Wasted || Liam Payne

Chapter 26

Sydney

The hot water washed away the buzz along with the masquerade of makeup and hair spray. The steam cleared my thoughts and I was able to slow down the last ten minutes and replay where it had gone wrong.  

Scene by scene, all that took place dances through my mind, cutting the sequence piece by piece to pin point the exact moment 

"Is that little fucker still bothering you?"  

 I hadn't given it much thought before, but the look on Liam's face, for just that brief moment, it was more than just annoyance. It was worry. It was the very same, brief look, he had earlier in the night when he first noticed me texting Niall.  

I'm not sure if it's because I know he was drinking, because of Perrie's final words, my general distaste for holding grudges, or if it's because I'm feeling guilty myself, but I know in my heart that I've already forgiven Liam. I feel the need to be reassured though, as much as I am sure that Liam's words were out of drunken anger, I need to know that they weren't true. I need to know that Niall does care about me.  

Isn't that ridiculous? I'm not worried about if he's a man whore who sleeps with his friends girlfriends, I just need to know that he really cares about me. I can't help but think of his sudden interest in my roommate and have to wonder if Liam was right. Maybe he gave up on me, and only wants to talk to mee if I can hook him up with her. He did go the entire day without talking to me, something he hasn't done since we've met.  

"Liam! Zayn.. Babe.. Liam! No, wait!" I hear Perrie exclaim from the other room. 

I jump to my feet just as the bathroom door swings open and a wave of cold air finds it's way through the shower door.  

"Sydney!" Liam exasperates.  

"Liam! What are you doing?" I ask, flustered and wishing the shower had a curtain rather than just warped plastic.  

"Babe.." He starts, sounding apologetic.  

"Turn around!" I command him as I turn my own body towards the inside wall.  

He turns around and faces the opposite direction and I look over my shoulder to see his face in the mirror.  

"No! Turn and face the door." I yell again, trying to ignore the smirk on his face. Nothing like a bit of nudity to take him from a drunken rage to a mischievous little boy. I reach behind me to turn the knobs, shutting the water off.  

"Now hand me the towel. WITHOUT turning around! " I add.  

Liam pulls the towel off of the rack attached to the back of the bathroom door and holds it at arms length behind him for me to grab. I crack open the shower door and reach one arm out to retrieve it from him, when Liam suddenly yanks it forward causing me to stumble out from behind the door. 

"Liam!" I yell, swiftly grabbing the towel and shutting myself back inside of the shower.  

"I hate you, you horrible, evil..." Liam's laughs cause me to stop and I shake my head while I secure the towel around my body.  

Once I feel that I am fully covered, I step out of the shower, past Liam, and head straight to the sink to wipe off any excess makeup I may have missed. As I clear the streaks of liner beneath each eye, Liams arm snakes around my waste and pulls me towards him. I stiffen and continue to look in the mirror, trying to focus my attention on anything but the drunk man holding my near-naked body. He leans down and rests his chin on my shoulder, but I refuse to react. I may have forgiven him, but he doesn't need to know that yet. His face nuzzles itself into my neck, his lips warming my ear.