Shy [Liam Payne]

Chapter 41

*Marianne's Point of View*

"Mari!" My mum exclaimed happily as she opened the front door. "Marianne, what's wrong?" She noticed my red eyes and probably ruined makeup.

"I don't want to talk about it." I said quietly and pulled her into a brief hug before going inside. Liam came in behind me. I greeted my dad with a hug and hello before going up the stairs to my bedroom. I set my duffel bag on my bed and then sat beside it.

"Marianne, is that you?" Louis called from down the hall. I started panicking and tried to fix my makeup, but I was too late. "You're finally- Have you been crying?" He noticed immediately.

He squatted down in front of the bed so that we were eye level. "Mari, what's the matter?" He asked gently. I shook my head, signaling that I didn't want to talk about it. "You can tell me. I'm your brother." He assured me.

"I don't want to talk about it." I said, my voice almost a sob.

"Just tell me, is it Liam? Did he do something?" Louis asked.

"Move on from this!" Liam's voice echoed in my brain again.

I nodded, blinking back tears. Lou sighed and wrapped his arms around me. I tensed up and pushed him away.

"Oh, Mari. It's happening again, isn't it?" He frowned. I nodded, ashamed of myself. "We'll work through it. It'll be alright. I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay." I whispered.

"Did Liam say something about it? Is that what it is?" Louis guessed.

I nodded wordlessly.

He took a deep breath. "I'll leave you alone now. Come get me if you need anything, alright? Even if it's a bad dream. Wake me up. I love you, Mari." Lou told me.

"Love you too, Louis." I said, not meeting his gaze. He sighed and stood up, leaving my room and closing the door. I set my duffel bag on the ground before pulling the duvet over me.

I sat in dark silence for a while until I decide I would get no sleep that night. I got out of bed with a sigh and went into my en suite bathroom. I washed my face and brushed my hair, just trying to kill time. I was going to brush my teeth, but then I decided to find something to eat instead.

I changed into a pair of Nike running shorts and a big t-shirt before descending down the stairs and going into the kitchen. Nobody was in there, thankfully. I didn't know where Liam was and I didn't care. I decided I would eat cereal, even though it was eleven o'clock at night. I ate it in the kitchen with my back facing the door.

"Alright, Niall, we'll get you something to eat. Calm down." I heard Harry say from just outside the kitchen. I stopped eating and waiting for the two boys to come into the kitchen. Why were they even here? I thought only Liam, Louis,

Eleanor, and I were coming.

"Oh, hey, Mari." Niall said cheerfully upon entering the room. "Why're your eyes red?"

"Oh, uhm." I paused to think of a lie. "I got shampoo in them when I showered." I said the first thing that came to mind.

"That's odd, because your hair is dry. You don't look like you showered." Zayn said after coming in. Harry was staring at me questioningly.

"Where's Louis?" I changed the subject.

"Talking to Liam about something." Harry replied. "What's that about?"

"I- uhm. I don't know." I couldn't hit myself for stuttering so much.

"So really, why are your eyes red? You're either high or you've been crying. I think it's the latter." Harry said nonchalantly.