Can You Keep a Secret? [One Direction - Liam Payne Fanfic]

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

2 years later

I sat up on my bed, panting. Another sleepless night, another night haunted by my past. It'd never left my mind. The memory of that night replied in my head every single moment of every single day. It wasn't something I was proud of, and thankfully, no one knew. Except for Harry. I haven't talked to him since that summer, not once.

I left before graduating senior year, as in left, I mean moved out of Cheshire. Yes, I was a runaway. Didn't even leave a note to my parents. I moved to London with only a few pounds in my pocket, made my living with working shifts at the local supermarket. It wasn't much but it paid the rent.

I got off my bed, or should I say mattress, and set my feet on the cold wooden floor. The cold wind blew through the cracked windows making me shrug. I walked to the other side of the room, and searched through the pile of clothes on the floor for some pants. I grabbed a pair of torn old jeans and put them on. I walked over to the door and turned the knob before sighing to myself. Another sleepless night.

My apartment was in the bad side of London town. At night, it felt like you were in a horror movie. When I couldn't sleep, like tonight, I would just walk. Let the streets take me anywhere, just as long as I stopped thinking about... that. This neighbourhood always made me uneasy so I would walk all the way to wherever felt more safe.

1:47 am. The wind blew in my hair as I stared at the city. I could hear the waves discretely resounding against the bridge, as I sat on the edge of it. I had both hands on the rail, holding onto them even though the cold burnt my skin. I felt a drop of water on my cheek. Suddenly, it started pouring rain. How convenient. I wanted to pull up the hood of my jacket but if I let go of the rail, I would fall. Fall from the bridge into the cold water. I thought about it for a minute. It would be fast, it wouldn't hurt. My heart would probably stop before I hit the water.

A thought ran through my mind. I wanted to die. I thought this depression would end after I, we, ended it. I thought that with her gone... I'd be happy. But I obviously wasn't. I was honestly considering to jump. I couldn't live with it anymore. I wanted it to end.

I never said goodbye to my parents, to anyone. After I left Cheshire, I had been pretty much on my own. I didn't have any friends, anyone to talk to. All the more reason to disappear, no one would miss me.

I closed my eyes and tilted my head up to the sky. The raindrops were falling hard on my skin, they felt like knives. It was somehow comforting. At least I was feeling something.

2:23 am. Did I have the guts to do it? Would I regret it half way down? If I did, there would be no turning back. I slowly let go of the rail, one hand slipping off. I felt my heart hard against my chest, I breathed unevenly. If I did this, it would all end. You will be happy Maia. Finally happy.

I was about to let go off the rail with my other hand before I heard a voice in the distance. "Stop!"

I looked around but I didn't see anyone. It was dark and the only light was coming from the street lamps hung over the bridge. I looked back down at the water, thinking about continuing. But again, I heard the same voice call after me.

"Miss, don't do it." The voice was closer now. It felt like it was coming from behind me.

I turned my head to the side, I still couldn't see the person. "Why shouldn't I? Give me a reason."

I heard a light chuckle. "There's a million reasons."

"Like what?"

"If you jump, you will never have the pleasure of meeting me." he didn't sound cocky, despite his spiky response, more like apologetic.

I didn't say anything. I just stared back down at the water. Why would a stranger suddenly care about if I jumped or not? What difference did it make if I lived or not? He didn't know me, why would he stop me?

I felt a hand on my shoulder. My heart jumped at his touch. His hand was warm against my cold and wet clothes. "Please."

"Why?" I murmured.

"Because I'll never be able to forgive myself if I let you do it. I'm trying to save your life."

I smiled faintly to myself. A complete stranger cared for my existence. There had to be something behind that. I sighed to myself before wiping the runny mascara off my cheek.

"Fine." I said suddenly.

He grabbed me by the waist and pulled me off the rail, setting me on the ground right in front of him. "Thank you." he said quietly.

He had a hood pulled over his head so I could only see the trace of his chin and lips. I was curious to see who he was, the person that stopped me from taking my own life. My breathing was uneven and I shivered from the cold. He noticed and started pulling down the zipper of his hoodie. He slid his hood off and revealed his brown hair that was lighted by the flourescent lamps over us. It was messy and wet, he'd surely been in the rain for a while. My eyes flew down to meet his that were of a chocolatey brown. We locked eyes for a while before I cleared my throat. He handed me his hoodie.

"Thank you." I said before pulling it over my thin jacket that was soaking wet.

Strangely, his hoodie was almost completely dry and surprisingly warm. I snuggled it around my body as it warmed up. I could his smell his perfume that was now wrapped around me and I felt shivers down my spine.

"Hey, how come your-"

There was a loud honk and a big black shiny Range Rover pulled up in front of us.

"I have to go." he said before turning around.

I grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Wait..." he looked at me with his dreamy eyes. "How will I ever thank you?"

He smiled and stuck his hand in his pocket for something. He pulled out a small piece of paper and grabbed my hand. He placed the folded paper in my palm and closed my hand before whispering something to me.

"You can thank me by giving me back my hoodie tomorrow."

I looked at the small paper and noticed a number on it. I smiled to myself before looking up, he was already inside the car. I ran to it and knocked on the window. He pulled it down and smiled at me.

"I didn't get your name." I said quietly.

"It's Liam."

My eyes were suddenly drawn to the driver. I instantly recognized his profile, the curls, the shape of his nose... it seemed so familiar. I gasped quietly when I realised-

The car suddenly drove off making me jump back. It disappeared into the dark and I was left alone standing on the empty bridge underneath a street light.

"Harry?" I whispered to myself.

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