Boy Like Me.

"So do you wanna talk about whatever is bothering you?" Benjamin asked while making some tea. Ryan was sitting at the small table scribbling down some of his missed schoolwork. He shook his head and Benjamin pursed his lips walking over. The man untied his tie and pulled out a chair sitting down across from the troubled teen. "Are you sure? Talking about stuff helps." Benjamin explained bring the cup to his mouth.

"No! I don't wanna talk, just leave me alone." Ryan snapped, but calmed himself down quickly knowing Benjamin was only trying to help. The older man huffed and stood up walking away leaving Ryan to his thoughts.

"For the record," Benjamin said turning around to look at Ryan. The teen's back was to him and he was still hunched over his work. "You're a good kid Ryan, you just don't let people see that, nor do you let yourself." With those words Benjamin scuttled off to his bedroom to change out of his suit.

Ryan heard the door close and put his pen down. He ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head. Half the reason he was so bitter and cold to people was because of his past. It wasn't his fault that things turned out the way they did, they just did. Ryan thought about Liam and how he just seemed so carefree and happy. It angered Ryan a bit that someone could be that happy, it wasn't fair!

"Damn it all." Ryan cursed under his breath as he picked up his pen and started writing once again. He wanted Liam to feel the way he felt. He wanted him to know the feeling of having your heart ripped out and then put through a shredder. Ryan stopped writing and looked straight ahead out the window leading to the small backyard.

The thought then came to Ryan. He knew what to do now. Ryan figured his plan to make Liam feel the way he felt hard, but it was worth it. For three days Liam smiled and greeted Ryan, but he would brush him off. However the next time that happened he would change his ways.

Ryan actually hated Liam; he wanted to bring him down. As mean as it sounded Ryan seriously wanted to make Liam feel as miserable as he did.

-&-

"Ryan can you give me a hand and take those kids over there?" Dana asked. Her red hair was tied up in a bun and she had deep hazel eyes. Ryan glanced over at the table and sighed rolling his eyes. He knew them they were from school. Actually it was Liam and a couple of his friends. This may be his only chance to start a friendship with Liam. Walking over to the table he pulled out a pen and notepad.

"Hey guys," Ryan greeted with a half smile. The group looked up to him. Matt gave him a disgruntled look, Liam gave him a kind smile, and the other two guys with them just shrugged it off. "What would you guys like to drink?" Ryan asked pushing aside his thoughts of how much he hated his job.

"Big Red, two sweet teas, and lemonade for me," Liam explained pointing to each person as he listed off the drinks. "So you're a waiter huh?" the shaggy haired boy asked looking at Ryan's black pants, white apron around his waist, and then a dark red collared shirt.

"Unfortunately yes." Ryan commented with a small laugh and walked away. Matt titled his head in question, since when did Ryan have a nice side? Liam smiled and then turned to Matt seeing his look of confusion.

"What's wrong?" Liam asked.

"Why is he being nice?" Matt questioned pointing off in Ryan's direction.

"Dude we're customers he has to be nice." a guy with sandy blonde hair spoke; he had a surf kid of look.

"Charles you've seen him in class he's a total dick!" Matt exclaimed. Liam rolled his eyes and Charles shrugged it off. The other guy with auburn hair looked over at Ryan who was filling the drinks.

"He seems okay to me." Alex shrugged, but Matt still disagreed. Liam hated that his best friend disapproved of someone he kind of had a crush on.

"He's putting up a front." Matt muttered as Ryan came over holding all the glass. He placed them down on the table sliding them over to each person. Liam was the only one who said thank you.

"Do you guys want something to eat?" Ryan asked looking at all the people sitting at the table.

"I'm good." Matt waved the matter off in a bitter tone. Liam kicked his friend who grunted and glared across at him. The shaggy haired boy raised and eyebrow and Matt sighed sipping at his drink.

"I'll take a large order of fries." Liam said and Ryan nodded scribbling it down. He looked back up at Charles and Alex, they both waved him away and Ryan nodded leaving them alone at the table.

"Why'd you kick me?" Matt hissed at his friend.

"Would it kill you to be nice?" Liam grumbled picking up his drink taking a sip. Matt rolled his eyes and stirred the ice in his drink around.

"Like him do we?" Charles asked looking to Liam.

"No, but if he's being nice now why not just help him out?" Liam asked, but everyone could see right through him. He was attracted to Ryan, which was understandable. The guy was tall, dark, sexy, and built it was a crime for the guy to even wear a shirt. Liam remained silent sipping on his drink; if he did anything else the guys might start teasing him.

-&-

"I gotta go," Matt said. The group had been sitting at the café for about an hour and a half now. Mostly talking about school, summer, and girls, but Liam didn't take much part in the girl's area. He did however find himself staring at Ryan every now and then Matt caught him too. "I'll see you guys later, Liam you wanna ride?" Matt asked and Liam shook his head telling him he'd be fine. With a shrug Matt stood up from the table and exited the building.

"Now that Matt's gone," Charles peaked behind his shoulder seeing Matt walking across the parking lot to his truck. "Will you tell us about your strange fetish for Ryan?" Alex agreed nodding his head and Liam blushed looking down at the table shrugging his shoulders.

"Dude he's hot I won't lie, but seriously what's your fetish?" Alex was bi-sexual so it wasn't surprising he was saying such things. Charles on the other had was Alex's cousin, who was straight. He however was really interested in the life of gay and bi people.

"He just seems troubled," Liam shrugged looking at Ryan who was wiping off tables across the room. "I wanna help him and be a friend. He is new after all." The two boys sitting across from him smirked.

"It's okay that you like him." Charles explained and Liam was about to speak, but he figured it be best if he said nothing.

"In fact we'll be really awesome," Alex got up and grabbed his leftover soda tossing it on Liam who gasped jumping from his seat. "Run now!" Alex shouted grabbing Charles as rushing out of the café. Liam cursed a few times and looked around seeing the few customers staring at him in question. Feeling humiliated he plopped back down into his seat groaning.

"Well that must suck," Ryan said walking over to him. He stopped and Liam looked at him. "You have awesome friends." The guy commented sarcastically and Liam smiled weakly.

"What can I say?" he shrugged standing up. "Do you have an extra shirt?" Ryan chuckled and gestured for him to follow taking him into the back room. Looks like Alex had the right idea.