Capture (A Liam AU)

Four

I silently and quickly excuse myself from the group breaking out into the hallway. It is quiet and abandoned but I keep my cool as I stamp off towards the women's restroom. I push the door open silently checking the bottoms of the stalls for feet, luckily there are none as I finally let out my disbelief. You have got to be fucking kidding me. I think to myself as I have a mini yet still somewhat silent tantrum in the middle of the bathroom. Of course this douchebag would be here, at my new job on my very first day! I internally groan as I slam my fists on the white porcelain sink. "Breathe, in and out." I speak aloud to myself as a mini pep talk following the actions of my words. I check my watch realizing that the lunch break is about to end. My eyes move to the mirror as I look back at my reflection I don't even recognize myself hardly anymore. I've never been the type to flip out over one person so much that I have to leave to room.

Composing myself before stepping out of the bathroom I make my way back to my office looking to avoid him and his handsomely tattooed friend. I push my hands on the glass of my office door stepping into the bright room thankful of the refuge and isolation. "Ah Emma!" The distinct Irish voice reaches my ears from behind me. I smile as I spin around to greet him.

"Ni-" I freeze once again for the day seeing Liam's face still smirking behind Niall. "all." I finish his name as I stare past his left shoulder.

"Emma, this is Liam." Niall introduces me to him. I didn't know such a nice sounding name could go with this man, this harsh man that I've come to loath. "I know you don't know a lot of people in the town yet so I wanted to introduce you to me best mate!" Niall smiled clapping Liam on the back.

"So Emma you're a photographer." Liam observed as he reached out to shake my hand. I hesitated watching his hand hover in the air, hanging halfway between my body and his. Finally I slowly extended my hand to his as he held my palm tightly in his.

"And you are a bike messenger I see." I snarl back as pleasantly as I can. Niall standing next to us watching us interact with a smile on his face.

"Only part time." He answers me with narrowed eyes as he drops my hand pulling his back by his sides.

"Yea, Liam works at the gym cross town, that's how we met actually. He has a gnarly hook." Niall said proudly as Liam smirked over at him. "You should come out to one of his fights!" He exclaimed excitedly.

"Ni, calm down Emma doesn't seem they type." Liam smiled keeping his eyes on mine.

"Seem the type?" I ask annoyed with his tone.

"You know, strong stomached." He is taunting me now. I didn't think I could hate him any more that I already did but he was certainly checking all the boxes for me.

"Trust me Liam, I'd take great pleasure in seeing you beaten." I hiss back at him.

"Only problem love, I don't lose." Liam snapped back same stupid smirk on his face. The man that came in with Liam poked his head in the room.

"Li, let's go mate. Got some deliveries to do before the days over."

"Right. Niall cheers. Emma, it was a pleasure. I hope to see you around the neighborhood." Liam grinned insincerely as he made his way to the door allowing it to fall shut behind him and the tattooed stranger.

"Around the neighborhood?" Niall frowned. "Hang on, you're the new neighbor girl he was telling me about!"

"He told you about me?" I asked super surprised that he would even care enough to talk about our encounter with anyone else. "What did he say?"

"Just that he had a new neighbor. That's crazy, what are the odds?"

"Small world." I shrugged wishing it was a much bigger world.

"You'll get used to him. He is a bit of a git until you get to know him." Niall apologized.

"How did you last long enough to befriend him?" I ask.

"Couple of nights in the pub and he gets much more pleasant. Just give him time." Niall laughed.

He left as I got back to work editing the shots from the Adele shoot earlier that day. The rest of the day went quickly as Emma worked hard until Niall popped in again.

"Hey Samantha just showed me your frames from this afternoon. They're good, your really talented." He said genuinely.

"Really? Thank you."

"No problem!" He looked down at his watch. "It's quitting time, I'm heading out, you coming?"

"Is it that time already?" I asked glancing at the wall clock. It read ten after five. "Yea, I'm gonna call it a day too." I got up pulling my coat on as I grabbed my bag making my way towards the door.

The studio is dark as the rest of the crew has already left for the night. I walk around my office gathering up my bag before shutting the lights off and calling it a night. Niall leads me through the bullpen as tap open the Uber app from my phone requesting a ride home.

"Need a ride?" Niall asks.

"I have an Uber coming." I explain as we hit the main floor lobby.

"Cancel it, I'm heading your way anyway, it's no trouble." He holds open the door for me as I try to refuse him but the sight of Liam leaning against his bike out in front of the curb makes me falter. "I told you I was heading your way."

"What are you running a driving service now Ni?" Liam frowns as he carts his bike up to us.

"You going to tip me?" Niall asked. Liam shook his head with a firm no. "Then if I am, it's a pretty shitty one."

"Can't you just bike home?" I frown annoyed that Liam keeps popping up. Liam tilts his head, a quirky crooked smile grows from his lips, he pushes his bike forward pointing down to the wheel as we all look down to see his flat tire.

"Ok you two, enough bickering, load up!" Niall shoved between us beeping his SUV unlocked.

"Feeling neighborly?" He asks with a smirk holding out his bike for me to help. I rolled my eyes and moved around him climbing into Niall's passenger seat while he put his bike in the hatch climbing into the seat directly behind me.