Once we landed, I poked Zayn in the arm to wake him up. As I did that, I heard a very familiar “Hey”. It was Frankie. Could this be more awkward? I stood up and reached for my bag in the overhead compartment. I was too short, so Frankie grabbed it for me.
“Thanks,” I muttered uncomfortably. I could feel him looking at me. My eyes watered. Zayn noticed too, and he stopped himself from saying anything in regards to it. He knew deep down I would tell him later anyway.
“I’ll carry it out for you… hey, why are you crying? A beautiful girl like you shouldn’t be-”
Zayn stood up and moved me aside to talk to Frankie. “Stop terrorizing her, man! She’s going through a lot right now and she’s in a vulnerable place! Just let her go, please. I’ll carry her bag.” He snatched my Vera Bradley bag from Frankie’s arms and turned around to look at me. I gave him a hug.
“Sorry dude, I was just trying to help her.” He immediately backed off and went back to Louis, probably telling him everything.
“Thank you, Zayn,” I whispered into his arm.
“Hey, you’re the only girl in a big group of guys. I have to protect you sometimes,” he paused. “Jordin, I saw the way he looked at you. Did you by any chance spend time with Frankie this week?”
I nearly cried once I realized I had to tell the truth. How I so badly missed Liam and craved him that I became an absolute slut and slept with the first guy who wanted me. How I set all of my morals aside to feel something. I figured after this Zayn wouldn’t want to be my friend anymore. Maybe he’d drop off the face of the Earth and never speak to me again, or worse… maybe he’d tell everybody. “Yes.” I hugged him tightly.
He whispered a series of hushed words to me and I felt relaxed for the first time in a while. Actually, I was getting pretty sleepy.
After Zayn got us a cab, I immediately dozed off. I figured once the cab driver dropped Zayn off at his house, he’d make the two hour long trip to my hometown of Wolverhampton. I was surely mistaken.
I felt the cab stop so I woke up. Zayn was still in the car and it was dark outside. “Zayn?” I rubbed my eyes. “Whose house is this?” If anything at all, I assumed he gave the driver the wrong address and we were meant to be at my house.
“You belong here,” he said before stepping out of the cab. He walked around to my side of the car and opened the door for me. “Tell Liam I said hello.”
My heart dropped down and felt like it fell out of my body. My throat was numb, too. “I thought we agreed this would be a bad idea,” I barely mumbled. “Let’s go home.” I headed back for the cab but Zayn prevented me. I willingly went limp and practically let him control me. He then escorted me to Liam’s front door. For some reason I imagined Danielle and Liam hand in hand answering the door, laughing together, their eyes overflowing with pure joy and love. I stood there motionless on the front porch waiting for an inevitable fate.
Zayn looked down at his phone. “Actually, let’s go around the back.”
Liam had a nice house. Most of the lights were out though, making it appear to be empty, minus he and the future Mrs. Payne, of course. “Take me home! I don’t want to be here!” I squealed. I shortly changed my mind after. Beautiful backyard fairy lights flickered on accompanied by a boy in a suit.
“Baby I just don't get it, do you enjoy being hurt?I know you smelled the perfume, the make-up on his shirt
You don't believe his stories, you know that they're all lies
Bad as you are, you stick around and I just don't know why
If I was ya man (Baby you) Never worry 'bout (What I do) I'd be coming home(Back to you)(Every night, doin' you right)
You're the type of woman (Deserves good things) Fistful of diamonds (Hand full of rings) Baby, you're a star (I just want to show you, you are)
You should let me love you Let me be the one to give you everything you want and need
Baby good love and protection
Make me your selection show you the way love's supposed to beBaby you should let me love you, love you, love you, love you, yeah
Listen you’re true beauty's description looks so good that it hurts
You're a dime plus ninety-nine and it's a shameDon't even know what you're worth
Everywhere you go they stop and stare
'Cause you're bad and it shows
From your head to your toes, out of control, baby you know
If I was your man(Baby you)Never worry 'bout(What I do)I'd be coming home(Back to you)(Every night, doin' you right)
You're the type of woman(Deserves good things)Fistful of diamonds(Hand full of rings)Baby, you're a star(I just want to show you, who you are)
You should let me love you
Let me be the one to give you everything you want and needOoh baby good love and protection
Ooh make me your selection show you the way love's supposed to be.”
I pinched myself in the arm just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. It was real. Liam was pouring his heart out to me in song. He wanted me to be his. I had so many questions yet I had no desire whatsoever to hear the answers. I turned to talk to Zayn but he was long gone.
“Where’d he go?” I asked Liam.
“Left as soon as I walked out. Didn’t you notice?”
“No,” I felt bad for not saying good-bye. None of this would be possible without him.
“Well?” Liam’s eyes were wide. It was evident to me that he’d wanted to do this for a long time. He was turning me on a little bit; I’m not going to lie. The song was totally unexpected.
“What was that for?” I realized I had to ask him all the questions filling my mind.
“For you,” he smiled.
“What about Danielle?” I asked.
“Let’s just live in this moment, Jordin. I like the place where we are right now. Here, in our hometown together after so long.” He tried to lean in for a hug but for some reason he paused. He was so well-mannered; Liam was actually waiting for me to hug him first. I did it. “Oh my gosh,” he sighed. His strong arms shielded me from the chill in the air that night. “Let’s go inside.”
I followed Liam inside and saw flowers everywhere. There were dozens of roses in vases and glasses all over the house. He gave me the grand tour.
“Where are those flowers from?” I asked curiously.
“I bought them,” he announced proudly. “I was at a floral shop yesterday.”
“They’re beautiful.” I truly admired the sincerity Liam had showed me. Even if it was just this one time, I really liked what I saw. He turned my mood completely around. Liam was the only person who could make me happy besides my best friend.
Zayn! I had to thank him soon.
When we got back into the kitchen, Liam pulled out a seat for me and then one for himself. “What do you think?” He rubbed my hands.
I was so oblivious as to what he was trying to do. I crinkled my eyebrows to show him I was unsure.
“Okay, fine. I know I said I never would again, but times change and people change, right?” He paused briefly and looked directly into my eyes. “Jordin Heil, for the twenty-third time,” he got down on one knee. “Will you go out with me?”
I laughed quietly and couldn’t hide my grin. “Liam,” I began. “You said you’d never do this again. I’m not even sure this is real life.”
His stare never broke, though. He was fixed on me and awaited my answer patiently.
“Of course I’ll go out with you!”
YOU ARE READING
Mark My Words
Fanfiction"If you ever feel stupid, remember you're not the girl who rejected Liam Payne 22 times." But I was. And I regret it every day.
