The Sound of Waves (Book #3 - Liam Payne Trilogy)

Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

I spent the rest of the evening by Liam's side, at times finding myself not even pretending to be his girlfriend. For some reason, he made that role so easy to fill. He would look at me intently as I spoke, he would glance at me when something in the conversation reminded him of me. He would offer me bites of his food and rest his leg up against mine under the table. It felt good to finally let Liam express how he felt. For the past few days, I know he had been keeping everything in, but now I was letting him be himself while I was figuring out who that was for me. I caught him staring at me for a moment while we were waiting for the checks to come. "May I help you," I teased. He just stayed there with his head rested in the palm of his hand and his elbow on the table and shook his head, "No, proceed," he said. I smiled and ruffled his short hair, "You're such a dork," I said, "Why are you staring at me?" "I find you interesting. By the way, you look absolutely stunning tonight," Liam said. "I feel like you want something from me," I said in a slightly skeptic voice. "You know what I want," Liam said with a swift lift of his eyebrow. "Liam!" I exclaimed, glancing at my brother to make sure he wasn't listening. Thankfully he wasn't. I accidentally made eye contact with Braydon across the table from me as I heard Liam's soft chuckle. I forgot Braydon was even there. That's terrible of me isn't it? To focus all my attention onto one person and forget the other. "Hey," I said, "I had fun tonight." He looked up at me, "Yeah," he said, "Me too." I knew he was lying. "I'm sorry it didn't really go as planned," I said, "And I'm sorry for practically ignoring you this whole evening. I mean, our brothers brought us here so we could get to know each other and all I've really done is focus on Liam." I saw Braydon processing my words. I didn't dare look over at my brother, I knew he would have a facial expression that would say he's surprised I apologized. "Maybe we could try this again sometime," Braydon suggested. I felt Liam tense up. "But strictly friends!" Braydon said quickly. "You two make a great couple! I wouldn't dare tear that apart." "Thank you," I said, glancing at Liam. He has calmed down again, but something inside him was still bugging him. "It's okay, Liam," I said, taking his hand under the table. This made him glance over at me. "It's okay," I whispered. He gently and slowly nodded his head. The checks came by only moments after and soon we were finding ourselves heading our separate ways. "It was amazing meeting you for the first - kind of - second time," Mitchell said pulling me in for a brotherly like hug. "You too," I said as he squeezed me tight. "We'll meet up again when I get back from the beach house," I said as I came to Braydon. He smiled and nodded his head. I pulled him in for a quick hug then stood by Liam's side and slipped my hand into his, securing my status as his girlfriend and setting him at ease. "See you around kiddo," Mitchell called to me. "Bye!" I said and then I was left alone with Josh and Liam. I was preparing myself for the fireball of questions my brother was building up. "So," my brother finally said, "How long have you two known each other? Do you think this is a good idea? What are your intentions for my sister? Will you treat her right? Is he the man you want to date, Brooklyn? Will he break your heart? Have you two kissed yet? How serious is your relationship? Do you even know each others middle names?" I couldn't hold in my laugh as Josh stood there triumphantly. Liam chuckled a little too, but I could see he was a little uncomfortable with a few of Josh's questions. "It's okay," Josh said, slapping him on the back, "I'm happy for you two." Liam blinked a few times and caught his breath, "Thank you." He managed. I let go of his hand and skipped ahead through the restaurant. I waited for the guys in the car and when they came out, I couldn't help but notice how they looked like long time friends. That was always how I wanted my boyfriend to be with my brother. It was weird calling Liam my boyfriend, but I had to remember this is still a trial, meaning if he doesn't prove to me that he can be the best boyfriend ever then this will all end and hopefully I won't break his heart.

When we got home, we were bored to death. Liam and I were both tired of watching movies, so Josh watched one alone. As Liam jumped in the shower, I grabbed a book someone had put into my duffle bag. So many people have handled it that it could have been anybody. When I opened up the book, I didn't notice a little slip of paper inside it until I was halfway through and it fell out. I picked it up and saw my neat handwriting again. It said, 'In my favourite book, I find my favourite story with my favourite characters coming to life within my mind. I wish and hope that something so good will happen to me as it has to this girl when I stop and realize it has. In the smallest yet grandest of ways, my life has become a romance novel, where the girl falls in love with the guy and nothing ever compares to that love.' I had taken my own breath away. My hand trembled slightly as I read those words, my words. It took the last little worlds 'I'm completely in love with him' scrawled at the bottom of the paper to make me reach up with that shaky hand and cover my mouth. I began crying. I was so in love and now I feel nothing. How does someone go from the beauty and miracle of love to the accepting that they lost it all. If this was a random person, not so obviously me, I would say she would be a lovely girl, completely kind to the world and madly in love. If I hadn't know it was me, I would have guessed she was a poet, looking for her calling. I can't remember though. I know it's me, but I can not remember one thing about what it was like to be in love with Liam. They say falling in love is the best thing that can ever happen to you. I guess that's why I was crying, the best thing that ever happened to me is gone, vanished, unable to ever be found, or possibly even recreated. Who knows if I will ever find love like I had. It scares me, yet makes me jealous that the old me had everything she ever wanted.