The Band I Thought I Knew // Liam Payne {Book 1}

Chapter 16

"So are you ready to get your pack on?" He asks me while we walk to the elevator. I look back the other way, Liam is already gone. "Kira."

"Hm?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," No. "I'm fine" I'm not fine. I don't want him to leave me but I can't stop him. I can't stop him from going, his mom needs him. Ah what the hell I need him too. The elevator ride is quiet until the bell dings, the door slide open slowly and we walk out. The lobby the usual quiet self apart from the few patrons that are staying or visiting.

Joey takes the hand as we approach the door. I look up to the dozen paparazzi standing there snapping pictures. Liam must not have been able to sneak out so quietly. The lights blind me when the door opens and they begin the flashing cameras. I put my hand up as Joey is barely pushing through.

"Kira are you cheating on Liam with someone else"

"No" I let out

"Then why are you leaving with another man"

"He is my friend I say again until I feel a tug and Joey is pulling me up. I hold on tightly, afraid he might drop me onto the concrete, then I am set on a comfy seat. Joey slams the door and I open my eyes. I try to focus my eyes but all I see is the glare. I hear another door slam then he starts the car and pulls onto the road.

As I slowly gain the ability to see, he sighs.

"Why did you have to get mixed up with him"

"Excuse me"

"He is a celebrity, you know how easy it is to get into his personal life. And that him, nor his current girlfriend never have any privacy."

"I like him Joey I'm not going to change my mind about that"

"Fine then let's not speak out it again"

"Agreed" the ride is sort of long because this is by the London eye and that is quite a ways away from Joey's apartment. He says almost nothing to me the whole ride. It's nerve wracking because he knows that I get paranoid about that sort of thing. Trying to control myself, I take a deep breath and it makes Joey look over at me.

"What"

"I am just gonna miss you"

"You know the offer still stands Kira"

"But I'm afraid"

"Afraid of what"

"That I might not want to come back to England"

"Kira"

"No, Joey, I look so selfish to everyone. But even though I miss them this is my home and I don't want to go back"

"Kira you know that it is hard living here on your own" I look away from him, out the window to distract myself, but it's not working.

"That may be but going back would be harder" I whisper. He pulls into the side of the road in front of his house I look in the mirror before getting out of the car. I go up to the door and wait for him.

He comes up the few steps of the tiny porch and I cross my arms. I keep my head down, I don't want to look at him because I'll break down. I don't want to be taken as weak - even though I very much am. I meet his eyes reluctantly and regret it because the look on his face holds sorrow and sadness. I take a shaky breath before standing on my tiptoes to wrap my arms around his neck.

"Please don't hate me" we say at the same time then I let out a loud sob.

"I'm sorry Joey" I say, his hands pet my hair "I'm sorry" I whisper again and he just shushes me.

"Don't worry about it" He takes out his keys and unlocks the door before taking me inside. His apartment automatically has an echo. I don't like it. "So, uh, there is stuff on the table I'm going to put away you can start in my room, please"

"Alright" I wipe away my tears and start up the steps then he grabs my wrist

"Don't touch my underwear"

"No panty raid?" I ask sadly "why did I even come?"

"Shut up butt head!" He teases then let's go of my wrist "no I can do that stuff myself just get the closer and stuff"

"Alright"

(Joey's POV)

She is always making a joke. She wouldn't really go through my things like that she knows not to and she isn't that disrespectful to do that. It isn't something she would do, she was taught better. She walks up the steps slowly and I return to the dining room. I start to wrap all the glass stuff in newspaper then place it in the box. I hear a thump from upstairs,indicating that she took off her backpack-thing and sat down on the floor.

I have to give Kira some credit, I'm not sure how but for all these years she has dealt with me she has not once called me anything in a serious way. She's never called me an ass and meant it. Kira and I didn't always get along.

I remember when we were in 9th grade, in the same printmaking class. We didn't get along but then we learned to love each other like a brother and sister would. I remember when we would talk about my now ex-girlfriend and how I said I loved her. Truth is it was just the way I thought. I didn't love her, we just had fun together. It was nothing compared to what me and Kat had. Kira made me realize that. I wasn't a shy kid but if I liked you in that way it was hard for me to talk to you. Kira made me talk to her one day.

"Joey you can't expect to get anywhere if you don't take chances"

Those were her exact words. So I took a chance and talked to Kat. She and I became good friends. Then I took her to prom and that's the day I knew this wasn't just a puppy love thing. It was real love and it still is. I had spent so much time with her that I forgot Kira helped me out. I couldn't help but try everyday to thank Kira. She is a great friend and I couldn't be more grateful for that. I'm glad she is here right now showing me as much support as possible in the time of need. And the fact that she is helping me through this very tough time makes me realize I better never lose touch with her.

One thing nobody knew is the love of my life is over in the states and I wont have the courage to talk to her without Kira there with me. Katlynn Thompson is the girl I know I was destined meant to be. She was friends with Kira and I when we were younger and we even dated a little. But once I told her I was moving we had to break up. She said that me moving to the other side of the world isn't the best thing for us. I need really told her where I moved just that I moved.

She told me one day she would come over to this side of the world and that she would find me. She said that she and I would be together like we were meant to be forever. And the strange thing is I believed her, I've been looking or her ever since. I've wondered streets to see if she might be here in England with me. But maybe she never did come over here and she just couldn't move that far. Or maybe she didn't want us to get back together. Whatever the reason I still want to find her and I still want her to know I am truly madly deeply head over heels for her.

As I finish packing what needs to be packed and I look around my empty apartment, I realize how much has time I've spent here. It's been a year here, having Kira over for a movie only for her to fall asleep on my shoulder. She would come real close to me and snuggle me as we watched a scary movie or a rom-com. When we watched scary movies it was always raining. We didn't plan it to rain and thunderstorm it just did, and she would get scared and try to hide. Then she would just go to sleep. I would always carry her up to my guest room.

I remember having birthday parties here for her and I and some of my other friends. All the good days here, all the bad, dramatic, and boring. It was all here and I'm definitely going to miss being here. Miss living this life, but I have to take care of my mom and that's just how it will have to stay until she is better. I sit down on a box and keep looking around remembering everything, even though it may have been only a year or two so much has happened. I lean on my arm and wonder what it could've been like if I didn't have to leave. Where I would end up? What I would end up with? Who I would end up with? It's all a mystery and it will be that way from here on out.