didn’t need him. We didn’t need him.”

“…Are you crying?” Drew felt his cheek.

…Dammit.

“Fuck you, Liam! I’m not crying!”

“It’s okay to-”

“No, it’s not!” Drew shouted, using his hand to wipe his tears. How did he even still have tears to cry at this point?

“I’m not supposed to be crying! He sure as hell isn’t right now, so why should-” A sob cut him off before he could finish, and the tears were falling fast once more. Liam didn’t comment on it.

“God, I’m such an idiot, Liam! He lied to us for three years, and I was too blind to realize! I really thought he cared about me…” Drew sniffed, resting his palm against his forehead. “But the only thing he ever cared about was himself. He lied to all of us!”

…

“And now, he’s off living his best life with those fucking freaks while I’m just…” He trailed off, wiping at his eyes. “Am I just supposed to accept this?!”

The words began spilling out before he could think them through. In the back of his mind, he knew he’d regret this, but at that moment, he couldn’t bring himself to care.

“I don’t know why this keeps happening to me, Liam! First I find out my girlfriend been cheating, then I find out my…” He paused, his breath hitching. “Then I find out he never gave a damn about me…” He finished. “What am I doing wrong, Liam?”

“You’re not doing anything wrong-”

“Then why does this keep happening?! I thought I did everything right! I-I did do everything right! Why wasn’t it enough? Why am I just never enough for anyone?! Why can’t anyone just stay for once?!”

Liam said something. Something Drew failed to register.

“Probably be better if I was just dead, huh? Wouldn’t have to deal with all this bullshit if I was…” He could feel his stomach turn as the words left his mouth. That sounded a lot worse than it did in his head. “God, I sound so-”

“I’m coming over.”

Drew paused, and from the other end of the call, he could hear Liam’s door creak.

“…What?”

“I’m coming over. I don’t care what you say.”

“Liam, you can’t just-!”

“Drew, I’m already outside. I’m coming over.”

“Liam, I swear to-” He could hear a car door open, followed by the sound of an old engine turning on. “Are you stealing your mom’s car again?”

“Yep.”

“What the fuck?”

“I’m not leaving you alone like this, Drew. I’d be a shit friend if I did.”

“God, Liam. I’m fine-”

“I’m already driving.”

“You’re fucking insane.”

“I know. I’ll be there in like… 15-ish minutes.”

“Liam-”

Liam hung up, and Drew sighed, an odd feeling forming in his stomach as he rolled onto his back, staring at his ceiling.

What the hell was wrong with that man?

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Sure enough, after 15 minutes, Drew heard his doorbell ring, and he managed to drag himself out of bed to answer the door. As expected, Liam stood on the other side. He was dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants, and despite his eyes looking a little heavy, he still had a dumb grin plastered on his face.

“Hey bitch-” Liam paused when he noticed Drew’s hand, his smile fading almost immediately. “Holy shit! What the hell did you do to your hand?!” Drew glanced down at it, finally remembering the shards of glass still stuck in his knuckle.

“Oh… that. I broke a mirror.”

“How did you-“ Liam paused, realizing the answer to his own question. “Uhm… okay. Do you have, like, a first-aid kit or something?”

Drew’s heart nearly stopped for a moment, an old memory drifting to mind:

“I’m helping you. Now where’s your first-aid kit?”

“…Downstairs bathroom. The left one.” Drew responded, taking a breath to ground himself. Liam nodded, and took hold his sleeve before practically dragging him off to that very room, sitting him down on the rim of the tub.

“Why are you so obsessed with helping me?” Drew had asked, and a pair of caramel eyes had turned to face him. Soft lips curved into a gentle smile, before uttering a simple phase:

“Because you’re my best friend, and that’s what best friends do.”

Liam flicked on the lights, which caught Drew off guard. He squinted, then blinked a few times until his eyes adjusted.

He noticed Liam open the cabinets under the sink, pulling out the first-aid kit a moment later. He set it on the counter, opening it up and staring at the contents.

“Okay. So I’ve never actually done anything like this before. But, I’ve played Operation, like, twice? So I’m basically an expert.” Drew could feel a small hint of a smile appear on his face, but it was gone less than a moment later.

“Worst case scenario, you kill me.” Drew mumbled, and Liam frowned before directing his attention to the first-aid kit, pulling out a pair of tweezers.

“I’ll try not to. Just… hold your hand still, okay?” Drew nodded, and Liam knelt down beside him, taking Drew’s injured hand in his. He let out a small breath, and after a moment of hesitation, he began picking out the glass from his palm.

Drew wasn’t sure if he should be concerned by how little it stung. His hand only twitched occasionally when Liam had to pry the larger shards out. But before he knew it, Liam was done.

“There. Now… uh… I think I need to get the blood off…” Liam trailed off as he turned back to the kit, setting the tweezers down and pulling out a small cloth. He turned on the water faucet, and ran it underneath for a few seconds before ringing it out and returning to Drew’s side. And without a word, he began cleaning the dried blood from Drew’s hand.

Drew watched him as he did so, and seeing Liam in such a focused state felt… almost out of character for him. Drew was so used to seeing him and Henry goofing off together during class.

…And his mind began to wander, reflecting on the bond Liam and Henry shared. They’d been through so much together, yet always had one another to fall back to.

…Drew couldn’t say the same for himself anymore.

Liam glanced up at him once he’d finished, and their eyes met for a moment before Drew turned his gaze away. Liam didn’t comment on it, and instead grabbed a few bandages from the kit, wrapping each one carefully around his fingers.

“Alright. Your medical bill’s gonna be… about 20-K.” Liam joked once he’d finished, and Drew rolled his eyes.

“You realize that’s basically nothing to me, right?”

“Okay, then 2,000-K.” Liam countered.

“2,000-thousand?”

“Yes.”

“You’re a fucking idiot-”

“That's really how you’re gonna talk to your doctor?” Liam asked, extending a hand towards him. Drew took it, and Liam helped him to his feet. “Come on. Let’s go back upstairs.”

Drew gave a small nod in response, and followed Liam back to his bedroom, his gaze lowering to the ground as they entered. He knew Liam would notice the mirror, and Drew was not in the mood to acknowledge it.

“Yikes.” Liam whispered, and Drew broke away from him, sitting down on his bed.

“How long were you gonna stay for?” He asked, switching the subject before Liam could ask further about the mirror.

“Uhh… to be honest, I didn’t really think about that.” Drew rolled his eyes.

“Of course you didn’t.” He mumbled, too quiet for Liam to hear.

“I guess I can stay for however long you want me to.”

“I don’t really care.” He said, laying down on his back. After a moment, Liam joined him.

“Then… Can I stay the night?” He asked.

“Won’t you get grounded?”

“Not if I get back before they notice.”

“Fine, whatever. Your grave, not mine.” Liam smiled, and Drew rolled over to face him.

And although he’d never admit it, he couldn’t help but feel grateful for Liam’s presence.

It was nice… not being alone for once.

…He wasn’t quite sure what he was doing when he shifted himself closer. He didn’t know why he decided to rest his head on Liam’s shoulder, but at this point, he was far too drained to question it.

He could feel Liam’s arms slide around his torso, pulling him against his chest. Drew let out a hum of surprise, his body tensing for a moment before he practically melted into Liam’s embrace.

And for the first time that day, Jake was no longer on his mind.

Right now, it was just him and Liam.

And Liam wasn’t going to leave him…

Slowly, Drew’s eyes began to close, and eventually, he fell asleep to the sound of Liam’s heart.

❤️Driam+Henriam Headcanons❤️

(Because Liam has some AWESOME ships)

❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤 ❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤 ❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️

🖤Driam❤️

❤️Liam’s always trying to make sure Drew goes to sleep at a reasonable hour. (With varying success.)

🖤Meanwhile, Drew’s usually calls Liam over summer break to make sure he doesn’t sleep past 2:00pm. (Because Liam will EASILY sleep for 48 hours if you let him.)

❤️Liam will steal his mom’s car and drive over to Drew’s house sometimes in the middle of the night. (With Drew’s permission ofc.)

🖤Drew and Liam play Minecraft together a lot.

❤️Liam is the ONLY reason Drew doesn’t have more than two energy drinks per day. (He’s the Caffeine Police.)

🖤Drew has some of Liam’s scene photos saved in his phone.

❤️Liam’s surprisingly observant, and tends to take note of subtle changes in Drew’s behavior.

🖤Drew tends to keep to himself when Liam and Henry are talking, despite Liam’s attempts to include him in the conversation. He typically opts to go on his phone instead, offering a snarky remark on occasion.

❤️Liam has teasingly flirted with Drew in the past, but he typically receives nothing more than an eye roll. (Quite the contrast from the reaction Jake gets.)

🖤Drew always feels like a third wheel when him, Liam and Henry hang out. He knows they have a lot more history with one another, and a bond that goes so much deeper than any other Drew’s seen before.

❤️Liam does his best to check up on Drew emotionally, yet Drew never tells him much.

❤️💚❤️💚❤️💚 ❤️💚❤️💚❤️💚 ❤️💚❤️💚❤️

💚Henriam❤️

❤️Liam and Henry have known each other since Elementary School. They grew up in the same neighborhood, and their parents are pretty good friends, meaning they gone out countless family trips with one another.

💚They basically know each other inside and out. They know almost everything about how the other thinks, and they can pretty much read each other’s minds to some extent. (Literally. Jake and Drew tested this.)

❤️About 1/3 of their closets are full of each other’s clothes just from how many nights they’ve spent together.

💚They’re pretty much always sending each other stupid TikToks they find.

❤️After school, if neither of them are doing anything, they’ll pretty much spend the whole evening on call playing video games or something.

💚SUPER comfortable with each other. Like, sitting on each other’s laps comfortable. Using each other as lap pillows comfortable. Caressing each other’s cheeks and cuddling up to each other comfortable.

❤️ “It’s not gay, we have our socks on!"

💚Have practiced pick-up lines on each other, and have definitely kissed before, too. “For practice.”

❤️Have this little game where they come up with the weirdest insults to call people.

💚Henry’s the one who got Liam into anime, and almost every anime Henry’s watched, he’s watched with Liam. (He’s also NOTORIOUS for pausing and rambling about his thoughts for about 10 minutes before continuing the episode.) (Needless to say, it takes AWHILE for them to finish a series.)

❤️Both are horrible at saving their money, and tend to blow it all on useless stuff in 2 days.

💚Henry is Liam’s certified Arm Rest.

❤️Liam usually has to grab things from the top shelf for Henry. (And makes him say ‘please’ before giving it to him.)

💚Henry refuses to tie his own shoes so Liam usually does it for him.

❤️Liam is Henry’s personal nurse. (Because God does he need one with how easily he gets scraped up.)

💚Nothing to do with Henriam but I like to think Henry tried taking Japanese for a semester and literally couldn’t understand anything other than ‘hi’ and ‘thank you’ so he ended up dropping the course.

Spoilers for my next (and most likely final) Drew fic:

(Scene taken from S1 Ep. 2 of Helluva Boss)

And for anyone curious as to why this’ll be my final Drew fic:

I’ve lost motivation. And I’ve run out of ideas for where I want to take this. To be honest, my fics weren’t initially supposed to follow a timeline. It’s sort of something that happened after I’d written Glass Hurts. (The order I post my fics is not the order I write them btw.) But now I don’t really know what direction I want to go in. I’ve also started two other fanfic projects, so I’d like to focus on those instead and come back to my Drew-centered self-destructive timeline when I have more ideas for it.

❤️Bridges (Pt. 1)🖤

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Synopsis: Drew spends most of his time suspended ignoring phone calls and withering away on the floor, until a certain someone decides to show up at his doorstep in hopes of changing that.

A/N: It has been a hot minute since I’ve posted a Drew fic, so for anyone who’s kinda forgotten the timeline: Drew and Jake got into a fight resulting in the both of them being suspended. Drew keeps ignoring Liam anytime he tries to help and is only spiraling further. And fun fact! This is arguably the softer of the two fics! (I hope I portrayed Drew’s worries properly.)

Contains Swearing, Arguments.

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Unsurprisingly, Drew received a two-week suspension from school for his fight with Jake. Which honestly seemed more like a blessing than anything. He wouldn’t have to deal with anyone for a full week. He could finally just… do nothing.

Countless messages remained unanswered. Nights passed without an ounce of sleep. And it felt…

Well, he wanted to say nice, but it was hard to feel anything anymore. Anything positive, at least. All he felt was exhaustion.

He found himself on the floor one quiet evening, once again ignoring Liam’s messages as he watched a video someone had taken of his fight with Jake. He didn’t know who had posted it, nor did he bother to check how long it’d been up for. But, he found himself drawn to it, watching it over and over again, focusing on the same part every time: the moment he’d snapped.

His own voice rang through the phone, sounding almost scratchy due to the poor audio quality. But that wasn’t something he found himself paying much attention to.

Instead, his eyes were drawn to Jake, soaking in every detail of the blonde’s expression. The subtle twitch of his brow, the slight tremble of his bottom lip, the faint red hue tainting his eyes as they began to grow watery.

It didn’t make sense… Why did he look so hurt?

He deserved this… he deserved to hurt. He deserved to feel this betrayal… to feel even a fraction of Drew’s pain.

Yet Drew could feel knives digging deep into his chest, piercing his heart, his lungs. It was hard to breathe. It was hard to want to stay alive…

And every time he rewound the video, the knives twisted further. Yet some sick part of him wanted to keep watching… to keep enduring the pain…

He deserves this… He deserves this… Stop feeling guilty…

It’s not your fault.

Suddenly, Drew’s phone began to ring, and the sound startled him so badly he nearly dropped it on his face.

He took a breath to compose himself, before glancing up at his phone screen to find Liam’s contact photo staring back at him.

With another breath, Drew hit declined. He wasn’t sure how many times Liam had tried to reach out to him, yet Drew made sure he never got through.

You think he would’ve figured out I don’t want to talk to him right now. Drew thought, almost instinctively declining Liam’s second call.

But in typical Liam fashion, he called a third time, and a fourth time. And in typical Drew fashion, he declined every one, before eventually deciding to power off his phone all together, tossing it to the side and likely adding to the collection of cracks taking up his phone screen.

He let out a sigh, glancing up towards the sunroof to see a silver half-moon hanging high in the sky, partially obscured by dark grey clouds.

And as he watched them drift through the sky, he began to think back to the start of Junior Year. How different he was back then.

How he was once a person who couldn’t stand the idea of being alone, terrified of the silence that came with it. How he used to do everything in his power to escape it, chasing distraction after distraction like the pathetic coward he was.

And how a distraction was what ended up hurting him the most in the end…

…Maybe that’s why he stopped running from the silence. Because it was the only thing that could never hurt him.

It was constant. It would never leave him, no matter how much he ran. At first, he thought it was a curse. But maybe it was more of a blessing. In one form or another, it always came back…

And it’s not like I could ever hurt it either…

Drew shoved the thought to the back of his mind. Damn Jake. Why’d I let him put that stupid idea in my head?

Drew rolled onto his side, wondering if he should get off the floor now. He wasn’t exactly sure how long he’d been down there. Probably too long.

But something didn’t exactly feel right about sitting in bed right now either. It felt more… fitting, to stay here. On the cold, hard ground.

Drew nearly jumped when he heard the doorbell ring. What the hell?! Who’d be at the door this time of night?!

The doorbell rang again, and again, over and over, so many times, and Drew didn’t even need to get up to figure out who was at his door.

“Christ, I’m gonna kill myself.” He mumbled to himself, dragging himself off the floor. He made his way downstairs, pulling the door open to reveal none other than Liam himself. Figures.

“Hey-” Liam’s usual greeting was interrupted the moment Drew came into view, and his eyes briefly glanced him over. “Damn. How come you always look like shit when I come over?” Drew rolled his eyes, biting back a groan. Thanks for the reminder, idiot.

“I wasn’t exactly expecting you.” He remarked. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Have you even been outside? Like, at all?” Liam asked, completely ignoring Drew’s prior question.

“Why the fuck would I go outside?” He grumbled, dragging a hand down his face.

“Because it’s healthy? Or something like that?”

“Yeah, I think I’m good.”

“Well, what have you been doing?” Liam questioned, and Drew couldn’t think of an honest answer that didn’t sound insane.

“Liam, I’m really not in the mood for this today. Leave me alone.”

“You’re really just gonna send me away? After I drove all this way for you?”

“You drove 10 minutes-”

“15, actually.” Liam corrected, and Drew rolled his eyes again. He was about to reach for the doorknob and close the door, but before he could, Liam grabbed his wrist.

“Drew, please.” The shorter man blinked, surprised by the sudden desperation in Liam’s voice. Liam seemed a little taken aback himself, and he was quick to mask it with a soft chuckle. “Seriously, I…” He paused for a moment, as if unsure what to do. “It’s not healthy to stay in your room all day and not talk to anyone. It’s- it’s gonna drive you insane.”

Why do you care? Drew wanted to ask. The words were on the tip of his tongue, yet his lips remained sealed.

He could feel Liam’s thumb rub his wrist gently, and his deep crimson eyes looked up to meet Drew’s.

“How ‘bout we go on a walk?” He suggested, his voice regaining its usual cheerful tone.

“Really?” Liam nodded. “Do I get a choice?”

“Not at all! You go back inside, I’ll just throw rocks at your window, all Romeo and Juliet style.”

“Oh, God, please don’t.” Drew groaned, and Liam slid a little closer.

“I’ll even recite some love poems too. I’ll be on my knees crying ‘Oh Romeo! Where thou art Romeo?!’ And make it look super gay.” Drew pulled his hand away.

“Fucking gross.”

“Then put your shoes on! And- maybe grab a jacket, too. It’s pretty cold.”

“Fine. Give me like, 5 minutes.” Liam smiled, and settled himself down on the front step.

“Alright, Romeo!”

“Fucking kill yourself.” Drew mumbled, closing the door behind him before letting out a low sigh. Why does he always pull shit like this? He wondered, throwing on the pair of shoe he’d left by the door.

And why do I always go along with it?

Making his way over to the couch, Drew grabbed a jacket he’d left lying on the back, throwing it on and checking the pockets to find his keys still inside.

…Liam doesn’t care. He’s lying, remember? It’s all a lie…

…

Before Drew knew it, he was out the door again.

Liam was in the same position Drew had left him in, and he glanced up when he’d heard the door creak.

“That was fast.” The taller man commented. “Sure you got everything?”

“Yeah.” Drew replied, and Liam stood up.

“Awesome. Let’s go, then.” He said, motioning with his head for Drew to follow him.

“Where are we going?” He asked once they’d reached the sidewalk. Liam shrugged.

“Dunno. Wherever, I guess?” What did I expect?

Drew didn’t respond, instead following Liam down the street in relative silence.

And despite the time, the surroundings weren’t all that dark. Street lamps lined the sidewalks, providing a gentle glow for the two to follow. The half-moon shined brightly overhead, with only a few clouds dotting the sky.

The breeze was cool and gentle, and it felt nice against Drew’s cheek. Everything was quiet. Peaceful, almost.

But Drew couldn’t stop his mind from wandering.

Why is Liam doing this? After everything, he still won’t tell me what he wants. Does he… genuinely just want to help me?

…That’s what Jake had said, too. But Jake lied…

And Liam has Henry, so… why does he want me? If not to use me, too?

Drew shoved his hands in his pockets, his gaze drifting down to the sidewalk. And he suddenly realize Liam had yet to ask him about-

“So… how's it been, being suspended and all?” There it is. Drew shrugged.

“Fine, I guess? It’s been a nice break from everything.” Liam nodded.

“Have your parents found out yet?”

“If they have, they haven’t said anything.” He mumbled. “And even if they're mad, what are they gonna do? They’re out of town for another week.”

“Lucky.” Drew glanced up at him.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“I mean, having your parents out of town all the time and being able to get away with whatever you want.” Drew bit the inside of his cheek.

“Yeah.”

“If I had that kind of power, I’d-” Liam paused. “Probably get arrested, honestly.”

“That’s because you’re an idiot.” Drew commented, and Liam elbowed him in his side.

“Ass.” Drew’s lips twitched slightly, a soft hint of a smile appearing on his face.

He’s lying. He doesn’t care about you.

A familiar frown tugged at Drew’s lips, and the two fell silent once more.

“…You picked a pretty good week to get suspended.” Liam said after a while. “Pretty much nothing’s been happening at school. Just a bunch of review and shit.” Drew nodded.

“It’s like, the opposite of the whole ‘only cool stuff happens when you’re absent’ thing. You know?” Liam added, and Drew shrugged.

“Maybe because I’m suspended, not absent.”

“Heh, true.”

He doesn’t care about you.

Liam’s pace slowed they passed beneath another street lamp, and he took a deep breath before coming to a halt.

“Okay, I can’t keep ignoring this.” He mumbled, and glanced over his shoulder to look back at Drew. “Can we please talk about it now?”

“…Talk about what?”

“You know what! The reason you were even suspended in the first place?” Drew blinked, before letting out a groan.

“That’s none of your business, Liam.” He stated, brushing past him and leaving him alone in the light.

“It absolutely is my business.” Liam claimed as he followed him. “You’re my friend, and Jake- well…” He thought for a moment. “Whatever. Point is, I saw the video, and I want to know what happened. What- what led up to that?” Drew thought a moment before he spoke.

“That freak thought he could try to use me again.” He answered. “He got what he deserved.”

“…Are you serious?” Drew turned to face him. “You can’t actually think that. I mean, you got way too personal towards the end there. Hell, half the shit you said even Henry and I didn’t know about. And now the whole school’s-

“Oh, so he’s allowed to break my trust, but I can’t break his?!” Drew snapped, taking note of the way Liam flinched. “He hurt all of us with his lies! And now, he’s paying the price for that.”

“I… guess. But still, it’s just- I don’t know.”

Liam slowed when the two came across a bridge, and he glanced down at the still waters below. He paused for a moment, before resting his arms along the railing.

“Don’t tell me you still care about him?” Drew ventured, leaning against the railing beside him.

“I don’t know, honestly. Henry keeps telling me how he thinks there’s more Jake isn’t telling us. Maybe there’s a chance he still-”

“Of course Henry’s still trying to be optimistic about this whole thing.” Drew mumbled. “Jake chose his side, he’s-”

“What is it with you and sides, Drew?” Drew stiffened at the question. “Seriously. You’re always talking about them, and you’re always acting like someone can’t have-”

“Would you want to be someone’s second pick?” He asked, and Liam thought for a moment.

“Better than third, right?”

“I’m being serious, Liam. If you're not first, you’re not important. You’re… replaceable.”

He’s gonna use this against you…

“You’ll never mean as much to them as someone else does. And then all you can do is watch as they chase after that person, that somehow did everything better than you ever could.”

Shut up. Shut up.

Drew’s nails dug into the fabric of his sleeves, only to feel Liam’s hand rest against his shoulder.

“Did… you ever try talking about this with Jake?” He asked, and Drew could feel his shoulders tense.

“I- what?! Liam, this has nothing to do with Jake-!”

“Oh, come on. This has everything to do with Jake! It’s obvious you miss him, too!”

Drew fell silent, and that ever-familiar flame began to flicker in his chest. Quickly, he smacked Liam’s hand away.

“Don’t assume shit about me!” He suddenly shouted, turning to face him. “I hate how you do that!”

“Then what am I supposed to do?!” Liam yelled back, which caught Drew off guard. “You don’t tell me anything, and you don’t ask me for anything so I’m left playing this stupid guessing game trying to figure out what you need! If you don’t want me to assume, Drew, just talk to me! Tell me what’s going on, or just- tell me what I can do to help! I want to help you!”

Liar. Liar. Liar. The smoke in his mind was growing heavy.

“I don’t want your help! I don’t want to talk to you about this! I’m fine!”

“For Luni’s sake, Drew! What are you so afraid of?!” He yelled. And Drew could feel his breath catch in his throat.

…What am I so afraid of..?

Drew took in a slow, shaky breath, his eyes finally meeting Liam’s.

“You know what I need, Liam? I need you, to take a fucking hint for once in your life and leave me the hell alone!”

Liam took a step back, but Drew moved closer,

“You think I like having my phone blown up 24/7?! You think I like it when you break into my house in the middle of the night and force me to go along with all your stupid ideas?! You keeping saying you want to help me, but all you do is drive me up a fucking wall!”

Crimson eyes glistened. Coffee eyes burned.

“All you fucking do is lie to me! You think I’m stupid or something?! You think I don’t see through your bullshit?! You already lied to me about Zoey, you lied about having my back and I wouldn’t be surprised if you lied about Jake this whole time, too! Because everyone fucking lies to me, and I know you’re no different. I know you’re nothing but a conniving little bitch who’s gonna leave me the second you get what you want, just like everyone else!!”

…Drew could feel his throat tighten, his eyes stinging from… something.

“So, if you want to something ‘helpful’ for once in your pathetic little life, you’ll stop pretending like you care about me, and you’ll finally leave me the fuck alone!!”

…Drew could barely breathe. His chest was heaving from how loudly he was yelling. Half the neighborhood must’ve been woken up from it. But Liam didn’t say anything, and his gaze dropped to his feet.

“Oh…” He whispered after a while, only to choke out a laugh. “I see, so… everything I ever did to try and help you… that meant nothing to you?”

Drew could feel the corners of his lips curve into a twisted smile. His eyes darkening as he took another step closer.

“It’s about time you got the hint!”

“Wow! Okay. Nice to know that-” He paused, and Drew finally caught glimpse of the tears forming in his eyes. “Nice to know that I’m nothing more than a ‘conniving bitch’ to you.”

And it felt as if a knife had pierced through his stomach, cutting through the flames and causing his heart to miss a beat.

“Liam-?”

“Sorry for trying to help you too much!” The taller shouted, before storming off in the opposite direction.

“Where do you think you’re going?!” Drew called, but Liam didn’t look back.

“I’m leaving!”

“And you’re just gonna leave your mom’s car in my driveway?!”

Liam stopped, before letting out a low sigh.

“Fuck.” He whispered, before turning back around.

“Don’t try to follow me.” He murmured as he passed Drew by, and the shorter scoffed.

“You’ve got to be insane if you think I’d want to see you at all after this! Just get the hell out of here, and stay the hell out of my life!”

And Liam didn’t respond.