Rough Waters (Sequel to Falling Hard)

Rough Waters - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“Wait, what?” Liam asks, heart starting to race. Had Danielle seen the picture? Does she think Liam is cheating? Horrible thoughts of what Danielle was thinking ran through Liam’s head.

            Danielle took a long, deep breath. “Liam, I know you’re cheating on me with Eleanor. Now explain yourself…p – p – please?” Sobs come from the other end of the line. Liam put his face in his hands. What had he done?

            Should Liam tell her? No. That wasn’t an option. But Danielle didn’t deserve to be lied to and strung along. Liam would just have to face the consequences. Danielle will probably break up with him, but Liam will think of it as…collateral damage.

            Now Liam took a deep breath. “Danielle, I can’t tell you. Can you trust me enough to know that I am not cheating on you?”

            Danielle thinks on it for a few minutes. Liam has never done anything like this before. Liam is the love of her life. Liam is a loyal boyfriend and friend; he wouldn’t do anything like this to either Louis or her. Danielle let go of the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She laughs humorlessly. “I trust you, Liam. But one more time and we’re finished. I’m not trying to threaten you; I’m not that kind of person. I just don’t want to be…be…h – hurt again l – like I a – am now.”

            “Danielle,” Liam says soothingly. “I would never, ever cheat on you, sweetheart. Ever. I – I – I didn’t mean for you to be hur – hurt b – by thi – this…” Liam pauses for a moment, collecting himself as a silent tear slips down his pale cheek. “You know the paparazzi twist pictures around to make good guys look like the bad,” Liam whispers. “Why do you believe them now?”

            Danielle stops tapping her foot on the floor. She readjusts the phone against her ear. Danielle hadn’t thought about it like that. Fake fans, (or directonaters as directioners call them) that had always been threatened by her, could have just been playing along with it to turn her against Liam.

            “I don’t know why I believed it this time Liam,” Danielle says quietly. “I didn’t think about the fans that didn’t like me; the part they could have played in this.” Liam smiles weakly, changing the phone from the right ear to the left. “I trust you, Liam. With my life.”

            “I love you, Danielle. I’ll never stop loving you.”

            Danielle hugs the phone to her ear tighter. “I love you too, Liam,” she whispers.

            Liam runs a hand through his disheveled hair. “It’s three a.m. here, love. I think I should get some sleep. The boys and I have an interview tomorrow. Not that Louis will talk to me…,” Liam mutters more to himself.

            “Li, honey,” Danielle says, getting a sudden idea. “Do you want me to see if I can get Eleanor to talk to Louis?”

            Liam’s eyes light up in the darkness. “That would be great! Oh my gosh, Danielle, you’re amazing.”

            “I know.” Danielle replies, sitting up straighter, smiling proudly. “Now, get some sleep, I’ve got a dance thing in a couple hours. Good night, honey.”

            “Good night, beautiful.”

            And the line goes dead.

“Liam, mate, you’re in a good mood today!” Niall points out, taking in Liam’s smile, straight posture and bright eyes; he looks happy for the first time in a few days! “Something happen last night?”