Who You Are (Liam Payne)

Chapter 7

"Can you tell me where we are going now?" I asked Niall as he started off his car engine.

"Be patient, love."

"Who gave you the right to call me that?"

"Why can't I call my date a love?"

"I'm not even your date," I complained, hitting his arm.

"Ouch, that hurts," he put on a fake painful face. 

"Sorry, blondie."

"Heyy, my natural hair is brown," he snapped back.

"Whatever, now tell me where we are going."

He turned around and stuck out his tongue at me before winking. I just shook my head because there was no way I was going to get the answer out of him. 

"Demanding princess," he talked to himself.

I tried to hide my giggle as I looked out the window. You know the reason behind it when you feel flattered inside but try to hide it outside.

Even though it was only the beginning of spring, the weather was so hot already. I always hated spring and summer in California but loved fall and winter because it wasn't freezing cold. The place where I lived never snowed. I wouldn't be joking if I said I had never seen snow before, except if the snow that was delivered from the eastern states and kept under shelters so that it wouldn't melt and we could play with it was counted.

When he turned on the familiar road, I was suspicious. "Are we going to AMC?"

"Jeez, you're smart."

If only he knew how many times I'd been to that mall. I'd even lost count.

"What are we gonna watch?"

"Cinderella."

No. Just no.

"Did you know Liam and Emma are going there too?"

"What? Really?" He looked so surprised. So, no joke. "He didn't say he was going out with Emma."

"Oh."

"What a surprise. That's great then! We can have double dates!" 

"Are you serious?"

I can't believe he was actually amazed by the coincidence. When he parked his car, I didn't say anything but just shook my head, knowing that I wouldn't have an option. I would never have an option in my life.

Now I was starting to get worried. Would that apply to my relationship too? Marriage?

Only time will tell.

"Oh my god, Alex! Niall brought you here?" Emma called out when she saw me waiting in the popcorn line with Niall. I rolled my eyes at her obvious question. "Oh, hi Niall!"

"Hey Emma!"

"You two are so cute!" She squealed.

"Where's Liam?" I asked just to stop her from another unnecessary comment.

"In the restroom."

She left when Liam came out, dragging her heels and marking the floor with every step she took. Niall paid for two bags of popcorn, two large drinks, and two boxes of chicken nuggets. If I were the one paying, I would only get a bag of popcorn just to look good because it wasn't even necessary.

Okay, before you could yell at me for being stingy, first off, you could've cooked and eaten something at home before you came to a movie so that you could avoid any spilling troubles and the expensive and unhealthy fast foods. Secondly, why would you need a drink when you could bring a bottle of water?

I chose to sit next to Emma because why not. The more, the merrier, people say.

"Are you okay?' I asked when I noticed Emma's frown on her face.

"He scolded me for buying these," she answered, pointing at the popcorn, drinks, chicken nuggets, and sandwiches on her lap. "I just wanted us to have enough food to eat."

I rolled my eyes and attempted not to laugh. Somebody is liking Liam even more now.

"Where is he now again?"

"He said he would come in a bit."

Such a date, man.

"How did you guys come here?" I felt like a celebrity interviewer, curious about every single move of my friend and my crush instead of popular celebrities.

"I went to his house and surprised him," she smiled as she recalled. She looked so proud of herself because, obviously, Liam must've said yes, unless she dragged him physically out of his house.

"You know his address too?" 

"Oh yeah, I asked that too yesterday."

Oh, okay.

The movie wasn't bad. Just like the movie Twilight was created from the book as well as the Hunger Games, I saw no difference in Cinderella. I still remember the first time I read Cinderella. I still remember how much I hated the stepmother and the two stepsisters. I still remember the first time I watched the Disney movie. I still remember how much of an impression the three evil's appearances left in me.

During the screening, Niall rested his hand on the same chair arm as mine was on. At some point, I saw his hand balling into a fist and flattening back out, doing God knew what he was doing. Just to be on the safe side, I pulled my hand away so that he couldn't take any further action.

I was also aware of Liam on the other side of Emma. He sighed a few times and rested his long legs on top of the empty chair in front of him. Lucky him.

"Time for ice cream!" Emma yelled, stretching her arms out in the air and doing her body a little exercise.

"But you just ate," Liam cut her off and she pouted.

Was it just me or was Emma slowly turning into a second Sophie?

Niall and I decided to go home because we didn't feel like going to a restaurant and waiting in a long line because it was dinner time and a Sunday night. You know what I mean.

"So how was the movie?" Niall asked when we were in his car again.

"Good, just that we all knew how it was going to end before we watched it."

I absolutely hated when that happened. Even when I was reading a book, spoilers were never welcome in my world.

"Hmm," Niall agreed. "So are you up for another date?"

"Niall, this is not a date!"

"Whatever you say,it is!"

We went back and forth a few times like that before we couldn't contain ourselves anymore and burst out laughing.

"Alex?" My name was called when I was about to step out of the car.

"Yeah?"

"Uh, I know this is gonna be awkward, but I've been thinking about it lately." I rolled my eyes at his usage of the word 'lately' when we had only met for one day. "What do you think about us?"

I knew this was coming, sooner or later, one way or another. May be I read way too many fan-fictions.

"Niall," I closed my eyes, thinking about how to reject something politely. My brain wasn't working at that damn time and I was pissed at myself.

"Yeah, I know Alex. It's okay," Niall spoke out, acknowledging my hesitance. "But please give it a thought."

If I was being honest, I wasn't sure how I felt about his confession. I nodded slightly and gave him a friendly smile, telling him that I would consider it.

Even though my heart wanted a limit - a friend zone.

Total word count: 5883