Always Come First

Chapter Ten

Liam rolls over, warm and comfortable in Niall's bed. Unfortunately, he can't sleep.  He opens his eyes cautiously, afraid that even that would wake the blonde.

Liam stared at Niall, thinking over everything that has happened in the past days. If someone told him last week that he was in love with Niall, he would have laughed. But now, when the only noise is Niall's steady breathing, Liam really thinks.

He thinks of how much it must have hurt Niall. Seeing how happy he was with Danielle. In reality, he had been looking for a way out of the relationship. She had been too much to handle towards the end. Clingy, demanding, insulting. Only now did Liam fully realize why. She was, and still is, in a terrible situation with her father. Who knows how long he'd been treating her like that.

But Liam didn't feel regretful. He had always kept to himself about his sexuality, because he was a little confused. He had in the past, had difficult feelings towards Niall. Not particularly sexual, but feelings that you would be afraid to admit to your best friend. In his case, Niall is his best friend.

As Liam thinks about Niall, Danielle looks around Liam's room.

She gets up, and walks around the small room. She runs her hands across the dresser, and picks up a photo. It's a group shot, of all of their friends. Louis and Harry on one side, Abbie and Niall beside them, Zayn and Brea, and herself and Liam on the other side. Also in the picture is Josh and Harry's sister Kelly, sitting on the ground cross legged. They never dated, but they were always together, like best friends. They kinda toned down since him and Abbie got together, but she was still around. They all look happy, except Niall. He looks like it hurts to smile, with his arm around Abbie, her lips on his cheek.

She thinks to herself 'That was only a mere week before they broke up.' Purely coincidental.

'But did Niall love him then?'

He must of. He broke up with Abbie because he didn't love her anymore. He wasn't lying, just not telling the full truth. What can you do?

Danielle continues to look around the room. Not really snooping, just curious.

She walks over to his closet, and opens it. It's a complete disaster, just like the rest of his room. His clothes are strewn everywhere, papers all over his desk, little knick knacks on every available surface. Danielle lets out a sigh, and decides to start cleaning, knowing that she'll never sleep.

She first picks up all the clothes on the ground, and tosses them into the hamper. Doesn't matter if they were clean, considering they were on the floor for god knows how long. After they're all picked up, the room already looks 10 times better. She picks up the little gadgets and starts aligning them along an empty shelf. A football medal gets hanged on his cork board, but then something catches her eye. She sees a note, and pulls it off.

'Dear Danielle.

We've been together for a long time, and it kills me to say this. I just don't have feelings towards you anymore. I know it's terrible for me to send you a note, but I can't stand the sight of you crying. I hope we can still be friends.

-Liam'

Danielle sunk to the ground, and reread the note at least twenty times. The note looks old and like it's been folded and refolded multiple times.

"He must have never had the guts to give it to me." she whispered to herself.

She flips over the paper, and sees that it's a page, dated two weeks ago. She holds back the tears, as she tucks the note back under the rest of papers on the board, and continues organizing. After ten minutes of this, does she finally feel exhausted. She turns off the overhead light, and climbs into Liam's bed. Her eyes close before her head even hits the pillow.

Down the hall, Liam lies as still as he can.

Finally, after nearly half an hour of lying there, Liam decides to try getting up and getting a drink. He unwraps Niall's arm, and slips off the bed. He ducks out of the door, and heads down the kitchen. He comes back with a glass of water in hand, and meets a perplexed Niall.

"I heard you leave, and wondered what was going on. Everything okay?" asks a groggy Niall.

Liam places the glass on the nightstand, and crawls in beside Niall.

"Yeah, I just can't sleep." he replies. "Which is crazy, because I was exhausted when I climbed into here. But now, I'm wide awake."

Niall wraps his arm around Liam's waist, and pulls him close. He sets his head down on Liam's shoulder, and with his other hand starts brushing back Liam's soft brown hair.

"I could sing to you, if it would help."

Liam flips over so that he is on his side instead of his back to face Niall. He leans forward, and plants a kiss on the Irish lad's cherry lips.

"I would love that."

He flips back to his original position on his back, and lets out a long sigh. Niall snuggles closer to Liam, and they wrap each other in a tight embrace. Niall's soft voice rings out.

'My hearts a stereo, it beats for you so listen close

Here my thoughts in every note, oh oh

Make me your radio, turn me up when you feel low

This melody was meant for you, so sing-a-long to my stereo'

By the time Niall is done singing just that verse, Liam finally dozes off, with Niall not too far behind.

~~~

Josh gets back to Abbie's place in no time, letting himself in.

He walks through the door, exhausted from the entire day. He jumps into a cold shower, not wanting to waste any time.

When he's finished, he goes into Abbie's room to pack some things she might need. He opens her top door, and throws a few under garments into a bar. He grabs a few t-shirts, track pants, and her favourite pajamas. He picks up the soft cotton, and remembers the day when she came home with them.

 "Josh, I'm back!"

"Abbs!" he runs out into the hall, and scoops her up into a hug. "How was the mall?"

"Amazing. Brea and I sat in Wal-Mart and read magazines for almost a hour." she chuckles. "We wandered for a bit, and I got a milkshake from DQ. There was a suspicious looking hole in it, like some guy dipped his ... ya' know into it. But it was a solid milkshake. Ouh, I got these pajamas too!"

She pulls out a pair of pants and a tank top. They're light blue, with pictures of little rubber ducks. The tank top has a massive duck on it, winking.

"Those are cheeky." Josh says with a laugh.

"Aren't they cute?"

Josh pulls her close, and kisses her nose. "Adorable. Like you."

Josh relishes on the memory. Moments like that makes the world go round.

He grabs her IPod, the latest copy of her favourite magazine, and her sketch pad. He thumbs through it, stopping on the last page. It's a half completed drawing of her and Brea. He folds the book up, and smiles to himself.

He heads out the door, bags in hand. He gets down to his car, and sees a piece of paper sticking out from under the window wipers. He pulls it out, and gets into his car. He doesn't want to encounter whoever left him the note, so he drives to the nearest coffee shop. He pulls in the parking lot, and unfolds the note.

'You won't get any sort of revenge on me. Keep protecting those fags and you'll be lying beside them.'

Josh's breath hitches.

Eric. He knows where Abbie lives. He knows everything.

"How?" he wonders out loud.