Can't Say Love

Broken Pieces

~Liam’s POV~

     At the concert the next day, the boys and I began to sing “Nobody Compares.”  Scanning the crowd, I couldn’t see Kelly anywhere.  My eyes drifted down to the second row.  I didn’t see her.  I didn’t see a bright red scarf.  She hadn’t come.  Tears pricked my eyes and my voice wavered.

     “What’s up Liam?” Harry asked me, worried.

     “She’s not here,” I whispered.

     “Who’s not here?”

     “Kelly.  She told me that she’d be here, but she’s not.”

     “Oh buddy.  It’ll be okay.  She’ll show up, just watch.”

     “What if she doesn’t?”

     “Then there is a serious problem and she can’t come.  She wouldn’t tell you that she’d be here and then not come without a reason.  Get through this concert and then call her, okay?”

      “Alright.”

      My solo for “Na Na Na” came up.  I swallowed the lump in my throat and prepared to sing.  All of a sudden, I couldn’t remember the words.  My breathing sped up.  I was unaware of anything but my own panic.  I didn’t realize that Louis sang my part for me.  I looked out at the crowd again.  It was just another sea of strangers.  Their screams all combined could not… would not drown out my own. And then I saw someone.  She was dancing her heart out, and singing as loud as possible.  Her gaze was directly on me, and when she caught my eye, she waved.

     I had another solo in this song. Louis looked at me before it came up.  I nodded at him: I could do this.

     My eyes stayed solely on the girl in the audience.  I opened my mouth, and my voice poured out, strong and steady.  She had told me that she’d watch it on tv.  Apparently she hadn’t been feeling well when I left.  And yet, there she was.  Smiling at me and acting like a complete idiot. 

     The rest of the concert, I sang to her.  My eyes never left her happy face and everybody, except her, became unimportant.  She came when Kelly couldn’t.  She was there when I thought no one else would be.  And when Harry asked me if I was okay at the end of the concert, I could easily tell him yes.

      We walked backstage.

      “Liam, are you alright?” Louis asked, concerned.

     “Yes, I’m sorry I broke down.  It’s just that Kelly was supposed to come and when she didn’t show, I...”

     “Don’t worry.  All I wanted was to make sure that you were okay.”

     “Thanks Louis.”

     I looked for Daisy.  Hopefully, she’d come backstage and say hello.

     “Liam,” someone yelled.

     I turned around and saw her walking towards me.

     “Daisy,” I said happily.   I was about to give her a hug, but she stepped away from me.

     “I’m not feeling well, sorry. I don’t want you to get sick.”

     “You came even though you weren’t feeling well?”

     “Of course I did.”

     I took her to the side and softly told her, “Kelly didn’t show up.”

     “I know.  That’s why I came. I thought that you could use some support.”

     “You knew?”

     “She called me and told me that she wouldn’t be able to come.  I knew that it meant a lot to you, so I kind of came in her place.”

     “Why would you do that?”

     “Liam.  We’re friends here.  And friends are there for each other.  Consider it as my thank you for saving me from Drew and Kyle.”

      “Well I appreciate it.”

      “Daisy!” Harry yelled, throwing his arms around her.

      “Hey Harry,” she grinned.  And then her face scrunched up as she sneezed.

      “Bless you,” I said as Harry led her away from me.

      Frustrated, I picked up my phone and called Kelly.

      “Hey Liam,” she said.

      “Kelly.”

      “How was the concert?”

      “It was great, thanks.  I looked for you.”  Despite Daisy coming, I was so disappointed.  Kelly told me that she’d be there.  And she hadn’t.

      “I’m sorry I couldn’t come, Liam.  Something came up.”

      “That’s it?  Something came up?”

      “What do you want me to say, Liam?  I already said that I was sorry.  There’s not much else that I could say, is there?”

      “You could have called me.  I wouldn’t have wasted the night searching the crowds for you.  It was a bright red scarf, right?  That’s what I was supposed to look for?  I didn’t see any scarves, Kelly.  I looked for you and you weren’t there.”

      “You’re being stupid Liam.  I told you that I’d come, but Drew needed me at home.  I care about him a lot.  I hope you understand.”

      “Understand?  Understand what?  The fact that you promised me you’d be here, and you never showed?  Or the fact that you care about Drew?”

      “Both.”

      “I have to go.”

      “Liam…”

      “And next time you decide not to show up, pick up the frickin’ phone and call me.”

      I didn’t realize the tears that were streaming down my face until I tasted the salt.  Daisy came up to me and gave me a hug, despite her worries of getting me sick.

      “What happened?” She asked.

     “She told me that something came up.  I love her so much and she leaves me for ‘something that came up.’  What kind of person does that to someone?”

     She just held me as I cried.  I knew that I looked stupid, but I was too hurt to care.  Kelly had told me that she’d be at the concert.  And then she broke another piece of my heart when she didn’t come.  How could I love somebody when all they did was tear me apart?