Through the Dark (A Liam Payne Story) || Season 5 1D Watty Awards Winner: Best Liam Payne

Chapter Twenty-Three

I can't turn around. I can't look at him and say that everything I said out loud was a lie because it wasn't. I never fully forgave him for how he acted back at the safe house, and I didn't plan on telling him how I really felt anytime soon. But here we are.

"Turn around, Rose," Valerie whispers and I slowly do so.

When my eyes meet Liam's, his stare is not filled with anger, but with a mixture of hurt and lust. "Why wouldn't you want to tell me?" he asks pleadingly. I notice Carter standing behind him with her arms folded across her chest, and she's glaring at me.

I try to gather my thoughts, but Carter speaks first. "If she isn't quick enough to tell you how she feels, she isn't worth your time," she snaps and I flinch. Maybe I'm really not worth his time. "Let's go." She grabs his arm, trying to pull him away, but he pulls out of her grip.

Now he looks angry. "Leave," he snarls at her then turns to the rest of us. "I want everyone to leave except for Rosalie."

No one moves, and I can see Liam is about to burst. "Leave!" he shouts and everyone jumps, including me. When I turn back to look at my new friends, they're already standing and ready to leave. I look at Flynn who is starting to pick himself up from the couch. When he gets up, he looks down at me and nods. "You'll be fine," he mouths. He side-steps between the couch and the coffee table to get to Lo and Emilia then the three of them quietly exit, walking passed Liam and Carter.

I look to the left of me, and Valerie is still sitting on the couch. "And the two of you," Liam snarls at Valerie and Carter.

Val pats my leg lightly before standing up and walking quietly to the metal staircase. "I know you won't take me seriously, but you better watch what you say," Valerie snaps at Liam before turning to walk up the stairs, catching me by surprise and I smile.

I turn back to Liam with Carter still standing next to him. "Before you leave us alone, I want to get something straight," Liam interrupts the silence and faces her. "Do not tell me she is not worth my time." He points at me as he shouts at Carter. "You don't know anything about her, and I won't let you ruin whatever Rosalie and I have already built in this fucked up 'relationship'," he says and she starts to back off. "You can leave now."

Carter looks back and forth between Liam and I, then smirks at me. "He's fighting for you, now," she begins to say. "But eventually he'll get tired of you." She quickly walks passed Liam and goes down a hallway to the left, leaving Liam and I alone, and silence takes over for a few mintues.

"Don't believe what she said," Liam speaks first, but stays where he's standing.

I huff and shake my head. "I don't want to believe it, but you don't give me any other choice," I say. "I can't get the thought of you and Carter out of my head. I don't want to be your sloppy second nor do I want to be kicked to the side just like her!" I shout at him and get up from the couch. I walk around it and slowly approach Liam. "This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you how I really feel.

"You're capable of breaking me. Telling you how I feel would only give you the upper hand. You'd have more control over me, and you know how I feel about that," I lecture him and poke him hard in the chest, but he doesn't seem to be phased. "I won't be a used toy of yours that you'll just pick up and drop. I won't let you ruin me just like you ruined Carter.

"I'm not going to stand here and tell you that what I said was a lie because that would be a lie, so let me break this down for you," I say and poke him hard in the chest once more, and that's when he starts walking backwards, but I follow him. He stops moving back when he hits a wall, and I can see drops of sweat on his forehead. "I will not be treated differently. I will follow your rules and Carter's. I will not be left out of anything, and that includes Valerie, too."