Waited For A Girl Like You: A One Direction Love Story

Chapter 5: Who Wouldn't Want To Meet One Direction?

[AN: I was going to start writing this earlier, but then I lost track of time watching old X-Factor performances of One Direction. Sigh. Anyways this chapter is dedicated to 1Direction_Infection who created the character introduced in this chapter. Thanks love!]

“Lex! Lex, where are you?!?” Liam cried out in a panic. He rushed along the familiar park pathway until he finally saw the girl he had been searching for for the past hour. “Damn it Lex! Why are you hiding out here?”

“You came,” Alexa said softly in awe. “I didn’t think you would come.” Liam groaned as he plopped down beside her on the old stone bench.

“I always come Alexa. We’ve been best friends since we were kids. I’m not just going to leave you here alone. Now tell me what’s wrong.” Alexa smiled weakly at Liam before covering her tear streaked face with her blonde hair. Liam reached out a hand and stroked one of the natural brown highlights that were sprinkled throughout her hair. In that moment Alexa was tempted to tell him the truth about what was going on. To tell him about the nightmares.

“I was just testing you, I guess,” she said not looking Liam in the eyes. He knew instantly that she was lying, but he let it go. He had grown up with Alexa when they were kids. They had been inseparable until she was seven. Her parents had moved far away [AN: I would say where, but I know nothing about England.] leaving Liam minus a best friend. He had found her again about six months ago by accident right here in this park. He had been running during one of the band’s off days and had literally run into her.

“Why don’t you come back with me into the city?” Liam asked. He watched as her eyes widened in alarm. He waited to see what excuse she would give this time. Alexa always had an excuse. Liam wondered what had happened to his happy friend Lex from childhood. The girl he had become reacquainted with was someone else entirely. She would only reveal that her parents died when she was young leaving her alone. She was living on her own as an emancipated minor. She had told Liam that she had worked hard to get a job and an apartment so she wouldn’t have to live in a group home any longer. She was withdrawn and scared. It worried Liam.

“I have work later today,” Alexa said softly. She had the next three days off, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. “Sorry, Li. You know I can’t miss work.”

“It’s Saturday,” Liam said quickly. “I know for a fact that your office isn’t open on Saturdays. Why is it so hard for you to come and stay with me? You can stay in the guest room of my flat. I can take care of you. You don’t have to work.” Alexa closed her eyes and sighed.

“I’m sure the courts would love to hear that I’ve shacked up at some random boy’s house. I’m sixteen Liam. They’ll send me back to the group home.” And if they sent her back to the group home it would be easier for him to find her if he was ever freed.

“I’m not some guy,” Liam said with annoyance. “I’m Liam Payne. I’m worth loads of money. I can give you a great life. And you’re turning seventeen in a month. ”

“Li, no. It’s better like this. We’re good friends right?”

“I know that you’re still hiding something from me.” Alexa leaned her back against his side as she hugged her knees to her chest. He was right. She had been hiding the truth from Liam for a long time now. But how did you tell someone that when you were eleven your father raped you?

“Have I really changed that much?” she asked softly.

“No, you’re still my Lex,” he said softly reaching out and grasping her hand with his own. But she wasn’t his Lex. She wasn’t the one who pushed him outside of his comfort zone as a scared little kid when he had spent all that time at the hospital. Whenever he thought about giving up on his dreams he thought back to her happy smile and trudged on. But this Lex was quiet and easily spooked.