It's A Secret (Liam Payne)

Chapter 2- Secret

I set my two measly bags down on the floor of my new bedroom. This was a first. My own room. Usually my foster parents would stock us so close together that there would barely be a walk-way. But somehow I got lucky.

“Will this be alright for you?” Joseph -my new foster dad- asks, eyeing my expression up and down. “We could always switch with one of the other children or you could take the guest-”

“-Oh, no, no, no…” I explain, waving my hands. “This is perfect. I just never had my own bedroom.”

He smiles at me, genuinely, while tucking his hands into the pockets of his blazer. I hadn’t noticed how fancy he looked. His orange hair was slicked back, framing his slightly wrinkled face. He had on a black and white suit with a bow tie under his chin. And on his left hand held a ring, with the letter M inscribed into it.

“I’m glad you like it.” Another smile. “I shouldn’t be a bother. I’ll allow you to unpack in peace and when you’re done Kenya would like to go over the rules.”

I like Joseph; he’s not at all like his wife nor like his bratty children. He’s his own self; not arrogant or too proper. He’s what a true father should be like.

“Thank you, Joseph.” I say, but it comes out as a whisper.

He chuckles, before turning lightly on his heel. “Certainly.”

After Joseph leaves there is an eery silence in the house. It wasn’t something that I was used to. Kids tattling, parents screaming, dogs barking, gunshots firing was what I welcomed in my life -my old life-. Now, my new life seems promising. What had Joseph called it? Peaceful. It was definitely something I had to get used to.

I so desperately wanted to unpack in peace, but my mind kept swarming; there was something off about the people in this house. Not about Joseph; he was fine. But Kenya… That was a different story.

I understood that she was mad at Liam and probably Brad and Mia as well, but she took it out on Liam way out of proportion.

“Liam! Get down to the basement right now!” I remember Kenya screaming, after he had introduced himself to me. “You know better! You’re going to get it, now!”

I didn’t understand what she meant by basement. What did she do in the ‘basement’? And he ‘was going to get it’? Did she hurt him? Torture him? What did she do?

I recall Liam turning to me and winking. “It was worth it.” He told me. “See you around, new girl.”

He hadn’t seemed scared. He must’ve knew what she was doing. Maybe he was used to it? Maybe that’s why he seemed unaffected by her threats?

Okay, I was probably getting too ahead of myself. She wouldn’t be a foster parent if she tortured kids. In fact that thought made me laugh. It’s impossible; she wouldn’t be a suitable parent for two -now three- foster children, let alone her biological child. Plus, Joseph wouldn’t allow it, right? I probably just watch too many movies, and shouldn’t think too much of it.

Just as I start to pull out the first of my clothes, there is a knock on my door. I knew I hadn’t been thinking about that for too long, but maybe Kenya wanted to apologize or one of the children wanted to get to know me better.

I shuffle up to the door and pull it open. The person behind it wasn’t who I was expecting.

“Hey, new girl.” Liam suppresses his smile as he lets himself inside my room.

“Oh.” I respond, hesitantly. “Umm… Hi.”

Liam barely acknowledges me, before he begins to amble inside my room. I can’t help but notice that he’s still shirtless, only this time there’s something peculiar on his back. Long slender lines trailed up and down it, that were tinted with pink and purple colors. They were swollen massively and criss-crossed around his entire back. There wasn’t blood, only bruises.

The thoughts that I had just laughed at, return to my memory. Is that what Kenya did in the basement?

“So, do you like it here so far?” He inquires, breaking me from my staring trance. His tender back is still turned to me, and he is looking outside my long bedroom window.

I stumble to find my words. “Yeah, it’s fine. But uh… Are you okay?”

He twists to make eye contact with me. “Never better.”

My eyebrow point up. Did this boy not feel pain? It was obvious something was inflicted on him just recently and he feels ‘never better’.

“Well, your back looks awful.”

His mouth shapes into a smirk. “Really? Most girls tell me that my back is pretty sexy.”

I feel a rush of blood rise into my cheeks, but immediately try to hide it as he comes closer to me. His shaggy, brown hair flicks at every step he takes.

“No, I didn’t mean like that. I mean, it looks hurt.” I explain, carefully. “What happened?”

The humor in his eyes never leave. Maybe this is just his personality; to be obnoxious yet charming. At least he wasn’t as uptight as his mother or as blunt as his siblings. Then again, that wasn’t his actual mother or siblings.

“Isn’t obvious, Alex?” He asks, chuckling at my audacity. “I fell.”

My mouth gapes open, uncontrollably. “No you didn’t.”

There was no way that he fell. The marks were too obvious. It had to be a whip or some sort of claws. The lines were too defined, to perfect for it to be just an act of clumsiness.

“Hmm… Smart, aren’t ya?” He gave me another one of his fox-like smiles. “What do you think happened?”

I study his dark hazel eyes, that were now boring into mine and his delicate tanned skin. His eyes sparked with innocence and told me that his personality was just an act.

“I think that Kenya did something.” I admit, although saying it aloud made me feel awful. I didn’t know nothing about her, yet Liam has known her for quite a while. I had no right to judge her or make any accusations.

I expected him to laugh at me, or maybe I was hoping it. But instead he only shrugs. “I guess you’ll never know.”

“Oh.” Was all I could manage.

He winks at me. “But, if she does happen to ask what you know…”

I think I caught on a little too fast.

“I’ll say you fell.” I smile back at him. “Obviously.”

The warmth in his face grew bigger and so did his smile. There wasn’t an odd shift in the mood like I would suspect, but instead an even harmony. I was beginning to like it.

“Good, because we wouldn’t want a pretty girl like you to get hurt.” He tells me. “And if you do get hurt, remember to keep it a secret.”

I nod, truly keeping his advice. This was another first. An older sibling, who was male, and I getting along. Usually I was made as a small thing that could be easily taken advantage of.

“Oh and by the way, Ken- I mean mom, wants you downstairs as soon as possible.” He murmurs as if she is listening. “She’s kind of pissed, so watch out.”

“Yeah, okay.” I respond, still trying to take everything in. My new mother was… abusive? Or was she? This was the guy who made a complete fool of himself the minute I met him. “I’ll be down in a second.”

Once again he smiles. This smile isn’t sly nor is it arrogant. It’s a happy smile; one I have yet seen in this boy.

“Good. And Alex…” He pauses to make sure I’m listening. “Remember, our secret.”

“I will.”

"Good. I'll see you downstairs; get ready for hell." He says, before walking back to my door. “Goodbye, new girl.”