Getting in shape... with Liam Payne

Cinema For Two, Please

All my doubts were obliterated by the time we pulled up at the parking lot of Light House cinema. Liam got out of the car first and ran across to open the door for me. He’s such a flippin’ gentleman, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it and stop getting flustered every time he pulls something like this. As we strode leisurely, hand-in-hand, I once more ventured to ask Liam what’s been pressing on my mind throughout the eternity of the flattering car ride (flattering because Liam was so keen on convincing me that I am important to him that he pulled over a couple of times, only to notify the random passerby by that “This beautiful girl right here is my girlfriend.” to which the perplexed people would nod slowly and eye with visible concern for our mental health).

“Liam, how are we going to watch Toy Story if it’s not screening?”

The question caused the handsome brunette to pause, turn his gaze towards me before saying:

“Oh but it is screening. Just for the two of us.” He replied before giving me an adorable little kiss on the lips. Liam’s reply left me even more confused than before. But his smug smile and the mischievous gleam in his eyes told me that was all the information I was going to receive.

“Ok, I’ll pretend I know what you mean by that.” I said sheepishly, also giving his a small kiss. He let out a soft laugh before winking at me.

“Your charm is endearing, baby.” Oh gosh he would always just say perfect things like that. Seriously, this guy was so amazing it amazed me just how amazing me was. Yeah.

The cashier greeted us with a friendly smile and a “hello” that seemed to be directed more towards Liam than me. Although he did look undeniably gorgeous in a casual plaid button-down and dark jeans, that was no excuse for this much staring.

Hands off lady, he’s my boyfriend.

Oh how amazing that phrase sounded – my boyfriend. Mine. Not yours. I smirked to myself as I pitied this young woman at the box-office because she couldn’t possibly find someone better than Liam.

“How may I help you?” again, she spoke only to Liam. This was getting annoying – this woman was practically undressing him with that stare. I knew what a look like hers meant only too well because I was the one usually looking at guys in this pitiful manner.

“Cinema for two, please.” Liam answered with a flamboyant smile, putting an arm lovingly around my waist to pull me closer.

“Oh, you must be Mr. Payne then. Yes, I have your reservation documents right here.” Was that a hint of disappointment I just heard? I tried to suppress another smirk as the blond employee checked something on the screen of her computer before handing Liam a single sheet of paper, “The Toy Story trilogy, yes?”

“Yeah, that’s the one.” Liam said with the eagerness of a child, looking over the paper he just received with a smile so damn hot it’d melt an iceberg.

“That’ll be room 4. The films are ready to be played any time you wish.”

Then I sort of realized something that caused this great wave of happiness wash over me – had Liam really reserved us a cinema just because I said I like the Toy Story movies and would like to watch them with him?

This guy is beyond perfection.

“Gosh Liam. Baby I don’t know what to say. This is really too much – you are the greatest!” I spluttered out of nowhere once we reached the glorious double-doors leading into Screen Four. Spontaneously I wrapped my arms around Liam’s neck and gave him as best a kiss as I could. Still, the kiss I received in reply was much better than I could aim for in a million years. But I guess that’s Liam for you.

“I keep on telling you, love. Nothing’s too much for you because one smile from you is more precious than any date I could take you on.” Liam replied before opening the doors for me and motioning me forward, “After you, my lady.”

I was so baffled by his response that all I managed was an inadequate ‘thank you’ and a blush more scarlet than the cinema’s seats.

The movies were amazing, of course. I had seen them a couple of times and up until I met Liam I had considered myself a legit fan of the trilogy – that with my top-secret collection of stuffed Woody plushies and a reasonably large number of other Toy Story gadgets like t-shirts and action-figures. Though only now, having met Liam, did I discover the full meaning of the word ‘obsession’. Liam, well, let’s just he was on a whole different level: he could quote whole dialogues from all the three movies and had memorized most of the soundtrack and would hum it seductively into my ear every now and then. I was well-aware of his fascination before today seeing as he would steer our conversations in the direction of Toy Story of Pixar Studios on any possible occasion – I found this behavior extremely adorable and would laugh and his kiss cheek every time I noticed his urgent attempts at getting me to say just what brilliant films they are.

Three consecutive movies might seem like a lot but, with all the popcorn battles; ridiculously loud outbursts of laughter (sometimes simultaneous; causing us to laugh even harder) and entire dialogues between Woody and Jessie spoken outloud with heavy exaggeration; the good couple of hours went by like lightning. But I think it may have been the whispered compliments and surprise kisses from Liam that really made time fly.

Darn it he’s a flippin’ good kisser!

How does a person even get their tongue to flex like that?

Thoughts like these made me giggle mid-way through these blissful moments but Liam would always smile back so I don’t think he minded my childish behavior too much.

“You are just too good at this.” I couldn’t help myself from saying after a particularly luscious kiss.

“Lips like yours would sweeten anyone’s kiss.” He purred into my ear.

Is it just me or does he have the perfect answer to everything.

I opened my front door some hours later still enveloped in my delightful bubble of happiness only to have said bubble violently burst right in my face. Alex, my younger brother, was sitting at the foot of the staircase looking more hopeless than I ever remembered seeing him.

“Alex, what’s wrong?” I asked running over to him and sitting down by his side. He looked up at me with eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and helplessness.

“Mum. She locked herself in, in her bedroom a couple of hours ago. She’s crying Alice. It’s today and I forgot… I forgot.”

Today.

Oh my god.

How could I possibly forget it’s today?

“Alex I,” I was mortified with concern. But even more I was mad at myself for going off with Liam when I should have been here at my mother’s side. I should have been there for her today to comfort her, “Alex don’t feel bad. It’s not your fault – I should have remembered. At least you were at home.”

“What use am I? I don’t know how to talk to her in this state! She just goes on and on about how it’s her fault. How she wasn’t good enough and that’s why he left her. Nothing I tell her gets through to her.” Alex has on the edge of tears; I hugged him closer and whispered him a sshhh. Alex looked down at his hands to avoid my apologetic gaze.

I still couldn’t believe that I had forgotten so I got out my phone to check the date and, sure enough, it was July 3rd. The day that my dad had walked out on my mum. On our entire family. The day he broke my mum beyond repair – she told me countless times she was long over him but I knew it was all just a bunch of lies to make both of us feel better. If she would have truly forgotten him then she wouldn’t lock herself in and cry the whole day, every time this anniversary came up. But she did cry, no weep, every single time. Only every other time she did I was there to tell her that she needn’t to, because she has Alex and me and we love her.

Only this time around I forgot.

Oh dear god why must I be so careless?