The Old and the New (Liam Payne)

The Old and the New

"Shakespeare is one of many lovely writers in his time.." Mrs. Parks voice got softer and softer as I drifted off in the back of class. I thought about Li and I earlier today, when he came and woke me up because I slept in late. 

"Eli," I heard Liam's voice echo across my house. I moaned and covered my head with my pillow. I don't want to go to school today. I heard a soft knock on my door and then the swoosh of it opening. "El, you gotta get up silly." He cooed in my ear. "I don't wanna Liii." I said peeking out from under my pillow. He was smiling down at me, his eyes crinkling on the sides like always. I smiled too. I watched as he kicked off his shoes and laid down next to me on the bed, taking his hand and drawing light circles on my back with his fingertips. "Come on, are you gonna make me tickle you?" I could practically hear the smirk in his voice. I shook my head under my pillow. "Please don't." "I'll take that as a yes." And in one swift move he flipped me over and straddled me, his fingers dancing on my hips. "AHHH nooo!" I squealed, dying of laughter. "Li, pleaseeeee." I begged him, putting my hands on his trying to push them off. When he finally stopped, I laid there for awhile taking deep breaths. "Well, that was tiring." I huffed and smiled up at him. "Are you gonna get off me?" He looked up at the ceiling scrunching his nose, acting like he was thinking about that answer. "No, I don't think so." He winked at me. "MUMMMMM! HELP ME!" I yelled to her, and soon she made her way up the stairs and ran into my room. "What? Who? Wh-" As soon as she saw Liam she stopped. "Oh, haha. Darling I don't think I can help you with that. How are you today Liam?" "I'm great, Mrs. Hamilton. How about you?" He spoke casually, like him sitting on top of me was normal (which it kinda is). "I'm perfectly fine. You guys better head off to school soon. I'm going to work. Love you both!" She said, heading back downstairs. "We love you too!" Me and Liam said in sync. He got off of me and I got up and walked into my bathroom. "I'm gonna take a quick shower. Don't miss me too much." I sang, closing the door behind me. 

*briiiiing* The sound of the bell woke me and I grabbed my things, throwing my backpack over my shoulder. I quickly made my way through the hallways, dodging people to get to the front door. Thankfully, that was my last class of the day. I pushed the door of the high school open and looked around for Liam. I still can't believe we've never had classes together. I don't ever get to see him during school hours. Sometimes I missed my best friend. After all we were usually together 24/7 so separation wasn't okay with me. "Fight, fight, fight, fight!" A crowd of kids screamed in the middle of the parking lot. "Hey El, come check this out! Josh is beating the hell out of this loser," Someone shouted at me. I hurried over, not to watch the fight but to see who the poor guy was this time. I would try to do something but I was always scared I was too we- My train of thought ended there as I saw who was in the middle of the huge circle, being punched repeatedly in the stomach. Josh, the jock a.k.a asshole of the school doing the punching. Two of his goons holding him up right as he did so. Light brown swoop hair, chocolate brown eyes, light jeans, old sweatshirt. Liam. "NO!" I shouted, pushing through the crowd of people. I finally reached the middle and got in between Josh and my poor Li. "STOP IT! You're hurting him!" I yelled at Josh. He brought his curled up hand down to his side. "Hey pretty girl," He put his hands around my waist, trying to pull me in. "How about after I-" I cut him off by bringing my knee up to his crotch as hard as possible. He fell to the ground in pain. "El, it's okay I can handle it," Liam moaned, his nose and mouth dripping blood. I glared at the two guys holding him and they let him go, backing away slowly. "Come on Liam," I said helping him walk through the sea of our piers. They split down the middle as we made our way through. "Hey you bitch!" I heard Josh say but I wasn't paying much attention. I knew he wouldn't come after me. He wasn't one to hurt girls. Especially one's that would beat his arse. I normally couldn't, but now that I'm angry I have no doubt that I could. When we were out of ear shot and halfway to his car I stopped to take a look at Liam.

I tried to get some of the blood off his face, at least the dry kind. His eyes were filled with pain, brimmed with tears. "Awh Liam, you poor thing." I hugged him tightly, but not too tight so I wouldn't hurt him. His arms slowly made there way around my waist, and he buried his head into my neck. I put my hand on his head, rubbing back and forth. We stayed like that for awhile. I think he liked it like that, me holding him. It was usually vice versa with us. I would always come to him when a boy broke my heart or I was having problems and he would hold me and let me cry, whispering sweet things in my ear. But now he was the weak one. I pulled back after awhile and looked him in the eye again. "We're gonna get you to my house, okay? I'll fix you up." I wiped some new tears streaming down his cheeks and he tried to smile, which made my heart fall into a million pieces. Why? Why would someone do this to him? He's so sweet and innocent. He would never deserve this. 

As I drove home, I couldn't help but glance over at him every few minutes. He just looked so damaged, so hurt. Something I've never noticed about him before. Has this happened before? Has he been bullied like this more than once? No, it couldn't be. He would've told me. Or would he? "El," his voice made me come back to reality. "Yes Li?" "I-I I'm sorry." I looked over at him, a tear slowly making it's way down his face. I looked back at the road, pulling into our driveway and parking. I shook my head at him. "No, Liam. You have nothing to be sorry for. You hear me?" I got out of the car and made my way to his side and helped him inside the house, bringing him up the stairs and into my room. I laid him down on the bed, and then went into my bathroom, getting a warm wash cloth and a first aid kit. I went back into my room and he was sitting up, propped against my fluffy purple pillow. When he saw me he tried to smile again. "Stop that," I said, smiling softly as I made my way over to him. "Stop wh-what?" he stuttered. I straddled him and softly wiped the blood off his face with the warm wash cloth. "Trying to smile. Your hurt, and when your hurt it's okay to be sad. It's okay Liam." I whispered to him, as I got back off of him and went to wash the blood out of the rag. He was silently crying when I came back, and I ran over to him and sat on his lap, caressing his face and every time a tear rolled down his cheek I would brush it away with my thumb. When he was done with most of his crying, I kissed right under his eyes slowly, and looked into his milky browns. "I will never let this happen to you again. You are perfect Liam, and you never ever let anyone tell you different." He looked at me with shock, surprised that I had kissed him. We've always just been best friends, Liam and I. We've never really done anything more than cuddled, hugged and occasionally holding hands. But I felt like kissing him was the right thing to do in the moment, so that's what I did. "Thank you, El. For everything," He replied, putting my head in his hands softly and kissing my forehead. His lips felt warm and my skin tingled at his soft touch. It felt..perfect.