Chapter 7

Liam

I watch Tate as she huffs and puffs making me my chicken sandwich and some salad. She effortlessly slices up some tomato and cucumber and adds a bit of lettuce and a drizzle of my favorite vinaigrette. She’s adorable and I couldn’t wish for a better best friend.

She makes me smile, she’s always willing to help me and if I’m down and having a real rough day then Tate is there for me. Always and forever. That’s out little motto. We’ve had it since were six years of age when we sat in her tree house, sprawled out on the blue and pink cushions her mom made and linked our pinky fingers and swore an oath. No matter what happens, no matter where we are, no matter what anyone says, we will be best friends forever and always. She’s my girl.

I know the guys and the girls rib us about being an item but seriously we’re not. I can guarantee that Tate only sees me as the kid she met all those years ago. Damn it, when I go to college I’m sure going to miss her. It is going to be so weird without my bestie by my side. Who will help me when I get stuck with my assignments, who will keep me out of trouble? Yeah especially trouble. I just can’t help myself.

Tate has always there for me. Like the night I got into a fight with some bully who’d been picking on Lilly a few years ago. She wasn’t dating Denver back then. She hung mostly with Tate, but whoever is friends with Tate is automatically friends with me and one-hundred percent protected by me. The bully kept taking the piss out of her for no reason. It wasn’t anything to do with weight, height, speech nothing. Just a regular mean old bully. Every school has a few of them and until someone does something about it, the bully carries on.

Lilly was crying in the playground, I guess we were about twelve and Tate was soothing her telling her it would be alright. “What’s going on?” I asked concerned that our little Lilly was in tears and sobbing her heart out.

“That Richard is picking on Lilly again. He’s taken her satchel and launched it. Him and his mates, something needs to be done about it. I’m going to speak with my dad when I get home after school.” Tate’s face was stern and her cheeks were flushed with anger.

That evening I waited until Richard was going to his friend’s house and jumped out on the little shit. He screamed like a pansy and I smacked him right in the nose. He screamed again, boy could that boy scream. Talk about waking up a neighborhood. Not that his parents would have cared. His parents were always too busy hanging out at the local bar. Richard as you can guess wasn’t from the same background as Lilly, Tate and I and it showed.

“What’s going on out there.” Some fella shouted from his front porch. Richard began yelling and making a fuss, I shot him another punch in the stomach this time. I just wanted to make a point. He yelled again, “some guys trying to kill me.”

I stopped mid punch. Was this kid for real? “Now you know what it feels like to be bullied you jerk.” I hissed at him and ran all the way back to the safer part of town and to my home. I climbed in Tate’s bedroom window where she was sitting curled up like an adorable kitten, reading her book.

“What’s up?” She asked taking in my red knuckles. “Oh no. Liam, what have you been doing?” Her voice laced with suspicion.

“Ah, nothing Tate. Nothing that didn’t need doing.” The next minute, her father knocks on the door and comes in without being asked.

“Thought I might find you here with Tate. Your dad’s looking for you, son. Something about smacking some other boy up. Out.” I didn’t need to be told twice.

That punk had squealed to his parents having recognized my voice and my face. Despite the fact I’d been careful to pull my hoody as far down as possible. When Tate found out, she came marching to our house with her pink nightdress with daisies on it and just let herself right in.

“It’s my fault.” She announced as my parents looked shocked to see her standing there, all five feet nothing of this adorable bundle of twelve year old girl, with her hair in night braids. “I asked him to go and beat him up for picking on my friend, Lilly.” Then she began to cry, her bottom lip trembling. Honestly I could have run over and hugged her there and then. She peeked through her fingers covering her eyes to make sure my parents were suitably convinced.

Dad went over to her, “there, there Tate. We won’t do anything about it if that’s the case. Bullying is serious. Liam will be fine, they won’t press charges but I think it’s time one of us went to talk to the school about it.” And wouldn’t you know it. A week later nobody saw Richard the bully again. Our dads have a lot of sway in this town and with the school.

So yeah. When I say I’m going to miss Tate when I go to college. I mean it. “Here’s your food.” She places the plate down in front of me. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse right now.

“Thanks, Tatey Baby.” I say stuffing my face and seeing her blush. Did she just blush?

Did my best friend seriously blush? Wow. 

I'm not sure how I feel about that. I mean I don't really mean anything by it. Or do I? 

Nah, I gotta stop thinking this kind of bs. Tate only sees me as her best friend. I'm like her brother. Aren't I?