The 5th Member

Chapter 23

i didnt sleep.

i couldnt sleep.

How could I possibly sleep after hearing the best possible news that I have heard in a long time? Liam loves me. He does. He has too.

I am already downstairs drinking my cup of coffee and I am ready. I couldn't be more ready for this trip actually. Considering my dad is going to be right in front of me and I'll be able to visualize him.

"please remember, we are doing this for closure.." Liam sighs and he lazily wobbles down the stairs. "I don't think you remember your father, or exactly how he was with you.."

Of course I remember my father. The last time I remember of him, he was drunk so it is really not a big deal. It isn't his fault he has an addiction.
Almost slightly ignoring Liams comment about my father, I continue to watch the news. Nothing too exciting.

"Well I think that's all.." Liam says, forcing a smile onto his face. But Liam is way too easy to read, and I can see right through him. He isn't excited for this.. He almost looks scared for this..

Getting on a private jet, isn't exactly how you'd think it'd be. First of all, from England to America isn't the shortest trip. You have to stop when you enter the country, you have your passports checked, and you have to walk through many airports with lots of fans in them, so stopping for pictures and autographs. Not exactly the glamour like expected.

Adrenaline is pulsing through me when the plane lands at our final airport. The plane ride was long and tiring. Suffering from extreme jetlag, we hop into our rental car to go check into our hotel before actually going to my fathers house.

"Maybe you'd like to pop in somewhere for lunch before we settle in at the hotel?" Liam offers with a smile on his face, I don't let him drive fearing that he will go on the wrong side of the highway.

"Yes! Oh I know a great little urban style cafe, and you'd absolutely love it there!" My voice shaking with excitement.

With out hesitating, I head toward the restaurant, ready to eat and excited to show Liam where I came from.
We park around back and circle the block before we get to the cafe. It almost looks like you're back in England at the front of the cafe with the little Bushes and freshly blooming flowers. I used to come here and grab a cup of coffee and some brunch. By myself of course.

The waiter sits Liam and I at a little table out front for two. I'm actually surprised that Liam actually wanted to sit out front, considering soon fans would probably start to crowd us.

"So tell me, why is this place so special to you anyway?" Liam says picking at the appetizer salad with his fork, and then smiling at me.

"I worked just up the street, at a nail salon.. It's owned by my grandma and I actually never really did any nails. I just cleaned all the time." We both laughed and Liam nodded.

"I already knew that.." He says softly. I forgot that we knew each other before the whole accident thing. Go figure.

We eat over our salads and chicken we had ordered until we were just sitting and waiting for the check. I admire the small little town I used to live in. Urban and cozy. Dozens of faces, pass on, walking the sidewalks of the town. I study everyone's face individually. You have your happy couples, your people who are in a hurry to get somewhere, and mothers strolling with their children. Then a girl walks by, she looks my age. Her brown hair is straighten and is just past her breasts in length. Her sunglasses hide her eyes, but no one could mistake puffy lips.

"Tinley..?" I say almost under my breath. And Liam turns around to see what in talking about. He goes pale.

"Um.. What? Lexi isn't this salad divine." Liam says trying to distract me.

"Tinley!" I shout at her. She notices me, before picking up her pace and walking faster toward us, down the side walk. I get out of my chair and start walking toward her too. But then she stops and presses her lips into a firm line. I finally reach her and hug her tightly.

"What the hell are you doing in town? Get the fuck off of me!" She says harshly and I jerk back surprised.

"What a warm welcome.." I say, looking at the ground.
"You expect a warm welcome? Really? After you left to go start some dream life with your rich asshole of a boyfriend? Is that what you wanted, Lexi?" She yells and begins to walk away.

"Wait! What are you talking about?" I yell, tears almost forming in my eyes, but I'm not crying this time.

"Oh do you not remember that either? You poor thing. You were a bitch to me. I'm not famous enough to for you Lexi. You are so obsessed with your fame, you had to stage a stunt where you just 'forgot everything' all of a sudden? I don't fucking buy it. You're way to self absorbed, then just when you start to get more famous, this tragic stunt happens. What a joke, how Ironic.." She fires back at me before speeding down the sidewalk, not looking back and I didn't say anything.

I didn't say another word.