Left Alone

Chapter 2: "Parents ain't around enough"

(from Super Rich Kids by Frank Ocean)

***

Liam tapped his fingers on the dash as he drove down that wide street with houses lined at both sides. It was like passing through an arcade of columns, slowly leading him to a house of worship. He didn't know why he was so nervous all of last night and this morning- or why he insisted on wearing his favorite maroon t-shirt with the buttons that made it a step above casual. But he didn't bother to try and figure out why, instead he weaved through these suburban roads, not needing a map to tell him the way to Caleb's house.

As he pulled up he saw him lounging out by the curb- a pair of white converse digging into the asphalt while his hands stayed pressed into the freshly cut lawn. He caught Caleb's face as the car came into view and he swore he could see a smile form, teasing those bright white teeth in between his tan skin. Caleb stood up and walked towards the car as Liam yelled out from the open window, "Hey man, sorry I kept you waiting."

He shook his head, "Not at all. I came out like half an hour ago just to enjoy the sun." He smiled and pointed towards the two- story oversized house, "Been kinda cooped up there these past few days."

Liam nodded, "The view outside my bedroom window is someone else's bedroom window. I know all about craving being outside." He reached over and rolled down his dark tinted windows, letting that cool morning breeze flow through. Caleb did the same before resting back into the stitched up leather seat as they drove off.

"Are you nervous about your first day?" Liam asked, cutting through the silence that fell over the two boys as they neared the school. He could see a blank look stretched over Caleb's face as his black hair danced through the breeze.

"Not as much as I thought I'd be." He looked over, "My last school was just fine. I mean, yeah it sucks I couldn't finish it off with the few friends I did make, but I'm sure this one is the exact same."

Liam shrugged, "Trust me it is. It's the same group of stuck up kids who hold onto these four years like it's gonna mean something when we're older.

"Guess I won't be seeing you at the next pep rally."

Liam chuckled, "They couldn't pay me to go to one of those things." Caleb watched as the boy bee-lined towards the edge of the parking lot underneath a shade of trees. It was far off from the rows of cars that pieced themselves together like dominos, as if Liam wanted to be as held off from the rest of the student body as possible.

Caleb watched as the Rearview High student body unfolded before him like groups of similar species that only congregated with each other. It was like any other high school and the cliques were so well defined, Caleb could practically draw dividing lines between them. Even as they passed through what seemed like hundreds of kids, Liam made no efforts to stop. He didn't nod his head to anyone looking his way or even get stopped by someone trying to say hello. The boy marched through the halls, leading Caleb down to the Main Office.

"The campus isn't as big as you'd think, so you shouldn't have any problems trying to get to any of your classes." He pointed down one of the hallways, "Cafeteria's down that way and the food's not half bad- just don't get the Jello which should be pretty self-explanatory." Liam could feel himself start to babble as he fiddled with the straps of his backpack. Luckily for him, Caleb stopped the chatter.

"Haha I think I'll be alright man." He looked over as Liam finally caught a breath. "Thank you though- for the ride and showing me around. Wanna meet up for lunch?" He said, flashing his perfect teeth.

Liam hesitated for a second, "Uh, sure. There's a bench out by the quad that I usually chill by."

"Sweet. Lunch is on me since I didn't ever get to thank you for saving my ass yesterday", Caleb said with a look that didn't leave any room for questioning.

The older boy nodded. And just as Caleb turned slightly towards the reception desk, Liam called out. "Hey, um. Have a good first day, man."

"Thanks" he replied, with a wide smile, nearly blushing.

***

The first two classes of the day proved that Caleb had nothing to worry about. Every lecture he sat through was a continuation of something he was learning back at his old school or a refresher of a class he took before. He eased into those plastic chairs as the stereotypical middle aged woman with glasses went on about the American Civil War, albeit with more of a liberal bias found in California. And so he let his mind wander. And just like last night, his wild and free thoughts roamed back to Liam- the boy who made him as confused as he'd ever been. There was just something in the way that boy's sheepish grin made his stomach flutter- it was like being pumped up with helium and sent adrift into the open sky.

He must have drifted off so far that he didn't even notice the shuffling of students around him or the short brunette taking seat right next to him.

"Enjoying your first day?" asked the pixie cut with freshly manicured purple nails.

"What gave me away?"

She shrugged, "You mean other than the fact that this class started two weeks ago and you're just showing up now?" Caleb chuckled as the girl rolled her eyes. "Firecracker", he thought to himself. She went on, "You have this dough eyed look in your face like maybe this school won't be so bad."

He raised an eyebrow, "Sounds like you're speaking from experience."

"Alicia" she said, raising her hand to his, "AKA the former new girl before you came and took my spot."

He shook her hand as they both cracked a smile, "I'm Caleb." He paused long enough to hear their teacher explain that they'd be paired up for the rest of class to go over the topics on the board- things he could talk circles around because unlike what his advisor assured, he'd taken this class before.

"So when'd you move out here?" He asked just as he finished scribbling down the answers to each of the generic questions listed up.

"Just before Christmas. My dad filled an opening at the local hospital a couple months ago and my mom and I followed once my semester was up. How about you?"

"About four days. We used to live here back when I was a kid but we moved to Jersey for the past six years" Caleb said as he twirled his pencil.

"Ah, so you're not technically new then. Still have some old friends around?"

He shrugged, looking around at all the faces that looked somewhat familiar, but none he could place. He wondered if it was his memory failing him or just the result of him sticking by Willy Holt and no one else way back when.

"Not many actually. I did meet up with this dude I used to be close to and we're kinda hanging out again" He said, trying not to smile.

But Alicia smiled enough for him, growing her eyes out of curiosity. "So I'm not the first person to befriend the newbie. Kinda defeats the whole purpose of this conversation don't you think?"

"I see you never let an opportunity for a tease go to waste."

She batted her overly long eyelashes and parted her bangs, "It's part of the charm. So who's your friend?" She looked around and whispered, "The kids here are like stock characters out of a CW show."

Caleb laughed and shook his head, "William Holt- kinda goes by Liam these days. We were close before my family moved away."

"Ah, you mean Lonely Boy" Alicia said with a knowing smirk that was met by Caleb's confused face. "From Gossip Girl? Geez and I thought I strayed from the mainstream."

He raised and eyebrow, "Is that like some nickname?"

"It's what some of the girls call him. Apparently it's cause he's cute, but he keeps to himself. Hell I've been at this school for three weeks and I haven't really seen him hang around with anyone."

Caleb sat there a little dumbfounded. Growing up it seemed like Liam was the coolest kid he knew- definitely a little quiet, but once you got him opened up, he was like a jack in the box unable to be put away. The two of them would often disappear into their own world crafted by the imaginations of two kids probably left alone longer than they should have been. And thinking back now, maybe Caleb was a bit of a loner- just with everyone except him.

Probably sensing his concern, Alicia quipped back, "I don't know him personally, that's just what I've seen."

"You seem to have a good handle of what goes on around here." He said, fiddling through the pages as if to look busy.

She shrugged, "My first week here was kinda pointless- I mean while everyone was cramming for finals I was just left to people watch. Kids here are predictable, but your friend there- he's kind of a mystery."

"In what way?"

"Well" she sighed, deciding if she wanted to dive that deep into someone she didn't know that well. She looked over to Caleb who was hanging on by her last words. "He doesn't really fall into any groups. I mean he seems cool with some of the other kids from around his neighborhood, but he's not close to them, at least not like the rest of them are." Caleb looked at her as if trying to piece together all that info "And then there's the fact that he pays no attention to any of the girls around here, no matter how hard they try."

"The boy just keeps to himself. And unlike the other loners in this school, it's a conscious choice."

"I guess a lot's changed since I left town." Caleb shrugged, looking back to Alicia with a blank look on his face.

She turned her lips into a soft smile, "Look, I don't know you that well, but can I give you some advice?" Caleb nodded. "Don't listen to what everyone else thinks. If you really think of him as your friend, then get to know him and find out for yourself." She smirked, "You may be the only one who actually knows the story that is Liam Holt."

***

Sometime after their third class, Caleb found himself on the bench just outside the main building. There, he fumbled through textbooks and papers, trying to organize everything so he wouldn't lose his place. He looked at the stack he made just to his left: a pile of books with post-its to serve as reminders of how far he had to read in order to catch up. The whole thing just felt daunting, a word that became the perfect adjective to describe the move thus far.

Liam lingered by the front doors a little longer than normal, standing just out of reach, yet close enough that he could see Caleb fumbling about. That same uneasiness crept back up to him like the symptoms of a cold that wouldn't quit. The boy was drenched in afternoon sun that cast a shadow on every crease of his denim shirt. Liam wondered if maybe Kev was right and despite the protests from his body, he should leave Caleb to be. But the same feeling of uneasiness also came with comfort. Caleb was the kid who left town and lived to tell the tale. He was the last vestige of Liam's old life before things had gone to shit. And maybe hanging out with Caleb meant he could salvage some part of that life again.

"You know, I bet most of the kids here didn't even get that far in the readings. Contrary to what all the teachers may have told you." Liam said, fiddling with his straps as he stood, blocking Caleb's sun.

Caleb squinted at the shadowed figure above him, "Oh really? Cause according to" he looked over the printed schedule in his hand, "Mrs. Walder, I have to memorize the Canterbury Tales for next week's quiz."

Liam shrugged, "Just fake it 'til you make it."

He raised an eyebrow, "Is that what you do?"

"No. I sit at my desk and read it a dozen times 'til it sticks" he replied, getting a smile out of the younger boy. "Then again, I don't really like letting people know what it is I do."

Caleb closed his books and shoved them into his bag, "Always the mystery, aren't you?"

Liam shrugged as Caleb pulled out two perfectly wrapped sandwiches from his bag along with a couple bags of chips and two bottles of iced tea. "So what'll it be mystery boy, chicken or ham?"

"Chicken, please" Liam said as he popped open a bag of chips, offering some to Caleb who grabbed a few and stuffed them into his mouth.

"I swear all this work's already got me stress eating." Caleb quickly unwrapped his sandwich and took a large bite before washing it down. They ate in silence for a few minutes until Caleb felt that lingering suspicion from his earlier chat with Alicia.

"Thanks for having lunch with me by the way" Caleb said as he crumpled up the paper wrapper and tossed it aside. "Cool kid like you probably has better things to do than hang out with the newbie."

Barely looking up, Liam replied, "I'm not that cool." He shrugged, "Besides, I'd rather chill with you than those schmucks" He flashed a weak smile to let the other boy know he was teasing. But neither of them knew that wasn't true.

"So are you sure that guy was cool with fixing my car? He seemed intense yesterday." Caleb asked, treading lightly as he dangled his legs below the bench.

"You mean Kev? Nah, he's always had a stick up his ass. He's just territorial is all- he usually only deals with people from the neighborhood."

Caleb must have looked like he was confused because Liam continued on, "The people from Clover are in their self-contained ecosystem: everyone looks out for each other and no one really ever leaves."

"Is that the case for you?"

Liam sighed, "It was, until my dad left a while back. Since then, people like Kev's family have tried to look out for us, but we don't need their help. If it didn't mean leaving my mom, I'd be out of here once school lets out."

Caleb let the words marinate before attempting to reply, "I didn't mean to pry. You just seem a little different from what I remember."

"Nah, you're good man. Shit happened after you moved away- a lot of which I'm still not ready to talk about. But I'll tell you another time, I promise." Liam said with a sincere smile that Caleb swore he could feel radiating to his bones. He smiled back, wondering if it had the same effect.

***

Later on that day, Liam drove Caleb back to Clover to pick up his car. His eyes nearly fell out of their sockets when he saw him pull out his wallet and hand over a couple hundred dollar bills to Kev. He'd been working since he was fourteen, yet he still couldn't think of spending that kind of cash in one sitting. Sensing his surprise, Caleb explained that his mom had wired him the cash to get the car fixed and that dropping that kind of money was painful, hammering in the idea that he wasn't rich, but his parents were.

After a few scolds from Kev about his poor car maintenance habits, Caleb hopped in his Jeep as Liam met him at the window. "Hey, come over tonight. We can order some food and I can break out my Switch that I have yet to unpack."

Liam hesitated for a minute, ready to come up with some excuse. That was until he saw Caleb looking like a sad puppy through the door. He exhaled, "Alright yeah, that sounds good." Caleb flashed that winning smile again and Liam swore to himself that telling him no sure wasn't going to be an easy feat. "I'll follow you in case your car breaks down again."

Caleb flicked him off, "Nah, I can't let you save my ass twice in one week."

The drive over to Caleb's house was more of the same. As they neared the streets that separated Lakeshore from the outskirts of Clover, Liam felt the surge of disdain coming back to him. He didn't know why he hated this place so much- actually he did, but sure as hell wasn't willing to say it out loud. Caleb's Jeep right in front of him served as a tether into this strange land as he followed along into suburbia.

Liam parked his car on the street as Caleb leaned against the edge of his Jeep. "I swear you drive slower than my grandma." He teased as he walked up to the tan boy.

"That's cause I kept checking every ten minutes to see if you were behind me. Can't have you getting lost out here, City Boy." Caleb practically grabbed Liam by the wrist and led him to the front door and into the kitchen.

Liam did a full spin, taking in the ornate architecture of a house that he'd only dream he could live in one day. Everything- from the tan leather sofas down to the white granite floors with veins that ran throughout the space like a spider's web, was perfectly done. It was like he stepped out of his body and into a Pinterest board.

"Mom kinda overdid it with the renovations." Caleb said as he plopped down on one of the couches, motioning for Liam to sit. "I liked how cozy the place used to be before we left. Now I feel like I cant even use the space without messing things up."

Liam sat down, ruffling the carefully placed throw in the process. "What good's a living room if you can't live in it?" he said with a smirk as Caleb nodded in agreement.

***

Sometime after, the boys were deep in another round of Smash surrounded by scraps of sausage pizza and empty bottles of cream soda. Liam was surprised at how comfortable he was, sitting around and enjoying himself as if he and Caleb had been doing this for the past few years. It didn't feel like reconnecting, instead it was like resuming where they left off.

Caleb flicked his controller onto the other side of the couch. He grunted, "I swear I just can't seem to beat you at this game!" He looked over to Liam who wore a smug grin. "I thought you said you don't even own a Switch."

Liam corrected, "I don't, but little Tony Kalvo down the hall does and I picked up a few tricks. He's eleven, so I watch him whenever his mom has to work late at the shelter."

Caleb shook his head, "So I'm technically losing to a middle schooler- that's what you're saying."

"Pretty much" Liam replied as he stood up and headed off to the bathroom.

Just as he walked away, Caleb's phone rang and he saw it was his mom. He answered, only to hear her surrounded by what sounded like a crowd of people. Knowing her, she was halfway into a benefit dinner to support whatever cause her foundation thought was worthy. She'd probably snuck off to some faraway corner to get five minutes worth of parenting in.

"Hey mom" Caleb said as he gathered together the few scraps of pizza crust into the box.

"Hey Sweetie, are you doing alright by yourself?" Mrs. Torres asked as Caleb tried to piece together the words through all the background noise.

"Yeah, everything's good over here, I actually have a friend over tonight to hang out. You'll never guess who I ran into-" He said, easing back into the couch as he kicked his feet onto the coffee table.

"Caleb honey, sorry I have to keep this short, but they're about to announce the honorees. I just called to let you know that I have to extend the trip a few more days."

"How long is a few more days?"

The sound of applause finally wavered as Mrs. Torres replied, "Looks like I won't be home until Monday. The city officials loved our pitch and want us to present it to the Congressman and hold a town hall meeting over the weekend. The earliest I can get on a plane is Monday morning."

Caleb sighed to himself, making sure his voice wasn't loud enough to carry over the phone. His disappointment, however, could easily stretch miles and over oceans. He knew he had every right to be upset, but to question it and make a big deal out of the way something made him feel- that was being unreasonable. So he mustered up the most polite and toxically fake voice he could.

"Alright. Well, good luck on your pitch. I'll see you after school on Monday" he said, gripping the phone as if trying to hold onto some ounce of integrity.

"Thanks son. Look after yourself while I'm gone and be sure to send your dad a text telling him how your first day went."

Caleb was about to reply when he got cut off for the second time, "Gotta go honey, love you."