All's Fair in Love and One Direction

26: All's Fair in Liam Payne

Chapter 26

The limo slows to a stop and I am overwhelmed by the endless amount of camera flashes.

I've decided against walking the red carpet with the boys in order to prevent being antagonized by papparazzi or humiliating myself completely. I cringe as I imagine tripping and falling flat on my face in front of two hundred photographers.

"We'll probably be finished with the circuit of interviews in about thirty or forty-five minutes. You go on ahead to the after party area and hang out; we'll come find you when we're done," Liam informs me while getting out of the limo. The rest of the boys scramble out after him.

"We'll miss youuuu" Louis and Harry chorus, then: "JINX."

"NO, YOU JINX."

"NO."

The limo pulls away, and I glance back to see a microphone already being shoved into Niall's face.

I laugh to myself.

•••••••••••••••••

"BOO!"

I nearly throw my phone across the room in surprise.

Behind me is a hysterically laughing Zayn.

"I hate you!" I say, laughing.

Zayn and I join with the rest of the group and they brief me on what to expect from a party with celebrities.

"Ok now we should really go get some drinks..." Niall grins.

Liam and I look at each other.

"Andie and I will stay here... You lads go ahead." Liam says.

Maybe it's just my imagination, but I swear some unreadable emotion - jealousy? hurt? indifference? - sweeps across Harry's face for a split second - But only a split second, because the four boys are soon gone, and Liam and I are left standing alone.

We aimlessly wander through the crowd for a few minutes before stumbling upon a table of sweets.

Liam's eyes light up as he piles almost every single type of pastry onto his dish. He points to the stack of plates inquiringly.

"I'm just going to steal from you; You definitely got enough for two." I laugh.

"Fine by me." He grins.

I freeze. There's no denying that Liam is the type of guy that any girl would be lucky to have: attractive, sweet, and thoughtful. But standing here with a semblance of flirting put on, all I can think of is Harry.

I can't think about Harry. I need to put him out of my mind.

Liam has always been sweet to me, and he truly is an amazing person.

He's so much better for me than Harry.

"What are you thinking about?" Liam's voice breaks me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, nothing." I realize that I've absentmindedly been following him through the crowds of people, and we've almost reached the door.

He makes a 'mhmm' sound and I don't bother to wonder what he is talking about because I'm distracted by catching sight of Niall, fifty feet or so away. Where there is Niall, there should be Harry. I look around for Harry, still following Liam.

A pang of jealousy shoots through my stomach.

Harry is laughing and talking to some blonde girl in a short, tight black dress.

How could you have ever thought he actually cared about you, Andie?

Obviously, if Harry ever did have any feelings for me, he's done a fantastic job of quickly forgetting them. I have to remember: He's Harry Styles. This is apparently what he does.

I take Liam's arm. "Let's go outside."

The brisk winter air snaps me out of my overthinking and makes me appreciate the fact that I'd grabbed my jacket before getting out of the limo.

"You were thinking about Harry, huh?" he takes a few steps out of the glass doors and sits on a stair step.

"What are you talking about?" I try to act innocent, but I've never been good at playing stupid.

I have a seat on the stair next to Liam.

"Don't you fancy him?" he continues quietly.

"No" I answer simply.

He chuckles under his breath and turns to look at me.

My gaze sets in his chocolate brown eyes for a few seconds. He's so genuine. So sweet. So much better for me than Harry would ever be. And with those thoughts running through my head, I'm the first to lean in.

His lips meet mine for the briefest of moments, and then we pull apart.

Adrenaline is undeniably pumping through my veins.

Sharp pain sinks into my stomach.

This isn't right.

Panic sets in.

I run.

(A/N: Hi. I haven't updated in a long time. You know when you haven't texted someone for a while, so you text them and it's just really awkward? Yeah.

So anyways, big things are happening in Andie's life.

Do stay tuned.

Also remember to vote/comment/ fan and check out my Louis one-shot (Cupcakes) and Maria's Harry one-shot (First Kiss), as well as her short (completed) Niall fanfic Stop the Clock. You won't regret it(:

Spoiler alert: I'm writing a short Liam fanfic and it should be up soon.

We'll update within the next few days, I promise.

Love you<3

- Katie)