Behind the Mic (Liam Payne fanfic)

Chapter Eighteen

I closed the door behind me, carefully, so I didn't wake Liam up. After I'd taken care of his face and a brief make out session, I gave him some pain killers and told him to take a nap. He refused until his head hit the pillow. He softly snored and I walked into the kitchen. I pulled out my kettle and French press to make myself a cup of tea when my phone vibrated. I opened the text from the unknown number.

Hi Rose, this is Louis. Liam hasn't responded to any of our texts and we were just wondering if he was okay?? I stared at the text in confusion. I saved the number into my phone. 

how did you get my number? I sent back. Should I tell him what happened? It wasn't technically my fault, Riley was the one who showed up and went bezerk, but I had no idea what kind of trouble I could get into, getting a famous stud beaten up. Especially when he still had another concert tomorrow night. 

He gave it to me when he left with you, just in case. Don't avoid my question!! What's going on with you two? I sighed. He'd find out eventually, anyway.

my ex boyfriend showed up and went crazy. Liam tried to defend me and my ex hit him a few times. he's totally fine, he's asleep right now. Seconds after I sent the message, Louis called me. 

"You let your ex boyfriend hit Liam?" He practically screeched.

"I didn't let him do anything," I said defensively. "He wouldn't leave. I slapped him, he went after me, Liam stood up for me and he hit Liam. Nothing serious! Nothing broken, just a busted lip."

"How bad does he look?" 

 "You mean, how bad will he look for the concert?"

"I mean yes, but how bad is it?"

"Seriously, Louis," I sighed. "Not bad enough for me to need anything to clean him up other than some Neosporin and some tissues. Not bad enough for the hospital. I gave him some pain meds, and he iced his eye—"

"His eye?" He interrupted me. "You said busted lip!"

"The swelling will go down by tomorrow night—"

"Swelling?!"

"He'll be okay for the concert, because he'll be okay before then." I said firmly. "I can send you my address if you want to come check on him, but he's asleep and fine. I promise." There was a pause from his side, and I heard him sigh.

"I trust you, Rose," he said softly. "And that's a big deal. I know you'll take care of him. Liam is my best friend, and if I ever find your ex boyfriend, he's going to get a lot worse than Liam did. In fact, you can send me his address." I laughed.

"I'm sure I'd get into trouble sending a hitman to my ex boyfriend's house," I scoffed. "But I appreciate the offer. I did tell Riley that if he came near me again I'd file a restraining order."

"Good," Louis said sternly. "You deserve much better than that psycho. Like, Liam better." Tears swelled up in my eyes.

"Thanks, Louis," I said, choked up.

"Rose? You okay?" I sniffed.

"I don't want to lose him," I whispered. Saying those words out loud made everything crash down on me. I crumped to the floor and leaned against the dishwasher for support. I quietly sobbed. I felt all the stress and annoyances and concerns pour out of me. I took shuddery breaths to try to calm myself down, but the tears just kept coming.

"You won't," Louis simply said.

"How do you know that?" I said. I knew I sounded desperate, but at this point, I didn't really care. 

"You all leave in two days. Who knows when I'm ever going to see him again, if I ever see him again?"

"I can't tell you the next time, but I know you will." He stated. "Rose, this is ridiculous. Do you know how much and how quickly Liam has fallen for you?" I shook my head, and remembered he couldn't see me if we were talking on the phone. I mumbled a no. "He has never liked someone this much and this quickly before. I've known him for upwards of four years now, and I've seen him like girls. But never like this."

"But what does that matter if he just up and leaves?"

"He won't just up and leave," Louis sighed. "That's what I'm trying to tell you. The tour may make us travel, but knowing Liam, he's either going to pine for you while he's away and fly in every free second to see you, or..."

"Or?" I braced myself for the worse. He'll break up with me. He'll request we never see each other again. He'll forget about me.

"Or he'll ask you to come with us." I sat there in silence. My mind went blank. The tears stopped suddenly and I took a big breath. Or, a big sniff. My nose was clogged up from crying. 

 "I don't..." My mouth was open, but no words were coming out. "I don't know what to say."

"What would you say?"

"I mean, I have my job to think about. I have this apartment, and my friends are here. And my parents. And—"

"If he were to come out of the bedroom right now and ask you to travel with us, what would you say? No thinking."

"Yes. Of course."

"Ha. So there." Louis said. I imagined the smug smirk on his face hearing his tone. 

 "But who said I'd be welcome?"

"It's really only you and Liam's choice. We'd figure out logistics and details later."

"This is all hypothetical, though. Of course..." I trailed off.

"We leave in two days, Rose," Louis said in a soft tone I'd never heard from him before. "Hypotheticals come true eventually. Anyway, Harry just finished cooking an apology dinner. I should let you go."

"An apology dinner?" I questioned. "What's he apologizing for?"

"Oh, um," Louis stumbled over his words and suddenly the night of Taylor Swift's cat's birthday party flashed in my mind, with Louis looking heartbrokenly betrayed at Taylor and Harry making out. 

"You know what? It isn't my business," I said quickly. "I'm sorry. It's not my place, just forget I asked. I'll talk to you later?"

"Text me when Liam is awake and how he's doing." I promised him I would and we said our goodbyes. I placed my phone on the floor next to me and sat in silence for a little while longer. I sniffed again, wiping under my eyes. Thankfully, I wasn't wearing any makeup today, so no ruined mascara and messy under eyes for me. I slowly stood up, putting my phone on the counter so I wouldn't step on it. I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. I felt tears welling up again as I thought about what Louis said and the fact that Liam was bloody and passed out in my bed because of my ex boyfriend. All of this was my fault. If I'd stayed in my lane and just done my job and not flirted, he wouldn't have gotten beaten up. If I'd listened to the little voice in my head and not have moved on from Riley so soon, he wouldn't have been in pain. If I didn't act on my sexual desires, I wouldn't have hurt him. I wiped away tears that were rolling down my cheeks and pushed these thoughts out of my mind. I knew that's how I felt, but it wasn't true. It was my nervous personality creating lies in my brain to try to derail me from what really mattered.