For Now and Always (Liam Payne)

Chapter 1

She didn't know what she was doing here, not just this smoky crowded club, but here in general. Taking classes in London has seemed like a great idea at the time. Getting out of the small town, way across the ocean, to start a new and better life, a life where nobody knew her and where she could start over. But now, in the reality of it, it seemed foolish. What did she know about London? What did she know about life in a big city? She was from a tiny town on the shores of Lake Huron. There were trees and beaches. Here there was buildings and NOISE. Everywhere! She missed the lulling sound of the freighters on the lake. Somehow, loud traffic wasn't the same.

Sighing, she looked around for Dylan, her roommate. No, FLAT mate. She lived in a flat, not an apartment. Never mind that the bedrooms were on the second floor of the FLAT. She has to get used the British terms.

She spotted Dylan, across the room, dancing in a group of other girls she vaguely knew. They lived around them and went to classes at the same university. She needed to get to know their names if she was ever going to make friends. Make friends. Ya, right she thought. That wasn't likely. She'd never mastered the skill of making friends. Another reason to leave the states and start over: new people who didn't know her.

She pushed her way across the club, the tangle of arms and legs prohibiting her from moving as fast as she'd like. Finally, she found herself within shouting distance of Dylan. "Let's go! It's too smoky in here! I can't breathe!" she yelled.

"Oh, relax! You American's and your clean air! Just have fun. Dance. TRY! This club is full of hotties tonight." Dylan turned around, spinning her long dark red hair around and started to dance once again.

She stood there, staring. Great, she thought. I guess I'll walk home. I think I remember the way. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her hip. Someone was touching her, trying to dance with her. She could feel the person behind her swaying to the beat and trying to get her to do the same. Horrified, she turned around and yelled "DO YOU MIND?" into the face of this stranger. He looked down at her, confused.

"Sorry, Love. You looked like you wanted to dance." He stopped moving but left the hand on her hip. As she was about to say something, she looked up into his face. She gasped. This had to be the handsomest man she'd ever seen in real life. Movie star handsome. His brown hair was short and styled back into what was obviously an expensive haircut. His lips were full, pink and surrounded by a scruffy beard she suspected was carefully groomed to look scruffy. But his eyes? She had never seen eyes like that! Deep brown, thoughtful, searching eyes. Just by looking in those eyes she could tell that he wasn't some club rat just trying to pick her up. If anything, he seemed nervous? Could this beautiful man be nervous about talking to her? Impossible.

"It's okay" she mumbled, looking down. She wished the floor would open up and swallow her.

She turned to walk away as he grabbed her hand. "Can I buy you a drink?" he said. He spoke with a low, melodic voice, his British accent obvious and sexy as hell.

Her mind raced. Should she let him buy her a drink? Was that safe? She decided that she would try dancing with first and she how that went. If she didn't embarrass herself too much, she would let him buy her a drink.

"How about that dance, first?" she said, hoping she sounded sexy and not terrified. Her voice shook only a bit. She could do this.

He put his hand back on her waist and proceeded to sway his pelvis back and forth to the music, pulling her close. She imitated his movements, putting her hands up and as she grinded into him. She closed her eyes and let herself feel the music. Her body took over and ignored that part of her brain that was screaming at her to run away. Her body relaxed and they moved together as one. Everyone else in the club seemed to be moving in slow motion as she focused on him.