I Cannot Hide This Even Though I Try ~ A COMPLETED One Direction Fanfic

20 - Endings and New Beginnings

“What about your other friends from Mullingar? What about your family? Who else hung around the two of you back then?” Greg questions, trying to help Liam figure out whom else could have done such a thing.

“My family? My parents, Ruth, and Nicola were all clueless about my relationship with Niall until I told my sisters a couple of years ago. I didn’t have any other fam-wait… I need to go. I’ll talk to you later, Greg,” Liam rambles before hanging up and dialling a new number.

“Hello?” a quiet, female voice answers.

“Why did you do it?”

“Sorry, what? Who is this?” the girl asks.

“Your cousin, Liam. Answer my damn question, Sara,” Liam snaps.

“What did I do?” Sara inquires.

“Oh, please, don’t play stupid with me. You’re that ‘inside source’ in that article about Niall and I that just got released.”

Sara sighs softly, but doesn’t deny anything. “What were you expecting? After nearly 3 years as a part of a famous boyband, you can’t come out of the closet without the paps digging for dirt from the people who used to be close to you,” she replies.

“So, you think that gives you the right to give them personal information?” By this time, Liam is seething, and it is all he can do to keep from screaming at his cousin.

“No, but it’s not like you ever bothered asking me to keep it private, either. Besides, most of what I told them was nice. Did you actually read the article?”

Liam stops himself from speaking, realizing that he had only skimmed parts of the article. He goes back and reads the whole thing while Sara waits, and then he realizes that she’s right. Yes, she gave his and Niall’s personal stories to the media, but she put it in a positive light. Then, he reads on line that catches his attention. “Sara?”

“Yeah, Li?”

“Did you really know that Niall and I would end up together? Even back then?” he questions in turn.

“Yup,” Sara answers, “and if you don’t believe me, I told Charlie that I knew you two would be together before you moved back to England.”

“I believe you. Wait, weren’t you still dating Niall at that point?”

“Yes, Li, I was. But I wasn’t blind; I could see that you were both longing to be with each other.”

Liam ponders this newfound information for a few minutes before speaking again: “I’m sorry for getting angry with you, Sara. I should have let you explain yourself before jumping to conclusions.”

“It’s alright, cuz. I’m just glad that you and Nialler are happy,” the girl replies.

“Thanks, Bear,” Liam murmurs.

“No problem. Well, it’s getting late here, so I should go.” After exchanging farewells (and promising to try to keep in touch from now on), Sara hangs up and leaves Liam to sit and think in silence.

******************************************************

(a few months later)

“Yes, ma’am,” Liam says to the woman he’s on the phone with. “We’ll be there for a week or so.”

“When will you be getting here?” she asks.

“We’ll be flying in tomorrow morning.”

“Have you talked to your folks about this?” the woman queries.