Brave Bold Belle (ft. Liam Payne)

Chapter 32 - Brussels

    I’m surprised to find Zayn in the van, waiting for us. He smiles radiantly at me when Liam and I get in and I look at Liam questioning. I don’t mind he’s here, Liam told me he wanted to join us at some point, I wasn’t just expecting it would be this soon.

“Welcome to Belgium, Belle,” Zayn says and I smile at him. “Did you have a good trip?”

“Very good,” I reply taking my seat next to Liam, across Zayn.

“When I was planning this day,” Liam starts informing me. “And Zayn found out where I’m taking you first, he begged me to be the third wheel I couldn’t refuse. He had to come.”

“I had to come,” he echoes Liam. “I’m sorry for disturbing your time together,” he adds but I chuckle.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind. Yet, I’m intrigued. Where are we going that Zayn had to beg to come?” I question next, looking at Liam and his smile widens.

“Well, you like museums. I like comics so I thought that we must visit the Belgian Comic Strip Centre,” he continues and now my eyes widen in astonishment.

“And I happen to love both so I couldn’t miss it!” Zayn chirps in I can’t hold my giggles anymore, delighted that we’re going there. I’ve heard of this museum before but it didn’t even cross my mind we would go there. I didn’t even imagine Liam would think of taking me there.

“That’s amazing! I can’t wait,” I reply, leaning in closer to him, grabbing his hand and squeezing it.

Liam smiles content with himself, happy that he made the right choice and I swear if Zayn weren’t here in front of us, I would kiss him senseless. I’m very excited because I also like comics and I have no idea what I’ll find there.

So Dean drives us and Zayn offers me his iPad so I can see the permanent exhibitions and the temporary ones, that way we can decide which ones to visit although it doesn’t help much to narrow it down. After this visit he’ll leave and it’ll be just Liam and I to have lunch together, buy chocolate because I was promised chocolate and I now want it.

Once there, it’s like the three of us are kids and we have trouble controlling ourselves, deciding where to go next. Plus, we don’t have much time so we’re practically running. We just wander around, seeing all the exhibitions, delighting ourselves with the all the Smurfs and all the history there. Even if we don’t find the exact kind of comics we like, it’s still so illustrative to be there. We learn a lot about the history of comics and the museum. Summing up, it’s a great place and I’ve enjoyed it very much, and it’s really pretty as if that wasn’t enough.

After that, Zayn leaves us and Liam takes me for lunch whilst Dean drops our friend. We have a good time. We use that opportunity to catch up and organise.

“What are you gonna do for Christmas?” he questions once our food arrives. Nothing fancy but typical nonetheless: Stoemp, which is basically potato smashed with vegetables and served with sausages.

“I always go with my Father to the label’s Christmas party,” I reply naturally, not even questioning the possibility. “You?”

“I normally go to the other party, the one for all the artists they hire,” he informs me and I nod. Ah, the youngsters’ party. I go to the one packed with businesspeople, investor and members of the label. I’m not surprised Liam goes to that other party because in all the years Dad has worked for Syco, I’ve never seen a single member of One Direction present. “Don’t you wanna go with me?”

“Oh, I can’t. I already accepted the invitation to this one. Sorry,” I apologise but he shakes his head.

"Then I'll go to that party, too," he says, surprising me. "I'm sure Simon will be glad to introduce us to the investors and whatnot. Plus, Harry is also going, for what I heard, because Ariel is going to that one."