They go to the restaurant for supper, the next night. Niall thinks that they've spent enough time just holed up in their room. Would be nice to get a really posh dinner in, though no one else had thought the same, evidently. They're alone in the restaurant, only wait staff standing by or chatting near the back, barely audible, but it's all quite nice.
"how's the class going anyway?' " he's saying, a few hours into dinner, slicing up his rack of lamb carefully, giving Liam maybe a third of the entire portion, "You haven't spoken about it as much lately"
"Nightmare" Liam's saying, frowning as he spoons some of his truffle risotto to a small plate to give to Niall.
"Oh really, why?" Niall asks with a frown matching Liam's
. "I got these two stubborn as fuck and very opinionated students that have been doing my head in"
"Isn't English literature supposed to be opinionated?"
"Yes it is" Liam says proudly, smugly. "But their stubbornness is more to do with the obvious sexual frustration that literally radiates off them and both are too oblivious to it"
"Maybe you should just lock them in a room and let them fuck it out of each other" Niall jokes
They both laugh, and as they calm down, Liam say, "Maybe"
They're quiet after that, Niall plays around with his food instead of eating it. He can't quite read the look on Liam's face, contemplative, thoughtful, silent. All of that is obvious, but he doesn't know what he's thinking. That doesn't happen often, if at all.
The silence between them is interrupted when theres a sudden buzz coming from the table, Niall looks down at the table noticing the buzz coming from Liam's phone. He's jaw clenches when he sees the name displayed on the illuminated screen. Liam reaches for it, seeing that it's a message from Kit. He swallows the lump that has risen in his throat knowing full well that Niall knows who is messaging him.
Kit:
Can I see you again sometime soon?
Liam's gaze shifts from the phone to Niall and if looks could kill Liam would be death right now. the look he is giving Liam at the moment is terrifying him a bit.
"What does he what?" Niall asks through clenched teeth
"He just wanted to hang out sometime" Liam says, looking away from Niall's eyes not being able to look at him.
"I thought you stopped talking to him?" Niall asks
"I didn't" Liam says, honestly not feeling the need to hide it from Niall, he liked hanging out with Kit he was a nice guy.
Niall drops his fork, the clatter it makes on the plate echoing around the room, and the staff who'd been quite relaxed up until that point are suddenly alert. Look over to their table, and Liam can't look at Niall.
"Um, sorry," Niall says, can barely register anything. "I - shit. Sorry. Sorry, can we, um. Would you mind leaving us, please?"
The staff stare at them, waiting to see if Niall was actually serious. When he doesn't budge, they begin to leave, nodding at them as they retreat to the service area, closing the door behind them, and leaving Liam and Niall alone.
His heart is racing, and it's not the pleasant kind of race. Just beats against his chest too hard and makes it difficult to breathe. "You lied to me. Liam, you promised, you'll stop talking to him"
"I know, I know I did," he says, and he sounds so small, close to tears. "I'm sorry."
"Why' are you talking to him?" Niall looks at him then, wants answers. "You promised me. I always, always, asked you if we were okay. I don't understand why you're still talking to him. You promised me you'd tell me if you wanted to end things. so we wouldn't end up like this."
