Shy [Liam Payne]

Chapter 28

*1 Week Later*

I examined my outfit in the mirror. Do I look good enough? Will he like it? Am I overdressed? Am I underdressed? Well, we're going to the movies. You can't go wrong with skinny jeans and a sweater, right? At least my hair looks good. Oh gosh, I'm nervous. What if he looks way better than me? Then I'll look horrible. Do I already look horrible? I probably do.

(Mari's outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/marianne/set?id=97251573 )

I decided I need to stop looking in the mirror or I'll change my outfit soon. I put my phone in my back pocket and left my room.

Louis and I... We tolerate each other. We fight a lot. We don't really get along like we used to. Harry, Zayn, Niall and I are mostly the same. Liam hasn't said a word to me in a week. I guess things are over between us. I have a feeling the rest of the guys are hoping that we'll get back together. I don't see it happening. He had one chance and he blew it. The end.

I went in the living room where 3/5 of One Direction and Eleanor sat. Louis, Harry, and El were on the couch. Some shopping bags from Jack Wills were in the recliner. Of course, the only open seat was by Liam on the love seat. I sighed and wordlessly sat by him.

Louis's eyes seemed to light up. Great, now he has the wrong idea. "Where are you going so dressed up, Mari?" He inquired. No, I didn't tell him about Dylan or my date. Yes, my date is with Dylan, the nice waiter.

"A date." I replied.

"With Liam?" He asked bluntly. I sighed and ran a hand through my perfectly straight hair.

"No, Louis. With a guy I met." I sensed Liam tense up from beside me. I awkwardly shifted in my seat.

"I haven't met this guy." Louis frowned.

"Lets keep it that way." I nodded.

"What's his name?" Harry asked.

"Dylan." I answered.

"Was he that waiter from the other day who kept staring at you?" Harry raised an eyebrow at me.

"Uhm, I guess." I shrugged.

"I don't like him." Louis stated.

"You don't know him." I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, and you do?" He scoffed. "What? Have you two been texting? Yeah, I bet you know him so well."

"Louis!" Eleanor scolded him. "Come with me." She frowned as she got off the sofa and went down the hall. He followed behind her, leaving me, Harry, and Liam.

"I'm gonna go... Write a letter." Harry said awkwardly, leaving the room.

Then there were two.

"Do you even know the guy?" Liam asked, to my surprise.

"Uh, yeah." I replied awkwardly. "He's nice." Liam rolled his eyes. "And you're mad." I sighed.

"What did you expect?" He snapped.

"I don't know. Maybe you could be supportive?" I rolled my eyes this time.

"Supportive?" He scoffed. "Why the bloody hell would I be supportive of this?"

"Liam, we never fucking dated." I said harshly. "You screwed up. I'm not gonna let you fuck with me like that again. Get the hell over it."

*Liam's Point of View*

I watched as she left the flat angrily. Well, I did a good job of pissing her off. But why would she want me to be supportive of that? She's replacing me. I treated her perfect, and I know that for a fact. I messed up once. What ever happened to second chances?

"That went well." Harry said sarcastically, reentering the room.

"Shut up." I said, in a bad mood now.

"Liam," he sighed, "she'll go back to you eventually."

"Eventually? After that Tyler prick breaks her heart?" I spat.

"Its Dylan." Harry corrected me. "And he might break her heart. You can't do anything about it, Li. You just have to accept it."

"How the fuck do I accept that?" I asked. "She's replacing me with somebody she's met once."

"Liam, she isn't replacing you. Maybe it's a friendly date." He suggested, but we both knew it wasn't. "Maybe she won't like him after this date."

"Maybe." I mumbled hopelessly, holding my head in my hands.

***

A girls laughter woke me up. It wasn't just any girl. It was my girl: Marianne. Well, she's not mine anymore. But I'll still call her that.

I opened my eyes and blinked several times, trying to get used to see in the darkness. I recognized my surroundings as Harry and Louis's living room. I fell asleep on the love seat.

Marianne was on one side of the doorframe with some guy on the other side. That must be Dylan. He was tall, probably my height, with blonde hair. I couldn't make out any more features in the dim light coming from the hallway.

"We should hang out again, you know?" Dylan suggested. They hadn't noticed me yet.

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Mari nodded. "You should probably be going. If my brother woke up, he'd kill me for being home so late."

"Yeah, I have work tomorrow too." Dylan agreed. He pulled her in for a hug. She tensed up as she awkwardly wrapped her arms around him.

"Bye, Dylan." She said and closed the door. "Thank God." She muttered, sighing in relief. What does she mean by that? "So annoying." She added, unaware of my presence. The lights flipped on. "Holy shit, Liam!" She screamed, clutching her heart.

I smirked. "So annoying?" I raised an eyebrow at her. "Dylan was so annoying?" I smirked again. Score one for Liam.

"What? No." She disagreed. "I was saying that... Wearing my hair down is so annoying."

"Then what does 'Thank God' mean?" I chuckled.

"I was thankful that I'm finally home so I can put my hair up." She snapped.

"Okay." I said, not believing her one bit.

"Why the hell are you listening to my conversations?" She snapped, putting her hand on her hip.

"I fell asleep in here." I put my hands up in defense. "You woke me up."

"You could've told me you were in here and not scared me to death." She mumbled.

"Sorry." I apologized, scratching the back of my neck awkwardly.

She opened her mouth to say something, but decide against it.

"Who the bloody hell is awake at- Oh, hey, Mari." Harry said, rubbing his eyes as he came into the room in only boxers.

"Gosh, Harry, put some clothes on." She said as she picked up a shirt from a clothes basket on the floor and threw it at him.

"What's with all the screaming?" He asked, throwing the shirt back in the basket.

"I accidentally scared her." I replied. "Where's Lou? We didn't wake him?"

"He went to Eleanor's flat." Harry answered.

"I should probably get back to my own flat." I said, checking for my keys in my back pocket. They weren't there, so I checked the rest of my pockets. "Where are my keys?" I mumbled, looking under the cushions of the love seat that I slept on.

"Just stay the night here, mate." Harry suggested. "You know what, we should watch a movie. It's family movie night." Harry decided for us. "I'll get you something of mine to wear, Liam." Harry said. I then realized I fell asleep in jeans. That's a bit uncomfortable.

"Family movie night? Louis is the only one in my family and he isn't even here." Marianne mumbled as she walked down the hall and went to her room. Is she coming back? I hope.

"I'm doing this to get the two of you together. I'll fall asleep eventually, so you guys can have your alone time." Harry explained to me before leaving. He returned shortly later with a pair of gym shorts. "You know what you should do?" He said to me.

"What?" I inquired.

"Watch the movie without a shirt on." He suggested.

"A bit gay, mate." I chuckled.

"Screw you. I meant because of Marianne." He scoffed. I do have a six pack. She's never seen me shirtless. Am I really stooping this low to make her want me again? Yes, I am. I tugged my t-shirt off, throwing it on the floor by the couch. I took of my uncomfortable jeans while Harry looked for the most boring movie he could find. He said he didn't want her to get interested in it, so she would talk to me.

"Does everybody have to walk around in their boxers tonight, dammit?" Marianne asked, shielding her eyes. I quietly chuckled and pulled on the gym shorts.

"You can look now." I said, flopping down on the couch.

"Is Harry decent?" She asked, not trusting me.

"Give me a minute." He sighed, searching for some clothes in the laundry basket. He eventually found a pair of sweatpants and put them on. "I'm decent."

"You swear?" She inquired.

"Wait, no. Hold on." Harry replied. Marianne still had her eyes covered. He pointed at me, then at Mari, then at the love seat. I nodded, understanding with he meant. I got up and went to the small love seat. He sprawled out on the couch, leaving no room for anybody else. "Okay, you're good." Harry told her. She uncovered her eyes with a sigh.

"Family movie night isn't even PG." She rolled her eyes. "Can I sit there?" She gestured to the couch.

"No, I must have my own space, woman." He shook his head. "Now go find another place to sit. We're watching all the Paranormal Activity movies." I understood his plan. He knows Marianne hates scary movies. She can't watch them alone. Since she can't sit with him, she'll sit with me.
Good thinking, Styles. I'm impressed.

"Harry," Mari sighed.

"Silence." He shushed her.

"Uhm... Liam?" She asked, biting her lip.

"You can sit with me." I answered her unasked question and moved over so she had a place to sit. Harry hit play on the movie and it began.

"Oh joy." Marianne mumbled from the opposite side of the love seat.

***

I woke up from a deep, comfortable sleep for some reason. Marianne's head was rested on my bare chest and my arms were wrapped around her protectively. We didn't talk last night, like Harry planned. She was too busy jumping in fright and burying her face in my chest. I didn't mind the slightest bit, either.

I saw the time on the wall clock. It was half passed 4 in the morning. I carefully got off the couch and picked Mari up bridal style. I carried her down the hallway and into her bedroom. As I set her down in the bed, she stirred from her sleep.

"Liam?" She asked in confusion, rubbing her eyes, messing up her eye makeup.

"You fell asleep in the living room. I brought you in here." I explained quietly.

"Oh." She said, glancing at her alarm clock. "Can you turn the fan on? It's hot in here." She asked. I did as he requested and sat back down on her bed. She fanned herself with her hands. It was kinda hot in here. She pulled off her sweatshirt that she fell asleep in last night.

"Uhm... Mari..." I said awkwardly. She wasn't wearing another shirt under her sweatshirt, just a bra...

"Oh shit!" She exclaimed, jumping up. My face turned red and I covered my eyes. She was at least a B cup. Wait, why am I thinking about this? Bad, Liam. You're supposed to be the innocent puppy. Don't think like that.