The sun had dipped low by the time Liam finally stepped through the front door of his house. The warmth of the late afternoon clung to his skin, but it did nothing to ease the chill that settled in his chest. He knew what was waiting for him. The atmosphere inside was heavy, the tension palpable before he even reached the living room.
His father sat on the couch, stiff-backed, a stack of papers in his hands—Liam's latest test results. His mother stood nearby, her arms crossed, eyes narrowed in that familiar, disappointed way. It was a scene Liam had witnessed many times, but this time, it stung more than usual.
"We need to talk," his father said, his voice calm but firm, not bothering to look up as Liam approached.
Liam's heart sank as he slowly moved closer. He already knew what this was about. He had scored a 98 on his recent math test—a score most students would have been thrilled with. But for Liam, who had a streak of perfect 100s, this was a catastrophe. His father's silence as he shuffled the papers only made the weight on Liam's chest heavier.
"You've always gotten 100s," his father finally said, his tone clipped. "Every single time."
Liam swallowed, nodding. "I know, Dad, but—"
"But nothing, Liam." His father cut him off, raising his gaze to meet Liam's. "A 98 isn't good enough. You're slipping. You need to work harder, focus more. There's no room for errors, especially not now."
Liam clenched his fists at his sides, the familiar knot tightening in his stomach. "It's only 2 points…"
"And that's two points too many," his mother chimed in, her voice sharp. "You've set the bar, Liam. You know the expectations we have for you. Colleges don't look at students who 'almost' got perfect scores. They want perfection."
Liam's heart pounded in his chest, but he couldn't argue. He had nothing to say. He had heard this all before. No matter how well he did, it was never enough. His parents' idea of success was always one step further than where he was.
"And then there's the issue of what happened at school," his father added, his tone darkening.
Liam froze, dreading what was coming next. His father set the papers down and folded his arms, the disapproval clear in his eyes. "I heard you got into some kind of altercation. With that boy... Joe, wasn't it?"
Liam bit the inside of his cheek. "He was bothering Lily."
His mother's gaze hardened. "Lily. Always Lily. You don't need to be getting into fights over some girl, Liam. You're better than that."
"It wasn't a fight," Liam tried to explain, his voice barely above a whisper. "I was just trying to—"
"To what? Play hero?" his father interjected, his voice rising slightly. "This is exactly what we've been warning you about. Girls are a distraction, Liam. You don't need to be getting involved in their problems. Your focus should be on your studies, not some pointless school drama."
Liam's jaw tightened, but he couldn't bring himself to argue. His parents always had the final say, and he knew better than to challenge them directly. Defending Lily would only make things worse.
His mother's voice softened, but it didn't ease the weight of her words. "You're not a child anymore, Liam. You need to get yourself together and start thinking about your future. Stay away from unnecessary distractions—especially girls."
Liam stood there, feeling smaller with every word. His parents stared at him, waiting for a response. But what could he say? He couldn't deny them. He never could.
"Yes, Mom. Yes, Dad," he said finally, his voice hollow.
"Good," his father said, nodding in approval. "Now, go to your room and study. I want to see perfect scores next time."
Liam nodded once more, then turned on his heel and headed upstairs to his room. The moment he stepped inside, he shut the door behind him and leaned against it, his chest tight with frustration. He looked at the textbooks scattered across his desk, but his mind was far from them.
He pulled out his phone and stared at Lily's contact. For a moment, he considered texting her, just to make sure she was okay. But the echo of his parents' words rang in his head: Distractions. Stay away from girls.
With a heavy sigh, he set his phone down without sending a message. Instead, he forced himself to sit at his desk and open his notes. The numbers and formulas blurred together as he stared at the pages, but he kept pushing forward.
There was no room for mistakes. Not at home. Not at school. Not anywhere.