The Knight in Leather Armor

ch.12 Sir Payne

I began folding all the dried clothes and ironing Danny’s dress shirts. I finished everything all too quickly, either that or I was nervous for my date with Liam. It was just after 5 now.

I went up to my room, showered and dried out my hair. I stared at my closet for what seemed like a millennium before choosing a simple floral print dress with a sweetheart neckline. Then I held my hair at different angles and degrees, trying to decide between keeping it up or down or somewhere halfway. I decided on down and to the side. After adding according make-up, I looked at my alarm clock: 6:49.

I swallowed hard. Why was I so nervous? I took my purse and walked down stairs. Harry stood up when he saw me at the steps.

“Where are you going?” he asked with an unmistakable hint of anger and annoyance.
I glared at him. Then, I looked over his shoulder at Danny.

“Liam will be here soon,” I said to Danny. Harry kept his eyes glued on me, as if I’d committed some kind of crime.  

“Ok,” Danny said slowly, hesitantly. “Make sure he comes in. I wanna talk to him first,” Danny gave me one of his fatherly looks-the one where he lowers his voice and speaks so steadily and flatly, you could drive down the road that is his words.

“Did you say Liam?” Harry asked, almost demanded. His eyes hardened; I felt like twin green marbles were burning a whole right through me.

“Yes,” I replied tersely, folding my arms over my chest. “Is something wrong?”

Harry laughed a hard, forced laughed- the kind that no one else can join in on.

Danny looked at him.

“You’re letting her go?” Harry asked Danny with a puzzled expression; as if Danny were letting me fly away to never come back. I couldn’t fly away even if I tried; my wings were only on display.

Danny looked about a hair’s breathe away from changing his mind. 

“Danny, you can’t be serious,” Harry shook his head; laughter left his lips and replaced them with an odd surge of anger and frustration. Why did Harry care if I was going out with Liam. Why was he always here? Doesn’t he have anything better to do?

“I wish I wasn’t,” Danny replied.

“You’re letting her go with that boy?” Harry both asked and stated.

“What? What’s the matter with him?” Danny asked Harry, greatly interested.

I stood there with my arms folded over my chest as they had a conversation about me, in front of me. Apparently, I didn’t exist.

“Nothing’s wrong with him!” I shouted, frustration boiling over. 

Harry glared at me.

“I’ve gotta go. I’m starting to feel a little sick. See you around, Danny. Angela” Harry hissed softly.

Harry looked at me one last time as if that was a decent “goodbye.” He picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder, walking out shirtless in the December weather, with only his unbuttoned leather jacket.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. I prayed that Harry and Liam hadn’t crossed paths. I was afraid Harry’s stones for hands might ruin Liam’s light-gold skin.

Danny and I exchanged glances. We both reached for the door, but he got to it first.

“Hello, I’m Liam. Liam Payne” a shy, soft voice greeted.

“Hi,” Danny answered coldly. I nudged him in the shoulder. “Come in,” Danny added in a slightly more friendly tone.

Liam walked in hesitantly. I wanted to rush to his side and take his hand so that he would feel more comfortable; the poor guy looked calmly terrified.

“Hi Liam,” I smiled warmly at him.

“Hey, Angela. You look great,” Liam returned my smile and his eyes glowed warmly as the lamplight did somersaults in his brown eyes.

“Thank you, Liam, you look really nice, too,” I complimented. And he did. He looked like he had walked out of a Lands’ End ad with his baby blue tie and white dress shirt and matching cashmere sweater. Even his penny loafers were spotless. It was amazing how closely he and the other East boys dressed: except he had class and the others didn’t.

“Yes, yes, we all look fantastic,” Danny brushed off, clearly uncomfortable.

“I will have her home by whatever time you would like, sir,” Liam said formally.

“Sir,” echoed in my head and I almost laughed. Danny was much too young to be called “sir,” but poor Liam was nervous and hardwired for politeness and formality. That was what most of the East boys were trained to be like, but there were others, like birthday boy and his crew that liked to make their own rules.

And Danny was no “sir.” He wasn’t even a knight. He didn’t have that nobility in him, just excess pride and power.

I could have sworn even Danny smiled slightly at Liam’s use of “sir.”

“9:30,” Danny replied.

“Danny!” I spoke tensely.

Danny laughed. Liam breathed for the first time in the whole three minutes he’s been in my house. I strode to Liam’s side and took his arm.

“We’ll be home by 12,” I said as I pulled Liam, who felt the need to stop and wave at Danny.

“It was nice meeting you, sir,” he smiled kindly.

I shook my head. Then I turned my attention to the car parked in the driveway. I blinked to make sure it was real. And that I was really looking at it.

“Got it for my 16th,” Liam said as he noticed me staring at the electric blue BMW M1.

“Wow,” was all I could muster.

Liam opened the car door for me and the darkening sky shined against the blue-black paint.  Then he took his seat and put the key in the ignition and the car hummed to life, lighting up the dashboard of buttons and switches. The interior was black leather and smooth to the touch.

Liam began reversing out of the parking lot and the car glided down the street.

Danny was watching, but I couldn’t tell if he was stunned at the car or angry that I was leaving. “I’m sorry about him,” I apologized on Danny’s behalf.

Liam shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. He’s your brother, it’s his job to protect you,” he smiled more calmly now. Liam understood Danny; he didn’t try to be him and drive me crazy trying to protect me from the air, like Harry.

I smiled at him; he was like a boy out of a catalog. Perfectly prim and proper. And that’s what scared me; he was so perfect that I found myself questioning his existence, his “humanness.” My smile slowly disappeared. I’ve been searching for his flaws for so long, searching for his armor, the one that is supposed to shield his blemishes while the nobility of his heart outshines them.

“I just hope he learns that he can trust you,” I replied quietly.

Liam returned my smile. 

He didn’t drive a dash above or below the speed limit. And both his hands were on the wheel. Harry could learn a thing or two. I ran my fingers through my hair: why am I thinking about Harry? Harry just does that. He leaves without warning, he comes without warning and he makes you think about him, you guessed it- without warning.