What Are We Payne?

Chapter 31: Keeping Secrets

AMIE’S POV

Shortly after Amber and Ashleigh arrived back from their dates Liam left, we all said our goodbyes because he is flying out in the morning. I know that Louis is going to be here for another 9 days, Ash hasn’t stopped talking about the fact that he was staying in Australia for a little longer. Don’t get me wrong I love the girls, but at the moment I have bigger problems. Like what on Earth I’m going to do when I get home, I don’t have anywhere to hide from Chase. Given his circumstances the VIS allowed him to stay at the college until the end of his contract; which goes up at the end of the year. I’m terrified to go home; and I would’ve gone to Jess with my problem, but she’s not here for us anymore. But the worst of all of it is Chase still has a key to my room; I thought that he was the one. We knew that we couldn’t move in together; so we exchanged keys. That’s how he still gets away with abusing me for so long; I need to get away from Chase, but I don’t know how.

ASHLEIGH’S POV

Amber and I were both on a high after getting home from our dates. Nothing can bring me down; it was absolutely perfect; he is perfect. In saying this I couldn’t help but notice that Amie wasn’t herself. It was if she was hurting a little more each time Amber or I shared a special moment that we had shared. It seriously looked like she was dying inside. I texted Amber and told her to lay off the stories. Amber picked up her phone and read my text, mumbling something to herself; Amber nodded at me as we tried to change the subject. ‘Training’s a little different up here,’ Amber commented.

‘Yeah so much less conditioning, it’s great,’ Amie said with a slight smile.

‘I’m so glad Nedal worked us so hard back at home; I fell so fit for once!’ I exclaimed with a laugh. The girls laughed too, ‘of course I’ll never, ever admit that to him,’ I added.

‘Agreed,’ Amber and Amie chorused. We descended into silence, which was tense and awkward. Maybe Liam knew what was going on, I thought to myself before getting up and going to bed. We have training at 7am tomorrow and then again at 3pm, so I need a rest quite desperately.

I grabbed out my phone and searched for his number, I sighed at the realisation that it was in fact saved in my phone. ‘Hello Ash,’ Liam greeted. ‘What did you do to her?’ I asked getting straight to the point.

‘Well you certainly don’t beat around the bush,’ Liam remarked, I knew he had a good idea of what I was talking about.

‘Liam she’s been off for a few weeks, but it hasn’t ever gotten to this stage, what did you do to her?’ I asked again, I heard Liam sigh from the other end of the line. ‘Look Ash, as much as I want to tell you, I don’t want to give away all of Amie’s privacy like that, you’ll just have to speak to her. And hope that she comes clean to you,’ Liam explained.

I sighed with defeat, ‘alright, thanks anyway Liam.’

‘Bye Ashleigh,’ Liam said before hanging up. I got changed into my pyjamas and brushed my teeth before venturing back into the main are of the hotel room. Amber was sitting on the couch on the phone, from the conversation that she was having I assumed she was talking to Niall. ‘Why do you have to go so soon?’ Amber whined, and then she was silent, listening to his response. Amber’s facial expression changed, she wasn’t so wingy; she obviously understood where he was coming from. ‘Okay Nialler, I’ll get it in the morning. Have a safe trip and call me when you land, bye.’ Amber said before hanging up. She looks absently around the room until she sets her eyes on me. Amber looks a little taken back to see me, ‘my god Ash, how did you manage to be that quiet? How much did you hear? Wait weren’t you going to bed?’ Amber exclaims, bombarding me with questions.

‘Okay, one I wasn’t trying to be that quiet. Two only like 30 seconds of the conversation. And three I was but I need to talk to Amie first,’ I explained as Amber nodded along to all of my responses. ’So where is Amie?’I asked looking around the quite empty hotel room. ‘She went to bed,’ Amber replied. I nodded and made my way up to Amie’s room; I could see that the light was still on. I knocked on the door lightly, ‘come in,’ Amie replied in a small voice.

‘Oh Ash it’s you,’ Amie said placing her laptop gently on the floor. I gave her a small nod before sitting on the end of her bed.

‘Amie what’s going on?’ I said as Amie broke eye contact with me.

‘Well, um,’ she stuttered as her eyes darted around the room. Amie looked nervous and I could that she was debating with herself whether or not to tell me. With a sigh Amie opened up to me. ‘It’s Chase,’ Amie said, as her eyes began to water.

‘Six months ago he got kicked off the Australian Soccer Team,’ she continued.

‘I know all of this Amie, you’re not making any sense,’ I exclaimed.

‘Shut up Ash! I’m not done,’ Amie snapped, raising her voice. I nodded and let Amie continue. ‘And Chase didn’t take it well at all, and until today I haven’t told anyone, what he did to me when he got angry. I just bought fake tan and stronger foundation to cover up the cuts and bruises.’ Amie gets out before she breaks into sobs. I shuffled closer to Amie and threw my arm over her shoulders. ‘Is it still going on?’ I asked as Amie wiped the tears from her eyes. Amie gave me a weak nod, and I hugged her tighter. ‘We’re going to fix this when we get home, okay? You’re safe,’ I whispered to Amie. She gave me a weak smile.

‘Thanks Ash,’ Amie said, ‘I’m sorry for not telling you earlier.’ I just smiled at her.

‘Get some sleep Amie, we’ve got training in the morning,’ I said before shutting her door quietly heading back to my own room.

AMBER’S POV

Niall called me to say that he’s getting on the plane tomorrow with Liam, in other words no proper goodbye. I’m so disappointed, but he said that he left me a present. At first I decided that I’d wait to the morning to get the gift; but the tension is killing me! I have to know what it is. So after Ashleigh went back to her room I grabbed my key and quickly made my way downstairs. ‘Package for Amber Kruger,’ I said to the lady working at the front desk. She handed over a neatly wrapped box; I thanked her and made my way back to our hotel room. I walked into my room and shut the door, I sat on my bed and unwrapped the present. ‘Oh my god!’ I squealed as quietly as I could. Before me sat Niall’s American Flag onesie, it even smells of Niall. There is also a bottle of Armani Mania in the box, so it will quite literally smell of Niall. I pick up my phone and dial Niall’s number. ‘Hey babe,’ Niall answered. ‘Thank you so much Nialler!’ I said, grinning from ear to ear.

‘I was hoping you’d like it,’ he said, I could hear Niall grinning through the phone.

‘It won’t be as good as the real thing though,’ I said with a smirk.

‘You bet,’ Niall replied cheekily.

‘I’d better let you get some rest, goodnight Nialler,’ I chirped.

‘Night love!’ He replied. I hung up the phone and placed it on the bedside table after plugging it in to charge. I slipped into the onesie before settling into bed.