Ditto || l.p

Ch.8- alcohol

-Liam-

There's something strange about Ashley. She's..quiet. So, so quiet. And sure, I've only known her for two days. But even for two days she's more quiet than anyone I've ever met.

And she's fidgety. She flinches when someone raises their hand, like she's waiting for them to hit her. She always folds her arms across her chest and grips her arms tight in her hands when she's around the lads and I as if she has to hold herself together. I don't want to say that she's weird..but that's exactly what she is.

"Hey, Niall?" He looks away from his phone to meet my eyes. The two of us were spending time together while Louis and Zayn went to the shopping centre and Harry and Ashley unpacked. We weren't actually doing anything, though. "Have you noticed anything odd about Ashley?"

"What? No, 'course not. Although her footballing skills are sick! She's amazing!" he says in awe, a wide smile plastered across his face.

"Yeah, but have you noticed anything strange at all?"

"No, what are you talking about? She's really nice and good company too. There's nothing wrong with her," he narrows his eyes at me. "Why?"

"That isn't what I'm saying," I shake my head. "She just seems so distant from people. Like she never gets too close to anyone. And she's so quiet, Niall. Too quiet. It's like she's hiding something. And-"

"Jesus, Liam! You've known her for 2 days! Chill, alright? She's shy. Give her time to get comfortable with us," he shrugs. I don't think he's seeing what I see about her. It's like I can see through her, but no one else can.

Man, I need to lay off the alcohol.

"But I've met shy people before. They're never THAT quiet. And they don't act the way she does," I explain, trying to prove a point. So far I'm not getting anywhere.

"What do you mean 'how she acts'? She hasn't been rude," Niall says, defending Ashley.

"I never said that. But she does that weird thing, where she glances around a lot as if she's waiting for someone to grab her and she has to keep watch. And she can never sit still, she's so fidgety. She's..she's weird, Niall."

"Well you're not perfect either. I mean, have you heard how you talk to her? Maybe she's like that because you're a dick."

"Oh, c'mon, Niall. You know what I'm talking about," I ignore his comment.

"No, I really don't. And I think you're being rude right now," he turns back to his phone. "But then again, that's normal for you lately."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Liam. The snide remarks, leaving the group when we're trying to spend quality time together, acting like every girl in the world is a disease," he shakes his head angrily. "This Rebecca shit is getting old, Liam. You can't keep treating everyone like it's our fault."

"Don't say her fucking name," I mumble, gripping my glass of water tight in my hand.

"No, you have to let go of that bitch. She never deserved you. You did the right thing, breaking up with her. But. You. Have. To. Let. Her. Go." he says slowly, hitting his right hand against his left palm with each word he spoke.

"It isn't that easy-"

"Yes it fucking is, Liam. You need to grow up and realize that she was no good. She played you, and that's that. It's been two months, get over it." He looked back down at his phone, closing his statement.

"Fuck you," I say before leaving through the front door, slamming it behind me. I mumbled things under my breath as I walked towards the bar a few blocks away. I'd rather be drunk off my ass than in the same room as Niall.