Liam's POV

"Liam, why don't you show Sophie that it isn't that bad?"

The suggestion was good, but I couldn't ignore the feeling in my stomach; it was not a happy feeling. I stared at the chair and quickly glanced at my father pondering what to do. Were my hands shaking? No, it was just my imagination. I looked over at Sophie, who had been looking at me.

"Take a seat, Liam." My dad said as he patted the patient's chair; it sounded all too familiar. I walked over to the chair and sat in it. I rubbed my sweaty palms on my jeans as my dad put on some gloves and I forced a smile that Sophie could see; she believed it. My dad then put a dental bib on me and lowered the chair.

Relax Liam. Everything is okay. Don't let Sophie see you act like a wimp. I told myself as I let a breath out and my dad turned the light on—which blinded me for a few seconds. I felt this lump in my throat as I heard him pick up his tools—god what is wrong with me? I'm afraid of my own father. Has my phobia gotten worse?

"Okay Liam, open wide." My dad instructed. I slowly opened my mouth and let his tools enter my mouth; they felt cold as I felt them scrap and poke my teeth. "You were due for a check-up anyways." He whispered and I laughed a little with the tools still scraping and my mouth wide open. I looked over to see if Sophie was watching and she was—she seemed calmer. Probably because she wasn't the one in the chair being poked at.

Eventually my dad retracted the tools and I got to breathe for a second while he got the polisher ready. "Close your eyes and open up." He said and I complied; the closing of my eyes was what I was very happy to do. Strangely, it helped me relax—don't know how to explain it, but it helps. Eventually he finished and let me rinse the disgusting taste out of my mouth.

I looked over and saw Sophie laughing at my disgust of the mint taste that was in my mouth. "Haha, very funny." I said as laid back down on the chair. "Okay, I'll just do the exam." He told me and I nodded—this was mine and everybody else's least favorite and most dreaded part of the check-up: the exam. I didn't have any kind of toothache recently so I knew I was fine; but it didn't mean I had to like it. "Open up."

I slowly opened my mouth and the exam began. I felt him taping and even a little scraping—didn't he do enough of that already? I felt somewhat relaxed until he switched to my left side and tapped one of the molars in the back. I yelled and he pulled the tools out quickly—oh god. Please don't tell me I need something fixed.

"I'm so sorry Liam." My dad apologized and I nodded. I knew he didn't do it on purpose. I rubbed my cheek as I felt the faint throb from my tooth. "Open back up, I'll take a look at that."

Once I did, he would know what problem I had and I would too. I didn't want to know—why couldn't I just be done and everything be perfect—at least for now? I didn't want to open again, but I looked at Sophie and I couldn't chicken out.

I opened my mouth a little bit. "A little more." My dad asked and opened more and I felt the tools go to the back of my mouth and I closed my eyes. I started to squirm in my seat; I felt really uncomfortable. "Just relax." My dad whispered, I hope Sophie didn't hear that.

Eventually my dad retracted the tools and I heard them being put back onto the tray. I opened my eyes as he turned off the light and moved the chair up. "Okay?" I said, wondering what was wrong.

"You have a small cavity on your molar." My dad told me. My heart may have dropped a little when I heard the word "cavity". Now feel almost how I did when I was thirteen and I first came in here with my dads. "I'll be right back, I'm just going to grab a few things so I can fill it for you really quick." He said and left Sophie and I alone in the room.

Why was I so afraid? I have had a filling before and I knew what to expect. Why was this happening? I closed my eyes for a moment and I kept picturing the drill—that must be it. I remember in the waiting room after hearing it—it made me jump. I guess hearing that horrid sound brought back those horrible memories.

I was telling Sophie how there isn't anything to be afraid of and yet here I am. In the dentist chair about to get another filling and I am shaking in fear. "Hey." Sophie said and I opened my eyes.

"I was just resting my eyes." I lied. Probably worse than the excuses she tried yesterday with me.

"Liam, it's okay." She said, smiling. "I know you're scared."

"I'm n-not scared." I lied. It sounded worse coming out than it did in my head. It would have been more believable for me to have shaken my head as a response.

"Yeah right, you look more terrified than I have ever seen you." Sophie stated and she was right. There was no point lying anymore; I was scared—more than that. I was terrified. "What happened to there's nothing to be afraid of."

I sighed, burying my face into my hands and running it through my hair; I felt like I could burst into tears at any moment. If I did however, I would never live it down. Sophie would probably laugh up a storm. "Okay, I'm scared. Happy?" I replied, turning away from her.

"You told me there was nothing to be afraid of."

"I know." I said, not looking at her. "I know I shouldn't feel like this, but I can't help it. And when we came in here and we heard the d-drill in the waiting room—it brought me back further."

"You're going to be fine."

"I'll tell you something, nobody ever knows. Not even my dads." I said and she nodded. I told her about an experience I had before I started coming here and letting my dad perform check-ups and such on me. Now I was officially shaking. "Now you know why I'm such a wimp." I looked away and wiped a tear that was falling as I remembered that horrible experience; one of the reasons I hated talking about the dentist. "I didn't even tell my dads about it when it happened."

I heard footsteps and someone's hand on my cheek and she pulled it towards her. God she saw me crying over something so stupid—I am sixteen for crying out loud. I tried to pull away, but she wouldn't let me. She wiped my tears away and then kissed my forehead.

"Okay, I have a confession to make." She said. "I don't really have a toothache."

"Sophie—"

"Liam, your dads talked to me a few days ago and asked me if I would be willing to try and get you down here to get checked out. They told me that you hadn't been here for a while because you are afraid." She explained. "So I faked having a toothache and being scared to get you here for your check-up." I almost didn't believe what I was hearing. She did what?!

"You did what?!"

"I know, I felt so guilty about it. I hated lying to you and I'm sorry." Sophie said, I wasn't really mad at her. I was really just being stressed out from being in this situation.

"Just promise next time you will just force me to go instead of going through all this." I said and she nodded. I looked down at my hands that were shaking. I guess since she knew everything I didn't need to hold everything back now. "Sophie." I said and she looked up at me. "I'm scared."

"Someone very smart and brave once told me, it's okay to be afraid." Sophie said and I grinned; I remembered there being more words mixed in, but oh well. They touched foreheads and I was smiling now. "Don't worry, I'll be with you the whole time. I promise."

I loved having someone like Sophie in my life. Sophie and I saw my dad come back into the room and I knew it had to begin.

"You ready, Liam?" My dad asked me. I looked at Sophie, who smiled and then grabbed my hand. I nodded at my dad and he reclined the chair and turned the light on. I took a few deep breath as my dad prepared the injection I would get in a few minutes.

"Open up for me." He said and I complied. "Close down a little." He said and once I was open just enough, he put the injection in. Okay, not too bad. "We'll wait for that to take effect." My dad says and I go into my pocket and find that my iPod isn't there. Oh god, I just have left it in my bag that my other dad took home.

"What's wrong?" Sophie asked me as I started to look distressed again.

"My iPod—I think I left in my bag. Which is in my other dad's car." I told her.

"I can—never mind. I think mine is in the same place" She replied and I sighed. Now I'm going to have to hear it—that horrid sound. I looked at that tool as my dad came back into the room.

"You doing okay, bud?" My dad asks me.

"I don't have my iPod, so I guess I have to hear it today." I said calmly, but I honestly felt on the verge of crying; I hated that sound. It made my teeth hurt thinking about it and if I jumped after hearing it faintly in the waiting room—this will be worse because it will actually be inside my mouth.

"It's not that bad." My dad said as he picked it up and turned it on and jumped again. "Can you feel your face Liam?" My dad asked and I shook my head. "Then don't worry, it won't hurt a bit. And if you need a break, just raise your hand and I will stop."

"Open up, Liam." He asked me and I tried to bring myself to do it, but I couldn't. All I could think about was the sound and pain. I shook my head and covered my mouth with one hand—childish maybe, but I couldn't help it. "You need to open your mouth." He said and I know I did, but I could. I started to, but I couldn't finish. "Liam, it's not going to hurt you." I knew my dad wouldn't hurt me with it, but my brain was stuck on the time where it did and I couldn't shake it.

Then I felt someone grab my hand again and looked to see Sophie. "It's going to be okay, Liam. Now you need to open your mouth." Sophie told me and somehow I felt a little safer. I opened my mouth a little bit.

"Wider. Wider" My dad told me and once I opened enough he turned on the drill and I squeezed my eyes closed and Sophie's hand. I was tense for the first few seconds, but it got easier as it went on. I still hated the sound, but at least I got through this part. My dad then filled the hole and dried it and I was done.

"All done." My dad said and we were both happy for that. "Was that so bad?" Now I really feel childish, I started to blush.

"Everything is okay." Sophie said and I attempted to kiss her on the cheeks—at least I knew for sure this time that it wouldn't be painful or one of us.

So Liam faced his fear with a little help from Sophie. Also she admitted that she tricked him and he admitted something to her. Anyway, that's the end of it. Thank you for reading and enjoying it!

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