One Month Headed In One Direction

Chapter 8: Why Did You Kiss Me?

[AN: So yesterday while at work I got stuck in the elevator for HALF AN HOUR!!! Plus I was the only staff member on site, so a fun time was NOT had by all. On the plus side I did have a pen and paper with me so I took the time to write this chapter. And no there are no elevators involved thankfully. Sorry, I'm still a little traumatized. Not by being stuck in the elevator, but by the stupid questions I keep getting asked. My absolute favorite? "So you got out of the elevator?" XD]

Liam’s POV

[TWO DAYS LATER]

I can do this. I can tell her. I can do this. I can tell her. I walked into the small kitchenette on the bus and stopped when I saw Sammy standing there humming. I can’t do this. I was headed back out to the living area of the bus when Niall appeared shoving me back in the direction from where I came.

“What if she says no?” I asked Niall. “What if I tell her that I like her, and she just rejects me? Do you know how humiliating that would be? How much that would hurt?”

“Trust me,” Niall said sadly. “I know.”

“Nialler, what’s wrong?”

“Just go,” he said softly as he pushed me. “You know that you want to.”

“I guess you’re right. It’s better to be rejected than never know, right?”

“Sure,” Niall agreed grumpily. I made a mental note to talk to him later about whatever was bothering him before going back into the kitchenette. Sammy was humming “Up All Night” as she rolled out a pizza crust.  

“What are you making?” I asked. Smooth Liam, real smooth. Her eyes darted up to meet mine. Her face flushed before she looked back down at the food in front of her.

“Pizza,” she squeezed out.

“I didn’t know you cooked.” Great, I groaned to myself. Next I can ask her about the weather.

“I don’t get the chance very often,” she said spreading olive oil onto the crust. “Nora is kind of a control freak about having other people in her kitchen. It’s just best to stay out of there most of the time.” [AN: I am a control freak about my kitchen. There you go Jordan! You’re cooking! ;)]

“Oh.” I just stood there as she sprinkled cheese absentmindedly. Come on Liam! Say something! Tell her how you feel about her! But if I do that then Nora is going to be really mad at me especially since she told me to stay away from Sam. Of course that’s really only an issue if Sam miraculously doesn’t reject me. I was finally broken out of my silent monologue by Sammy’s soft voice.

“Why did you kiss me?” she asked.

“Uh—well—see I kissed you because—uh,” I stuttered. Why was this so hard? I’m normally so cool and collected in interviews and on stage. How can one pretty girl turn me into a stammering idiot?

“It’s okay Liam,” Sammy sighed. “I get it. You didn’t mean for it to happen.” I nodded. I guess that was true. I had never meant to run off like that after kissing her. “We’ll just wipe the slate clean. You and I never kissed.” Wait. What?

“No!” I protested. “We can’t just pretend it never happened!”

“I swear that Annie never has to know.”

“What does Annie have to do with us kissing?”

“I heard you and Nora talking that night. After the concert.” Shit.

“Y-you heard us?” I stammered. Is that why she wants to forget about the kiss? She knew that Nora had threatened me. I know she cares about her sister. Was she pushing me away because of her respect for Nora?

“You must have been upset when Nora told you to stay away from Annie, and—“

“You think Nora was telling me to stay away from Annie?” I asked interrupting her. She blinked up at me with a startled look as I moved closer to her.

“Yeah,” Sam said slowly. “Nora said ‘she’s seventeen and my sister.’ Who else could she have been talking about?” Is she kidding? She seriously thinks I like Annie?

“Nora has more than one sister,” I pointed out calmly. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the shocked look on her face.

“B-but Annie is David’s actual sister. I’m just a tagalong.”

“That’s not how Annie and Nora see it. To them you’re their sister. They love you, fight with you, and threaten boys to stay away from you.” She smiled as I pulled her against me.

“You were really talking about me?”

“Of course! I can’t believe you thought I liked Annie.”

“You’re always blushing when she’s around! I’ve seen you out of the corner of my eye.”

“Th-that’s because you’re usually standing next to her.” She blushed softly at my words. “Why do I always stutter like an idiot around you?”

“I think it’s cute,” she said before leaning in. Her lips were just inches from mine when I pulled back. “Liam?” The sad look that crossed her face made me bite my lip in indecision. Could I really ignore Nora’s warning? “You’re thinking about what Nora said aren’t you?"

“She told me to keep away from you. I mean, you’re seventeen!”

“So what? I turn eighteen in September. And you turn nineteen in August. It’s only really one year and a month’s age difference between us. You’re making it sound like you’re twenty and I’m seven. Seriously.” [AN: She actually made this exact argument in the comments of a previous chapter. HA HA HA!]

“You do make a good point.” She smiled and leaned in, but I pulled back yet again. There was still one question I needed answered.

“I swear to God, Liam,” Sammy threatened. “If you pull away one more time I am going to hurt you, and it’s going to involve spoons.”

“Okay, this is going to sound weird, but when Harry pulled you up onto the stage that night—“

“I was totally petrified. I don’t know what that boy was thinking.”

“So you and Harry aren’t--?” She pulled away and gave me a dirty look.

“If I liked Harry would I be standing in a kitchen trying to kiss you?” [AN: The girl raises a valid point Liam!]

“Sorry,” I said sheepishly. “I guess I just thought—“

“Li, are you ever going to stop thinking and kiss me or not?” I hesitated, and she giggled again before grasping my face in her hands. “I guess I have to do all the work in this relationship, don’t I?” And with that she pulled my lips to her. I could feel her smile into the kiss as I took over. This was perfect. This was everything I had been waiting for. I was going to have to thank Niall later for pushing me in here. I bit her bottom lip causing her to gasp and open her mouth against mine.

“Am I interrupting?” a female voice said. We both broke apart flushed and giddy with our newfound love. Oh God, I sound a giggling, teenage girl. The color immediately left my face when I saw Nora standing just inside the kitchenette of the bus. I felt Sammy grasp tightly to my hand.

“Nora!” Sammy said nervously. “What are you doing here?”

“We’ll get to that in a minute,” Nora said jerking a thumb in the direction of the living room. “We need to talk about a few other things first.” I gulped as Nora went ahead of us.

“Don’t be scared Liam,” Sam whispered. “Nora’s bark is worse than her bite.”

“She bites?” I squeaked out making Sam laugh.

[AN: Please keep sending in entries for my character contest! I just need a name, physical description, and one sentence explaining why you love Harry. Pretty please? I will be taking entries until Wednesday, and the winner will be announced Thursday! If you send in an entry I will send happy rainbows your way! Okay, I can’t control the weather, but I can try darn it all!]