We're making all the same mistakes.

Chapter 16

Rosie’s P.O.V. 

I held the magazine in my shaking hands, my eyes blazing with rage but stinging with tears. On the front were two pictures; the first of Liam and I sitting at a table, Liam’s hand gently touching my face. The next was of Liam facing the camera, his eyes full of anger, me sat looking shocked with my mouth open. The title was, “Has Liam Payne got a new girlfriend? Turn to page 15 to see more evidence...” 

I didn’t want to look, but somehow I found myself flicking through the pages, until I came to the right page.

My mouth fell open. 

The photographer hadn’t just been hiding in the bush outside the restaurant. No, he had been hiding everywhere – there were pictures of Liam and I hugging, and walking along hand in hand, and then a close up of our faces, Liam smiling down at me. The photographer had managed to invade our privacy completely. I ripped the page out of the magazine, tearing it up into a million pieces, chucking it across the room like confetti. I lay back on my bed, putting my hands behind my head. 

Suddenly, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I opened the text. “Hey, according to this magazine you’re going out with Liam Payne – fancy introducing him to me? ;-) xxxx” 

I didn’t even know this person. I deleted the text, chucking my phone across the room. 

Tears started to fall down my face, thick salty ones that I couldn’t stop. 

I didn’t want to remember what had happened last night, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Liam had left me sitting there, alone. He’d stormed off, angry, and I went to follow him, but she told me to leave him alone. 

“Liam!” I’d shouted. “Liam, come back!”

“Leave me alone! I’m fed up of being caught by the paparazzi! It’s so annoying!” 

“Liam, please...” I’d pleaded. 

“No, Rosie... I’ve had enough of this. It’s not fair on you, it’s not fair on me... it’s not fair on anybody.” 

“Liam, life isn’t always fair,” I’d caught up with him, grabbing his shoulder. He turned around to face me, and I saw that his eyes were glistening with tears. “But it doesn’t have to be. As long as we’ve got each other, things will turn out okay...” 

“Oh really? But, Rosie, us being together is what’s causing all this pain.” Liam sighed. “It’s not you, honestly... you’re perfect, just the way you are. It’s me, being famous. Everywhere I go, there’s a camera... why can’t I just be normal?” 

And with that, he turned away, walking furiously down the road. I didn’t try to stop him. I just fell onto the nearest bench, and cried until I’d run out of tears. 

Suddenly, there was a knock at my bedroom door. I crossed my fingers that it wasn’t Liam- I wasn’t in the mood for talking to him right now. Thankfully, in came Kirsten. 

“Your mum let me in,” she explained, coming to sit on my bed. She noticed my tears. “Rosie, what’s wrong?” 

“I think...” I began, but I couldn’t find the right words. I gulped. “I think... me and Liam...”

“Rosie, has Liam broken your heart? Has he hurt you? What’s wrong, Rosie, tell me!” 

I swallowed and took a deep breath. “I think Liam hates me...” 

“What?” Kirsten gasped. “Of course he doesn’t! What’s happened?” 

“We...we were together.” I stammered. “And a photographer appeared... and Liam stormed off, angry, and he said that he’s fed up of being photographed every time he goes out with me... He said that us being together was causing him pain...”

I sobbed uncontrollably, while Kirsten put her arm around my shoulder to try to comfort me. 

“Rosie, maybe you need a break from him for a few days? Don’t think about him, and don’t talk to him. When he realises how crap his life is without you, he’ll come back.” Kirsten assured me. 

“I doubt it,” I shook my head. “He’s Liam Payne, amazing, talented, beautiful Liam... and I’m just Rosie...” 

“Just Rosie?” Kirsten repeated. “Rosie, you’re one of my best friends. You’re smart, kind, funny, and gorgeous. Don’t let some stupid boy ruin that...”

Of course I didn’t believe her, but I shrugged.

“He’s an idiot...” Kirsten continued.

“No he’s not!” I interrupted suddenly, my voice getting louder. “He’s perfect, in every single way!”

“But Rosie...” Kirsten said softly, “He’s causing you all this heartache, he’s making you cry-”

All of a sudden, images of Liam flashed across my mind, and I heard him singing softly, and I knew that I just had to see him. 

“I need to go and see him.” I said. 

“Rosie, no, you’ll only end up hurt... just wait for a while...”

But already I was pulling on my converse – I stood up and headed for the door. “Kirsten, you can let yourself out. I’ll see you later.” 

And with that I was gone; I ran down the stairs, running my hand along the smooth wooden banister; opened the door, and stepped off the pavement, cold wind hitting my face. 

I heard a screech of car wheels against the ground, and a loud horn. 

And everything went blank.