Copyright ✘ One Direction [EDITING]

T W E N T Y

I slid into the backseat of the car, throwing my backpack beside me. I bit my lip as Jodi took the passenger seat as Dominic sat in the driver's and started the engine. I felt completely awkward because one, Jodi was someone who I wasn't very comfortable with yet, and two, I'd just confessed something to them that I hadn't even told my own father.

"So, where's this building at?" Dominic asked.

I gave him a small smile before telling him the address of the recording studio where I was almost certain they would be, since we would always record together around this time. Just the thought of it made me cringe.

These people were right. Something was fishy here and I needed to clear things up. The only way to do that was to go to the problem.

I looked out at the scenery passing by with a frown on my face. The past month began rolling through my mind like a movie and I had to close my eyes in an attempt to stop it. I just couldn't stop seeing Liam, Liam's eyes, Liam's smile, the feeling of his hand in mine, the feeling of his lips on mine, the feeling of my heart breaking when he ran away.

"How about we put on some music?" said Jodi in a cheery voice, as if trying to lighten up the mood in the car and break some of the tension.

She pressed the button to turn on the radio and unfortunately the sound of Why Don't We Go There, one of the songs I'd written, began filling the car.

"Jesus Jodi, turn it off," hissed Dominic.

"It's fine-" I started.

He just shook his head. "It's not. I think we're better off with no music at all."

I actually felt relief that someone finally understood what I was going through. Someone knew that hearing that song wasn't going to help me in any way.

It seemed like we'd only been in the car a few minutes when he pulled into the parking lot of the Syco building. I licked my lips and exited the car, waiting for the other two, and then walking up to the doors. I had a flashback to the first time Miranda and I had gone there and all the other times, the time we'd first met Jodi, and when Liam had first announced that I was his 'girlfriend'.

"You're sure you're ready to do this?" Jodi asked me.

I shrugged and let out a deep breath. "As ready as I'll ever be."

I pushed open the doors and walked up to the front desk, the two trailing behind me. Celine, that annoying woman that I never once liked, looked up from her computer and gave me a hard look but then smiled afterwards.

"Hello, welcome to Syco records," she said, a sharp tone in her voice. "However may I help you today?"

I brushed a stray strand of hair away from my face. "I'm here to see Liam."

"Can I get a name?" Celine smiled.

"You know my name, so you can cut the act," I snapped. What was she trying to pull? I've been there plenty of times before. Something just wasn't right.

She rolled her eyes before tapping on the keyboard in front of her. "Well, I'm sorry 'Carter', but your name isn't on the list."

"My name doesn't need to be on the list. You know me. You know I always come here."

"Yes, but it seems that there has been a specific notification for you to not be able to see any of the boys." She turned the computer screen to face me. "See?"

I quickly scanned the screen, seeing that what she was saying was indeed true. For some unknown reason, they'd banned me from being there. Me. All I'd ever done was help them. So why was I suddenly the target?