Theo did not know what to do. His whole world was turned upside down, and, not to mention, he had still promised to help Liam. However, all Theo could do on this Saturday morning was lay in bed and think. His mind was heavy with the thoughts of his real father, and his two half-siblings he did not even know he had. Theo wanted Mr. Talbot to pay for abandoning him and his mother, but he did not know how. Simply paying child support was not enough. No. Mr. Talbot threatened to ruin his mother's life, and Theo wanted him to pay with more than just money. Theo wanted the Talbot's to publicly acknowledge him, therefore ruining their family's reputation, and then, Theo wanted to take them for all they could get.
Theo's train of thought was broken when he heard his phone buzz. He picked it up and noticed it was Liam. Since the gala was last night, there had been no lacrosse game this week, meaning that Liam was free, and there was no parties this weekend. Liam had texted Theo to meet him at his house to talk about some stuff. There it was, the other problem Theo had to worry about. He needed to help Liam now more than ever, because Theo insisted that Hayden's child should be able to know its real father.
Theo had gotten dressed and took the bus over to Liam's. Once he arrived he went out back where Liam was sitting out by the pool. "What did you want to talk about?" Theo asked as he sat down in the pool chair next to Liam's. It was refreshing for Theo to be out here without having to be cleaning or doing any kind of work.
"Are you joking?" Liam asked as he looked over at Theo, "Brett has been going around all over town talking about his bastard half brother. I figured you might want to talk about it. After all, you know way to much about my life, so I figured you might be comfortable talking to me about it." This was the side of Liam that Theo enjoyed being around. The side that was kind, and caring, the side that Hayden rarely acknowledged or accepted.
Theo sighed and leaned back in his chair, looking up at the clear blue sky. In truth, he did not really want to talk about it with anyone, not until he knew what to think of it, and what to do. However, Liam seemed so ready to listen, so Theo relented. "I guess, I am just confused on where to go from here. I know he is my father, so what now? Do I try and get to know him? Do I ignore it? Do I take him to court? I wasn't prepared for any of this."
Liam nodded as he listened to Theo. "Well those are all really good questions, and I don't really have an answer," Liam admitted, and Theo could tell that Liam was disappointed to not be of more help. "Nothing has to change if you don't want it to, the rumors will die down by next week and everything could turn back to normal, if you wanted it to."
"But what if I want it to change?" Theo asked Liam before looking over at him, "I just don't know how I want things to change. I guess I want my mom to be able to work less hours. I want a chance at going to college, I want to stop sitting alone at lunch everyday, I want," Theo paused as he and Liam locked eyes, and the world seemed to stand still for a minute, but Theo snapped out of it, "you always said that I don't understand what your life is like, I guess I want to understand."
"Thats an interesting answer, and honestly I understand. I do not know what I want in regards to anything either. I've been thinking, Hayden's lies need to be exposed, but assuming we accomplish that, where do I go from there? I am free from dating her, but then what? She's all I have ever known, I don't know if I want to be alone," Liam replied and then looked down at his feet.
Theo nodded as he listened, in truth they both seemed to be at a crossroads and maybe they could each help each other. "Well I guess we both decide what it is we really want."
Later that day, Theo had a coffee date with Cora, she had asked him that morning to go to coffee because she wanted to talk to him. Theo was not really in the mood to continue talking about his newly found father, but also, other than the gala, he and Cora had not been together recently. He still wanted to be the good boyfriend she deserved, so he met with her. They sat outside together, discussing little things, before finally Cora said, "Listen, I am not trying to ignore the elephant in the room. I know you had a life changing experience, and its going to make me seem horrible that I am doing this today, but I need to do it."
Theo raised his eyebrow in confusion when he found out that his father would not be their topic of discussion, "Do what? What are you doing?"
Cora smiled and grabbed his hand, tears forming in her eyes. "I am a better person to have known you Theo Raeken, and I look forward to the many years of friendship I hope we will share," she struggled through her tears, and Theo noticed the word 'friendship', "I have not been with anyone who has made me feel like I could be loved for more than just my family's money. That being said, I think you and I both know we need to call this off."
Theo's eyes widened at her words, she was breaking up with him, the day after such a traumatic realization. "Cora what are you doing?" He asked and squeezed her hand, not wanting to let her go, "Why do we have to break up? I L-"
She shook her head and interrupted him, "No, you don't, and thats alright," she said smiling through her tears. "You really don't know do you?" She asked as she looked at her now ex-boyfriend, "Yesterday at the gala we were dancing, and you left me alone on the dance floor, for Liam. I'm not mad, and I'm not upset, because it confirmed something beautiful, that I should have seen all along. You want Liam, thats why you are so invested in his drama with Hayden. You want him, and he wants you, and Theo, I want you two together."
"Cora, Liam is my friend, yes I care about him, but that is just because I have seen a deeper side of him, as I am sure you have as well, and I want to help him because he does not deserve this," Theo replied as he stared at their hands, still interlocked, " I love you Cora, not him."
"Can you look me in the eyes and say that?" She asked him, and there was a pause, Theo could not bring himself to do it. She laughed a bit, still crying softly, she lifted Theo's chin so their eyes could meet, "I am not going to be the girl who stops you from being with the guy that you really like. I am not going to be Hayden. I am not mad, I am happy for you, Theo. One of these days I will meet my person, as you have met yours, and the four of us will go on double dates." She leaned in to kiss his cheek softly before standing up, "Now don't be stupid, stop ignoring whats going on inside you." She turned to walk out.
Theo sighed and felt an emptiness as she walked away from him. As he thought to himself, she was right. He did like her, a lot, even in a romantic way, but not like Liam. He constantly thought about Liam, in ways he did not think about her, but still, he was going to miss her bright smile, and her loving words. "I am going to miss you Cora Hale," he said and she smiled at him as she turned back to him, "But you are right, you deserve more than to be the girl someone dates before finding their true love. You deserve to be someone's true love. Now go find him, and if anyone breaks your heart along the way, I'll kick their ass."
"I will miss you to, Theo Raeken, but it seems like I have picked a good guy to break my heart," She said with a smile, "Now stop sitting there and go to him."
Theo rushed onto the bus, spending the last bit of money he had in his pockets to go to his destination. The sun was well past set and it began to rain, hard. After getting off the bus, Theo ran down the street, in the pouring rain, thunder surrounding him. He knocked on the door, still dripping wet, and Liam answered, "Theo what the hell? Why are you back? And this storm is going to be bad, you should be home!" He could sense Liam's anxiety about the storms, so Theo did not respond but instead grabbed Liam's hand and pulled him in for a deep kiss. He felt Liam tense up a bit before finally relaxing into the kiss, and for both of them, the world was silent for a moment. Then Liam pulled back, "Theo aren't you-"
"Just shut up," Theo whispered before Liam nodded pulled Theo in, closing the door behind them, before crashing his lips against Theo's once more.
Another hot mess chapter but oh well.
