Shy [Liam Payne]

Chapter 5

I woke up fairly early, considering how late we were up last night. I put on an oversized blue knit sweater and black leggings, just because I don't feel like dressing up. I tied my hair in a messy bun and applied Chapstick before going downstairs.

"Lou?" I called into the kitchen. Surprisingly, it wasn't Louis rummaging through the cupboards. Liam turned around to face me.

"You didn't bring your bat this time?" He teased, offering a smile. I laughed awkwardly and shook my head. I sat at the bar next to Harry, who was eating spaghetti for breakfast. Why? I don't know.

"Bat?" He asked with a mouthful of food.

"Don't speak with your mouth open." Liam instructed, being the sensible one. "But last night she tried to maul me with a baseball bat. Lou stopped her in time." He chuckled.

"I bet she isn't the first girl who's tried to hit you with a baseball bat." Harry picked on Liam.

"Very funny, Harold." Liam rolled his eyes.

"Where's Lou?" I asked.

"Still asleep." Liam rolled his eyes once again. I nodded understandingly. He never wakes up early if he has a choice.

"You could be identical twins, despite the heigh difference, but you're nothing alike." Harry said as he finished his 'breakfast' of spaghetti.

Once again, I'm compared to Louis.

"Niall must've been here." Liam mumbled as he scanned the cupboards. "You're out of food, Harry."

"Uh oh." Harry replied, obviously not caring very much.

"I guess I'm going to buy your groceries." Liam said to him. "Want to come?" He asked me.

I contemplated the thought and then replied with, "Sure." I went to my room and slipped on a pair of shoes and took my hair out of the bun. The waves went down just passed my bust. I glanced at my pile of makeup and decided to just do without it today. I'm grocery shopping. Who cares? People are gonna look at me and judge me and think I'm ugly anyway. So what does it matter?

With my self confidence lower than before, I met Liam downstairs and he handed me a pair of sunglasses. "Just incase we see the paparazzi." He explained. I nodded understandingly.

Do I need to tell Louis before I go? I don't think he'll like me wandering off without telling him. But then again, I'm with Liam. He's the responsible one. Lou should trust him, right? Won't Louis be glad I'm actually going in public voluntarily? I mean, this is a start, right? But I don't want to risk him getting mad at me.

Why don't I just ask Liam what he thinks?

Because he might think it's a stupid question.

Well, it is a dumb question. I should know my brother well enough to predict how he's gonna feel about this. Gosh, I'm a bad sister.

Just ask him, Marianne!

I finally got the nerve after my mental debate and spoke up. "Should we tell Lou that we're going out?" I asked cautiously.

"What?!" A very loud Irish accent said loudly, scaring me half to death. "Going out? Liam, you just me the girl. Can't you give her some time to adjust to her new home before you start marrying her?"

I stared at Niall in embarrassment. He was joking... I think? I couldn't even imagine what to say next.

"Niall," Liam began, "she obviously meant going out to the store. Now you and your immature self can go back to your flat and find something to eat, because I'm definitely not cooking you anything now." He frowned.

"Aw, Li, you knew I was just joking." He pouted, using puppy dog eyes.

"Not that face, Niall." Liam groaned. "Ugh, fine. I'll make you something when we get back." He rolled his eyes. "Alright, Mari, what was your question again? I'm sorry. I completely forgot." He apologized.

Oh gosh. I have to repeat myself?! I hate talking to people. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it.

I hate it.

I. Hate. It.

"Uh... Uhm..." I said, trying to remember my question. Oh yeah! Now I remember! "Do we need to tell Louis that we're going out?" I asked him nervously.

"Oh, yeah. We probably do." He nodded. "Good thing you remembered. He would have freaked out on me."

I nodded, agreeing with him, and we walked up to Lou's bedroom. He was still asleep.

"Lou?"

"Not now, Liam. It's too early." He mumbled, rolling over.

"You wanna try?" Liam asked me. I shrugged.

"Lou? Wake up, please?" I said, more like a question than anything else. He immediately bolted up in bed.

"What? What's wrong? I'm alive!" He sputtered random things.

"We're going out to get groceries." Liam said. "We just wanted to tell you so you don't beat me up later."

"Mari, you're going too?" He asked me, scanning my face for a emotion.

"Uhm, yeah." I said quietly, avoiding eye contact.

"Alright, then... Be careful and wear sunglasses. I'm off to sleep." He said and dived back into his bed.

***

"Look! It's Liam Payne!"

"Oh goodness." Liam mumbled. "Just walk fast, alright? Don't let them touch you. It's gonna get crazy." I nodded, fearing what happens next.

Before I knew it, Liam and I were surrounded by people. People with cameras, teenage girls, and everything in between.

"Excuse me?" He tried to ask politely. Nobody would quieten down or move. "Excuse me, if we could just get through, that'd be lovely."

My breathing picked up when I realized they had us completely surrounded. People were yelling all kinds of things at me.

"Are you Liam's new girlfriend?"

"She's so ugly!"

"What happened to Danielle?"

"Marianne," Liam caught my attention, saying my name above all the yells, "are you okay?" I hesitated and shook my head. The girls started reaching out and touching me. They were grabbing onto my clothes and touching my hair. "Move!" Liam yelled at the group of people. This time, they obeyed and formed a path for us. Liam gestured for me to follow him down the sidewalk. "I'm so sorry about that. Oh gosh. I know I'm not supposed to tell you I know this, but Louis told me about your disorder. Are you alright? Do have your medicine? I'm so sorry." He rambled.

Louis... Told him?