The President's Daughter (Liam Payne) Book 6

Chapter 16

“Don’t be too long,” she says with a grin “And it was great to meet you Elodie. I’m sure we’ll have a lot of fun together,” she adds before heading to the bus.

“So who the hell is that? I thought she was some crazy fan at first,” Elodie starts.

“I see you met Melissa,” Lauren muses as her and Louis join the group along with Harry and Niall.

“Who is she?” Elodie asks again.

“My—“ I start saying but am quickly cut off by Louis.

“His lady-friend.”

“Girlfriend,” I say, looking at him with a frown.

“Does she know that?” Niall asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Got a lot of boyfriends hasn’t she?” Louis adds.

“Wow girlfriend, really?” Elodie asks me, raising an eyebrow again and I knew she was thinking about the night in the club.

“It’s more of an open relationship,” I say guiltily, answering all three of their statements at once.

“Yea, open tab for her,” Louis mutters under his breath. I clench my jaw, biting back any comments.

“So a fuck buddy then,” Elodie says.

“No” I say.

“Basically,” Louis says at the same time, eying me as if daring me to contradict him.

“Come on, lets just go to bed,” Lauren says, trying to calm him, gently tugging his hand. His gaze instantly softens as he looks at his girlfriend, nodding his head before the two of them leave.

“D’you mind if I stay on your bus till we get to the hotel? Melissa is kind of loud,” Zayn says to Elodie.

“You guys are so hard on her,” I complain, looking at the group. Nobody says anything, just looking amongst themselves.

“Well I’m going on the band’s bus,” Niall announces.

“I’m going with the Aussies,” Harry adds, the two of them bolting off towards their respective buses. Zayn and Elodie collect their things off their seat, glancing one last time at me with a shrug before heading towards her bus. I’m left there watching as they leave and I find a small part of myself wishing I could join them. But I can’t. Melissa was in the bus. And somehow, having the person who was supposed to decrease my loneliness here was isolating me further from my friends.

Elodie’s POV

“DeeDee!” Lux calls as soon as we step foot onto the bus.

“Hey squirt. Whats crackin? I ask with a grin.

“She’s been waiting for you. She wants you to read her her bedtime story,” Lou says as Lux holds up a picture book.

“Aww sweetie, I was right outside, you should’ve come told me,” I say, ignoring the look of surprise on Cheekbones’ face. “Come on,” I say offering her a hand. I have to bend down slightly to hold it while she reaches up to take my hand and we walk into the back bunk area. The story was weird. Not like the typical childhood stories we had in America. But Lux liked it and that’s what was important. When I emerge from the back, Lou going back to make sure she’d brushed her teeth and was going to bed,  I can feel Cheekbones’ eyes on me.

“What?” I snap defensively, crossing my hands over my chest.

“Nothing,” he says amused, dropping his gaze back to the phone in his hands. Probably talking to his girlfriend. For being such a private guy, he sure had no problem talking about her. Whenever the two of us talked, her name wound up in the conversation somehow. Even though I’d never met her, it felt like I’d known her for years.

“Good,” I retort. I stand there awkwardly, playing with the tip of my hair as I wonder what I’m supposed to do now. Lou reappears a couple minutes later, taking a seat besides Tom on the couch.

“Umm Lou? Can I ask you something?” I ask her. She looks up in surprise. I was never really the one to start a conversation.

“Sure, what’s going on?” she asks. I didn’t want to do this. To ask for anything.

“Umm well you see… Liz is on my ass to find an elective right?” I start uncomfortably. “And… well… I was wondering if maybe you’d be willing to take me on as a student assistant or intern or something. I’ve done some of my own outfits and I know I can be problematic at times but—“ I say, steadily speaking faster and faster.

“Hey hey hey hang on. You don’t have to convince me. If you want to learn, I’d be happy to teach you,” she says with a smile.  I nod, still uncomfortable with the whole exchange. I didn’t like having to ask for anything. It was a sign of weakness.

“Thanks,” I say flatly. She nods, still watching me, making me more and more uncomfortable until I finally just turn on my heels and head back into the bedroom area. Its only when I’ve gotten to my bed do I realize I left my sketchbook out there. I really didn’t want to go back out there to get it, but I also didn’t want to do homework. Oh god what’s happening to me? I think with a groan as I pick up my history textbook. I hadn’t been to a club in weeks and I was actually choosing to do homework? I thought bands were supposed to drink and do drugs all the time. These guys were too clean-cut for their own good. Frankly, I couldn’t wait to get to New York. With two nights of shows there, I was hoping to have the chance to catch up with some friends who weren’t so clean cut.

“Wow are you actually studying?” Cheekbones asks, appearing in the doorway. “Liz is going to have a heart attack when she finds out,” he teases.

“Shut up or this textbook is going up your ass,” I threaten as I move my feet so he could sit on the foot of my bed. He chuckles, taking a seat

“So is everything ok? You seemed a little off tonight before the show.”

“Yea, I’m fine,” I say brushing off his concern, knowing he wouldn’t push it. “Think I’m still just a little sick.”

“Oh stay away then,” he jokes, pretending to move further away.

“What? Don’t want a B12 shot?” I ask with a laugh.

“No way. Those things hurt,” he grins, rubbing his butt.

“Wuss,” I say with a laugh even though I’ve never had one. I’d rather just wait it out then get a shot in my ass. He just grins and we lapse into silence.  “So this Princess. What’s she all about?” I ask after a moment. Cheekbones’ grin turns to a frown.

“She appeared a couple months after he broke up with his girlfriend. One in a long line of rebounds. She was a bartender at a club we went to. She’d had a rough day and he took pity on her like he’d done with every one of his rebounds. She latched onto him like the gold-digger she is. She been using him to fund her party lifestyle ever since. She acts all sweet to him and he buys her whatever she wants.”

“Why?” I ask, crinkling my nose in disgust. It just reeked of desperation. He shrugs.

“He’s always had this hero complex. A need to rescue every damsel in distress.”

“That’s just stupid.”

“Yea,” he agrees. “And he gets taken advantage of because of it.”

“Hmm,” I say with a frown as I think about the situation. What a bitch. But he had it coming if he thought he was going to play the savior. He should’ve just left her to fend for herself.