"Nice to meet you." Miles said raising his glass and Liam just nodded his face void of any expression except boredom as he looked aliens the room. When Liam turned to look around Miles sent Olivia a confused expression and she simply shrugged, she was embarrassed by the way he was behaving. "Well it was nice seeing you again and you look incredible. I'll see you guys later, I think we're at the same table."
Miles was the first person to compliment her appearance that night - Liam was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to even acknowledge her or the extra effort she had made.
"Really!" Olivia smiled brightly - if Liam was going to be in a mood then at least she'd have Miles there to make her laugh and nodded in confirmation, "That's great, I will see you later then."
When Miles left she turned to face Liam with a frown, "Did you have to be rude, I get that you don't like Alex but Miles is really nice."
"I wasn't trying to be rude." He justified.
"Well you were." She told him and saw that he rolled his eyes at her which just made her angrier - if anyone had the right to be annoyed it was her. "Your acting like a child right now."
"We're sat next to him later so I'll be nicer then." He said in defeat sighing at the sight of her frown. Olivia nodded, not really believing him but not wanting to argue in front of everyone, and then quickly turned away.
"Do you think you'll survive if I leave you alone for two seconds? You can get us drinks?" She asked after a unbelievably long moment of silence - the tension of a brewing argument.
"Where are you going?" He questioned and she knew what he really was asking was 'Your not going to talk to Alex, are you?' She was already bracing herself for his reaction because that's exactly where she was going.
"To thank Alex for inviting us, you're free to come with me but remember that you promised to be nice." She sighed, giving in and inviting him - as much as Liam hated Alex she knew that he hated the thought of her alone with him more so he nodded and she led the way.
She had spotted him as soon as she came, he was talking to Matt at the far end of the room where the big screen was.
Alex was looking around whilst talking to Matt and then his eye caught Olivia's as she walked over (Matt seemed to catch on and left passing Olivia as giving her a smile and nod). Alex sent her smile but it fell when he saw Liam behind her. It was as if his face was made of plastic always in the same stoic and emotionless expression.
It was as if he had just now realised that she would be hearing the songs. He felt his heart rate fasten and his throat close up and then she was right there in front of him and the nervousness grew - she wasn't smiling like she usually was and he suspected that Liam was the cause of it.
"Hi." Olivia greeted.
Alex looked from Liam (who was glaring at him) and the to Olivia with a small smile, "Hi." He said quietly. It went silent and it felt extremely awkward. Liam was staring down Alex, Alex was looking at Olivia and Olivia didn't look at either of them. Alex coughed and then added after an obscene amount of time, "Glad you both could come."
Liam didn't say anything and Olivia gave him a sharp stare, she nudged him slightly with her elbow and Liam sighed, "Yeah thanks for having us."
He wanted to say that he invited Olivia not him but he didn't want to make Olivia more uncomfortable than she already was.
"We're really excited to hear the album." She said and could hear Liam scoff and he dropped his arm from her side, Alex noticed it too and looked at Liam with a glare. "Erm, we're going to get some drinks but we just wanted to say hi first and we've done that now so. . . We'll see you later?" Olivia said glancing at Alex giving him an apologetic smile before looking at Liam.
TWENTY THREE
Start from the beginning
