Loved You First

Chapter 7

“He’s just so cute though.” Zayn whined, plopping down onto Liam’s couch and kicking his feet up on the coffee table.

Liam walked out of the kitchen and tossed a can of Sprite at him. “He has a girlfriend.” He commented as he sat down next to him.

“Didn’t stop him last time.” The dark haired boy mumbled, popping open the can.

Niall was getting increasingly tired of all this Harry talk. He groaned from where he was laying on the floor. “Can we talk about somethin’ other than Harry and how perfect he is?”

Zayn laughed and reached down to ruffle his hair, something he did pretty often. “Y’know what, I’ve got to get some homework done anyways. So I’ll catch up you guys later.” Zayn stood up from the couch and took his Sprite with him as he walked out the front door.

Niall watched as he left, “Well I didn’t mean for him to leave, but okay.” He commented, sitting up so he could look at Liam.

Liam looked back at his friend and shook his head. “We need to have a talk.” He stated before getting up from his seat on the couch and walking into the kitchen. Niall sat on the ground in almost total confusion as he waited for his friend to return. Liam emerged from the kitchen with a bag of chips and a couple of sodas. He tossed one to Niall and kept the other for himself as he took a seat on a beanbag chair near the blonde. “Alright then,” Li said. “Spill it.”

The blonde boy stared back at his friend with a lost look on his face. “Spill what?”

“Why’ve you been acting weird towards Zayn lately? Don’t try to act like you haven’t.” Liam accused, taking a handful of chips and stuffing his mouth.

Niall felt his cheeks heat up a little at how Liam was so blunt about the subject. “I uh…” Niall began, trying to decide how he should approach the subject. He was usually known as the blunt one of the group, but how was he supposed to come out with something that could potentially jeopardize their entire friendship?

“C’mon, Ni. You know you can tell me anything.” Liam urged, he was more sensitive to other’s feelings than most people would know. “Do you not like Harry or something?”

Niall bit his lip, his braces pulling at his upper lip a bit. “No, that’s not it. Harry’s fine.”

Liam furrowed his eyebrows, he’d been almost sure that’s what it was. “Then what is it?”

“S’not a big deal.” Niall tried to brush it off. He wasn’t sure he was ready to tell anyone. He wasn’t sure it was even real. He chewed on his lip as he looked down and played with the tab of his soda can.

Liam couldn’t remember a time when Niall had acted like this. He sighed and pushed his feet out in front of him a little more, looking to his blonde friend of nearly five years. Li couldn’t imagine what Niall wouldn’t want to tell him, he’d never been secretive. “Look, Ni. If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to. But if Z hasn’t already noticed you acting weird, he will soon, and do you really want to be having this talk with him instead of me?”

Ni sighed, Liam had a point. This talk would be a lot more awkward to have with Zayn. “No.” He mumbled, still playing with his soda can. “Just promise ya won’t tell him, okay?”

Liam nodded, getting increasingly concerned for what his friend could be hiding.

“I think I might have feelings for Zayn.” Niall blurted out, his cheeks now on fire as he continued to keep his eyes down. He was more than afraid of what Liam thought. What if he didn’t want to be friends with him anymore? Liam didn’t even know he was into guys before this.

There was a long silence as Liam took in Niall’s words. “Like you…”

“Yes.” Niall cut him off immediately, not wanting to have to repeat the words that were already so hard to say in the first place. His chest hurt with all the nerves and pent up emotion held in his body. The blonde pulled his knees up to himself, holding them against his chest.

Niall could feel Liam’s sympathetic puppy dog eyes on him as he sat there. He heard his friend shift on the beanbag chair so he could lean forward towards him. “How long has it been?” he questioned, his voice was softer now.

“I don’t know.” Niall admitted. He honestly didn’t. All he remembered was that at some point he’d begun getting jealous of Zayn’s fondness towards Harry. It hadn’t been a problem for him until they’d actually gotten together, when it was just a fantasy for Z it’d been fine. Now that it was a real possibility, it got to him.

It got to him that all of a sudden Zayn was coming home with disgusting hickeys on his neck. It got to him that Zayn was so open with Harry when it’d taken Niall months to get him to open up. It got to him that Harry was all Zayn could seem to talk about.

Liam shifted so he could face Niall, who had now lifted his head just slightly but was still resting his chin on his knees. “That’s why you’ve been all protective over him?” Liam wondered, still trying to make sense of it all. This was the last thing he’d expected.

Niall nodded.

“But you’re not going to tell him?”

“Nope.”

Liam sighed. He never understood Niall’s logic when it came to relationships. In all the years he’d known him, he’d always had tons of girls after him, but he never managed to seal the deal with any of them. His dating mechanics just never worked out, but he still refused to take advice from anyone on them. “Well, I’m here for you if you ever want to talk about it, alright? And for now, Harry still has a girlfriend. So technically, Zayn’s still all ours.” Liam smiled at the blonde and reached over to punch his arm playfully.

Niall forced himself to smile back. “I just hope it stays that way.”