Second Love!

Chapter 14

Carter's POV

"Liam..." I close my eyes tight and grab his arm to the left of me as the plane starts to ascend into the air, my body starting to tremble with fear.
I sort of forgot to mention that I'm slightly scared of heights, and by slightly scared, I mean absolutely fucking terrified.

"Are you okay?" A look of concern washes over his face like he already knew my answer.

When I finally decided to take him up on his offer, I didn't really think about any of the specifics, the flying, the money, nothing. I just knew I couldn't let him slip away so easily. So I quickly packed a bag and hailed a cab without even a second thought. Once my mind was made I rarely change my decision. Which is sometimes irresponsible but at least I can say I don't have many regrets.

"Fun fact about me, I've never flown in an airplane....because..." I take a deep breathe as I catch sight of the open window that revealed just how high we actually were. "I have the worst fear of heights."

"Calm down, the fear of heights is just a myth." He says like its nothing.

"Well tell that to people who have it." I snap at him, not meaning to, but more out of anxiousness.

"It's true. You're not really afraid of the height itself, its the falling from so high that scares you. That's where the crippling fear comes from." He takes my hand in his and gently rubs our thumbs together to comfort me, and believe it or not, it was working.

"I never really thought about it that way." I mumble after giving his statement some thought. He was right though. When you're in the sky or on top of a roller coaster, the scariest part is the fall.

"Most don't. I remember when I first started the band I had the worst anxiety when it came to flying until someone broke it down for me. Now its a piece of cake. Like second natural to me." He flashes me a genuine smile.

Despite the nervousness that was deep down in the pit of my stomach. I was really happy and I wanted to stay this happy for as long as I possibly could.

"How about a personal assistant? I'm awful at remembering stuff so you could just keep track of things for me and I- I mean we would pay you." He looks at me with this goofy hopeful grin.

He's been throwing out job suggestions from the moment I told him that was the deal breaker. I had to contribute somehow. I wouldn't be a freeloader. I wanted to work and do my part if I was going to be doing everything with them. There was no way I would let them pay for everything. That just wasn't who I was. All my life I've had to work for anything I wanted or needed. It was that or starve. Even when I was in foster care they barely cooked and don't even mention getting us new clothes. You'd think that since they were racking up so much money from letting us stay there they could certainly afford to at least feed us but most of it went to booze or drugs, which more often than not led us to fend for ourselves.

I ignore him as I close my eyes and lay my head back on the seat, squeezing his hand whenever there was turbulence or bumps.

"Nobody will ever love you, Carter. What don't you fucking understand about that? I'm all you got, I'm all you'll ever have you ungrateful bitch." Kyle's alcohol induced rage was starting again as I silently pray he passes out before it gets too bad tonight.

"Listen to me, FUCKING LISTEN TO ME." He screams loud enough to make me jump.

"I am." I mumble.

"ADMIT IT. Admit that nobody will ever love you but me." He growls.

"Nobody will ever love me." I repeat softly as a tear prickles down my cheek.

"Carter, CARTER." My eyes open quickly at the sound of my name and Liam's familiar voice.

"Liam?" I groggily rub my eyes to wake up, not realizing I even fell asleep.

"Its me. You kept saying nobody will ever love you in your sleep." There was a concerned look not only spread across his face but all the boys as they stand around staring at me.

"I'm fine, just a bad dream." I look away, now embarrassed.

"We're about to land in about 5 minutes, would you like to go get dinner or go back to the hotel to sleep?"

"Whatever you guys are doing is fine. I don't want to be an inconvenience. " I force a smile as Kyle's voice still runs through my mind.

Was I a fool for thinking that Liam could ever like me, let alone love me? What if he was right, what if nobody will ever love me again?

"You're not an inconvenience. Please stop saying that." Liam frowns at me, the plane making its final landing.

"I'm kind of hungry." I blush.

"Then we'll go get food." He smiles.

"Yeah, you can meet Maddie and Hope too!" Harry chimes in as we all grab our stuff ready to exit the aircraft.

"Maddie and Hope?" I give them a questionable look.

"Harry and Niall's girlfriends." Liam informs me taking a bag from my hand.

"I thought Harry was with Louis?" I was confused now.

"He is...long story, we'll explain more on the way." Niall laughs.

"Okay." I laugh as well, knowing this would definitely be a good story.

We all pile into a black limo with tinted windows that was waiting for outside the airport. Fans and paparazzi surrounding the whole area. I knew it was going to be crazy but this was insane. I've never seen so many people. Makes you wonder how the guys deal with all this. I mean sure it had to be flattering but it has to take a toll on you after a while.

"Are you okay? I know how overwhelming this can be at first but you'll get used to it." He takes my hand again when were inside the vehicle.

"I will be." I smile as best I could.

And I would be okay, maybe not now or tomorrow but eventually I will be. I truly believe that.