"What do you mean creepy? Creepy like texts him a lot or creepy like hides in Theo's closet jerking off?" Mason asked.

"Somewhere in between" Liam said, mortified at the thought of someonehiding in a closet jerking off. "He just shows up everywhere."

"Liam, you thought Theo showing up everywhere was weird, yet you have hung out with each other every single day since you met" Mason rolled his eyes.

"No, dude. It's not the same, ok. This guy, Brett-"

"Is this the guy you were asking Corey about?"

"Yeah. Why?" Liam raised his eyebrow.

"Yeah... Ok... Continue" Mason seemed a little more edgy about the topic now, which made Liam shift in his seat.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Liam could feel the tension and he needed to know. What did Mason know about this guy that Liam didn't?

"Nothing. Corey didn't say anything about it, but the way he acted when I asked, it was like some serious shit happened between Theo and that Brett guy. I think he's seriously some bad news."

"I do too. He really makes Theo uncomfortable. Nothing makes Theo uncomfortable. At least not from what I've seen." Liam couldn't tell Mason everything. He couldn't even tell Mason that Brett was flirting with him too. He didn't want to cause any more worry than there already was. He was seriously starting to rethink calling out tomorrow. He has a valid excuse. He just couldn't use it. He worked with a lot of people every day and he'll be seen as a liability. They would come up with some way of firing him.

"Do you want to talk about this?" Mason asked, sensing Liam's shift in attitude.

"Not really" Liam sighed.

"Well will you at least tell me what your freak out was about today?" Liam tensed. He didn't even know what to tell anyone. He was unprepared. "Come on Liam, Theo already told me most of it. Humor me. Your version."

"What did he say exactly?" Liam cleared his throat nervously.

"Just that he said a few things that he believed may have triggered you. Nothing really specific" Mason said truthfully. Theo didn't want to break Liam's trust by telling anyone in the first place, but he thought it would be safe to tell Mason and he'd let him know that.

"I haven't been sleeping properly-"

"Probably because you and Theo have been having constant sleepovers" Mason looked serious, but also feigned hurt, like he was jealous.

"It's got barely anything to do with that!" Liam bit back. It was a little bit, but not much. The only thing was when Theo had the night terrors and Liam was woken up and then he'd stayed up all night with him.

"So, it is about Hayden. I knew it! She is such a-"

"No!" Liam didn't know how to word what he was trying to say, but he hoped Mason would be able to understand. "I mean... I guess, in a way- but it's also about Theo"

"So, your sleepovers are at fault?"

"NO! Mason! Just- ok?" Liam was trying to say it without sounding weird or over the top. "Theo took care of me. Mase, Hayden never did that."

"Yes. I'm aware. I'm pretty sure I have explained that-"

"Shut up and let me finish!" Mason just nodded. Liam started again, "Hayden never took care of me. Never asked me what I ate or if I even ate at all. Hayden never wiped my face after I cried. She never wanted to be around me when I had an episode. I mean, I get I've said some pretty hurtful things to you guys but..." Liam looked guilty at Mason. "I put you in the hospital, Mase... you still come back for me... she didn't try to come find me. She didn't care if I was alone to deal with it and she made me feel like I was a bad person for it. I know it's not my fault and I know you and my parents work with me, but she was everything to me, Mase. I wanted to marry her, and she abandoned me when I needed her the most." Liam felt hurt and rage and bitter all over again, but it was different. It was clearer and more dissipated. Like he'd accepted it.

"Liam I-"

"Then Theo, this stranger, comes in and he sees that I don't have real food in my fridge and says I need to learn to cook because I'll be a shit roommate if I rely on you to do everything and then he said that it's also a quality that women appreciate, a man that can take care of himself. That's when I broke down the first time. It wasn't Theo's fault entirely, but he forgot about the breakup. Then we came home to fix everything for lunch, and we were joking about personal stuff, and he brought up the dream I had last night and-"

"What dream?"

Oh no. I- FUCK. "Oh! It was nothing. Just something stupid. Anyway-"

"Liam, did you have a sex dream? Is that what this is about?" Mason asked, squinting his all-

knowing eyes.

"Umm- no? why would you-"

"You always get weird and flustered like this about sex dreams" Mason said, face unchanging.

"Fine. Yes! I had a sex dream! Why is everyone so obsessed with it?!"

"Who was it about? And if you say Hayden, I'll murder you" Mason still eyed him curiously.

"It wasn't about Hayden..." Liam's nerves were getting the best of him, but maybe he could ask what it meant. "It was about... Theo" Liam went pale. Mason, however, choked laughing.

"Wow, Liam. I mean, I get it. He's hot, but-"

"I don't understand! I'm not gay! I mean in the dream- I was definitely gay. There was some super gay stuff going on" This caused Mason to laugh even harder and Liam was insulted. "I didn't tell you so that you could make fun of me, jackass. I thought you could help me!"

"Help you with what exactly? Because I'm definitely not jerking you off while you think about Theo" Mason snorted a laugh and Liam was not amused. "I'm sorry, man. Last one. I promise. What do you need me to do?"

"I don't know... I mean I've never had a dream like that about a guy before. Does that mean I'm... you know..."

"Liam, please tell me you are smarter than that. Please tell me you don't actually think that's how it works" Mason tried to be serious but he was not able. Not at this point.

"I just mean- ok- your dreams are supposed to be a representation of your subconscious, right? So, what if subconsciously...?" Liam spoke timidly, not really wanting to have this conversation.

"I subconsciously think you watch way too much tv. Liam, you had a sex dream. Everyone has them. It's normal. I mean, I've had sex dreams about people I can't stand before. I've even had them about you-"

"I'm sorry what?"

"Not the point" Mason tried to be serious this time. "Look, man. You went through a really traumatic breakup and the guy that you have been spending a lot of time with was sleeping in your bed. You had a dream about all of these things intertwined because, yes, your dreams are a representation of your subconscious, but only to an extent. I mean when do you ever have a nightmare and think 'hey I'd definitely like to get hacked into pieces'? It's your mind's way of processing certain situations. Your dream about Theo, it's not your mind telling you that you're gay for him. It's your mind processing your breakup with Hayden. It's you getting ready to move on, but since you aren't really ready, it's shaped into someone who you'd never be with."

Liam let that sink in. He was glad Mason was so much smarter than him. Especially when it came to this type of thing. Mason was going to college to be a psychology major. He'd seen too many things since moving to Beacon Hills to feel like it wouldn't take a toll on everyone. People in this town needed help. Then Liam was diagnosed with IED and that made his decision. He was going to help people who felt like they were beyond help. It was a great major for Mason. He would be great at it. He was always the one that made Liam feel ok. Even when he knew he wasn't. People need that, especially in this day and age and especially in this town. Liam would go to school to be a history teacher and probably take Finstock's place as lacrosse coach when he finally retired.

Although, he wasn't sure he could motivate everyone the way Finstock did. He may keep the Independance Day speech, just for nostalgia.

Liam laid in bed that night tossing and turning. He hoped Theo wasn't mad. He hoped Mason wasn't his way of getting rid of Liam. He hoped he didn't have another episode, especially in front of Theo. God that was so embarrassing. He was going to at least go to work in the morning, but he didn't want to trouble Theo for a ride. He'd already put too much on him for a new friend. He'd decided to ask Mason and he said he'd take him.

He was actually glad Theo sent Mason in for backup. He'd really missed him more than he realized. He wasn't really aware how much he had been shutting him out because of Hayden. Then everything with Theo and Corey. It really piled on his need for his best friend. He really shouldn't have been so upset over that little bit, but there was so much more going on that no one could see and Liam didn't really make time to deal with it. He hated how jaded he'd become with Hayden. He didn't realize it, but he went through the motions and tried to be a good boyfriend. He realized when he started feeling panic about her coming home, he wasn't in love with her anymore and she wasn't in love anymore either, if ever.

He finally fell asleep at three in the morning, thoughts of the day a blurry haze. Emotions swirling around in his head. Tears threatening to surface. He had an early day the next day. He couldn't be tired. He had to do something. He tried to focus on the good things. His friends. His job. His parents. Until he was fast asleep.