Not In Love With Liam

5~ Unlikely and Lively

Saturday morning. Rain.
I was stood on the train with Hayden.
It'd been a week since Liam's message and I just sort of avoided the direct topic and said we should meet next week- which is today.

However, currently, Hayden and I were going to Oxford Circus because I promised I'd go shopping with him this weekend and he said today was a good day because he wanted to drop me off at Liam's afterward. Why he was so desperate to go with me, I had no idea. Darcy must have said something.
My friends can never shut up about anything.
Hayden has always been a little protective of me but this seemed more like a Liam thing to do.

"You nervous?"
"Nervous?"
"Yeah, Darcy claims you like him."
"Of course." I rolled my eyes. Well, I don't."
"Really..." he poked my side.
"Stop it!" I squealed. Cursing my overly ticklish self.
"Just.. relax. And call me if you need to, yeah?"
I looked up at him. "Why?"
"Oh.. you know. If you get bored. Or need someone to take the train home with."
I smiled.
He leaned in close and whispered. "Or.. If he tries to pull anything, kick his balls as hard as you can and run, then call me, I'll finish him."
I laughed.

The train jolted forward and I fell into Hayden.
I felt flutters in my stomach.

"Crap." I muttered under my breath.
"It's okay." He frowned, "you fell on me, big deal."

But it was a big deal.

☄ ☄ ☄

"Flutters? What do you mean flutters?"
"Darcy, I don't know. Like flutters flutters."
"Like butterflies flutters?"
"Butterflies flutters."
"Shit."
"Shit!"
"Hayden?"
"Hayden.."
"But Liam?"
"Liam."
"What about Liam?"
"I don't know about Liam."
"But you know about Hayden?"
"I don't."
"You don't?"
"I don't know!"

I was pacing up and down the girls toilets, on the phone to Darcy about my current situation with the flutters.
Hayden was on the shop floor, waiting for me.
As soon as we got off the train I ran straight into the first shop I could see and told him I needed to go.
But I really just needed to vent to my bestfriend because I was scared I'd caught the feels for.. Hayden.

"This isn't good."
"No shit, this isn't good!"
"The worst thing you can do is think about it."
"What do you mean?"
"Don't think."
"Um.. okay.."
"Think. Who do you really want to be with?"
"Darcy!.."
"You know what, just.. don't think about what you're doing. Just hang out with Hayden now, go hang out with Liam later, then you can think."
"Okay... okay. I've got this."
"Got it?"
"Got it."
"And call me if you need to, yeah?"
"Ooh.. that's exactly what Hayden said.."
"Oh for heaven's sake Noah, stop it!"
"Okay okay. I've got it now."
"Really got it?"
"Really get it."
"Good."
"Good."
"Go."

I ran downstairs and found Hayden in the hoodies isle.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked. A concerned smile on his face.
"Yeah. Yeah I'm good."
"Cool."
I looked at the hoodie he was holding against himself in the mirror.
"That suits you."
"You think so?"
I nodded.

☔ ☔ ☔

Liam hadn't replied my last message so I guessed he was nervous.
I was nervous too. But for the wrong reasons.
Hayden and I raided all the shops we could in three hours, then we passed Subway to get lunch. After that, we stayed at a park because we missed our train and the next one wouldn't be arriving for another hour.

It still hadn't stopped raining, but I hardly noticed.
Hayden had been super nice all day and I think he could tell I was really worried about going to Liam's.