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- I am dating Theo. - Okay, this was definitely not how I planned to break the news to the gang. And, when I felt my boyfriend tense up next to me, I just wish I could go back a few seconds and do exactly as we rehearsed. We would chat and when everyone was in a good mood, which would be after dinner, we would sit down and I would tell them the news. But the moment we sat down at the beginning of the meeting, it was that awkward silence, I admit I panicked, and here we are.
I carefully tried to read the expression of everyone in that room, which was really very difficult, since nobody said anything for long minutes and the faces hadn't changed at all, as if they were still processing. With each passing second, I could feel Theo's heart beating faster and his shoulders becoming more tense.
- Liam, I thought your joke was super funny, but this isn't April Fool's Day. I can't believe you're dating... him. - Stiles was the first to say something and when he pointed at Theo, he was clearly disgusted, as if it was the biggest insult he had ever heard.
- I'm really happy for you, Li, I really am... but Theo, really? - I swore that with Mason it would be different, I mean, he was my best friend, in moments like this he should be the first to accept my choices, especially if it meant my happiness.
I heard a roar from Malia as if she was going to attack Theo at any moment, Lydia only gave a sigh and Derek was looking at both of us as if he was guessing if it was a lie or the truth.
- Scott? - Until that moment, he had been the only one in the room who had said nothing and done nothing, and my last hope was pinned on that man, he was always the most sensible of us all.
- So... are you really with the guy who manipulated everyone? - And there went all the chances.
He got a bad reputation
- You've got to be fucking kidding me. So come on, this is the man who killed his alpha, let's not forget that, who took his sister's fucking heart, which is beating in his chest right now and who killed half the people in that high school to make a fucking army. And you come and say that you like him? Liam, what the fuck are you thinking? - With each sentence that came out, Stiles raised his voice more and more, Theo grabbed my hand more and more, and when that speech was over, I felt him stop grabbing my hand and take a step back, as if each word was a punch in his body.
The smell of humiliation on his part, along with sadness was so strong that I had the feeling that not even the people in that room who were werewolves could feel it.
Mistakes, we all make them
But they won't let it go, no
'Cause he's got a bad reputation
I knew that this was not the ideal time for my anger to happen, but seeing that no one in that house was trying to give Theo a second chance, and not saying anything, staring at the wall as if they really believed every word Stiles said, was what had pissed me off the most. I could feel the anger writhing all over my body and tickling my skin.
- So this is how it's going to be? When Stiles killed people, you all gave him a second chance, why is Theo any different? - Stiles looked at me in horror, because they never talked about that subject, because it was too painful, at that time it wasn't really him, however before I could think, my anger had already taken over my brain and my words.
- Liam... - I practically took a step forward when I felt that Theo was begging me to stop talking, that he didn't deserve this, he didn't deserve me to be fighting with the gang because of him.
- But you know what? I don't give a shit about you. You don't know how this guy is the best thing that could ever happen in my life. His laugh is the most delicious thing I've ever heard and did you know that when he's angry, he counts to five out loud to the person? And when he is driving, he likes to drum his fingers on the steering wheel in time with the music that is playing? That his favorite subject is biology and the one he hates the most is grammar? That he has never been to a concert in his life? But of course not, you don't know that because you don't know him and haven't tried, even though you have given him several opportunities to do so. - I said it so fast that I took a long breath when I finished.
Nobody knows the way that I know him
- Liam, let's go, please, this isn't worth it. - Theo said it so low, like he wanted this day to be over. When he tried to pull my hand to leave, I just planted my feet on the ground. I wasn't leaving until the gang heard the truths they needed to hear.
- I found out that he was sleeping in his fucking truck, because he didn't have a family or a home to come back to. And you have no idea how frequent his nightmares are, that I wake up with him screaming and practically putting my hand on his heart to see if it's still there, if it's still beating and there's always that strong smell of fear and panic that even though I know it's going to be there, it chokes me and I can't breathe and I wonder what it's like for him. Every time Theo goes to the hospital, I can feel his fear, as if he saw his dead sister. So of course he has done wrong, but we all have, haven't we? I think you are blaming him enough, he doesn't need it anymore, believe me he does it on his own. You just don't know his daily fucking struggle and think that you can just point fingers, as if it will make anything better. - Each time, I got angrier, if that was possible.
Theo at some point that I don't remember, started to gently run his fingers down my back, trying to do his best to calm me down, so that I wouldn't punch every single person in that room for being such a scumbag.
They don't know what you've been through
Nobody knows the weight that's on her shoulders
- But guess what, I don't care what you think of him, really. If you think he's a bad person I know he's not, and that's what matters. He makes me happier than I ever imagined anyone would make me feel. For a few days it is just me and him and I feel like a normal teenager again, having a break from the supernatural, without all this weight on my back and it feels so good. I didn't even know it was possible to look at someone and sometimes he doesn't do anything special, but my heart skips a few beats and I wonder how I could fall more in love with a person, he makes me happy and that's what you should focus on isn't it? On my happiness? I mean, when everyone started a relationship, regardless of who it was with, I always accepted it and stood by it, because I knew it was real, I could feel your happiness just by looking and I also know that you can see it in me. - At that moment, I couldn't even think of the words, they just came out naturally.
And I don't care what they say about you, baby
I could feel the anger overwhelming me more and more, I was beside myself because no one wanted to give him a second chance, I just wanted them to be able to see him with my eyes and I was sure they would know why I fell in love with such a sensational guy.
I felt my claws coming out when I hadn't asked for them, along with my eyes changing color, and no matter how much I told myself to calm down, it seemed to only make the situation worse and angrier.
- Liam, I need you to focus on my voice, okay? - My instinct was to turn to Theo and simply punch him in the face, which I did. I swear I would have tried to punch through any wall, or anything that couldn't be broken, but everything seemed as far away as possible.
As much as it must have been fucking hurting, he only let the blood drip from his nose when he came close to me and put his arms around my body. When I penetrated my claws into his body, I felt him give a groan of pain, but he still didn't pull away. I didn't know if it was seconds, because to my mind it was as if long drawn out minutes had passed, however when I smelled him, just like home, my anger subsided, my fangs came out and my blue eyes returned.
- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that. - My whole face turned red with shame for once again letting my anger win and take over, I rested my nose on his neck, only to be able to smell that scent that was my safe haven. And no matter how much anyone tried to calm me down, it would never be Theo, it would never be that sense of calm that he would pass on.
- We've been through worse. - When Theo laughs, it was impossible not to laugh with him. For a few minutes it was as if there were only the two of us in that room, and it was that effect he had on me that I couldn't put into words. It seemed that when I was with him, the bad things went away in the blink of an eye.
- At first I really had my back to this relationship. But then you spoke some truths that we all deserved to hear, we've given so many people second chances, so why should Theo be any different? And if we were in doubt, the moment he let you break his nose just to help him, it shows how changed he is and how much he cares. Theo, I apologize for the whole gang and we are here if you want to start again. - Scott said it so softly and I could see in all their eyes that it was the absolute truth. That they were ashamed of how they had treated him and would try anything to make up for it.
And, being in the arms of the guy I loved, with the approval of my alpha and the gang, I couldn't be happier.