Faded Memories | lp

Chapter Sixteen

October 29th, 2014

I pull a scarf around my neck before heading outside. Sonia waits in her car patiently. Today I'm flying to New York City for my dress fitting. Apparently Zayn's fiancé and I are close friends and I'm a bridesmaid.

She's sent me pictures of the dress and I'm in love. (Picture in external link)

It's a beautiful Victorian dress with a red corset and black details. I can't wait to try it on. I just hope it fits because the wedding's in two days so there's no room for error.

"Are you excited?" Sonia asks me.

"The dress is beautiful." I say.

That's all we say until we land at JFK International Airport. Sonia guides me through the crowds of people and flashing cameras. I keep my head down and we eventually get outside.

"Watch for Perrie." Sonia tells me.

"I don't even know what she looks like." I respond a bit too harshly.

"Sorry Jo, I'll watch for her." Sonia apologizes. After a few minutes and a few curious glances, Sonia pokes my arm and points to a girl with blonde hair approaching us.

"Jo! It's good to see you!" She bends forward and plants a kiss on both of my cheeks.

"I heard about the accident, I wish I could help." She says. The sadness in her eyes makes me believe we were close.

"I'm dealing with it. So you're Perrie.." I trail off.

"I'm Perrie, yes, Perrie Edwards. But in a few days, I'll be Perrie Malik." She smiles from ear to ear.

"Sonia told me you sing...?" I say as a question.

"Yeah, I do! I'm actually in a girl band." She says. Perrie leads us to her rented car and Sonia gets in the front to drive. Perrie and I chat in the back until we arrive at a very fancy hotel.

"I've taken the liberty of making a list of everyone's rooms. I hope you don't mind I put you and Liam in one." She glances and me and I nod.

"Yeah, of course."

"Okay, breakfast is at ten o'clock then we'll go to the rehearsal. The dress fittings are in an hour and I think the boys just got here." Perrie looks out the window, as if scanning for any evidence of a worldwide phenomenon in the hotel.

"Fantastic." I mumble.

Perrie gets me a room key and walks me up to my room. Sonia bids me good luck and gets on a plane back to Chicago. I drag my suitcase behind me and Perrie keeps the conversation going. She's a talker so this conversation is one-ended.

She stops talking when we open the door to my room and we see Liam sitting on the bed. His head whips up and smile comes across his lips. I pull my suitcase in the door and open my arms for Liam to run into right as he does the same. I don't even notice Perrie leave. His warmth makes the chill in my bones from standing outside diminish.

"It's been a while, I've missed you." I mumble into his sweatshirt.

"It's good to see you, J." He says. His chin rests perfectly on top of my head. It's comforting to know I fit inside of him so perfectly.

"We've got about twenty minutes before I have to leave." I sigh. He withdraws his arms and points to where we was playing on the Xbox. I guess each suite has one.

"I was playing FIFA if you want'o join." He picks up his controller and I get one off the shelf.

"I have no idea what the rules or instructions are, so this oughta be interesting." I say, smiling when Liam laughs.

"Just, try to stay out of my way." Liam says.

"Oh really? Is that a challenge?"

"Yeah, it is." He smiles.

I wait as the game loads and keep looking over to see what buttons Liam has his fingers on. I mimic his hands and the game starts.

I keep hitting random buttons and kicking people instead of the ball.

"Ha ha!" Liam does a little dance after he scores the first goal.

"I wasn't ready!" I complain jokingly.

He scores again.

"I told you I wasn't ready." I stand up and block his view of the television. He stands up also and tries to push my body out of the way, but I'm standing firm. He elbows me and I manage to kick the ball into the goal.

"I'm coming for you!" I say, eyeing that I'm only losing by one, now.

"As if!"

I keep pressing random buttons and I get the ball. I kick it all the way down the field then a stupid red player comes out of the nowhere and takes if from me.

"Thank you!" Liam shouts as he scores a goal.

"You have more experience!" I shout, using my behind to push him away from the television.

"Unfair use of body parts!" Liam shouts. He then proceeds to pause the game, set his controller down, snake his arms around my waist, and remove me from the scene. He plops me down, a laughing fit, and runs to the game. He scores four goals while I try to get my bearings.

"That's not right!" I say between laughs.

"Why not?"

"Because you-" I hiccup and Liam's face slowly scrunches up into a smile.

"Because I what?" He smirks.

"You picked me up and-" I hiccup again. I groan and watch as amusement shows all over his face.

"Pick you up and what?"

"You picked me up and rem-" I hiccup again. I see no point in trying to finish my sentence.

There's a knock at the door and I hear Perrie shout, "We don't want to be late!"

I hiccup again and leave while Liam's still a laughing mess in the floor.