That Girl Band (Liam Payne)

Part 20

Max and the girls returned from their day out in Chicago while I was laying on the couch, watching TV. I hadn't moved for hours. I couldn't. When I moved, it hurt. When I thought, it hurt. Anything I did, hurt. "Hey, Styx! How'd it go?" Vi asked.

"I didn't tell him." I said, not moving.

"What? Why? But you had the perfect plan! What happened to your hair?"

"He broke up with me." I said.

Nobody spoke, they just came and sat on the floor in front of the couch. Max put her hand on my head, stroking it. "What happened, Bethie?" she asked. Bethie. She hadn't called me that since I was 10. She hadn't called me that since she changed my name to Styx and forced me into this life. This life I never wanted. I shouldn't even be here! I should be in a college dorm, studying for a big test. I didn't even know how to answer. How do you explain that you just had your heart ripped out on stomped on. How do you tell someone that they were right and you should have listened? "Bethie?" she asked again.

I shook my head. "He broke up with me. He was just using me. You were right the entire time." I pushed my face into the sofa and started to bawl. I heard Jesse pick up the phone and call for room service. Max keep stroking my hair and Vi left. I heard the door open and close.

"Why did you cut your hair, Bethie?" Max asked.

"Don't call me that. Don't." I said. "I'm not Beth. Not anymore. She's dead. She's dead." I cried out. Max wrapped her arms around me and pulled me onto the floor, holding me while I cried. Jesse came back over and told Max that carrot cake and ice cream were on the way up. Vi had gone to find a liquor store.

"Tell me what happened." Max said. "Tell me."

I started talking. I told her that Sophia was in his room and she told me Liam didn't want me, ever. That I was just a substitute. The same thing that Vi had heard. That I was the right size, the type. That Liam laughed at me. "He laughed at me, Max. I love him and he laughed at me!" I started to cry again. Vi walked back in, opening a bottle as she did. She handed it to me and I took a swig. Cherry Vodka. I took another. "She took my necklace." I said, head down, ashamed.

"Don't do that." Max said. I looked up at her. "Don't be ashamed. He should be. You are better than him." She was crying now, too. "I'm sorry this happened, Beth. I should have protected you better. He fooled me, too. I really thought he cared about you."

"I think so, too." Vi said. "Just saw him in the elevator. He looks awful. He tried to talk to me but I kicked him in the nads before he could."

I turned to Vi. "He looks awful? What does that mean?"

Vi looked at Max. Max shrugged. "He looks like he's been crying." That only made me bawl harder. I was so confused, so hurt. I didn't know what to think, I only knew that I didn't want to think. I took another drink of the vodka. And another, until I couldn't feel, couldn't think, couldn't do anything except pass out.

The next day was a show day and Liam's Birthday. I didn't even try to avoid anyone. Now that my hair was blue, Liam wouldn't see anything except for the blue haired freak and nobody paid attention to me. I watched as everyone greeted him with Happy Birthday's. I saw people give him presents. I even got to view his birthday kiss from Sophia. I was almost glad that Styx had the reputation of quietness, because nobody even tried to talk to me.

At dinner, there was a cake for Liam and I got to see him thank everyone for giving him such a special day. I watched him blow out his 21 candles. I got to witness him cut the cake and pass pieces around. He even dropped off four pieces at my table, never even glancing at me.

Max went over and sat with Harry for a few minutes. She came back with a murderous look on her face. "Well, I broke my date with that scum. And guess what? We can't leave the tour because of the amendment you signed so you could date Liam. How nice is that? It works both ways."

"You didn't need to do that. It's not his fault." I told her.

Max shook her head. "They all knew he had a girlfriend, Styx. They all knew. Harry told me he wondered what was going on. Louis's girlfriend and Liam's girlfriend are best friends. Lou's girlfriend would have told Lou if they broke up. They came together. The girlfriends? They always do. Harry knew it wasn't right. Lou knew it wasn't right. They all knew, but didn't say anything. They let him stomp on your heart. So, I called him a lying son of bitch and walked away."

I was stabbing the cake, over and over, when Liam walked over to the table. "Hey, girls." he said. "How's the cake?"

Jesse looked up. "What? What in the fuck are you doing by us?" Vi picked up her cake and smashed it into the table. Max took her's and hit him in the chest with it, smearing it down the front of his shirt. Jesse stood up, pushing hers off the table. Max pulled me up and we all walked out of the room, leaving Liam gaping at us.

We did the show and went right back to the hotel, not wanting to listen to the world sing happy birthday to him. We were in Chicago, a place we knew well, being from a nearby state. I didn't even want to stay in the hotel. There were too many places to see and go. We were going to hit every club. The girls were going to force me to have fun. We were famous enough to be in the VIP section and get a private booth. I got to sit and drink. They got to dance. It all worked out perfectly.

At club number 3, we ran into the One Direction Party. The boys were all out and Harry pulled Max away. I stayed hidden in my booth, so drunk by this point that walking had become a chore. That was the best part of being a VIP. Nobody had carded me. I ordered a bottle of champagne, intending to drink it myself. The waitress brought it over, followed by a very drunk Liam Payne. Liam sat down and she opened the bottle. I didn't even look up at him, I just grabbed the bottle and took a drink. "Where is she? None of the other girls will talk to me?" I didn't answer. I just took another drink. "Answer me!" Liam yelled, pounding on the table. I didn't want to deal with him or this. I just wanted to drink until I passed out again.

I grabbed the bottle and stood up, staggering out of the booth, through the club and out the door. The bouncer tried to stop me from taking the bottle but I pulled away and yelled, "DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM? I'M FUCKING FAMOUS! I'M FUCKING AMAZING! I'M A FUCKING IDIOT!" and then stumbled out the door. I could hear someone yelling behind me. They were yelling about Beth. I turned and saw Liam. "SHE'S DEAD ASSHOLE! YOU KILLED HER! GET AWAY FROM ME! I'M A FAMOUS BLUE HAIRED FREAK!" Then I turned, walking down the street, bottle still in my hand. He didn't follow me and I didn't care. I hated him. I hated me. I hated everything.