Liam

"I'll just have to wait until they give the green light on my request. But this waiting is exhausting; I want to dive into that book right now," Chloe sighed, referring to the werewolf series she had ordered.

Being at a boarding school meant they had to submit requests and pay for their purchases. If the item was deemed harmless, it would get the go-ahead. However, her werewolf series was still pending approval.

"How long does it usually take to get something approved?" Ben inquired, as he had never placed an order before and was unsure.

"I think it takes about two days. You really haven't ordered anything before?" Chloe replied with curiosity.

"Not really, I've never found a reason to," Ben admitted, choosing not to mention that he could simply call his parents for anything he needed. It was clear why he was often labeled the 'special kid.'

Ben was pleasantly surprised when Chloe chose to sit with him for breakfast. He had assumed she would join her usual group, but he enjoyed their conversation. Chloe was lively and talkative, traits that Ben appreciated in contrast to his quieter demeanor.

When she joined him, Eric wasn't by her side. When Ben asked about it, Chloe explained that since she had a new friend now, they didn't need to be together all the time.

Classes had just kicked off, and although he was sitting by himself, he felt a sense of joy knowing he finally had a friend. During their lunch break, Chloe joined him, and they planned to head out together.

"I hope you don't mind us tagging along," Eric said as he stepped up next to Chloe, a small grin on his face.

"Not at all! She's your girlfriend, after all. But you said 'we'—who else is coming?" Ben inquired, hoping it wasn't someone from their usual circle of friends.

"Liam," Eric replied.

"Who's Liam?" Ben asked, puzzled, as he didn't recognize the name.

"My best friend...there he is," Eric said, pointing as Liam approached and took his place beside him.

"So that's his name?" Ben asked, his gaze shifting to Liam, who frowned in response.

"Wait, what did you think his name was?" Eric asked, bemused.

"Um... 'four words'?" Ben replied, his confusion evident.

Eric and Chloe erupted in laughter, fully aware of what he was about to say—they had always found humor in Liam's nickname. The fact that Liam despised it only added to the amusement.

"My name is not 'four words'; it's Liam," Liam grumbled, clearly irritated by the label. He never understood why he was given that nickname; he simply preferred not to chat much with those he wasn't familiar with. What was the fuss about?

"How was I supposed to know? Everyone called you that," Ben shot back, feeling a bit defensive. Did Liam expect him to have mind-reading abilities?

"Well, let me make it clear that it's not." Liam stated before turning away.

"Come on, cut the guy some slack. I mean, he's..." Eric said as he trailed behind him outside.

"How was I supposed to know?" Ben questioned Chloe, who simply smiled back. "Let's go, he'll be alright."

Ben and Chloe followed them and soon arrived at the cafeteria. He observed as Eric and Liam placed their orders with Chloe. "What do you want?" Chloe inquired.

"Hotdog." Liam replied quietly.

It had been days since the lunch incident, so why was Liam still fixated on it? Ben shot him a frown before addressing Chloe. "One peach soda and a milk donut," he said, opting for donuts to avoid validating Liam's point.

At least donuts were a better choice than burgers.

Chloe nodded and went to get their orders. "You switched it to donut," Liam remarked dryly.

"No, I didn't. That was my original choice," Ben replied, becoming quite skilled at lying.

Liam scoffed. "Sure, special kid."

Ben frowned. "Thanks for that, 'four words'."

"Alright, you two are entertaining Eric said, shaking his head.

Chloe returned, and they all dug into their meals, engaging in light conversation. Ben couldn't help but notice how often Liam was stealing glances at him.

Ben was perplexed by Liam's behavior. From their very first encounter to now, it felt like Liam was being particularly tough on him.

Once they finished eating, they headed to their class. Chloe and Eric walked ahead, engrossed in conversation with Eric's arm draped around her shoulders.

"I still can't believe you thought my name was 'four words,'" Liam said to Ben.

"How was I supposed to know? It's not like I could just stroll up to you and ask what your real name was." Ben felt puzzled as to why Liam was revisiting this topic.

"But you did come up to me wanting to swap snacks," Liam replied.

"Yeah, and look where that got me! You just laughed at me!" Ben shot back.

"Who goes up to a stranger to suggest a snack trade? I barely know you, and you expect me to munch on your snack?"

Ben had to admit, Liam had a point. If the roles were reversed, he probably wouldn't have accepted the exchange either.

"But you didn't have to laugh at me," Ben murmured softly.

Liam had replayed that moment in his mind countless times, chuckling each time it crossed his thoughts. Once they reached class, they parted ways to their respective seats.

«»«»«»«»«»«»«

Mr. Sam was up to his usual antics again. His unsettling grin directed at Ben made him uneasy.

The school day had just wrapped up, and Mr. Sam's class was the last of the day. "Ben, could you come here for a moment?" he called out.

Ben mentally grimaced—if that's even a thing. Why did this man always summon him after class? Did his parents say something to him? He would need to find out.

Despite the circumstances, he decided to approach Mr. Sam. As he waited for Mr. Sam to express his thoughts, the classroom steadily emptied, leaving only Chloe, Eric, and Liam behind. Even though the situation was less than ideal, he felt a sense of gratitude that she chose to stick around so they could leave together.

Mr. Sam glanced over Ben's shoulder at the remaining students, raising an eyebrow as he inquired, "Are they waiting for you?" Ben nodded, silently wishing Mr. Sam would get to the point so he could join them.

"There's no need for them to linger; let them go. I need you to organize some worksheets for me, and it will take a bit of time," Mr. Sam stated, accompanied by a slight smile.

If that smile hadn't been on Mr. Sam's face, Ben might have thought it was a friendly gesture. But since it was Mr. Sam, it didn't carry the warmth he wanted.

Turning to his friends, Ben said, "You all can head out; I'll be here for a while. I don't want to hold you up."

Chloe nodded in response. "Catch you later." They exited the room, with Liam glancing back one last time.

"Looks like you've made some new friends. You used to be by yourself," Mr. Sam remarked once they were alone.

"Yeah, I have," Ben replied, feeling uneasy. Was Mr. Sam monitoring him? He didn't like where this was heading.

"Did they pressure you into it?" Mr. Sam probed.

Did Mr. Sam really believe he was so unlikable that no one would genuinely want to be his friend? Ben found himself torn between laughter and tears at the thought.

"No, they didn't, sir. Which worksheets do you need help with?" Ben was eager to leave the uncomfortable situation with Mr. Sam as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, Liam sensed something was amiss. Ben's body language and his eagerness to escape made Liam suspect that his friend was ill at ease around Mr. Sam. However, he wasn't entirely sure—maybe he was just overthinking things.

Should he intervene or keep his distance?

"Uh, I left something in class. You guys go ahead; I'll catch up," he said to Chloe and Eric, who simply nodded in response. He retraced his steps back to the classroom and paused at the doorway.

"I want you to get to know me better. On a personal level," Liam overheard Mr. Sam say.

"I don't think that's necessary, sir," came Ben's hesitant reply.

"Why not?" Mr. Sam pressed, but the room fell silent as Ben remained mute.

"I'd like for us to connect on a deeper, more personal level. How do you feel about that?" Mr. Sam continued after the quietness, yet Ben stayed silent.

"I asked you a question," Mr. Sam's voice sharpened.

That was all the confirmation Liam needed to validate his instincts: Ben was clearly uncomfortable, and Mr. Sam's behavior was unsettling. With that realization, he stepped into the classroom, catching both of them off guard.

"I forgot something; I'll just look for it," he said, feigning a search for an item that didn't exist.

Ben felt a wave of relief when someone walked into the room. He was eager to escape, especially with the strange questions Mr. Sam had been throwing his way.

"Oh, I almost forgot! The hostel staff mentioned something about you, 'special kid.' I think your parents might have called," Liam blurted out unexpectedly.

Ben felt a surge of gratitude. He knew Liam was just making things up—his parents would never contact the hostel staff; they would reach out to him directly.

With a quick nod, he replied, "I'll head out now," and left Mr. Sam behind, who wore an irritated scowl.

Ben couldn't help but appreciate Liam's timely intervention.