Dark Direction

Chapter 21: Liam's Payne

“Hello Amy? It’s Liam,” Liam said as he stood in the middle of his office.

“Liam!” Amy exclaimed as she looked over at Simon.

“Listen, I really need to talk to you.” Liam said nervously, taking a deep breath.

“I was starting to get worried.” Amy said as Simon turned his head and looked at Amy. “Is everything ok? Did you find… Harry?” Amy paused, trying to remember his name.

“Yeah, look, is there a way you could stop over to the club tonight?” Liam said while looking at the clock at the wall.

“Yeah, I’m with Simon.” Amy said as she looked at Simon and whispered “Liam needs to talk tonight.”

Simon nodded his head and pulled out of the petrol station, heading downtown toward the Strip Club.

“We’re on our way.” She said to Liam

“Great, see you.” Liam said as he disconnected the call with Amy.

He put his phone back in his pocket and rubbed his face with his hands. This has got to be one of the longest nights that Liam could remember. He walked over to the desk and grabbed his keys, locked up and headed back over to the V.I.P lounge.

The flashing lights and thumping of the music only fed Liam’s headache. He headed over to the bar and got himself water and pain reliever to chase the headache away. As he swallowed the pills, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror behind the liquor bottles at the bar. This night is definitely taking a toll on Liam.

Just then, Simon and Amy headed over to the bar. Liam saw them and raised his hand in the air to grab their attention. Amy’s hair was no longer dripping wet, but it was obvious that she was caught in the rain by her appearance. Liam offered both of them a drink, and headed back into his office.

Again, Liam unlocked the door, flicked the lights on, and tossed his keys on the desk. He invited them in and motioned them to the couch. As they sat down, Liam grabbed his chair from behind his desk and rolled it over to the coffee table. “First, I want to thank you for making it over on such short notice.” Liam started to say as he took a seat in the chair.

“Not a problem, I’ve been waiting for your call.  There’s something I want to show you.” Amy said as she reached into her purse.  

“Look, it’s really important…” Liam was cut off as Amy hands him a photo. Liam reaches over. “What’s this?” He asks as he takes it from Amy.

“Take a look.” She says as Liam sits back in his chair. Liam covers his mouth with his hand and his eyes widen. That sickening feeling he had earlier returned with a vengeance. He couldn’t believe he was looking at a photo of the very same kid he was about to confess to them about.

Amy looked at Simon in total confusion. “Do you have any idea who he is? There’s an inscription on the back.” Amy said as Liam froze. “It has the name Louis on the back. I distinctly remember him being one of the ‘boy band’ members I saw in my vision.

Liam was speechless.  He stood up and walked over to his desk and turned his back on Simon and Amy.

“Liam?” Amy asked, concerned by his reaction.

This just can’t be happening, Liam thought to himself. Unfortunately, that memory that was conveniently blocked from his mind for years was painfully resurfacing. He was re-living it in his mind as he thought back to the day it happened.

Liam remembered looking through the little vertical window of the art room door. His heart rate and breathing increased as the anticipation grew. He heard distant footsteps echoing in the hall. As they came closer Liam was starting to rethink this was a bad idea. But he knew he had to do something, otherwise he’d never have a chance to be in the spotlight as Louis did time after time.