You, Me and Times Square.

Chapter 9

~Miss you?
I do that all the time~

Stephanie

Not thinking about anything else, I scoot my chair back and excuse myself from the table, causing everyone to look at me with utter confusion. As I run up the stairs I hear my mom and dad call after me, but I don't look back. Opening my room door, I run into my bathroom and look through the laundry basket for the clothes I had worn yesterday. I find my denim ripped shorts and look through the pockets, but nothing! 

Where could I have put? I put a hand into the hoodie's pockets to find the piece of paper.

Nothing!

Nothing at all!

Where could it have gone!?

------------------------------

Liam

Looking at her when she's asleep is calming, she's not worried about anything or anyone. It's as though she can conquer absolutely anything...which is actually very true-but I know how much she is hurting.

When morning came, my bodyguard arrived and somehow got the door opened without letting anyone know that I am inside. I decided to leave before Stephanie woke so that I wouldn't have to feel guilty for everything.

Yes, call me a coward but I can't see her hurting the way she is. I left her when she needed me the most. I really didn't want to, but it was her parents decision and I wanted to respect that. And it's not like I had forgotten about her after that day; in fact, she is all that I think about.

I exited the mall once I was fully disguised. Although, Alexandra-Stephanie's bestfriend-knew just who I was. She wanted to know what was I doing at the mall at eight thirty am. I told her I had come to meet up with a friend, but got ditched afterwards.

Which is a pretty lame excuse for a celebrity to be ditched by a friend at eight thirty in the morning.

She told me to stay away from Stephanie because that's what's best for her right now. She also gave me a heads up about Stephanie's health, which helps, knowing that the therapy is...sort of helping...maybe. 

For the past two years, all I wondered was; does she know who I am to her, does she even remember me, how is she, did she move on?

After spending last night with her, all my questions have been answered. She knows that I am just Liam Payne, former One Direction member. She is hurting and no, she did not move on. She hasn't had a relationship with anyone in the past two years.

Soon, I feel my eyelids getting heavy and decide to head into my bedroom. I take off my shirt and pull cold the covers over me.

'I miss you.'

--------------------------
Stephanie

I'm sitting cross legged on my bedroom floor  when Troy enters and sits beside me.

"Stephanie, why are you crying?" He asks.

"I am?" I touch my cheeks and feel the tears.

"Steph, what's happening?"
 He continues when I don't answer,
"No secrets, remember?"

I immediately feel tears swelling in my eyes and before I can do anything about it, I feel them rolling down my face. I keep my face down, looking at the wooden floors.

"Liam-Liam Payne happened Troy. I spent the night wi-with him at t-the ice-cream parlour." I say as my breath hitches. When I face him, his eyes are widened and a smirk has replaced his usual grin.

"Well, well, well! Didn't you have a fun filled night?" He says making it sound more like a statement rather than a question as he nudged my side.

"Haha! Well if that includes cuddling and getting his hoodie" I say raising my right eyebrow and lifting the hoodie up a little.

"Oh my word. Is that his? Steph, you just got lucky!" He says with excitement in his tone. I think of the number Liam had given me,
"Troy, he gave me his personal number but I don't know where I misplaced it."

"Aww Steph, is that the reason why you're crying?" He asks

"When his hand touched mine I felt this familiar spark, it's like I've met him before...in the past. Troy, whenever I looked at him, he was already staring with a smile plastered on his face.  It's as if he stalks me on Twitter, which sounds weird, I know but he knew what I had on my bio. Don't you find that weird? He even told me I should take care of my health. When he gave me his cellphone number, I felt honoured-to say the least. But when he said that I could call him whenever I'd like to, I felt...special. Now, I can't find the number an-and..." As I start tearing up, Troy pulls me into a hug.

"All I-I want is-is someone to tell me the-the truth about my past" I sob.

"Stephanie?" I hear my mom's voice from behind the door and I look towards Troy,
"No one can know about this Troy...ever."

"I promise," He says.

"Thank you," I sniffle.
"Come in."

Mom enters the room and stands in front of me. I keep my head down so that she can't see my tear stained cheeks and red, puffy, bloodshot eyes, as I play with a piece of cotton from the hoodie.

"Aren't you going to get ready? Your appointment with your therapist is in an hour" She speaks, more like asks.

Oh shoot! I forgot about the appointment. 

"Yeah, I'll be ready shortly," I simply answer.

I guess she nodded in response, since she didn't say anything but just walked out of my room.

"Don't cry! Otherwise we're not going to the movie's later. And get ready quickly, you don't want your dad getting angry at his baby girl," Troy says which startles me. I forgot that he was in my room.

"So we're going to the movies later?" I ask.

"Yep. Alexandra and I will fetch you from the therapists office"

"Thanks Troy," I say getting up and giving him a hug before he leaves, closing the door behind him.

Once he is out of sight I open my closet and contemplate on what to wear. I decide to keep the hoodie on but change from denim short jeans into black coloured leggings. I put my hair in a high ponytail and grab my navy blue converse on my way out of the room.

Walking down the staircase I hear mom and dad talking, more like whispering in the kitchen.

"I knew it was a bad idea. You shouldn't have let her go." I hear dad say.

"She had Alex." Mom responds.

Figuring that they're talking about me, I interrupt by saying,

"What was a bad idea?" Which makes mom jump a little from the shock.

"Oh, uh you know, letting you go to the mall without us." Dad says as mom stays quite.

"Mom?"

"Ye-yeah?"

"What was a bad idea?" I ask sternly.

"Uh, what your dad said. Oh my my, I think I need a nap. Enjoy ya'lls trip. Love y'all." She says and escapes from the kitchen.

"Let's go before you get late." Dad says while grabbing his truck's keys from the island.

We exit the house and I am immediately hit with the blazing hot sun. I enter the truck and as soon as Dad turns the engine on, the Ford Ranger roars to life.

"Damn! I will never hate the sound of that," I say as I look to dad who's smiling while he looks at the steering wheel.

* * * * * *
Hey guys.

It's been a while. I just want y'all to know that I'm thankful that y'all actually take time to read this book. Will try and update more often, so click the star and the bottom, share and please comment. I'd love to know y'alls opinions!!

Love,
Tazzie_012 ❤