Living With A Payne (Watty Awards 2012)

Chapter 21: I'm A Dead Man Walking

Chapter 22: I’m A Dead Man Walking

(Liam’s POV)

“Li-Li!”

I winced at the sound of her shriek. We stood in the middle of the store. Paul, our new manager, figured it would do us lads good to go out with our girls. Of course, for me, that meant Chesca. I suppose she wasn’t all that bad. We’ve been together for a year or so now.

“Yes love?” I sighed, as if already been defeated.

“What do you think if this?” She modeled a dark blue dress. It made her look fat in my opinion, but any guy would know never to say that—Unless, of course, they plan on losing a fight to a girl.

I simply smiled, giving her a small nod. “Nice…but I can’t buy anything for you today.” I patted my pockets. “I’m saving my cash.” Which was true. Our tour would start soon and our first stop was Australia, and I planned to do some shopping there.

She pouted.

Here we go again…

“You don’t know how hard it is—Being hated by your own family!” Chesca cried.

“Ches… Kat and Katia don’t hate you.” I wasn’t falling for this. I knew those girls too well, but I seemed to struggle when I said her name.

 Katia.

 Her sister and the other girls had told me she left for home the night after she found Chesca and I on Harry’s bed two years ago. They haven’t forgiven me for it, but we’ve learned to act civil.

Katia.

I wondered what she was doing now…the lads would talk about her too often to let me forget she still existed somewhere out there. It was like they rang her everyday—Who’s to say they don’t? I wondered if she looked different now. She could have cut her hair, or changed it’s color. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see her tanner—Well, that’s if I do get to see her at all. I bet she’d look absolutely beaut—

“Liam!” Chesca let out another shriek, as if trying as hard as she could, to break my eardrums. “You’re not listening to me again!” She scowled at me.

“S-Sorry, I was just…” I trailed, picturing how Katia used to smile at me, or how I’d find her in the room with her sketchbook opened up on her lap.

“You were just what? Thinking about her again?” She snapped. “News flash Li, Katia isn’t here anymore!”

“I wasn’t thinking about her!” I protested.

She obviously wasn’t buying it. “Listen, I’m your girlfriend here, not her.”

Not her.

I winced inwardly at the sternness of her tone.

“Exactly! I love you!” I pressed on.

She seemed to think about it for a while, and then sighed. “I guess I can’t really stay mad at you…” Chesca’s hard expression softened. “I love you too Li-Li! So…about the dress…”

I chuckled. “’Fine.”

Katia was probably having a better time than I was right now.

(Katia’s POV)

Bree giggled. “Oh! This is amazing!” She smiled as we entered the bar. Sebastian walked in the glass doors beside her, while Gabriel and I seemed to have the ever-so-famous, quiet game.

It didn’t surprise me to see him ignore me the entire ride here. I was only this so Bree could be with Sebastian. Those two were the ones having a good time. I barely took one step into the club, and I already wanted to go home.