Leaving Dreamland [Book One]

10~ Revenge Is Sweet

I flew down the two sets of stairs and into the basement, hoping to get as far away from them as possible. I didn't want to have to look at any of them again, especially Louis. I would totally embarrass myself, as always. They would laugh at me and Lou would just think I was another pathetic fangirl. I couldn't ever go back up there and face them again.

"Shyler! Wait! Come back!" I heard Liam call, but that just made me want to run away faster.

I hurried into my dad's office and rushed to try and push the bookshelf out of the way to go back to my secret room, a place where I could hide from them forever. However, before I could push it out of the way enough for me to squeeze through the doorway, Liam was there. He grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me around to face him. He looked at my tear-streaked face and then pulled me in for a hug. Despite my want to run away from him and be left alone, I returned the hug gratefully. I guess I just really needed that.

I let go of him for a second and pushed the bookshelf out of the way a little more, then beckoned for him to go in, as I knew I couldn't get away from him now. As soon as he went in, I followed, then pulled the bookshelf back into place. I flicked on the light, and the little crystal chandellier sparkled above us. I sat down on the loveseat, and he did the same, putting his arm around my shoulder.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, looking at me with a concerned face. I glanced over at him, double checking to see if he was actually being serious.

"You really have to ask?" I said, amazed that he couldn't figure it out. And I thought he was the smart one!

"Yeah, I guess I do," he said.

"Well, I just totally and utterly embarrassed myself in front of everyone, you all probably think I'm an idiot, Louis probably thinks I'm just some stupid fangirl, and I'll never be able to look any of them in the eye again." I whimpered. Was I actually admitting this to him?

"Well, first of all, everyone gets embarrassed during truth or dare. It's pretty much expected, especially with Harry asking the questions. He always thinks of the worst ones." Liam grimaced.

"Yeah, but it's different when you're asked the question about who you like and that person is sitting there playing the game too." I sniffled, wiping some of the tears off my face.

"Well, I actually think he already knew. We pretty much all thought so," he stated simply.

"WHAT?!" I yelped, shocked.

"I must say, you weren't very subtle..." he said, grinning at me.

"Are you serious?! I was really that obvious?!" I asked. I seriously couldn't believe this.

"Well, sure. I mean, we've all caught you staring at him a couple of times, you told us yesterday that he was your favorite, and I don't know... It just all seemed to make sense. Oh, and you also fainted after he kissed you," he smirked. I just stared at him in disbelief.

"But I thought it was just Niall that caught me looking at him..." I said, puzzled. Hadn't all the other boys just looked confused whenever Niall had to wave a hand in front of my face to bring me back from staring at Lou? I mean, I'd thought so...

"Nope."

"But whenever Niall caught me, all of the rest of you looked confused...?" The words came out sounding like a question.

"Or we were just thinking hard about what you staring at Lou meant," Liam chuckled, and it suddenly made sense. Now that I thought about it, those could have been 'I'm deep in thought' faces.

"Oh," I responded, not knowing what else to say. He continued on.

"Secondly, I know I speak for all of us when I say that we don't think you're an idiot. We just think it was Harry taking everything a little too far, as usual. He tends to do that. But I don't think he set off to try and make you so upset like this," he informed me. "None of us think that you're just some stupid fangirl. If you were that, you wouldn't have helped Louis in the airport; you would've attacked him, knowing that he was right in front of you. And you shouldn't be so embarrassed about liking Lou; I mean, thousands of girls do, right?" he laughed, trying to lighten the mood a little bit.