Sapphire *One Direction* [Liam Payne]

Chapter 15

Liam and I began to spend more and more time together, and Kristina and Niall grew closer by the minute. Liam and I would hang out on the same days Niall and Kristina would, then later those nights Kristina and I would share our eventful days and squeal like little girls. Liam and I had taken Kristina and Niall to a few of the parties that either he, Andy, Louis, Caitlin, or someone else in that group hosted, and we all became very close friends. We tried to meet up with Sean, Tom, and Kev once a week, and we always laughed and had a great time. Oddly, Tom was great friends with Andy, Caitlin, and Harry as well.

Niall fit perfectly into our friend groups. Everyone loved him, and one time, he cooked Kristina, Liam, Kevin, Sean, Tom, and I the most spectacular dinner and everyone raged about it for days. Everything was perfect… until Thursday, August 15.

"Lexi, Lexi, Lexi!!" Louis shouted as he ran toward the park bench I sat on. I was reading a lovely book by Nicholas Sparks called Safe Haven when I heard him.

"Louis? What are you doing here?" I shut my book and asked the out-of-breath male who had taken a seat on the bench next to me.

"I wanted to get to you before Liam."

"Why are you out of breath?"

"I ran from my car that I parked about 3 blocks away, then I had to run through the park to find you."

"Why were you running?" I gave him a confused look.

"I told you, I wanted to get to you before Liam," he smirked.

"Is Liam coming?" I enthusiastically asked.

"Yeah, I thought he had a gig and would be out all day. But I texted him asking where you were, and he said that you were in the park closest to his flat, but that he was coming to meet you and 30 minutes. I told him I would keep you company until then, but that was about eh," he looked down at his silver watch. "29 minutes ago. So," he handed me a white envelope, "here, put it in your book or something. Don't let Liam see it," he gave me a wink. I was about to make him tell me what this was all about, but Liam walked up to us right as I was about to open my mouth.

"Hey love," Liam said before setting his guitar case down and pecking my lips with his.

"P.D.A," Louis shouted like an immature teenager. Liam just gave him a smirk before lightly punching him in the shoulder.

Louis high-pitched laughter filled the park as he ruffled his brown locks. "All right love-birds I'm out of here." Louis said before breaking out into a sprint running through the grass of the park, dodging trees, and disappearing around a corner.

"What's with him?" Liam chuckled.

"I was about to ask you the same question," I giggled as I stared off into the distance where Louis had vanished. I turned my head to find Liam's flawless features intensely close to mine.

"Want to hear something?" he whispered. I simply nodded and allowed him to kiss my cheek before opening his case. Liam pulled out the light brown acoustic guitar and a transparent, purple pick.

He messed with a few chords, turned the knobs one way than the other, and strummed a few notes before he decided the guitar was in tune. Liam turned his body to face me and let his left leg rest on the park bench in a half criss-cross-apple-sauce position, allowing him to rest the body of the guitar across his lap. He positioned his fingers on the neck and began to softly strum the strings of the beautiful instrument.

He drew in air to fill his lungs then his velvet, yet raspy voice, perfectly serenaded me:

Carry on my wayward son